Animus

by Kindra Sowder

  I looked at myself in the mirror, my pupils dilated from the elixir in the whiskey Doctor Hale had given me. The bottle was gripped tightly in my hand. I took another sip and placed it on the counter, turning toward the large armoire in the room that held my nightclothes which was yet another uncomfortable thought since all of them were nightgowns and a man would be sitting at my bedside. I decided that a nightgown was better than the soaking wet robe I was wearing at the moment. Opening the double doors, I pulled out a black silk one so that I could guarantee that my wet hair wouldn’t cause any other issues as far as transparency. Nothing could be seen through the robe, but I wasn’t taking any chances. Not with Lucius in the room with me. I didn’t know much about him but I had a feeling that I would learn so much over the coming days before we went to war. As he trained with us to go against the Royals of Paderborn and the Halflings, a foe we had never once fought at one time before.

  I dropped the robe to the floor and slid the nightgown over my head, the fabric slinking over my skin. It was so smooth and so light I could barely feel it, the slight coolness in the air penetrating it to chill my skin as it reached down to the floor. Rubbing my arms, I picked up the robe and hung it on the rack next to the door, opening the bathroom doors and coming back into the bedroom to find Lucius sitting in the chair next to the bedside table, his fingers steepled in front of his perfect lips. I almost wondered what it would be like to touch them. I shook the thought from my mind and pushed it as far away as I could, knowing Lucius could tell I had thought something about him. His eyebrows lifted and his eyes scanned over my ensemble.

  “That is quite the gown, General,” he quipped as he stared, his obsidian eyes not once leaving the shape of my body underneath the fabric.

  I raised my arms out to the side and said, “Only the best for the Sentinel’s soldiers, right? The words of the Council, if I do remember correctly.”

  Lucius nodded and crossed his arms over his chest as I made my way toward the large bed, the plush mattress and soft sheets calling out to me as I moved.

  “I guess I should be relieved with Death watching over me,” I joked.

  His eyes flicked to me, meeting mine as I sat on the bed. A sinister grin spread over his lips. He was Death, right? Death incarnate with only one purpose. I was trying so hard not to see him as a person. The same one I had envisioned during the meeting with the Council, but much deeper than I had imagined. He had never spoken to me before that moment, only having heard my voice until the moment he decided to take his chances and push back the hood of my cloak, surprised by what he had seen within the dark folds.

  He tilted his head as he watched me. “Some would beg to differ, but I’m not what people think I am. I only take those whose time have come and believe me, General Ragnarok, you have many healthy years left in you.”

  “So, you’re not a killer?”

  He chuckled and steepled his fingers again, resting his perfectly shaped lips on his fingertips.

  “You can’t believe every rumor you hear, General.”

  I attempted to hide my surprise but couldn’t stop the raising of my eyebrows and the fact that I was chewing on my bottom lip in thought. Maybe I wasn’t right about him after all. Maybe, underneath the cool confidence and dazzling smile, he was just like me. Terrified and misunderstood.

  I sat on the bed, pulling the bottom of the gown up to bunch around my knees as I curled one leg underneath me. “Again, I prefer Quinn.”

  The corner of his lip twitched as my name rolled around his tongue as he said it. “Well, Quinn, it is quite late and I believe you need your rest. Now,” the lights went dark around me and I hadn’t made a move to turn them off, “goodnight. Sleep tight.”

  Chapter 6

  That night went by quickly, and after the couple days of rest as ordered by Doctor Hale, I was back in action training with Victor, Lucius, and the new garrison I had been assigned. Apep trained with us as well, learning how to work with Lucius since he had a few tricks up his sleeve that we didn’t as human beings.

  The Reaper was quick and cunning, moving with a sly grace I had only seen in not just my dragon, but other predators like wolves and pumas. Underneath the cloak and the robes he usually wore when acting as a Council member, you couldn’t tell that he possessed such a broad chest and strong, lean muscles. You could even watch them in rapt fascination as he moved, rolling underneath his flesh and military uniform he asked for, the long leather trench moving around him like a cape. As a Reaper, you wouldn’t believe he would look so human, but he truly did aside from the deathly pale skin and slightly sick look. Either way, he was still as attractive as they came. Our bond over our time training had grown, and he had expressed an interest in a romantic relationship just not verbally.

  I circled him as Apep and Victor watched behind us, sword in my hand as I watched his movements. Little did he know I could spot his tell, showing that he was about to strike so I could act quickly. It was just a small twitch but being the General I was, I could see it easily enough and so could others. The bicep in his dominant arm would twitch just a second before he moved, and as I watched him, it did just that. He lashed out with his sword and I was able to avoid it altogether as he brought it down again. I blocked it with mine and his blade slid down it, coming to stop at my hilt as he pushed in closer to me. His black eyes bore into mine, a hint of that romantic affliction he had toward me glinting in his eye.

  We stopped moving, and when he leaned in for a kiss, I pushed away laughing, turning to place my sword back on the racks because, after that, I knew this entire thing was over. We would be heading out for war soon enough and I couldn’t afford any kind of relationship, especially since we would be fighting side by side. That was how you became distracted in battle. Granted, I did like him. That wasn’t the issue. I had come to truly adore him over the last few days. It was definitely the wrong time.

