Curse of the Oak

Chapter Eleven

The screechers were clamoring through the windows one after another. Elves were scattering around. Some were seeking safety, while others were drawing weapons to fight off the enemy.

Des watched as the guards secured Lord Khadar and his royal council. She thought of tracking after him, demanding justice for Griffin. But what could she do? Des didn't have any skills to fight a dark elf, nor did she have the strength to hold one captive. Of course, her father had sent her to self-defense classes, and could maneuver a knife well enough to fight, but anything other than that was out of her reach.

She drowned the thought as a heavy body slammed into her back, sending her to the ground. Des turned her head and saw the masked screecher lying beside her. Its hood was thrown back revealing its pale white skin and blood dripping eyes. Its body was limp with a sword protruding out of its abdomen with ink like blood draining out of the dark desolated being.

Her hand flew over her mouth, holding back a scream that was clawing its way out. She felt a soft breeze behind her. Desiree turned around and saw a screecher running toward her, its hand reaching out to grasp her throat, until a blade swiped through the air, slicing the hand from the wrist clean off.

The screecher let out a high pitched shrill, forcing Des to cover her ears. She scooted back from the horror taking place in front of her, kicking the ground with her feet.

Wailing in pain, the screecher collapsed to the ground, letting death add another to its count. Des felt a strong hand brace behind her back as another pulled her up on her feet.

"What are you doing!" Cedrik demanded, his voice loud over the clash of battle. "We need to get you out of here!"

Cedrick scanned the throne room, looking for a safe passage out. But there was just too many of them. He saw the sea of black as his people fought back, trying to clear out the screechers. There was even more emerging through, forcing the elves back.

There were fallen warrior of both races, screechers and dark elves. Lying on the ground like old dust settling in its place on a shelf.

Des saw the destruction, wanting to easily erase the image from her mind, but it embellished itself into her memory. Never letting the moment leave her. She clenched her hands into fists, anger boiling inside of her.

"Let's move!" Cedrik commanded, his green eyes lighting up from the heat of the battle. He reached for her arm to tow her behind him. But Des pulled out of his reach.

"No!" Des shouted back, planting her feet in the ground. "I'm not leaving without Griffin's body!" Her body tensed up, exhibiting her commitment and will to stay for her friend.

Her person in life.

Cedrik tried to pull her along, but Des resisted, pushing him away. However, no matter how hard she pushed, he wouldn't budge. She kept trying to pull away, only earning her a tighter grip from Cedrik

Cedrik's nostrils flared, his face reddening with anger as his eyes furrowed together. "Your friend is fine. Rhaegr got him to the healers in time, and is with him now."

She stared back at him, a soft gaze as relief flooded through her. Her body sagged with liberation, allowing tears to escape. She didn't lose Griffin. He was okay. She wasn't going to have to put another loved one in the ground. A loved one she couldn't bear to lose.

"Although," he said, yanking her arm, pulling her out of her stark relief. "I don't think we can say the same to you if we don't get moving!"

Des nodded, realizing she was in a bad predicament herself. Plus, she needed Cedrik's help to lead her back to Griffin so they could get out of here.