She was walking along the road when she saw an ambulance in front of her house. She frowned, confused, then saw a doctor bent over his brother William.

She began to run. "WILLIAM!" she cried.

Emily turned to her. "Cassidy!Where have you been till now! " her mother shouted. Cassidy stood, her eyes wide opened, in trouble. Well, where had she been till then?

William gave out a wheeze, while the doctor was holding the bag of ice on his head. Emily turned caring towards her son, still stunned.

"What happened?" Cassidy asked.

"A thief who tried to come in from the upstairs window," Emily replied.

"A thief?".

"Yes ..." William replied, with a weak voice "he was climbing to try to get into your room ... I saw him and I stopped him...but he gave me a blow in the head with that "said, indicating an iron bar near there.

"You didn't see who it was?" Emily asked him.

"No, it was too dark ... it was very high, one meter eighty-five maybe ...he was strong, but not so big ...I do not know. "

"Not enough for a charge" the doctor said "let's hope he won't come back".

Emily nodded, while William tried to lift his head to see his sister who was standing in front of him. As if he wanted some explanation.

And what kind of explanation could give him? The window was closed and ... who could try to get in her room and why?

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000

"WHAT!Did he get hurt? " Yan Lin creid, when she knew the news.

"No, he's fine, but ... that is not the problem ..." Cassidy said.

"Well, there are thieves everywhere, and they go anywhere ...it may be just a case "Halinor said.

Nerissa coughed. "Before you say it's a coincidence, knowing what we really are, let's try to know if it is something planned".

"Guess she's right" Kadma said.

Cassidy looked at them confused. "Any ideas?".

The girls looked at each other, in silent. Nope, no idea.

Meanwhile, the bell rang.

"We should go" Kadma and Halinor said "we have the chemistry lab, and the teacher's quite strict".

"I gotta go. History lesson in the offing! " Yan Lin said.

"Ok, I'll see you at lunch, then!" Cassidy said, while the three girls went off.

Nerissa, instead, stood there to watch her friend with a smile.

"What?" the redhead asked.

Nerissa remained still there for a moment, with her eyes wide opened. "How's it going with Edward?"

Cassidy blushed a little, then recomposed.

"It's ok".

"What do you mean "it's ok"?".

"I mean it's okay, nothing special ... I mean, no, it's not true ... He has something special ... but I don't understand what, exactly ... it's as if it had something indecipherable in his eyes. I mean, compared to the others, he's different, but I don't know why ... ".

"Do you think that he might be the right one?" Nerissa asked, with a big smile on her face.

Cassidy thought about it just a little before answering. "I don't know ...if he was really the way he is, maybe so ... but I dunno, don't know him well enough."

"If so how? What do you mean? ".

"I mean, if he really was so sweet, so sensitive, so ... this way! He would be perfect ... but honestly, I think it's one of those serving tactics for getting a fuck, just one night stand, d'you get? ".

Nerissa looked at her with a bigger smile.

"Do you think if you get together you last only six months and that's it?".

"Six months?Six days!Yes, I think that the model is not so much different than what I think".

Nerissa chuckled. "But if I know you well enough, I guess you'd screw him gladly!".

"Well, for the body he has, sure I would!" Cassidy said confidently, maybe with a hint of mischief. "Anyway, after this interrogation, I'll do some to you about Steve!".

Nerissa blushed, then smiled. "Ehr ... but of course!Meanwhile ... wanna go? " she asked, by asking her to walk down the aisle in the direction to which she was giving her back.

Cassidy nodded and turned to slam first against a student.

"Sor ..." she said, shrugging. Then, she felt as if was having a lack of air.

"Yes, ehr ...Let's say I wasn't thinking such a thing ... but if you want to... ".

Cassidy remained motionless, while with the corner of her eye she saw the friend that was running away along the corridor.

Edward had an embarrassed smile, while lowereing his gaze.

"You bastard ..." she whispered, with an incredulous and broken voice, as she felt that her heart had stopped for who knows how many minutes.

Edward smiled showing his very white teeth. "I wanted to tell you that we have lesson together ...".

"An hour together!" Cassidy said exasperated. Yes, it seemed to make matters worse. "... wanna go ..?" she whispered, her voice broken, and her blood madly running through her veins.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000

"Welcome back girls. We were waiting for you "Aswin told them, guiding them into the camp.

The girls sat in his tent. There was a comings and going of people among the tents, men, women and children. Aswin and other commanders were instead in the tent with them.

"We'll organize a plan of attack," Aswin said.

The girls looked at each other, worried. "You already know what to do?" Yan Lin asked.

"No, we wanted to arrange it with you because it will help us."

The girls nodded.

Aswin sighed, and began to talk. "We will send men ahead" said "They'll patrol the borders of the forest, closely watching the behavior of the guards of the castle. We've already had the opportunity to see that the changing of the Palace Guard remains unattended for a few minutes. Us, we're going to stick at that time ".

