by Raven Storm
“He only wants you to think that. I’ve never seen him so distracted or riled in all our years here. You are the cause. Do not underestimate your strength.”
He grasped my hands again, letting go with regret. I bowed to the other two drakens, and they bowed back. I couldn’t shake the image of Benedict’s tortured face above me, his fangs bared in a snarl as he thrusted in my body. I shook my head.
“Enjoy the Games,” I said, and they went off down a separate corridor.
Benedict barely even shot me a glance as I took my seat, his eyes trained on the pit. Not that I blamed him; there were much more interesting things on display in front of me. My days of never having seen a lykos were over: three of them were staked down in the corners of the pit, heavy chains leading to rough iron collars around their necks. I couldn’t help but grab Benedict’s forearm in alarm.
“They won’t touch you,” his voice rumbled, even as I frowned.
“It isn’t that.” I argued, as the drakens in the bleachers sneered and catcalled the trapped creatures in the pit.
“You missed the introduction. D’Arcy was in his element.”
“I’m sure he was,” I said darkly, as one of the lykos howled and yanked his chain, foam flying from his mouth. They were in their wolven forms, large hulking beasts covered in fur and rippling muscles. D’Arcy must have planned this in advance to line it up with the lykos’ moon cycles, or he knew where to get three lykos on extremely short notice. Neither of those options brought me any source of comfort.
“Let me guess, the drakens get to kill them even though they’re already chained and captured?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You object?”
“Of course, I object!” I yelled. “The small one looks like a child!” I gestured to the smaller bundle of fur on the far left. It didn’t fight back like the other two lykos did, instead quivering and pulling itself as far into the corner as it could. Benedict shifted uncomfortably.
“D’Arcy would never—"
I silenced him with a glare, and Benedict waved a hand carelessly.
“If you protest it that much, then stop it. How many times must I tell you? All this is for you. If you don’t like it, stop it.”
He made it sound so easy, didn’t he? I had to at least try.
I stood as D’Arcy approached the small lykos with a sadistic grin on his face, moving to the edge of the balcony and flipping a dagger into my hand. The two adult lykos howled in fury and fear, injuring themselves as they struggled uselessly against the chains that held them. I wasn’t overly confident of my abilities, but I had been practicing. I could do this if it were needed. And it was very much needed.
“Wren.” I ignored Benedict’s irritated growl. He rarely used my name, but now wasn’t the time to revel in such luxuries.
Just as D’Arcy bore down on the young lykos I let my dagger fly. It soared through the air, and cleanly hit the pin that held the collar on the young lykos. The small ball of fur pulled free, running desperately towards the direction of the balcony, and the black lykos chained directly beneath me. I jumped over the edge as D’Arcy lunged, careful of my sword as I tucked and rolled, disbursing the momentum of my landing. My blade was in my hand as I popped up, standing directly between D’Arcy and the two lykos. I pointed my sword at his chest.
D’Arcy towered over me, and I was struck with the reminder that I was one puny, human woman in a pit with three lykos and one blood thirsty draken. My courage wavered, and for a moment I considered backing away. D’Arcy smirked, as if he could read my thoughts. I wouldn’t let him win, I couldn’t, not while I stood here with the ability to do something. I could choose fear, or I could choose something else.
If I’m alive, there’s hope.
I tightened my grip on my sword, swallowing heavily. Sweat beaded on my forehead.
“Release them.”
Gasps and grumbling reverberated around the stadium, before falling into startled silence, wondering what would happen next. D’Arcy laughed; a dark, patronizing sound that sent chills up my spine.
“I highly doubt you want me to do that.”
I licked my lips, fear threatening to overwhelm me. The lykos’s head was bigger than me, their growling felt deep in my gust. I questioned whether to call his bluff. He rolled his eyes and gestured grandly around us.
“The moment I release them, they will rip your throat out.”
I turned and met the large golden eyes of the beast behind me, his black fur rippling with exertion. The smaller one whined from between his legs.
Choose fear or choose something else.
Right now, I was alive, and so were they. If we were alive, there was hope. I raised my head, easily meeting D’Arcy’s turquoise gaze.
“I don’t think they’ll attack me. I’m sure they know that the moment they do, hundreds of drakens will descend on them and shred them to pieces. Certainly, they don’t want that.”
I could have sworn the lykos chained in the corner on the right grinned at me, his large tongue lolling out of his mouth. D’Arcy crossed his arms, as if the whole affair didn’t concern him one bit.
“What if I release the lykos, and we will simply see what happens? They could choose to attack, or they could not.”
The drakens around me muttered, but no one objected out loud. My eyes narrowed. So much for being their honored guest. I heard two voices yelling before they were quickly muffled. At least Kieran and Ronan had my back.
D’Arcy eyed the lykos as if there were nothing other than interesting toys, sent here to amuse him.
“If you decide to attack the human, I promise that the last lykos left standing will be spared and released. If you do not attack, I will, starting with that one.” D’Arcy pointed one finger lazily at the small lykos behind me, and the ball of fur cowered deeper against the black lykos’s legs. My daggers flicked into my right hand, the sword still in my left.
