by Amber Burns
Klaryssa smoothed her sister’s hair and kissed her cheek. “I’m fine. Dresdyn protected me all the while. It was you I was worried about.” She looked to Meera and the hulking Kelder as they approached. “Thank you,” she uttered fervently. “Thank you for keeping her safe.”
We take care of our own, M’Lady Thane.
“Thank you all the same, Kelder,” Klaryssa said with a smile. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Are you alright?” she asked upon turning her attention to Meera. “The baby? Are you and the baby alright?”
Meera smiled and nodded even as anxiety showed in her eyes. “We’re fine, thank you,” she answered before looking to Kelder and Dresdyn who were currently growling and vocalizing with each other.
“What about Wilem?” Klaryssa demanded.
Panic crossed Meera ‘s face as she turned to look at Klaryssa once more. “I haven’t seen him since he left with Olaf.”
The color drained from Klaryssa’s face, and she immediately cupped her hands around her mouth. “WILEM!” she shrieked in order to be heard above the cacophony of panic. “WILEM, WHERE ARE YOU?!”
Anxiety clawed at Dresdyn as he heard Klaryssa’s panicked cries, and he turned towards the crowd and emitted an authoritative roar that echoed through the cavern. A silence fell over the room moments later.
“Thank you,” Klaryssa replied before calling out again. “Wilem! Wilem, are you here?!”
“Here!” called a familiar voice as a lanky arm shot out from amidst the crowd and waved wildly. “I’m here!”
Klaryssa pressed her hands to her heart and belly while breathing an enormous sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness,” she whispered. “Let him through!” She wasted no time in throwing her arms around Wilem once he managed to make his way through the throng. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Wilem replied while embracing Klaryssa in return before letting her fuss over him.
The sight of his nephew alive and well, caused a wave of relief to wash over Dresdyn immediately, but he did not allow himself to dwell upon it. There was still work that needed to be done, and to that end, he threw back his head with a howl that was answered by the other shifters in the cavern before they began moving towards the main door that would lead them back up and out into the fray. It was then that Dresdyn gently brushed the back of his furred hand over Klaryssa’s cheek.
Stay here. Do not leave this cavern.
“I promise,” Klaryssa replied fervently. “And you had better come back to me.”
Dresdyn’s eyes bored into his mate’s. I promise.
And then, he was gone.
Klaryssa pressed her hands to her heart as she watched the door to the cavern slide closed after her mate had left. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly blinked them away. As the new Lady Thane of the clan, she felt it was best for her to be strong for everyone else in the cavern who were in the grips of terror at that moment. But, that did not mean that she did not want to simply curl up on the floor and weep with worry until Dresdyn returned. This was no different than when she had forced herself to accept the idea of marrying Bailey for the sake of her family’s welfare. All Klaryssa had to do was keep breathing; and so, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, only to then blink when she felt a hand upon her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be back,” Wilem assured. “My uncle is strong, and he has you now,” he added with a grin. “He was hard to take down before he had you in his life, but now that he’s found his mate, he’ll fight even harder than before.”
Klaryssa smiled softly. “Thank you, Wilem,” she said while patting the boy’s hand. “You don’t have to go out there with them, do you? I know you’re able to shift now, but you’re still a child. I won’t allow it.”
Wilem shook his head. “Sixteen is the youngest age allowed to go into battle,” he answered.
“That’s not that much better,” Klaryssa retorted with a frown. “Sixteen is still young. I don’t care what people say.”
Wilem smirked. “Remember, aunt...shifters are stronger and faster than humans. We’re much more resilient.”
“Semantics,” Klaryssa replied with a wave of her hand.
Wilem smiled and chuckled before pulling Klaryssa into a hug. “It means a lot to me that you care, aunt.”
“Of course, I care,” Klaryssa retorted. “We’re family.”
Wilem’s smile softened as he kissed Klaryssa’s cheek. “You’re going to be a wonderful mother when the time comes.”
“You practically raised me,” Cerridwyn said as she came to stand beside the pair. “So, it’s not like you don’t know what to do.”
Klaryssa laughed softly and gave Wilem a final squeeze before drawing away. “Thank you both,” she replied before kissing Cerridwyn’s cheek. “Now, why don’t the two of you go see to Meera, hmm? Considering her current state, this situation can’t be easy for her. Please, try and make her as comfortable as possible.”
“Will you be alright?” Cerridwyn asked.
“I’ll be fine,” Klaryssa assured with a small smile. “Go.”
Both youths nodded then dutifully went off to do as they were asked. Now alone, Klaryssa took a deep breath and slowly exhaled while momentarily closing her eyes as she pressed a hand gingerly to her abdomen. Now that all the adrenaline had left her body, Klaryssa felt the soreness from her intense and passionate lovemaking with Dresdyn beginning to settle in.
What if that was to be their first and only time?
