Without You (Book 2 of The Blue Star) OUAT

Torture

Hey guys! 🤗

Okay so I'm sooooo sorry for the late update. I had some major writers block and couldn't figure out how I wanted this chapter to start. I know where the book/story is going, it's just sometimes hard to put it into words. I'm pretty sure a lot of you know the struggle! 😂😉

So thank you so much for being patient with me and for reading/voting/commenting on this book and the first book too!! It mean so much to me!! I never thought this series would've made it this far. And it's all thanks to you!! Thank you so much!! ❤️❤️❤️

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Chapter 19

*Baelfire*

"You call this a challenge?" A dark haired boy sneered with a devilish grin. "What are we gunna do with 'em?" He asked while glancing at Felix.

A small smirk made its way to Felix's lips; "we take them back to camp."

Suddenly, three of the boys charged. The boy called Ivan went for Cyrus with his knife. Another boy, who must've came after I left, went for Cyrus too. He was behind Ivan with a scared look in his eyes. Cyrus was big. He wasn't someone you wanted to mess with.

I couldn't watch their fight any longer. I turned my head to meet Dustin's gaze. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost. His face was pale in the fallen torch's light. He swallowed hard as I stared at him intensely.

"What's wrong Dustin? Thought I was gone for good?" I snickered, trying to hide the anxiety pounding on my chest.

Dustin gripped a dagger, which was an unusual weapon of choice for him. Normally he would carry a crossbow. I shook my head, reminding myself that Dustin's choice of a weapon did not matter. I glanced around for something to hopefully defend myself with—nothing.

"Dustin, why are you doing this? You of all people should know what kind of a monster Pan is!" I yelled at him in irritation.

"You know that guy?" Cyrus's eyes were wide with disbelief. But his head whipped back to Ivan, who was coming at him with his knife. Cyrus shot back as the blade sought his skin. Cyrus gritted his teeth as his fist clenched. Captivated by their fight, I didn't even realize Dustin sneaking up. My attention was stolen like a thief in the night. But when I finally remembered who my competitor was, a sharp pain exploded in my head. My knees instantly felt weak and I crumpled to the sand. My head throbbed as my blurry vision saw Dustin towering over me with a blank expression.

I heard Cyrus's shouts and grunts, but I couldn't move. Every time I blinked, pain shot through my body. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I wasn't feeling sleepy. I was wide awake, aware of the agony I was facing. It was almost like a form of torture.

I heard a thump on the sand and Cyrus's grunts. They defeated both of us.

"Well that was easy." Ivan almost sounded bored.

I wanted to punch that dirty rat in the face. I was so angry. Rage rapidly built up inside me at the thought of being held captive. Not again. I can't do this again.

Suddenly, I was heaved upward and onto my feet. Pain burst inside my skull at every slight movement. Then I noticed I was face to face with Dustin. His hazel eyes were blank as he stared at me. He seemed as though he never knew me. That everything he had done, and seen, were a fairytale to him. As if it never existed. But he recognized me. He knew.

"What did you do to us." Cyrus gritted his teeth with a painful expression. His eyes were shaken with pure misery. Both his and my pride were wounded this night. But that part didn't matter. What mattered was Solstice. She just disappeared. We needed to find her.

"Why, it's magic." Ivan snickered. "Something Pan whipped up for us. It's some form of torture. Every move you make, every breath you take, causes great afflictions. But you see, it's all in your head." A smile spread across his face. He was obviously amused. I wanted so badly to kick him in the ass.

"That's enough Ivan." Felix ordered with a bored tone. "We take them back to camp. Now."

I looked at Dustin who suddenly gripped my arm forcefully and led me to the forest. Ivan shoved Cyrus in the same direction. We were soon blanketed in a world of green. Lush bushes shivered in the cold night of Neverland. The trees whispered amongst themselves; the wind capturing their words.

I tried my best to keep my mind off of the agonizing pain of each step. My muscles screamed out, pleading with me to stop. My wound, which was now a scar on my back from the battle at Skull Rock with Cale, ached—as if I was being stabbed repeatedly again and again in the exact same spot. My knees were heavy, my feet burned as if they were on fire. I could imagine the flames consuming my feet with every step I took; going deeper and deeper into the hellish blaze.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of walking, I saw lights up ahead. The flame of a campfire tore through the darkness of the night. As we came through the brush and into the campsite, my gaze was captured by the altered grounds. There were no more huts—none that could be seen anyway. More vegetation surrounded the camp, if that was even possible. I glanced over to the direction of the training ground; nothing that I could see was changed, except there weren't anymore targets set up. My gaze wandered over to the campfire—I saw three figures. One was a little boy. He couldn't have been any older than ten. The next boy was obviously older judging by his face. He seemed to be at least sixteen. Then my eyes landed on the other boy. He had jet black hair and piercing blue eyes—I suddenly stopped. My mind recalculated. I stared at him in amazement.

"What the hell." I heard the boy gasp.

I couldn't speak. It hurt too much. I could barely even stand. The pain was too great. Dustin pushed me along and away from the sight of the three boys at the campfire.

I couldn't believe I just saw Archer. He was alive. And he was safe. For now. Perhaps he knew where Pan took Solstice.