"Katherine" I whispered astonished staring at her wide eyes. She was gracefully fighting against Chase, her Katana clashing with Chase's sword. I got out of my stunned state "Kat" I yelled running in her direction, she stopped after hearing my voice calling her and turned around, Chase stopped as well when he figured out that I knew the person he was fighting.

"Em" she said and when I was in arm distance, she engulfed me in bone crushing hug. "I found you" she whispered in my ear sighing, I smiled, its been while since I met her. Last time we met, I promised her that we will go on hunting trip but I didn't know that something like this will happen to me. "I missed you" I said breaking the hug, she smiled, her eyes shining bright in the light. I looked past her to Chase, he was frowning at us. Just then Caleb joined us.

"You are late" he stated smirking at her, she rolled her eyes "its wasn't easy to find you guys" she said, I wrinkled my nose in confusion "I am not following?" I said, they both stare at me and Caleb gave a short laugh. "Did you think we would came to your aid without any help" he replied gesturing to Katherine, I nodded in understanding.

"Did you bring anything to eat?" Cal said to her trying to check her sack on her shoulder, she jerked his hand away "Get away" and they both started bickering, I rolled my eyes "Ah, young love" I said with mirth, both glared at me at the same time, I held my palms in surrender gesture  and walked past them towards Chase. He raised his eyebrow towards Kat in question. 

"She is my cousin" I replied to his unasked question, he cocked his head "She is here to help me" I explained further, seeing his confused expression. He just nodded in response "Tell her that she was lucky this time that I didn't kill her" he said with blank expression, suddenly a growl erupt from my mouth "Don't you dare" I said icily glaring at him, I love Katherine, no one can hurt her on my watch. He just yawned in replied. That Bas-

"We are getting people add up to our little group" Alex said cutting my thoughts off, looking at the people around him, my two best friend and my cousin, Chase, his brother and his so called mate with Alyssa. We are eight in number now. 

We stand in a circle, ready to discuss our next move, I was standing beside Kat and on my other side was Alex. 

"You know what the next forest hold" Kat stated, it was our last stop before entering Baruna mountains, we are taking forest route because it's a short cut and it will conceal us from other people to avoid any suspicion. But that means we have to fight the creature who reside in this forest. 

"What?" Cal asked stupidity, he was standing beside Kat. I rolled my eyes at his childish behavior,   

"The sphinges" I said remembering that time of history lesson about them. They have a head of a human and body of a lion, they also possess wings and are very dangerous creature. I have heard that they will only let people pass through who will answer their riddle.

"Come on then, lets go" Annalise for the first time gave positive input, I looked at her mouth open.

Did she say that.

"What! why are you all looking at me like that, if we have to be in the Baruna by tonight, we have to leave right now" she said when she saw every body was looking at her. I looked at Will, he has a small smile on his face, his smile got wiped when he saw I was staring at him, I quickly divert my eyes away. This is awkward.  

"Hold your horses girl, first we have to decide how we are going to get past them" Kat said looking at Annalise with blank stare, she scoff in response "Easy, by solving their riddle" she said like its as easy as swinging sword. I sighed 

"Lets get going, we will figure it out when we reach there" Chase said in authority voice closing the conversation.

***

"So, that Hunk is your mate" Kat said wiggling her eyebrow in suggestive tone, I scowl "lucky me" I muttered.

"Well what's the problem?" she asked after seeing my expression

My face harden remembering last month and I pour my heart out to her telling her whole story

"He kidnapped me"

"Because you weren't coming willingly" she shot back

"He held me as a prisoner"

"Because you weren't accepting the bond"

I looked at shocked, is she even on my side or not?

"He wanted me to be the mother of his child and then abandon me" I said without any emotion but I was breaking from inside. I wanted a mate so that I could live my life happily with him, but I guess this only happens in dream. People like me don't get happy endings. 

All the playfulness gone from her face, her face became red "That horrendous piece of shit" she growled turning around to go at him but I hold her hand and shook my head "Don't worry, after all of this is over, I will personally take care of him" I said with mocking smile.

Just you wait.

She stare at me and a slow smile appear on her face "I would love to see that"

"What's deal with William?" she asked squinting her eyes at him, I chewed my lips "he found his mate" I said not meeting her eyes, I looked at her when I heard her say "Finally"

I narrowed my eyes at her, "What?" I asked when I saw her smiling, 

"I am happy that he found his mate" she said still with that smile, "Why?" I asked looking at her in suspicion, "You didn't know?" she said. 

"What I don't know?" I shot back.

"William is in love with you for as long as I can remember" she stated casually, my eyes widened in shock, that's not possible, she must have some misunderstanding about that.

"Did he tell you himself?" I asked just to be sure, she shook his head "He doesn't have to, its all written on his face".

I scoffed "Yeah right, its as same as you liking Caleb" I smirked knowing I hit the nail. She chocked and started coughing making my smirk widened. "I don't like that man-whore" she denied but the flush on her cheeks said otherwise. 

"Okay" I replied in sing song voice, she elbowed me in gut, oomph-ed sound drawn out of my mouth, I groaned in pain "You should be careful when you hit me, I can't take your hits anymore" I muttered rubbing my stomach to ease the pain. She smirked but nodded giving me thumbs up.

William can never like me more than as a friend, I know that for sure.    

"We are about to enter in the sphinges forest, Stay alert" Chase shouted and went to my side, I raised my eyebrow, he shrugged "You are the only one who can't protect herself, So I am here to protect you" he said looking forward, I clenched my jaws in annoyance.  "Don't worry about me, maybe your mate needs you" I taunted, "Well first of all, she doesn't need my protection and second if something happen to you, the quest will be for nothing" he said smartly.