"How is the plan of attack?" Kadma asked.

"It's not difficult. When there will be the changing of the guard, we'll operate an attack in three different points of the castle, the most important ones: the main entrance, the eastern pavilion and the werstern one; When the guards will gather in these three points to defend the castle, another group will enter the building through the prisons, and will free the prisoners ".

Nerissa smiled. "Well, being disorganized, you did a nice plan".

Aswin blushed, but he retained from any comment.

"When are you thinking of acting?" Kadma asked again.

"My men say that the guards change every six hours. We'll attack at sunset ".

The girls nodded.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000

Karesh was walking on a large terrace from which he could see all his reign. Indeed, his reign, that was rightfully his. Serke, faithfully, followed him, hands behind his back, straight back, and any grin on his face, just a cold rigidity. No one had ever figured out if his coldness was natural or acquired by role playing. Even Karesh didn't know. He had found him so, and so he was fine. He knew the most little thing of his life, better, he could imagine it, and that was enough for him, but anything else. Therefore, nothing even about its whole life. He used to execute orders, he had no prejudices, he had no conscience, he was, therefore, a perfect servant. He just needed to eat, but it was basically like throwing the mess to the watchdog.

Karesh leaned on the railing.

"I wonder how my boy's making out with his affairs".

Serke said nothing, staring at who knows what.

Karesh looked at him with a smirk. "And you, how do you do?".

Serke looked at him. "Well, Sir".

Karesh came slowly to Serke, who didn't move of an inch. He took his chin in his hands, he observed him.

"I see you're tensed, Serke?" the king hissed. Serke did not respond. Karesh kept on looking at him. "Are you feeling ... something?".

Serke gulped. "Nothing, Sir."

Karesh smiled. "Well ..." he hissed. He came up to his face, with his tongue licking his left ear.

Serke stood motionless. "I still sense that something" Karesh said softly. "Something strong and invincible. Something that I can't held myself from. Something that I need to have, got it? ".

Serke gulped again, uncertain.

"The guardians, Sir?".

Karesh gave him a slap, a kick threw him to the ground.

Serke didn't defend himself, while face fell to the ground, and at the same time felt the weight of a hot body on him who violated, without letting him escape.

And with tears in his eyes, he looked at the cold and impotent guards monitoring the perimeter of the building.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000

Aquardas, at 7.00 p.m.

"Girls, each of you to drive the attacking group, one to lead the group for the release of prisoners, the last will be the one that will help everyone in case of difficulty," Cassidy said, looking at the girls and peering at the palace and its guards.

"Aswin, are your men ready?".

"Twice!" Aswin said firmly.

"Okay" the guardian of the Heart stated "At my command, attacking the first three battalions".

The guard looked around.

The guardians were looking at him carefully.

Then, he retired to the palace.

A minute of silence.

And nothing.

"NOWWWW!".

"NOWWW!" Aswin shouted, and a round of arrows covered with powder was hurled against the castle, and pierced into the ground just in front of the points of guarding.

This provoked the general alarm within the walls of the palace. The guards came out all together, standing out the main entrance, then the East and West pavilions. They quickly armed, holding high their protective shields, checking their sorroundings, without seeing anyone.

Then, from the sky, some burning arrow.

Close quarters to the now covered with gunpowder ground, they provoked an endless series of big bangs, followed by a huge cloud of smoke.

"FORWARD!" Aswin cried, and led his men to the attack.

Palace guards tried again to figure out what was happening, when from the thick cloud of smoke a large group of armed men appeard, ready to assault.

At the main entrance of the building, Yan Lin was trying to direct the smoke towards the guards, trying to confuse them and send them back to the castle.

"Forward" shouted "I'm holding them!".

Aswin nodded, and marched along with the others.

Rebel troops began to alternate an attack and a false retreat, trying to confuse the guards of the castle.

Halinor, meanwhile, was leading the group inside the prisons. They had met several iron bars, several cells, trying to llok for their companions. The prisons turned out to be a veritable maze.

"Just stay together!Don't get separated! "shouted, while flying near the ceiling.

At the West Pavilion, Nerissa had assumed the command of the group. While the men fought, she used to generate waves against the guards using the water of the moat. "Don't stop, keep on attacking!" she shouted, encouraging her teammates.

At the East Pavilion, Kadma was doing her job, ruling giant plants that got their enemies in trouble. Then Cassidy came. "How's it going?" she asked, looking at the situation from above.

"Well, we're putting them really in trouble. I just hope we're giving Halinor the time required to complete the work, "she said.

"I go" Cassidy reassured her, flying in the direction of prisons, dodging an arrow or a projectile.

She got into the main tunnel, where water was flowing on the ground, and sewer rats were runnin along the walls.

With a hushed growl and rapid contraction, she quickly disguised into her animal form, with the always shining fur and fast and powerful paws. She began to run around sniffing the air, seeking Halinor and her men. She ran in the water looking right and left along the corridors.

