Fated Triad: Shadows of the Forbidden Moon
Chapter 17: Escape within the shadows

Ariel's POV

The woman beams at him and adds, "Ah, perfect timing." "Ariel, meet your new buddy. Ethan is his nickname.

Ethan's eyes fix on mine, and I get a shock of electricity. Something about him inspires faith in me.

Can I trust anyone here though?

With his hands rubbing across mine, Ethan starts to untie me. Though I ignore it, I get a flash of attraction. I must give fleeing first priority.

Ethan tosses me a towel and indicates to a bathroom when I'm free. With a low, quiet voice, "You might want to clean up."

I nod, still working through what's happening. I shut the bathroom door behind me and inhale deeply as I go in.

I must pause to consider. I have to draft a strategy.

But when I check in the mirror, I see something that causes my blood to stop flowing.

A note, scribbled in crimson lipstick on the mirror.

You will never be able to escape.

I understand then that I am quite close to death. And I'm not sure whether anyone can help me.

My heart pounding, I whirled around. "Who composed this?" I insisted, hurrying from the toilet.

Ethan was staring at me while slanted against the wall. "I don't know," he responded, his voice cool. "We must, nevertheless, leave this place. Now here.

I nodded while my mind flew. We had to flee, but not sure how.

Walking back in, the woman wore a smile. "I see you have found the message," she remarked with sarcasm seeping in her voice. Great. I wanted to confirm your awareness of the circumstances." "What scene?" I spitted, attempting to control my anger.

"You're trapped," she whispered, her eyes glittering with laughter. "And you'll do precisely what I say, or Lucas will suffer the consequences."

My heart still missed a beat. Lucas: His whereabouts?

Ethan shoved off the wall, staring at the woman. "Where is he?" he cried out.

The woman shrugged. "Oh, Lucas is...indopposed. Still, he is safe, so relax. For the time being.

I stepped forward, hands tightly closed. "I'll kill you if you have hurt him."

The woman let out laughter. She said, "I'm shaking in my boots," with cynicism oozing from her lips. "But let us get right to business. Ariel, you possess something I want. And I will do all necessary to acquire it. I shook my head to try to dispel the mist. From me, what was her expectation?

Ethan suddenly snatched my arm, his gaze fixed on mine. Whispering, he said, "don't say anything." We have to leave this place.

But it was too late. The woman had already taken a tiny gadget from her pocket.

With glinting eyes from success, "Recognise this?" she questioned.

I nodded, my heart dragging down. That was the tool Lucas had been honing. the tool meant to turn human history around.

Trying to keep my cool, I spat, "You're not going to get away with this."

The woman nodded. "Oh, but I already have," she remarked with a sarcastic voice. "And now it's time for you to do exactly what I say."

"What have you wanted me to do?" Try to keep your voice steady, I asked.

The woman gracefully grinned. "You should complete the work Lucas started. I want the gadget turned on.

I gave my head a shake. "I am not going to do that. I will not assist you."

The lady shrugged. " Fine. Lucas will suffer the results, though, if you fail."

Lost in the world of this story? Make sure you're on Ñe5s.org to catch every twist and turn. The next chapter awaits, exclusively on our site. Dive in now!

Ethan moved ahead. His voice strong, he said, "We'll do it." "We must see Lucas first, though."

The female chuckled. You are not in a position to demand anything. Still, quite nicely. I will forward him to you.

She guided us to a chamber buried far down in the basement. Lucas was closed-eyedly lying on a bed.

"Luci!" I cried and hurried to his side.

He opened his eyes and grinned weakly. "Aryan..."

Taking his hand, I tried not to start crying. "I am present. I refuse to let anything happen to you.

The woman started to cough clear-ishly. "Enough sentimentality. You have work to do, ladies. "We shall do it. But if you damage one

Ethan got up, his gaze fixed on their heads, you'll repent it."

The woman nodded. "I am trembling in my boots."

She brought us to a lab tucked far into the facility. The gadget was flashing on a table.

The woman said, her voice forceful," Activate it."

I looked at Ethan and paused. Nodding, he said

I drew a long breath and got to work. My hands moved fast, my head whirling.

Working, I sensed Ethan staring at me. Though I knew he was trying to guard me, I also knew he didn't know what I was doing.

At last, I was completed. The gadget buzzed to life with flashing screens.

The mother grinned. "Perfect. Let us now consider what it can accomplish.

Lost in the world of this story? Make sure you're on Ñe5s.org to catch every twist and turn. The next chapter awaits, exclusively on our site. Dive in now!

But Ethan took her arm as she went for the gadget. His voice steely, he answered, "I don't think so."

"No! Screaming, I reached for the gadget. Too late, though.

The woman chuckled; her eyes shone with success. "You fools," she spitted. "You believe you can silence me? I can power things right now.

Though Ethan battled her hold, she was too strong. Her hand grew white as she raised it.

I was lying on the floor when I arrived, head hurting. Beside me, Ethan closed his eyes.

"Luci?" Still struggling to sit up, I murmured.

Lucas, though, vanished from sight.

My mind kept hearing the woman's voice. "You never will see him again."

Heart pounding, I staggered to my feet. Lucas was at what? What did she do to him?

Ethan moaned, his eyes flicked open. "Ariel...

Drawing him to his feet, I said, "We have to get out of here." "We have to look for Lucas."

But I knew we were headed for peril as we staggered out the lab.

The facility was anarchy, alarms screaming and people running madly.

"What's occurring?" Ethan yelled higher than the noise.

I gave my head a shake. "I'm not sure, but we have to leave this place. Now is the time.

Hearts thumping, we pushed through the throngs. But I witnessed something that made my blood stop cold as we were leaving.

Standing in front of us, the woman wore a proud smile.

"You'll never escape," she remarked with hostile eyes.