“I’ll gut you like a fish,” I snarled.
“Benedict won’t save you,” D’Arcy taunted.
The brown lykos on my right blinked slowly at me, his head tilting quickly to his left, towards the smaller lykos. The movement was so small I almost missed it. I blinked back. I decided to voice my thoughts from earlier.
“How’d you get the lykos here, D’Arcy? Quite a feat to bring in three by yourself. Got some friends on the outside?”
The other drakens eyed D’Arcy warily, hesitation written all over their faces. They hadn’t thought about that. D’Arcy’s face flushed in anger.
“How dare you. You’re nothing but a spy, sent here to try and kill us all.” Gasps greeted his accusation and my lips twitched. At least the cards were out on the table, now.
“Takes one to know one,” I countered.
“Enough,” he hissed, sensing he was losing the crowd. He jerked towards the lykos. “Choose.”
With a flick of his wrist the chains were gone, and several things happened at once. The black lykos pushed the cub between my legs, and I crouched defensively in front of him, his reddish fur soft as he huddled against me.
“Don’t move,” I ordered. The black lykos jumped over me, placing himself between me and D’Arcy. The brown one joined him calmly, as it was now three-against one. It was tempting to glance at the balcony, but I wouldn’t. I believed D’Arcy when he said Benedict wouldn’t save me.
“They are protecting their young. Surely that’s something a draken understands above everything else?” I pleaded.
The mood in the arena shifted, and the ugly look on D’Arcy’s face told me he sensed it as well; he looked ready to explode at the loss of control over his own event. The black lykos growled, but I moved forward and put one hand gently on his massive head, my fingers grasping the soft fur between his ears. I walked between him and his companion, as the small cub stayed behind us. With a massive beast on either side of me, I felt invincible. D’Arcy was breathing heavily as he took a step backward.
“If you don’t get th
e hell out of my pit, I will snap your neck.”
I met D’Arcy’s icy stare with a gaze full of fire.
“No, you will not.”
“The lykos have always been our enemy—”
Not before the war.
I stiffened along with every other drakens as the black-furred lykos spoke, his voice reverberating inside of my head. The massive creature pinned D’Arcy with his golden stare, and he changed tactics, his face twisting into a look of polite helplessness.
“You are allies with Overlord; the one who destroyed our race. If we let any of you go, the Overlord will find out and he will attack us. We can’t risk it.”
My fingers tightened around the hilt of my knife.
“So, your original offer of freeing the last remaining lykos was a lie, then?”
The crowd mumbled angrily, and I felt I nearly had them, so I pushed forward.
“And if that is true, then the one who has risked our safety is you then, not them.”
My hands with my weapons rested on each head on either side of me, and the two lykos sold it further by leaning into my side, growling. D’Arcy tried one more time.
“Only a spy would protect allies of the Overlord! What other purpose could she have?” He spit on the ground, gesturing his arms grandly. Indecision hung heavily in the air, as the drakens didn’t know who to believe. D’Arcy pressed his point further, his body quivering with rage.
“Again, what other purpose could she have?”
Creating an alliance between the drakens and the lykos.
The black-furred lykos stepped forward, his words effectively wiping the smug look from D’Arcy’s face. Benedict stood in a flurry of motion, grasping onto the balcony’s edge as his face paled dramatically.
“You lie,” D’Arcy hissed.
After you, the lykos responded, lowering his head to the ground in challenge.
“On whose authority do you dare speak of an alliance?” Benedict's voice was strong, ringing out over the entire arena. The lykos grinned, exposing his long canines.
Release us, and you may find out.
The tension was so thick I could have choked on it. One wrong move, one misinterpreted gesture, and someone would die. D’Arcy and I had both drawn a line in the sand. It was time to find out which side Benedict stood on, since in the end only his word mattered.
“If the king would weigh in on this matter, we could all find a more useful way to spend our day.”
I didn’t need to turn around to know that Benedict was burning a hole in my back with his gaze. He didn’t appreciate being brought into our conflict, forced to choose between the two of us. No one made a sound; it was likely the entire arena held its breath, waiting for the decision of its king. After what felt like an eternity, Benedict spoke.
“Do you offer the alliance in good faith?”
The black-furred lykos bowed his head, lowering it to the ground. Benedict glared at D’Arcy.
“Escort them to the outside.”
He turned away from the balcony and vanished. D’Arcy shot me a murderous look that promised retribution.
“He won’t choose you next time.” He hissed.
I didn’t let the anxiety show on my face. I lowered my voice to a low hiss, so the others wouldn’t hear.
“We’ll see. You’re not the one in his bed.”
It was childish of me, and undoubtedly would be reported back to Benedict, but I didn’t care. For the first time in my life, I had taken control, and it felt glorious. The lykos at my side twitched in humor, as the cub nipped at my pant leg. I reached down he stood on his hide legs, licking my face.
“May I?”
The black lykos nodded, and I picked the cub up in my arms. I turned towards the watching drakens, knowing I must have looked quite the sight as three lykos surrounded me.
