Chapter seven

Ziaani's POV

I was back in the same bedroom as before, and this time, I was sure the main door was locked—I couldn't get out. Her words echoed in my head: "Drain you dry."

Was she really going to—?

A small noise interrupted my thoughts, something soft, like a bird. I looked around and spotted a tiny bird perched on the windowsill, tapping its beak against the glass. I hesitated for a moment before opening the window. The bird flew in and landed on the bed.

I expected it to flutter away when I reached out, but it didn't. It just sat there, completely still. Curious, I picked it up gently, running my fingers along its feathers. Then something unexpected happened—it purred.

A bird can purr? I did not see that one coming—

Before I could finish my thought, the bird began to shift. Its delicate frame elongated, wings retracting, body expanding, until it transformed into a sleek black cat right in my lap.

"What the—?" I stammered as the cat purred, rubbing against me.

"I see you've met Proteus."

Startled by the sudden voice, I turned around. My breath caught when I saw her—the Queen. She was smiling, and my heart did an odd little flutter.

"What?" I asked, still trying to process everything.

"Proteus," she repeated, stroking the cat's fur.

The name sounded familiar. "Proteus," I echoed, frowning in thought.

"You might've heard about them," she said casually. "Proteus was a sea god—an ancient being who could change into any shape at will. Often took the form of different animals."

Realization dawned. "Oh, right! I remember now—I learned about him in history class."

The Queen raised an eyebrow. "History?"

"It's a—" I started to explain but stopped when I saw the way she was looking at me.

"I know what history is," she said, amused. "I just didn't think humans actually studied magical creatures."

She moved closer and, without me realizing it, sat down beside me on the bed. I kept talking, too distracted to notice—until suddenly, I did. The moment I realized she was right next to me, I panicked and fell off the bed with a startled yelp.

The Queen chuckled, watching me from above. She extended a hand to help me up, but I flinched, instinctively expecting pain.

She smirked. "Relax, squeaky. I wouldn't hurt you." A pause. "Well… not yet."

She let out another soft chuckle before turning and leaving the room. I stayed there on the floor for a moment, heart still racing. When I finally got up, I saw that Proteus was still curled up on the bed, sound asleep.

Without thinking, I climbed back onto the bed and curled up beside him. His warmth was comforting, and despite the fear and sadness weighing on my chest, exhaustion won.

As I drifted off, one thought stayed with me—would I ever see my father again?