Chapter One (part 10)

Atnela took no supprise at the girl's collapse so she must have been expecting it. Echo broke down, all the way. Her body shook with sobs and she transfered all thoughts to the horse as every image flashed through her mind.

Dymetri was startled. "Echo?" He whispered in an almost frantic voice as he rushed over to her. He looked questioningly at Atnela, asking with his eyes only if it would be okay for him to pull the girl away. The horse nodded after a minute, eyes somber.

The elf gently lifted Echo off of Atnela but the girl faught to cling to the horse. "No, no let me go!" She wailed as tears streamed smoothly down her cheeks. Echo looked at the Prince, her blue eyes boiling with fury. She looked like she was going to hit him, but before he could cringe away, all anger left her and she lost all her will. She slumped in his arms where they sat.

It was the saddest thing Dymetri had ever witnessed. He knew Echo had been strong, very strong. And anger bubbled inside of him as he wondered what had happened to cause her to break. Whatever it was, it had damaged her badly.

He held her for a long time, stroking her long black hair that somehow still felt like a curtain of silk even though she had been running around for a week, and rocking her back and forth gently. They hadn't moved at all. Echo had let everything leave her, all her muscles becoming limp which caused her hand to fall into the stream.

The water flowed through her fingers and around her hand. It was oddly calming to her. The slight rocking motion was soothing and it wasnt long until crying had exausted her. She started to slip into a nightmare.

Everywhere she looked, the village was burning. People were rushing past her while she stood frozen in place.

"You need to leave!" Someone called out to her. "You're the one they're after!" And then the person was silent, falling forward. Protruding from his back was a silver knife, glinting scarlet with a mixture of blood and the reflection of the flames.

Out of the cloud of smoke, Katen walked slowly towards the tiger. Her smirk was curling into a vicious snarl. "I knew it was you. I can't believe a pathetic human outsmarted me!" She lunged and....

...the dream switched....

Echo was little again. She was looking in through the window as her parents argued loudly in the living room. They had sent her outside to play with her favorite ball, but the raised voices caught her attention.

She hated to see her parents fighting. She couldnt hear much but she did recognize her name when it was thrown into the argument.

"You leave her out of this!" My mother defended me. Her cheeks were pink with anger.

My father's face was reddening while a vain in his temple became more emmenint against his skin. "You know what she is! We can't allow her to be with us anymore. We adopted her, only wanting a daughter. And now her real parents are asking for her back! Why they gave her away in the first place, I have no idea, Lenay! But we cant PROTECT her anymore!" He was shaking now.

What was going on? They weren't my real parents?

"I know. I know..." My mother broke down into tears. "What did the King say anyways? What is he King of exactly?" She looked up at her husband with a tears streaked face, eyes pleading.

"He didnt say what he was King of, only that he wanted his daughter back so that she could take her place as heir. He called her Carus. I dont know what it means, but I think it was her name..." He trailed off.

"We can't let him take her." She clung to his shirt.

"I know." He kissed her forehead. "We can run. But not for very long."

She nodded. "What if she betrays us though. If someone got to her and she told them everything that she knew. What if she finds things out. What if she changes. That little angel turning into something we dont recognize and her leaving? After everything we're about to give up?"

"We just have to trust her."

So my parents knew nothing about me being a werecat. I was a princess though from what was being said. And my biological father had called me Carus? That word rang a bell.....

Something was behind me while I watched my father embrace my mother in the living room under the dim light. The grabbed me from behind and I screamed. My parents jumped and watched as I screamed in my capture's arms.

"ECHO!" They yelled at the same time, rushing for the door.

Echo jolted awake. "Echo! Echo! Wake up. Please, please WAKE UP!" His voice was urgent. She opened her eyes. Someone was holding her.....but it wasnt Dymetri.

Dymetri's face was still clouded over with fury and worry but a little relief showed now that he knew I was aware of everything going on.

Chaos was everywhere. Atnela was trying to rid herself of the restraints holding her back from the girl and Prince. Dymetri was being held, arms behind him, by a tall, muscular guy.

A familiar voice was whispering into my ear. "Hello, Princess Carus."

Dymetri's eyes widened, along with mine. "What did you call her?" he asked, voice full of supprise.

"Didn't you know?" The person holding me laughed. It was a deep laugh, almost sinister and dark.

"Dont you dare call me that." Echo hissed as she sank her teeth into the man's arm.