  “You’re definitely ready, but you may want to do something about that tell first,” I said as I turned back to him, breathless in every sense of the word.

  Especially when looking at his rock-solid body and beautiful face.

  “What tell?” Lucius said as one eyebrow raised an in elegant arch, nearly causing my knees to buckle.

  Victor hung back as I walked back toward Lucius and shouted, “What do you mean, what tell? I can see it all the way over here.”

  Me too, General, Apep assured as she huffed at the air, sending up a bloom of dust.

  “If the dragon can too, then it’s there. Your bicep twitches before you strike. You’ll want to put a handle on that before we head out tomorrow,” I explained. “You might be Death and have all these other skills that we don’t, like poofing wherever you want, but you need to be able to use a sword and I won’t budge on that. Either you can stop the tell, or you don’t go at all. And yes,” I placed my hands on my hips, “I am pulling rank. You may be a Council member, but you’re no General.”

  “Poofing wherever I want? That’s an interesting way to put it,” he mocked.

  “Not interesting. Just accurate,” I replied as I watched him.

  His facial expressions were ranging from delight to adoration, moving between the two quickly. I tried to stop the blush that crept into my cheeks, but knew I hadn’t succeeded when he smiled.

  Lucius walked around me and placed his sword on the rack as well, turning back toward me so I could feel his eyes.

  “The tell will be gone come tomorrow. Even if it means staying up all night practicing to keep it at bay.” I looked over my shoulder at him as he said, “That’s if you’ll stay up with me and show me how.”

  My breath caught in my throat and the sun began to set, throwing gorgeous pastel shades of oranges and pinks into the clear sky.

  “Sure, if you don’t mind starting right now.” My glance returned to the beautiful sky in front of me, taking in the vibrant colors with a sigh. “Victor and Apep, you can go eat and rest up. I’ll be in as soon as I can.”

  “You sure?
” Victor asked.

  I felt his stare as the anxiety for my safety being alone with Lucius wafted toward me on the air. Certainly, Lucius could sense it as well, but he remained silent. Even Apep was apprehensive as I heard her muscles shift and another huff of air was forced from her nostrils.

  “I’m sure, you two,” I answered, turning around to look at the both of them.

  The worry was in their muscles, causing tension to ripple through them as they eyed Lucius and myself.

  Apep was especially uneasy, studying Lucius with an incredulous eye. I waved at them both, trying to get them to leave, but they stood there like statues. It was obvious they hadn’t grown to trust Lucius as I had, but they also hadn’t been awoken every two hours because of a concussion by him either. That helped me realize he wasn’t as bad as most made him out to be.

  “Now, go on. That was an order, not a request.” When they didn’t move I barked, “Go.”

  They finally took the hint, turning away as Victor climbed on Apep’s back. He was afraid of heights, but had learned that my lovely dragon wouldn’t do anything to make him uncomfortable if it wasn’t necessary. With a flap of her enormous wings, they were off and I was left alone with Death himself.

  “Where do you want to start? Swords again, or hand-to-hand?” Lucius questioned as he sauntered back toward the rack lined with swords of varying sizes and materials.

  He fingered the hilt of the sword that I frequently used, the silver handle etched with black fire. It was my favorite and worked very well for my height and body type. It was light, so I didn’t have to pack on fifty pounds of muscle just to raise it.

  “Seeing as you’ve been on swords most of today, I say we’ll go with hand-to-hand. Unless you’re too scared of little old me,” I jabbed as I watched him, studying the loving way he touched the sword as if he was savoring the warmth that still resided in the handle from my touch.

  Like I had left even a small bit of life in it that he could feel. A grin played on his lips as he took his hand away from it and looked at me, his dark stare piercing as those obsidian eyes reflected the sunset behind me -- causing my breath to hitch slightly.

  “All right.” He stalked toward me and moved into the prone position of the style of martial art he preferred.

  I had been taught a mixture of different martial arts as a member of the Sentinel of Hydra, which made me highly adaptable. But whatever style he used was quick and effective, and unpredictable. Even then, he still had a tell, and that twitch of muscle could get him killed. If that were even possible.

  I turned my body, placing my feet shoulder length apart to ensure good balance if struck and raised my hands palm out and open in true Krav Maga style. It was what I preferred and I threw in a couple hits from other styles normally, but it was my favorite and typically worked best against anyone with a set repertoire of moves. In true fashion, he struck first. The twitch in his bicep gave him away again, giving me the edge I needed to block the punch and push him away, backing away from him a few paces and falling into stance again.

  “Still there, Lucius. You need to focus on it and attempt to stop it before anyone notices. I can see it from a mile away.”

  There was irritation in his eyes and he clenched his jaw when I said the words, but tough love was the only way to truly help him. It worked with every single soldier I had trained, teaching them not to rely on the anger they felt to fight.

  “And you’re going to want to reign in the anger there. It’ll only get you killed.”