"Whatever" I murmured. 

We can detect the scenario change in this territory, there were larger trees and more wild plants, maybe to conceal the creature living in it. There was silence around, not even the sound of wind blowing. We walked ignoring the ire nature, as soon as we get out of this place will be better. I looked from the corner of my eyes, Chase fist was clenched and suddenly he put his hand in mine with a firm grip. I tried to snatch my hand away, but he shook his head and gesture forward, I looked in that direction and stopped in my track, everyone stopped as well.

There was an enormous sphinges standing in front of us. It was towering over us with good height. Its paws were in attacking stance and its face has a snarl on its face. I hold Chase hand firmly in mine, he looked at me but said nothing. 

"What are you being doing in my territory?" its voice boomed in the entire forest, its breath fanning on us. 

"We are not here to harm your home-" Chase said taking a step forward, me following him because he still has a grip on my hand. At this, Sphinges laughed "You mere being can't harm me" It said with sinister voice, "We just want to pass from this forest so that we can reach our destination" Chase continued unbothered from the wicked look of Sphinges. 

"There is only one place after this and if you want easy death, I can give you, Why waste your time in going to those dark mountains" It said licking its lips. I shudder in disgust, I don't want to be its food. 

"Your offer is very generous but we will pass" Caleb said thinking, Sphinges frowned at him to which he gave it his charming smile. 

"We do not want to create any problem, just let us pass through" Chase said bluntly, the eyes of Sphinges went towards Chase and then our conjoined hand, It gave us a cruel smirk "Very well"

"Answer my Riddle and I will grant you the permission to walk through" It said loudly, we all nodded along, we were waiting for this exact moment. 

"It caused the destruction of Troy,
The worst of tragedies
And numerous maladies
Yet it is chased, desired and fought for

What is it?" Its voice loud and clear, I frowned what can be the answer of this riddle. I start thinking as well as others.

Destruction

Maladies

Fought

These words only relate to one syllable-  War. I instantly shouted the answer, fully sure that it is the correct one. I looked at it in anticipation, it pondered over the answer and slowly shook its head, a cruel smirk appear on its face "You are my food now" It growled and attacked us. I closed my eyes ready for the assault but it never came, when I opened my eyes Chase was standing in front of me , holding its paw in his hands groaning. He looked back at me and nodded "Find the correct answer" he hissed pushing the weight away and getting his sword out from its sheath, his arm has marks on it and they were bleeding. Caleb light his palm up with electricity and smash it on Sphinges but it didn't effect it one bit. It just only growled "You all are going to die" It yelled and with its tale pushed Chase away and jumped at us, I was frozen on my spot when I saw my friends fighting this dangerous creature and here I was useless.

"Think Em, Think" Kat yelled slashing its katana towards Sphinges but it quickly turned and pushed her away, she groaned in pain, 

Think Emerald

Think

What can it be

Sphinges launched itself to Will, he was bleeding from the massive blow he got. Everything was in chaos. Sphinges can't be killed, they are blessed to protect this path. I closed my eyes to focus, I can still hear fight, yelp, groaning from my friends.

"What is this movie?" I asked sitting on the sofa when I saw Kyle watching some weird movie, people were at war. He looked at me from the corner of his eyes too focused in the movie "Its called troy" he muttered sparing me a glance. I raised an eye brow and nodded in response. What is so fascinating about this movie, I said my thought, Suddenly he looked at me frowning, "You never watch this movie before?" he asked pausing the screen and giving me his full attention. I shook my head and he sighed and dived into the story.

"At last, Troy was taken " he said finishing the story of how troy fight for one person, he cared the most.

-

I was thirteen years old, staring at my parents, they were laughing about the joke father made. "Mother, I want a male like Father who will be strong and protect me" I said approaching them. Father smiled opening his arms and I hugged him. After breaking the hug, I looked at my mother for response.

She has a kind smile on her face "Dear, you don't need strong male by your side, you need the one who will always love and cherish you"

"Love?" I scrunched my nose in distaste. She chuckled "Love is the strongest feeling in the entire world, Everyone desired to get the feeling of love, you can do anything for it, Fight for it, die for it, Kill for it because I will do the same" she said looking at my Father.

I smiled 

I want Love like my parents.

I opened my eyes and smirked, destruction of Troy happened only when Paris got involved with Helen. There are many tragedies like Romeo Juliet, Wuthering Heights, they all got bad ending because they fell in love. People still searched for it in hope to get his happy ending, still desire it.

LOVE 

The answer is 'Love', I saw Sphinges grabbing Alex throat in one hand and Chase in other, It was ready to devour them. "Love" I shouted quickly running towards Sphinges, it looked at me  "The answer is Love" I said firmly, It narrowed its beady eyes and scowl dropping both the brothers on ground. They met with the surface harshly. 

"You are right, Love is the only thing that can make people feel alive" It said wisely, I nodded. 

"You can pass through from here but what awaits you on the other side will make you think that dying here would have been easy" It said and vanished away from the view. 

I sighed in relief and quickly run towards Alex, he was clutching his throat, inhaling air, I kneeled beside him "Are you all right?" I asked taking his head in my lap, he coughed but nodded "Barely alive" he muttered.

"I am dying here" Caleb yelled dramatically and got punch from Kat on the arm. He groaned making us all chuckled.

We all are safe here with minor injuries.

But what will hold tomorrow for us....