"Cass!" she heard a voice.

She ran towards the voice she had heard, and found Halinor while trying to melt the iron bars of the cell.

"Look, the guardians!" the prisoners exclaimed with their feeble voices and undernourished.

"Stay back!" Halinor warned them, while painstakingly clutched the grid.

"Men, there's someone here!" one of the men whispered.

Cassidy leaped forward, ready to attack, with gritted teeth.

The sound of footsteps in water was closer. It was getting closer and closer. The men were pointing their weapons toward the corner of the gallery, protecting Halinor and her job.

Every fiber of her body was contracted.

A shadow appeared on the opposite wall of the tunnel from which the steps was coming; a shadow of a man, apparently.

It stopped.

The men maintained their positions.

Cassidy was standing firmly.

The shadow disappeared, all of a sudden, inexplicably.

From the tunnel a huge rat emerged, on its four paws, then standing, looking at that group of people that were incredule to see the result of their apprehension. The mouse looked at them a little, moving its big pink nose, and walked away, scampering through the sewers.

Cassidy slacked. Men also lowered their weapons, more relaxed. The wolf drew a sigh of relief, and turned to go back to work.

Then, a scary growl broke the silence.

Cassidy was thrown to the ground by a big weight that she didn't even noticed. She fell flat in the water, while large fangs were trying to pierce her. She wiggled, throwing away the beast with the hind paws.

"CASS!" Halinor cried, running toward her friend, but some men held her by her arms.

"No, don't do it!" they cried.

Despite the blocked arms, however, she gave off an angry roar, and with a thrust of the back she took a leap forward, disguising into a beautiful ice-blue eyed husky.

Cassidy meanwhile had dismissed her opponent, and had tried several times to hit him in the throat. During the second part of the assault, the beast made her fall down to the ground, holding her firmly with paws and trying to snap at her neck again.

Some sudden gunfire stopped the fight.

One of the men had taken his gun and had fired two shots on the walls of the tunnel, making the beast run away, which had disappeared around the corner of the tunnel.

Everyone remained in a deep silence, while Halinor ran toward her friend for helping.

I have the strange sensation I have already seen that animal Halinor told the friend.

Yeah, I think so too ...

"The prince!" a man exclaimed.

Cassidy and Halinor turned toward them, looking for answers.

"What the hell are you saying, Derek!" another exclaimed, although still in a state of confusion.

"You know what are the powers of the prince!I'm sure it's him! ".

At that time the siren resounded louder, and the echo was bringing the sound of thousands of steps inside the tunnels of the prison.

"They're coming!C'mon, let's go! " the rebels shouted, rushing quickly toward the exit.

Cassidy and Halinor followed them.

Halinor ran, meanwhile she couldn't help but think.

Prince of Aquardas ...?

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000

"You must explain everything!" Halinor cried at Aswin "Who was what we saw that attacked us into the jail?".

Aswin stepped back, afraid, seeing the fire in the eyes of the guardian.

Yan Lin took her friend's arm. "Halinor, keep calm ...".

Halinor had a long and deep breath and calmed without moving away her gaze from the rebel leader.

"We ... we're not sure it's him ... we don't know exactly ..." Aswin stammered.

"Who he?" Nerissa insisted.

"The Prince of Aquardas. The rightful heir to the throne ".

Everyone were awed, caught by surprise.

Nobody breathed.

"We didn't see a man" Halinor said.

"True" Aswin said, "But he can transform. It is inherent in his DNA, he is this, he can change shape ... and become a great white wolf. I don't know anyone else who can do it, his species is a rare one here in Aquardas ".

Yan Lin looked at her companions, shocked "You remember that night, on the beach?".

"Too well" Kadma replied "and if he can change his shape, I'm not really sure he's already watching us closely."

Cassidy looked at her friends, worried, while Halinor helped her keeping a damp cloth over the skin where she had wounds on the neck.

"We have to be careful" Halinor concluded.

The girls nodded.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Hi," he said, giving her a pure smile of his.

"Hello".

He made a somehow shy laughter, lowering his gaze, looking for appropriate words. "Well, would you like to... to have dinner together tonight?There is a nice restaurant, not far from here".

She looked somewhere else with an expression between embarrassment and uncertainty, while trying, not too cleverly, hiding both.

She looked up at his face, and she crossed his blue eyes, not invasive at all , but extremely penetrating.

"Okay ... at eight?" she replied at the end.

"I'll pick you up at eight " he said, smiling again before leaving .

"Okay ... see you tonight ...".

She stood there, while he walked away.

"At what time?" Yan Lin asked, coming from behind.

Cassidy turned around. "...What? ... ".

The friend rolled her eyes. "Ok ... you're completely out of control. But remember what we said. "

The redhead looked at her confused .

"Be wary of everyone".