EL

king and slamming the door in my face. I heard them turn the lock and the retracing of their footsteps along the corridor. I pushed the tray of food away angrily. I didn't even feel hungry, plus the food wasn't appetising. I don't know how long I stayed like that before I heard footsteps walking towards the door. The lock turned again, and the door slammed open. They walked in again, and the maid threw a cloak at me. "Put it on," she said. I picked it up. I was already cold, as it seemed it had already started to snow. She picked up the tray of food, which was still the way she brought it in. With one last glance at me, she left without saying a word. I was grateful she didn't, because I wasn't in the mood to be stressed right now. I had been through a lot recently. "Follow me," I heard one of the guards say. After that, we walked through long stone hallways before taking me outside. When we stepped outside, the cold breeze hit my skin despite the cloak I was wearing. Then I saw two other girls about my age also putting on cloaks just like me. "So I wasn't the only one," I thought, surprised. They led me and one of the girls into a carriage, and then the other girl was put into another carriage. The carriages started to move. "Hi, what's your name?" I heard the girl who sat next to me ask. "Hazel," I said, surprised at her boldness. "What's your own name?" I asked, my voice slightly above a whisper. "Adriel," she answered, trying to force a smile. Then I decided to ask her, "I'm from the Moewe clan. Which clan did you come from?" "Tseki clan," she said. A little silence made its way between us, and then I decided to ask her the question that had been bothering me ever since I was in the cell. "Do you know why they took us?" I asked, trying not to sound weird and creepy. I heard her breath become ragged. She looked at me for some time before she spoke up. "Every hundred years, three 18-year-old virgins, chosen by the priestess, are sent to the dragon realm as sacrifices," she said, still staring at me. Fear made its way to my heart and gripped my being. "What do you think is the reason for all this?" I asked with anxiety clear in my voice as I stared at her. "When I was a bit younger, I found a book in my father's library. In one of his shelves among his many books-I think the title was The Inferno: The Curse of the Dragon it says that the dragon heirs are normally born with a curse, the Inferno, which manifests in them between the ages of 20 and 25. The Inferno makes the dragon crazy with fire, making them burn down different villages if not curtailed fast. And that was how the sacrifice of three female virgins started, as it was believed that thi