Chapter 3

• I had fallen asleep when a voice woke me up. It was Kasia’s.
• “Wake up! Wake up, Cesmae! There's no time, we have to run now. It's almost sunrise.”
• “Run? Run where? We're chained to the damn wall and there must be a guard outside. There's no way we're getting out of here, let's just accept it.” I replied dejectedly and she tsked.
• “It's not like you to give up so easily. There is a way for us to leave. I can't reveal much because I'm under a binding vow but the only thing I can say is you're a latent shapeshifter.”
• I perked up when I heard those words.
• Binding vow? Latent shapeshifter?
• “What are you talking about?”
• “I told you there's no time to talk, someone will soon come to take us to the gallows if we don't hurry. I'll explain everything once we've reached safety. For now, I just want you to close your eyes and envision your ten-year-old self and wish upon that form as hard as you can.” She instructed and I was still so confused but if there's anyone I trust completely, it's Kasia.
• She wouldn't play around like this when we're on death row.
• I closed my eyes and did what she asked and like some sort of magic, I felt myself shrinking. The chains fell right off and I crumbled to the ground, managing to break my fall.
• I took a look at my hands and my body and realized I was indeed in the body of a ten-year-old. I had so many questions but there was no time to ask them.
• I carefully opened the dungeon door. As suspected, there was a guard at the door but luckily, he was asleep so I slipped out very quietly.
• Moving gingerly through the prison, I saw several guards patrolling and I was so close to being caught a few times but I managed to slip out undetected.
• As soon as I was out of the building of the Pack Prison, I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me. I wasn't looking in front of me, too busy watching my back when I bumped into someone hard.
• I fell backward instantly and rubbed my head. When my eyes opened, a cold chill ran down my spine.
• It was Morgan!
• He looked at me strangely and grabbed my hand, helping me up.
• “Are you OK, little one? What are you doing out here so early?” He asked with pretentious care while I struggled not to cower.
• He inspected my features closely and all of a sudden, realization struck his eyes.
• “Cesmae?!” He called, his voice unsure but there was no time to dally.
• "Run! Run! Run!" The words keep echoing in my head like thunder, just like yesterday.
• I yanked his hand away and ran right past him, dashing into the forest as fast as my little lungs could manage.
• Tears clouded my vision, everything was all a blur and nothing made sense but I kept moving on, going past the branches and spiky vines that ripped through my dress, even managing to slightly cut my skin in the process.
• I didn't care about the pain, I couldn't even feel it with so much adrenaline pumping through my blood. All that echoed in my mind was the fact that I needed to get away from this Pack as quickly as possible.
• Getting to the border of my Pack, it was diligently guarded by scouts and it would have been impossible to pass through but I had the advantage of my size and the imagination of a child.
• I created a distraction and ran through as quickly as I could. I only stopped when I was a good distance away from the border.
• My body collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath, my body wracking with heavy coughs as my throat felt as dry as bricks.
• “You've done very well, Cesmae but you need to rest now. You'll have to recover your strength for the journey ahead.” Kasia commended.
• I couldn't argue with that as I was completely exhausted. The sun was beginning to rise up in the sky and it would be fully dawn soon.
• I found a spot under a tree with a good amount of grass and underbrush. I lay there and before I knew it, I fell asleep.
• I kept having weird dreams, from blurry flashbacks to strange voices in my head, the scene of Carlisle's murder, and then finally…..
• Gentle taps woke me up from my slumber and I jolted upwards. I blinked repeatedly and looked up through sleepy eyes.
• It was a woman and she had the warmest smile ever. She reminded me of what a mother would be if I had one.
• “What are you doing out here, sweetie? Did you lose your way home?”