Twilight's POV
I stabbed his arm before he could push me in.
He screamed.
The soldiers turned, silent.
I didn't mean to.
James the captain looked at me disgustingly like he'd been waiting for a reason to actually
lock me up.
"Take her," he said.
The chains clicked shut.
Happy birthday to me.
—Earlier That Day—
The morning started quiet. No drums, no singing. Just wind and the sound of boots outside my door.
I'd just turned eighteen. No one said it out loud, but we all knew what that meant. Eighteen was the age they came for you, if they thought you were different.
When I stepped out, James was already there, standing with his men. His silver badge caught the light. He didn't smile.
"Twilight Draven," he said.
"You're to come with us."
"For what?" I asked.
He didn't answer. Just nodded at the cage behind him.
I felt my throat tighten.
"You think I have it, don't you?"
James's jaw flexed.
"You tell me."
I took a step back. One of the soldiers moved closer, reaching for my arm. Instinct took over.
My dagger flashed.
I gave up trying to fight. I'd already given them what they wanted…fear.
Now they had a reason to drag me away.
They threw a sack over my head and bound my hands tight. The ground shifted under my
feet as they shoved me forward. I heard the cage open, the chains rattle, and James' voice flat, cold."Send her to Redemption Camp."
That was when I knew. They weren't planning to question me. They were planning to break me.
The journey was rough. I heard others crying inside their cages, whispering prayers the
guards ignored.
By the time they pulled the sack off, the sun was gone.
High walls surrounded us black stone, lined with guards and soldiers.
"Welcome to Redemption," a voice said behind me.
I turned. A girl stood there, grinning. Her eyes were sharp, gold in the dim light.
"Name's Prati," she said.
"Poison witch. You must be the birthday girl." I didn't reply to her, I took the quill, wrote down my name and walked away from her.
The guards led me to my room/cell. It was a secluded room at the far end of floor 3, I didn't expect any less. For someone that didn't have a dragon they were really scared of what I could do.
"We will let you out at the first bell. Be ready before we get here." The door closed and three clicks followed after.
I observed my surroundings. Nothing sharp was left in the room. That's when it dawned on me, I frantically touched myself and realized that they had taken all my knives except the one strapped in my inner thigh. I left it right where it was. The mirror was the only breakable thing in the room.
The first bell rang but I didn't have to get ready. I just walked out the same way I came in.
Everyone from every floor gathered in the open space. I watched as people emerged from their rooms in 2s and 3s meaning I was probably the only one without a roommate.
The king took on the center stage and started:
"Good day, outcasts of Aretia, you all are here for the betterment of the kingdom. As the
camp implies Redemption. You all will spend a solid amount of time here to prove to us that you are worth living amongst the people of Aretia. General Isla will be overseeing this camp and over certain degenerates." And I watched as his eyes subtly glanced over me.
I knew that statement was directed but I didn't react, it wasn't worth it. I had always heard of
General Isla but I never knew what she looked like, all I knew was that she was ruthless and "scary".
The king sent a subtle nod to the guards and walked off the stage.
Just then dragons flew over the camp, roaring and displaying themselves.
Everyone cheered but me. I never liked dragons, they were arrogant and narcissistic just like the rulers of thekingdom. Except the dragons have their own seclusion and pick the humans they want to bond with.
James stalled around the camp for a while, watching me like I was going to vanish before his very eyes. Satisfied he got on his dragon and left.
They started grouping us according to our floors and how much of a "degenerate" we were and started assigning captains to each floor. James was my floor captain but he had already left so a guard was put in his place for the night.
There were 5 floors and I was the only one kept alone on floor five. We were led like
prisoners back to our cells.
My bed was cold, the window was quite small, a little bath and bucket beside it. Quite
comfortable for someone who is a degenerate.
I brought out my map of this place, I had one mission my whole life to find out who my
parents are. I didn't care if I had a dragon or not. Aretia was hiding truths and I needed to
know what they were.
I removed the pin from my hair and unlocked the door. I was surprised at how easy it was
considering my room door was quite heavy. The click sound woke the guards in front of my door up.
"Where do you think you're going?" One replied with his hand hovering over his sword.
"For sightseeing, can't a girl get to know her surroundings?" I used my elbow, knocked the both of them out and took my keys off them.
"Sleep tight, I'll be back before you know it." My dagger was still strapped to my thigh. I
paced past the hallway, sounded like people were actually having fun but that wasn't my
business.
I got to the main door of the building. The guards there were knocked out cold. Soon I was in the courtyard but I hid in the shadows of the walls. My first stop was the library, I knew there had to be enough to find in the library.
"Look who we have here." I froze.