by R. C. Reigh
A prickle of excitement sizzled across my skin. My heart said that I wanted to move forward, with Dane of all people. But, there was something I needed to do first.
I needed to put Adam behind me and out of his misery. And I needed to do it in person.
Cora
I marched into our room to pull Amelia out of her wallowing, only to find her bed empty. Perhaps she had finally decided to get out of our room, which meant I would probably find her in the library.
I was about to leave our quarters when I spotted the note on my bed. Strange. I carefully picked it up with my magic and opened it.
Cora,
In order to move forward, I need to put the past behind me. I owe him the truth and a real goodbye. Don’t worry, I won’t be late.
- Amelia
What kind of weird, cryptic mess was this? This wasn’t like Amelia at all. A little tingling started at the back of my neck and worked its way over my shoulders. I shivered. Something wasn’t right. I could feel it from my head to my toes.
Abandoning my respect for Amelia’s privacy, I darted to her side of the room. There were no signs of a struggle. Everything appeared to be in normal order, but the smell of a campfire had me making a beeline for her trash can.
A singed correspondence lay at the bottom. Had she burnt Dane’s letter? Holy crow, and she said I was harsh.
Poor Dane. Maybe he had been wrong about the whole Fating thing?
I pulled what was left of the letter from the trash can and studied it. Adam? What the hell was he doing in Laramidia. I read on as best I could through the burned spots. The letter made no sense. Adam would never ask her to come anywhere unguarded. It was forbidden and extremely dangerous.
No matter how frustrated or angry we were at each other, there was never any reason she couldn’t have trusted me to accompany her as protection. Amelia knew better.
My heart started pounding as the fear crept in. Amelia had gone who knows where without a guard.
A flash of adrenaline rushed through me.
I looked at the letter again. The part with the meeting place had been burned off.
Why would she do that?
There was something very wrong. There was no way this came from Laramidia. Every single one of my senses screamed red flag. I rushed from the room as quickly as my feet would carry me.
Oh, Amelia, what have you done?
DANE
It was second nature for wolves to sense the changing of the weather. It was a kind of sixth sense that we could feel it straight down into our bones. It warned us of the impending danger, giving us ample time to seek shelter. It was how I knew now that a storm of trouble was brewing.
With a huff, I slouched down into the armchair closest to the fireplace with a mug of only the gods knew what in my hand.
After receiving the reply to the correspondence I had sent to my father the night before, I was no less distraught than I had been when I wrote it.
His response had been swift. Father had expressed his deep concern that I had not come to him sooner about the situation with Amelia.
His letter also confirmed what I had already believed; Amelia and I were Fated. Father went on to say that he had known it since the only encounter we’d had with one another as infantile children. He couldn’t explain how he knew, only that it was a profound enough feeling that he just simply knew what it was. He assured me that he wanted to tell me before I left for the Bastion, but he didn’t want to put any pressure on the two of us.
His concern at my formal written request to end the engagement part of the treaty was urgent enough in his eyes that his reply letter said he would be arriving at the Bastion in two days' time. It was exactly the length of time it would take for him to arrive if he left Carpathia immediately after sending his reply to me.
By that summation, it meant I should expect him in the morning to discuss the situation directly, and I fully expected him to try to force me to reconsider.
Hollow and broken, my sour mood made me in no condition to deal with anyone. So, until he arrived, I had no desire to discuss anything whatsoever. Therefore, I’d given strict orders to the tower guards that I was not to be disturbed.
The sound of raised voices echoing up the stairwell from the second-floor tower entrance distracted me from my misery. My shoulders tensed, and I quickly made my way over to the steps to listen in on the commotion.
“I said let her pass,” Ellis’s voice was almost a growl.
“The prince has been explicit. NO visitors,” the guard on duty replied with just as much challenge in his tone.
“I guess I’ll have to fight you, then?” Cora’s voice carried up the stairs.
Cora was fighting my guards? Something was wrong.
I found myself halfway down the steps in nearly one bound. The guards were only doing their jobs, but I guess it was my fault that I hadn’t made it clear that my directive didn’t apply to Cora, or Amelia for that matter. I picked up my pace down the few remaining steps.
The sound of snarls and growling rose up the staircase.
“Enough. Let her through,” I called them off.
Relief passed over Cora’s features when she saw me, but her eyes were still frantic.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come if it was me,” she said as I finally reached her.
“Why wouldn’t I have come?” I wrinkled my brow like she was ridiculous.
Sure, I was upset by the never-ending siege of disappointment when it came to Amelia, but that had nothing to do with Cora.
“Well, that’s good because I need your help. Amelia’s gone,” Cora spat out on a rushed breath.
A flash of fear and anger surged through me.
“Leave us,” I growled over my shoulder to the guards, and they immediately trudged up the steps.
Ellis lingered behind, awaiting my command, unsure whether that order was to include him or not. I nodded that he may stay.
I listened as patiently as I could for Cora to explain, but she was so upset she could barely get the words out. Something about a letter and paper and ink. Laramidia?