“Who’s helping with the escort?” My eyes scanned the bleachers, not surprised to find Kieran and Ronan immediately standing. After a beat of silence Sabien and Bair reluctantly stood, along with another draken with maroon and indigo coloring. I nodded my head, and the cub in my arms made a happy sound.
“Congratulations, I declare you five the winners of the day. After the escort, join me in my chambers. I’m always happy to receive drakens who understand the concept of brain over blood.”
My voice sounded oddly high, full of false cheer, but the audience slowly began to clap, until they started cheering and hollering in triumph at the drakens chosen. I rolled my eyes; anything for men and their sport. I turned towards D’Arcy, a small smirk on my face as I reveled in my victory. He disappeared in a wisp of black.
TWELVE
The lykos were guided to the elevator and released. I didn’t know how they planned to scale the sheer cliff and didn’t ask. They were simply happy to be rid of us, and the feeling was quite mutual. Before departing, the black lykos met my eyes.
Do you not wish to know our names?
I shook my head.
“It doesn’t matter who you are; no one deserves to be murdered for sport. It’s barbaric.”
He dipped his head all the way to the ground.
The lykos will not forget your mercy.
I nodded stiffly back. I was too tired to be anything but honest.
“If you were serious about your offer of an alliance, then so am I. I will work on the king.”
He bowed his massive, furry head, and I headed back to my chambers with the rest of the men.
“Well, that was fun!”
Bair was in a jovial mood, helping himself to my food as we all fell into various chairs around the room. I glanced at the unfamiliar draken, who was ogling me from across the room. They were all in their human forms, the better to traverse the passageways and lounge together comfortably. As a human, the new draken’s hair was a light ashy brown. He was shorter in stature, but taller than me. His eyes were a dark brown, like mine.
“I don’t think we’ve met.”
He whirled around. “Trego, miss.”
I smiled at him. “Nice to meet you, Trego. Thank you for your support.”
I offered my hand and he clasped it a little roughly. He pulled on my arm suddenly and I lost my balance, tumbling into his chest. His hands gripped the base of my neck and jerked my face upwards as he tried to kiss me. My dagger was buried in his side a moment later, and he staggered backward, releasing me as he held his stomach with both arms. Ronan wiggled a mocking finger at him.
“No one touches her without her permission, you jackwagon.”
Trego flushed in embarrassment, pulling my knife free with a grunt. He bowed his head and offered it back to me. I wiped his blood off on his leg and slammed it back into my sheath, snarling at him. Kieran rolled his eyes and picked up a large leg of meat, biting down.
“Benedict is not pleased with D’Arcy.”
I snorted, moving to sit beside him and ignoring Trego.
“I imagine that’s an understatement,” I added, eyeing the food. Perhaps in a little while when my nerves had settled. I changed tactics, placing one hand lightly on Kieran’s leg.
“Elder Gelf told me that D’Arcy’s changed since you’ve all been under this mountain.”
Sabien sighed but nodded.
“My father has been overcompensating ever since his brother, King Fane was killed.”
My brow furrowed as I thought. “That would be Benedict's father?"
Kieran put down his food, wiping his hands.
“Have you heard the story?”
I shook my head mutely, even as the other drakens gathered around Kieran, drawn like moths to the flame. He huffed at them.
“You have all heard this story hundreds of times.”
Sabien waved his hand dismissively. “You’re a great storyteller.”
Kieran chuckled, and settled further into his chair.
“I suppose I will tell it, then.” He thought for a moment, and then took us to another world.
The leaves were wet with morning dew, and the air cri
sp as fall began to make its presence known. The team of eight drakens scouted carefully through the path in the forest, keeping each other in eyesight. At the head was King Fane, his obsidian scales glinting in the morning sun as he followed the scent trail. They had one chance to get this right; to surprise the band of vampyres and rescue the female they held captive; the pregnant female.
He held his hand up, and each draken went deadly still. A twig snapped in the distance.
“Fane, perhaps we should—”
“Silence!” Fane hissed, shooting his brother a frustrated glance. There was another snap, and then another. Then nothing.
“Dara, how much further?”
The female warrior refused to remain behind with the others; not when her friend was being held captive. Fane had thought about forbidding her but knew she would simply disobey. Another sword was always welcome, in the end.
“We should come upon them in about one hundred paces, according to D’Arcy.” She shot him a side glance, and the younger draken huffed.
“My intel is accurate—"
“Shut it, both of you.” Fane ordered, dropping lower to the ground. The other drakens followed suit, and then it was clear: someone or something was crashing through the woods, directly towards them.
“To the trees!”
It was standard procedure for draken warriors; trees provided natural cover, and the perfect springboard for them to launch an aerial assault, which was any draken’s strongest attack.
Unfortunately, the trees were already full. A horde of vampyres descended from the upper leaves, hidden until the signal was given. They roared into action at a high-pitched whistle, cutting down the shocked drakens with ease.
“Get to the air!” Fane shouted, leaping from his tree and dodging the vampyre that reached for him. The trees were thick and getting through their branches was difficult. Whoever had planned this attack knew how to fight a draken. As Fane struggled to find open air, it became apparent they wouldn’t be able to get through the foliage to the sky.
