Chapter 1: Escape

Mother never truly looked after us. She never bandaged our knees if we fell or tucked us in at night. Any love I remember feeling in our "home" came from out father, who made every effort to protect and raise us, but after he died, Mother became even more hostile towards us. Guards patrolled the places in the palace we frequented, reporting on our every move, as if we were the most dangerous of criminals.

We had become prisoners in our own home, and I didn't think any of us knew why. My brothers grew restless, and I began to get the feeling that they would not have us staying there for much longer.

"Renn!" Rhydian's voice hissed in my ear as he shook me awake. "Get up! Quick!"

"Rhydian, what's going on?" I moaned loudly. "What's—"

"Shush!" Rhydian snapped, clapping his hand over my mouth. "I'll explain later. But now, we've got to go."

"What—?"

"I said no questions!" Rhydian said sharply. "Get up and come along! There's no time!"

Confused and tired, I dragged myself out of bed and pulled on my mantle and my boots. I took a step towards my anxious older brother, but he put his hand out in restraint. He took a long, cruel-looking dagger from his belt and shoved it into my hand.

My brow furrowed. "What—?"

"Just take it!" Rhydian ordered. "Now come on!"

He grabbed my wrist and ran down the corridor, and it abruptly hit me that we were finally running. Suddenly, he pushed himself and me against the wall and froze.

"What is it?"

"Shhhh!"

One of Mother's guards, a huge cyclopse, heavily trudged past us. We waited for what seemed like hours until the lead-footed steps faded into silence.

To make sure that the coast was clear, Rhydian slowly poked his head around the corner and watched for a second. Tightening his grip on my wrist, he flew out from behind the wall and pelted down the hallway, my short legs desperately trying to keep me from falling onto the icy ground.

Eventually, we made it to the courtyard. My other brother, Geraint, stared up and Rhydian and me with fear etched into his face.

"Don't move," he warned. "She's out there."

Rhydian temporarily ignored him and took a step forward. A quick gasp escaped his lips, and he threw himself back onto the wall of ice behind us, clamping his hand over my mouth and dragging me with him.

My heart was pounding. The only thing we could hear was our faint breathing and the row in the courtyard. Rhydian, summoning his courage, peered around the corner.

"What's going on out there?" he asked Geraint.

Geraint sighed. "Interrogation."

"What for?"

Geraint gave Rhydian a look, and whatever it was dawned on them simultaneously.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Shhhh!" they hissed, Geraint pushing his index finger to his lips and Rhydian holding his hand up in restraint.

"...and, more importantly, they are my friends," a voice, which belonged to a dwarf, boldly explained. "I would sooner die than betray them to you."

"Brave fool," a second voice, my mother's, coldly snapped. "I suppose you're right." I had never heard her use a tone like that before, and it terrified me to the core. To this day it still scares me to think about it.

"If you will not tell me where he took them, then you will simply have to die."

We heard another loud struggle and the unmistakable sound of Mother's scepter cutting through the air, followed by an unfamiliar noise that resembled rocks rolling down the side of a sheer cliff.

Rhydian gasped loudly and pushed himself back up against our wall. "She turned him to stone," he whispered, astonished and frightened. "She turned him to stone…."

Calling on my own courage, I poked my head around the corner. To my absolute horror, a perfect statue of a Red Dwarf stood motionless in front of Mother. My knees gave out from the weight of the fear that had crashed onto my shoulders. Rhydian's strong arm wrapped around my waist and kept me from falling.

I heard footsteps approaching, and my blood ran cold.

"Time to go," Rhydian said quickly, grabbing my wrist and flying in the other direction. Geraint was on our heels.

"Rhydian!" Geraint hissed. "This way!"

He pushed the stable door open and ushered us inside. There was a large gate at the far end of the breezeway that Geraint shot towards.

We heard more footsteps on the other side of the stable door and froze in our tracks. And a voice made of ice…

"Mother," I whispered.

The door behind us swung open, and Geraint's eyes widened in fear.

"Come on!" he bellowed.

Rhydian was off like a shot again, barreling towards the open gate at full speed and fairly dragging me behind him. Kicking the gate shut behind him, Geraint followed us. I could see him loading the crossbow he had stolen and glancing over his shoulder to make sure we weren't being followed.

Finally, we made it to the forest and collapsed into the snow. Despite the bitter cold, all of us were red in the face and sweating from the run. We all fought to catch our breath; I was trembling.

"Well," Rhydian huffed after a while. "That went better than expected."

A smile stretched across Geraint's face, and out of sheer joy, we all started laughing.

All of a sudden, Rhydian fell silent and sprang to his feet, his blue eyes growing wide.

"What is it-?"

"Shhhhhh!" Rhydian hissed.

Silence.

Barking.

And howling.

Wolves.