My expression must have conveyed I wasn’t following because she dug into her pocket and held out the burned letter in her hand. Within moments I quickly read through the legible parts. Each word felt like a flaming spike boring through my gut.
“So, she ran off to be with him?” I stammered.
It was a stab to the heart. How could she still have any feelings for him? That’s not how Fating works. The revelation threw everything into question. Had my father and I both been wrong?
“No. It wouldn’t be like that. I am sure she just wanted to tell him she was sorry for the way it ended before.”
She seemed sincere in her assumption and, while I wasn’t as certain as Cora was about the origins of the letter, she was right. Something felt off.
“What makes you think that?” I barked the question at her a bit harsher than I had meant to. I did my best to control my temper. “What are you hiding? Don’t hold out on me now, Cora,” I asked through gritted teeth, and she rolled her eyes.
“Alright.” She threw her hands up in the air wildly. “She may have said she was receptive to giving you a chance. Here, read the letter she left me. It might help your ego because, you know, that’s what’s important right now.”
She frowned and narrowed her eyes at me.
“Receptive?” I snatched the second letter.
“Ok, ok. She said she wanted to give the two of you a chance,” Cora replied, and at those words, I couldn’t help myself from grinning like a big fool. “Don’t tell her I told you, or she will kill me.”
“Really?” I suddenly felt as if an enormous weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. Amelia wanted to give us a chance.
“Yes, really. Don’t stand there with that dopey look on your face. We need to figure out where she is and I know someone who can help.”
Cora started off down the hallway, and I rushed to catch up.
; If I had known that we were going to end up at the witch’s door, I would have suggested another alternative. But, it was too late to go to the Fae now and we were losing time.
I could only hope Kessara would keep her mouth shut.
Before Cora could even knock, the door swung open, revealing the witch waiting for us inside. The look on her face was just a little too pleased and definitely way too smug.
Kessara
I half expected the dragon to be with them. Luckily, he wasn’t. After they rambled off the situation, I sent Cora back to get a possession of Amelia’s for a scrying spell. Not that I really needed it, of course. I just needed a distraction to get the prince alone.
“This will cost you, prince,” I smiled wryly after Cora had disappeared out of the doorway.
“Not willing to help out your friend?” he glared back.
“Sure, but according to you, I don’t have any real friends, do I?” I tilted my head and gave him a saccharine smile. “Besides, how do I know you haven’t turned stalker and brainwashed poor Cora into helping you find where Amelia’s hiding from you?”
He glared at me. His veins were bulging from his neck as he forced himself to keep his temperament under control.
“I suppose you want a second favor in return,” he replied as he squared his shoulders.
“I guess that will do. ” I filled the chalice, then turned to face him, “and your silence. This will remain between us.”
His shoulders slumped. A look of defeat filled his eyes as he took the cup from me.
Like a good little wolf, he signed the contract and followed my commands as we said the enchantments.
Once he drank from the chalice, l chuckled.
“Jokes on you, prince. I really would have done it for Cora, anyway.” I winked. “But, I appreciate you sweetening the deal.”
His face flushed bright red and he jumped up from his seat with hostile aggression. His arm swept across the table, sending the contents and the contract flying across the convocation room.
“I don’t care about your games, witch! JUST FIND HER,” he yelled, snarling just inches from my face. He looked about ready to shift out of his skin, and he’d already nearly jumped over the table.
Just in time, there was a knock at the door. The prince quickly collected his composure as I waved my magic toward the slab, allowing Cora to step in.
She rushed to me with a scarf that belonged to Amelia and I immediately began to scry the princess’s location.
“She’s waiting at the Bastion’s primary gates to Laramidia,” out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cora let out a sigh of relief, “but there is something more you should know,” I said, picking up the burnt letter she had set on the table. “This paper is from the outer realms. I’m absolutely certain it is vampire. Amelia is in very grave danger.”
Cora
“We should have told her, Dane,” I said to him. My tone wasn’t accusatory, more like an admission of my own doubt and regret. “She would have been upset, but she would have come around.”
He nodded in reply as he slammed Kessara’s door shut behind him.
“I should have been the one to tell Amelia the truth and I should have done it a long time ago. We need to hurry,” Dane managed to say before he picked up speed down the corridor.
There was nothing but silence and our footsteps as I ran behind him. It didn’t take me long to realize this wasn’t going to work. We weren’t going to make it there before the changing of the guard.
“Wait, stop,” I blurted, coming to a sudden halt.
“We don’t have time, Cora,” Dane shouted.
He whipped around in alarm to look at me with a crazed look in his eye.
“Give me your pants,” I demanded between heavy breaths.
“What?” His dark brow shot up in surprise.
“You’ll get there twice as fast as a wolf and you’re just as deadly in that form, if not more so,” I explained.
He started nodding as he understood the reasoning of my request.
“I can call for backup without having to go back to the tower, too. Ok,” he agreed and immediately started undoing his buckle and I quickly whirled around.