  His eyebrows raised and he smiled as he fell into stance again, the frustration leaking away and replaced with respect and pleasure.

  “I can’t die, but it is nice to see you are concerned for my safety.”

  “Take that whatever way you want, Lucius,” I joked with a chuckle.

  “Oh, I will,” he teased, his power and his voice reaching out to envelop me like a soft and warm cocoon.

  I tried to ignore the sensation but couldn’t, throwing off my focus as I lashed out with my leg. It connected with his but he barely reacted, taking the chance to send out a punch that I blocked and countered with one of my own. He dodged it, taking a step backward but then advancing when I refused to back down. He threw out another punch and I ducked underneath it, his leg coming out in a sweep I didn’t see coming until it was too late. His foot made contact with the back of my legs and kept moving, knocking me completely off of my feet to land on the ground, hard. The impact sent all of the air whooshing from my lungs, resulting in a small cough as Lucius lowered himself over me as if he would continue the assault, but only playfulness flashed in his eyes. He was slightly out of breath, the warm air passing over my skin.

  “You know, you’re the first to ever beat me,” I said breathlessly, still trying to take in a full one since my impact with the unforgiving ground. “You may just get a medal for that.”

  I smiled up at him as he looked down at me, our breaths mingling as his smelled slightly of sweet mint.

  Before I could react, Lucius brought his head down toward mine, his lips pressing gently against my own to see if I would deny him. Sparks flew instantly. I couldn’t stop myself. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck as his lips moved over mine and his body pressed against me on the ground. He pulled back, breathless as he looked down into my eyes and smiled lovingly. It was perfect just as he was, and in the short amount of time we had actually known one another, I knew I was meant for him and that we would make it out of the battle against the Royals.

  Chapter 7

  Apep flew overhead, her massive wingspan of charcoal blocking out the sun as she made her passes over our small army. There were only so many that the Council could spare, sending me with a brigade of only fifty, which I was certain wasn’t nearly enough to do what was needed. As I looked up and shielded my eyes from the sun, I spotted the other dragons flying around her. There were at least four others of varying colors and strengths, Apep’s fire being some of the fiercest in the Sentinel of Hydra. I could not remember whom within the Sentinel the others belonged to, but I knew they would defend us with their lives. It was obvious they had bonded with their keepers properly and I took a deep breath and let it out in relief. Victor was beside me, a look of complete stoicism over his face as he did nothing but stare at the army before us.

  I detected a hint of the clean smell of oncoming rain, the storm brewing off in the distance as the castle of the Royals of Paderborn came into view. The large modern metropolis crowded around it in a tight circle to ensure safety, all modern lines and sleek rooftops. Just before the city was the army of Paderborn, definitely larger in mass than our own but they didn’t have the loyalty of the dragon race like the Sentinel had, making them a less formidable foe. But there was one thing they did have, and it was almost as dangerous. I could see a few pale Halflings among them from where I stood, the wind kicking up around us and blowing some debris from within the field we stood in, the grass reaching just to my knees. Lucius stood beside me, completely decked out in battle gear just like the rest of us -- a thick leather tunic over his chest that would protect from knife or sword thrusts, thick denim slacks, and a sword strapped to his hip. When he had shown that he favored it, I had let him use the sword that I normally did, taking my second favorite with the hilt that was shaped like a dragon’s head.

  I placed my hand on the sharp beak-like hilt and reached out to Apep with my mind.

  Are you and the others ready? It looks like the Royals are getting antsy, I asked her as she continued to fly around us, only once flying low enough to sweep the grass at our legs around us violently.

  Apep roared into the daytime sky, flame shooting from her nostrils as she snorted loudly.

  Yes, we are more than ready, General.

  I rolled my eyes, clearing my throat to hide the grunt of frustration that I couldn’t seem to get her or Victor to call me Quinn after all this time. I looked to Lucius beside me and he stared back, his pale skin glinting with a slight sheen
of sweat and his dark eyes gleaming in the sunlight. When he nodded, I knew he was ready as well, a sly smile of destruction spreading on his lips and pulling at the corners of his eyes. I nodded in return, removed my sword from its sheath, and raised it into the air, turning my face back to stare down our enemy as I took a full breath into my lungs, pulling the oxygen in until they burned with the strain to make certain those fighting for Paderborn could hear me. I could even see the Royals perched on two horses within the middle of the crowd, sheathed in dark crimson battle gear.

  “Those of Paderborn, you are formally charged with treason against Archer’s State and the Sentinel of Hydra! Will you fall back and take your punishment, or will you fight against us?”

  I knew what the answer would be, but this was a formality of our dear country that had always held strong no matter what the circumstances.

  The only answer to this question was their battle cry, swords raised in the air as their stark voices carried to our ears.

  I believe that answers your question, Apep chuckled as I watched them begin to beat their fists in the air like there were invisible drums hanging there.

  There was only one way to answer their call and that was to fight, taking down as many of them as possible before the end. I turned to Lucius again and he smirked at me, knowing what he had to do next. Within seconds of that affirming glance he was gone, reappearing before the first soldier who fell to his sword without a single swipe of his own weapon.