Klaryssa gave an almost violent shake of her head to rid herself of that thought. She would see Dresdyn again! She would see her mate again, and they would make love many more times during the course of their union. Not only that, but Dresdyn would be with her at the births of their children. They had their entire future ahead of them, and this battle was nothing more than a temporary delay. Klaryssa had to keep believing that. She simply had to.
But that did not make the situation any easier.
How had things gone so wrong so fast?
Tonight was supposed to be a happy night, and for a good while, it was. Why then had Fate decided to make things go so horribly awry?
“My Lady Thane? If I may have a word?”
Klaryssa turned to find Ragnyr standing behind her, and she blinked in surprise. “Shaman Ragnyr. Forgive me, I thought you would’ve been with the other men.”
Ragnyr smiled and gave a small shake of his head. “If the shaman happens to be present during an invasion, then he is to remain with the women and the children.” He sobered and sighed. “If, by some chance, the safety of this shelter is compromised, it falls to me and my apprentice to act as the final line of defense.”
“Well, where is your apprentice?” Klaryssa asked.
Ragnyr sighed. “Dead.”
“I’m so sorry,” Klaryssa replied.
“As am I,” Ragnyr replied with a heavy sigh. “He was a good lad...a good apprentice, and he would’ve been a good replacement for me when the time came.” He cleared his throat. “If you don’t mind my saying so, your powers are remarkable,” he said with a small smile.
“Really?” Klaryssa asked with a hopeful smile.
“Oh, yes,” Ragnyr replied with a nod. “You did on your own, in a matter of mere moments, what it often takes three or even four fully-shifted men to do in a span that lasts anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.” He smiled. “What you did was truly incredible.”
“Thank you,” Klaryssa replied softly before sighing. “I just wish I knew what it was...this power of mine.”
“Describe it to me,” Ragnyr invited with a kind smile. “What exactly has it allowed you to do?”
“Well, something about me seems to either draw animals to me or lull them into trusting me,” Klaryssa began. “The wolf pack that patrols and lives in the vicinity of the Keep, it’s not uncommon for more than one of them to follow me around like ducklings, and Blizzard has even taken to sleeping at the foot of the bed.” Her breath hitched in her
throat. “Gods, I hope he’s alright,” she whispered.
“I’m sure he is,” Ragnyr soothed with a small smile. “Like your mate, he’s quite tenacious.” He cleared his throat. “What else can you tell me about your power?”
“Well, I can also communicate with animals,” Klaryssa said. “Whenever I speak to the wolves, I get the feeling that they understand what I’m saying, by the way they look at me, or the way they respond to what I say.”
“Could you understand them?” Ragnyr asked curiously.
Klaryssa shook her head. “No, but, I hadn’t yet received this,” she said while pushing up the sleeve of her tunic so Ragnyr could see the cuff. “Because of this cuff, I can now understand the shifters while they are in their lupine forms. I can hear their thoughts. I wasn’t able to do so until Dresdyn gave me this cuff.”
“Is that how you were able to help Wilem?” Ragnyr asked.
Klaryssa nodded. “I was able to push past the wolf and reach his humanity,” she answered with a smile.
“It sounds to me that you might be an empath,” Ragnyr said with a smile. “A powerful one at that. Funnily enough, your mate’s mother was an empath as well.”
“Really?” Klaryssa asked with fascination.
“Yes,” Ragnyr answered with a nod. “But, her abilities were nowhere near as powerful as yours. Not even with the cuff.” He fell silent for a moment. “Perhaps, it has to do with your father, and what he was.”
“Dresdyn told you about my father?” Klaryssa asked.
Ragnyr nodded. “He mentioned it during the conclave.”
“I wonder why my power has nothing to do with plants,” Klaryssa mused. “Given that my father was a dryad, wouldn’t it make more sense if my powers had something to do with trees and shrubberies?”
Ragnyr chuckled and smirked. “It would only make sense if you were in fact destined to do something with plants, M’Lady, but it is not in flora in which your destiny lies. You were gifted with your particular powers for a reason.” He sighed. “Dryad’s, like all fae, are beings of the purest magic, and I can’t help but wonder if there is more to your power than what you have currently discovered,” he said with a smile.
Klaryssa sighed and gave a small shrug. “Time will tell, I suppose, she said before jumping and gasping in fright when the audible sounds of battle clamored outside the shelter. “If we survive this,” she whispered before looking down when she felt a grip upon her hand. It was Ragnyr, and as Klaryssa raised her gaze, it was to find the older man with his steely gaze fixed upon the sealed door, with his jaw set in grim determination amidst the frightened gasps and cries that rose up around them.
“Stay behind me, My Lady Thane,” Ragnyr growled while letting go of Klaryssa’s hand and stepping away from her. He stopped when Klaryssa gripped the back of his cloak.
“What happens if they get in?” Klaryssa whispered.
“Then it will fall to you to get the women and children out of here,” Ragnyr uttered.
Klaryssa’s eyes widened in panic. “How?”
“There is a door at the back of the chamber,” Ragnyr answered hurriedly. “It opens only to the touch of the Thane and his mate.”