I rubbed at my forehead as I stuck my other hand out over my shoulder. I can’t believe I was doing this. Let’s just hope this didn’t get out around the school. I felt the weight when he placed the waistband of his pants over my fingertips. Awkward.
I could hear the cracking and popping as he began his shift. Suddenly, a loud deep howl tore from his lungs and I quickly began shoving his pants into my satchel.
“You two owe me so big for all the crap I have to do for you,” I grumbled to myself.
Within moments, several howls came back from outside of the building and I knew the troops were on the move. I turned to look at Dane, hoping he had finished his shift. The last bit of ebony fur was shifting into place as he snapped his honey eyes to me.
“Don’t wait for me and don’t slow down until you find her,” I demanded.
He barked a reply and shot off like a blur through the corridor and out into the night.
His pants and I had no chance of keeping up, so I could only hope he wouldn’t need them before I reached him. I ran faster than I had ever run in my life. Amelia needed me, and I had to get to her.
My heart was pounding when I heard the sound of an animal quickly approaching from my left. I looked over to see a dark gray wolf trot up beside me and keep pace. It was probably Ivan or Ellis, but I couldn’t tell which. The massive canine nodded at me then turned his focus on the path ahead, surveying for any danger as we ran. I knew Dane must have sent him as backup in case of an ambush. It’s exactly what I would have done if I were in his shoes.
That was just like Dane, always the strategist and quick on his feet. Right now, I could only pray to the gods his feet were fast enough to reach Amelia in time.
Amelia
When I slipped through the gates during the guard change there was no one there. I continued out past the courtyard directly in front of the Bastion toward a few thatched-roof buildings that lined the street that led toward the more developed parts of the capitol.
I waited, expecting Adam to slip out of one of the buildings any moment and greet me. But, there was no-one, just an eerie silence that sent a chill through the core of me. Suddenly, I felt all too aware that I was alone. This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come here.
As I turned to leave, several dark figures slipped out of the shadows. Vampires. A tall fanged male with short unkempt hair stepped forward and his red-orange eyes fixated on me.
I had no more than blinked when, in a blur, he was upon me. The back of his hand collided with my face with such force it knocked me off balance and I hit the stone ground with a thud. I blinked through the searing pain as the metallic tinge of blood coated my tongue.
“Well, look what we have here, boys. It’s a delicious little treat.”
He licked his lips as his gaze dragged over me, forcing bile to rise in my throat. I had begun to tremble uncontrollably, prompting a self-satisfied smirk to curl up at his lips. He liked my fear. He snapped his fanged teeth at my face, and I winced. Laughter erupted from the others. He was toying with me.
“Stop it,” my voice broke under the strain of panic.
He grabbed my throat like a vice and hauled me to my feet. My fingers wrapped around his wrist, tugging at his hand as he raised me into the air.
“The guards will come for me,” I managed to choke out as I struggled.
Then, he slammed me into the stone wall of the building. I could hear the cracking of bones within my body. The force knocked the air from my lungs. With one strong hand, he throttled me up against the cold stone. I was struggling for breath when he smashed his nose against my cheek. His gleaming red eyes were just inches from my own, boring into me. He let out a perverse kind of chuckle.
“We will kill you before we ever let them have you,” he whispered.
The fin
gers of his other hand crept over my shirt, latching on to my amulet. He tore it from my chest, slicing a deep gash in the skin around my neck as he did. As if on instinct, he licked the blood as it began to trickle down my skin. My eyes were nearly bulging from my skull. I was near suffocation.
“Weak human,” he sneered before he took a step back from the wall.
I felt myself black out for a moment before he tossed me like a ragdoll out into the courtyard for the others to feed.
Enraged growls rang out through the night. I knew they would descend upon me any moment and end my life. I could barely register anything right now, not even pain. I tried to keep the idea in my mind that, for now, I was still alive.
After a few moments, my ears started to perceive sounds coming from the area where I had been thrown.
Snarls. Growling. Tearing. Shredding. . . Screams. . .
I was shaking violently, and then, suddenly, Cora was over me.
“No. No, don’t try to talk,” she hushed me.
I couldn’t if I had wanted to. Her expression was full of emotion, worry and fear. I reached for her face to be sure she wasn’t a hallucination. Red smears appeared where my trembling fingers touched her cheek.
“It’s ok. You’re going to be ok,” she said as she started healing.
Cora was a fair healer, but she’d never be able to fix me in time. I was bleeding out.
I was going to die.
DANE
The sight of the vampire holding Amelia’s limp, unconscious form against the stone of the cottage broke the human side of me. Blinded by rage, red shadows crept into my vision, and I felt the awakening of the feral beast I had only ever known existed inside of me, but had never seen.
He had awakened my werewolf.
My muscles bulged and my body swelled as I shifted into a massive form. I was transforming into the gruesome beast, both human and wolf. I snarled and snapped through teeth that had once been canines, but were now sharp serrated daggers.