“Where does it lead?” Klaryssa asked.
“Away from here,” Ragnyr replied. “That’s all that matters.” There was an explosion punctuated by a series of snarls, growls, and howls. “Start moving them out,” Ragnyr growled as he strode in the direction of the door with a fireball in one hand, and crackling lightning in the other.
Schooling her face into as calm a mask as she could, Klaryssa turned to face the crowd of frightened women and children. “Everyone to the back of the chamber immediately,” she instructed in a resonate voice as she began walking at a quick clip. “Please let me through,” she said while pushing through,” she said while pushing her way towards the seemingly blank wall. “I need to find the door.”
“What door?” a woman asked in terror as her two frightened children clung to her skirts. “There’s nothing there.”
“Yes, there is,” Klaryssa countered. “Shaman Ragnyr told me so, and I would hardly think he would lie in this situation,” she growled while sliding her hands along the stone wall. “Come on, come on,” she whispered under her breath. “Where are you? Where are you?” After a few moments, her right hand slid over a section of the wall, and there was a soft glow before an audible click was heard followed by the whirring of mechanisms before the panel of stone moved backward before sliding into the cave wall. “I’ll be damned,” Klaryssa whispered with a smile before standing aside. “Right. Everyone inside! Hurry!”
“Where does it lead?” another woman asked.
“Away from here, that’s all that matters,” Klaryssa replied hurriedly while motioning for the crowd to move through the door. “Go!” She kept her eyes fixed on the other side of the room where Ragnyr stood ready to face off against whatever made it through the door, but her attention was ripped back to the door behind her when she heard terrified screams from the secret passage followed by the sound of scrambling feet as those who had entered the tunnel now raced madly to go back into the large cavern. “What?! What is it?”
Klaryssa got her answer when she saw gnolls chasing after the women and children as they frantically raced away from them. The beasts had undoubtedly found a way into the tunnel and were simply waiting for the chance to strike.
They were trapped!
“RAGNYR!” Klaryssa cried in desperation before her attention was drawn by a scream in the tunnel behind her. A little girl had fallen, and her mother had stopped to help her, only to be surrounded by the slobbering, ravenous beasts. Klaryssa’s eyes widened as mother and daughter clung to each other. “No!” she cried moments before she heard a snarl behind her followed by a blur of obsidian-hued fur flying over her head. It did not take her long to recognize the lanky shifter, and her heart leaped into her throat as the juvenile positioned himself between the gnolls and their would-be victims. “Wilem!” she cried as the mother and daughter scrambled to safety at last.
Get them away! Get the women and children away! Close the door!
As the frightened crowd raced away from the door towards the center of the cavern, Klaryssa was rooted to the spot in horror as she watched Wilem valiantly fight off the advancing gnolls, only to become overpowered in the small space soon after. His pained yelps and whimpers brought tears to her eyes as blood and fur flew through the air and sprayed across the tunnel walls, and before she could stop herself, Klaryssa was racing towards him despite the screamed protestations coming from behind her.
“NO!” Klaryssa’s shriek was ripped from her very soul, and she reached out for Wilem as she moved. “STOP IT! LEAVE HIM ALONE!” She did not realize that the gnolls had stopped until she reached her nephew. “Wilem!” she whispered frantically while cradling the boy’s bloodied body. He was in shock and hovered on the edge of unconsciousness. “Wilem?”
“Klaryssa!” Cerridwyn whispered. “Look!”
Klaryssa lifted her tear-filled eyes up to the gnolls who were standing passively while staring down at her with their dark, beady eyes. She glanced down at the cuff on her wrist before returning her gaze back to the cursed beasts. “Raise your right hands,” she said simply. Klaryssa’s heart skipped a beat when the creatures obeyed, and in this, she saw the clan’s salvation.
“Did you see that?” someone whispered from the crowd.
“How did she do that?”
“Sssssh!”
Klaryssa slowly exhaled and tuned out the voices behind her. She was not entirely sure how she was managing to control the gnolls, but she was not about to waste the opportunity. “Put your hands down. All of you turn around.” She narrowed her eyes and set her jaw once the gnolls had done as instructed. “Go back the way you came and attack your brethren. Go now. Hurry!”
Klaryssa held her breath all the while the gnolls scampered away. She half-expected them to snap out of whatever trance they were under and turn on he
r, but...they did not. It was not until the last gnoll vanished from sight that Klaryssa released the breath she had been holding. “Cerridwyn, help me,” she entreated. “I can’t move Wilem on my own while he’s in this form.”
Between the two of them, the sisters managed to get the now unconscious Wilem out of the tunnel. Once they had gotten him to safety, Klaryssa moved away and hurried to the wall.
“Ragnyr, Wilem needs you! Hurry!” Klaryssa cried as she tried to determine how to close the passage, not noticing that Wilem’s weakened and injured body had shifted back to its human form now that it lacked the strength to maintain the lupine shape.
“I’m coming!”
“What are we to do, M’Lady?”
“Should we try going through the passage again?”
