The Lions and the Lamb: A Tamlin x Rhysand x OC Story

Chapter 15: The Soldiers of Hybern

It was true. I looked down at my burned and blistered wrists, the burns in the slender shape of a handcuff.
Salty tears escaped my eyes, falling onto the wound and stinging it. Tamlin sat up, heading out down the hall.
"I'm calling a healer." He said shortly, the shirtless male taking off in large strides. Rhysand kisses my forehead, using the soft pads of his thumbs to erase my splotchy tears.
"It's alright. Don't worry, Alanna darling." He began. "We are going to see what, or who did this to you." He said the last part with a growl, hate seeping out of his pours into the air around us. He held me close to him as Tamlin came back into the chambers with a healer.
The female was old, it seemed. Her eyes shone wisdom beyond time. Some human eyes looked similar, but none quite as wounded. It was true—the healers eyes looked wounded. No doubt, she'd seen the horrors of hundreds upon thousands of wars in her immortality.
"How did this happen?" She glanced at my wrists, fear in her eyes. Rhysand and Tamlin worriedly looked at each other.
"She had a nightmare and woke up with those. Why? What is it?" Tamlin asked shakily.
"I haven't seen this kind of magic put to use in a thousand years..." She held my wrists softly, all the while applying a salve to the burns. "The enemy has a connection to the girl. Something like a piece of hair, blood, something she's worn."
Rhysand shook his head.
"How would they have gotten that? When the Hybern soldier broke into the windows we had her shielded behind her. We had our eyes on him the whole time, he didn't pick up anything." The healer shuddered.
"Then their power is far beyond just this world. It would be wise to be on your best guard. Protect the girl, teach her to mentally shield as soon as you can." She finished up bandaging me, wincing when I did. My mates thanked her as she left, looking at me with a sorry look.
"We should have protected you better..." Rhys started. I cut him off.
"None of that. Neither of you could have known that this would happen to me. Now just teach me how to shield already and we'll figure it out." I practically yelled.
My mates looked shocked at me, at my sudden outburst. I myself didn't know where it came from, perhaps now that I had some powers? Either way, they both nodded and helped me out of the too-comfortable bed.
We headed to breakfast, and after that was over, they began to train me.
I sat on a straight backed chair in the formal living space, the males standing around me.
"I'm going to try to infiltrate your mind, and you are going to resist. No matter what, you resist. Got it?" He was stern, but I understood. He was worried.
"Got it." When his talons scraped at the walls of my consciousness, I cringed and jerked back.
"Resist." I tried, it was too much. I couldn't—
"Resist, Alanna!" He yelled, and something in me snapped. It was like a barrier that built itself up all at once around my mind, shielding me from those sharp claws. Rhys let up, looking pleased at me.
"Well that was easier learned than I thought it would be." He petted my head. "You just need the stamina to keep them up. We'll work on it throughout the day."
Tamlin smiled at me a proud smile, pleased with my new ability.
❥❥❥
The rest of my day consisted of Rhysand randomly trying to get passed the shield in my mind. Thankfully, I was successful most of the time. The few times I let him slip past due to those talons being extra harsh, he tried again even harder. I could now successfully shield my mind, which should keep the enemies from hurting me physically through nightmares.
I was lounging on the bed with Tamlin to my right, and Rhysand to my left when my mates heard the door open.
"Lucien." Said Tamlin, winnowing right downstairs to address the redhead. Rhysand followed, taking me with him.
Lucien was bloodied and bruises littered his face. He had no weapons on him, nor did he have his sachet that contained food and other necessary items.
"What happened?" Tamlin urgently asked, going to his friend and easing him into a chair.
"T-they're powerful." He coughed, holding his chest as if his lungs were on fire. "You have no idea...When I got there, they had tens of thousands of soldiers. Not just any soldiers. Somehow, I don't know how, they resurrected their fellow fallen soldiers. But they're not all there. They're skeletons, and they're nearly impossible to kill." Tamlin and Rhysand had sweat glistening on their brown at hearing what the emissary was saying.
"How did they find you?" Rhysand asked next.
"Hounds." Was all he said. It made sense, as his garments were frayed and looked like something with large, sharp teeth tore it.
"What did they say?" Tamlin asked, holding out a goblet of rum. For the pain, I assumed. Lucien was flinching at every little movement.
"They told me they only let me go to deliver a message that spoke far louder than a piece of paper." He downed the liquor. "They said that if you didn't hand Alanna over, they would destroy all of Prythian and you. There were other spies there too, we were all chained in a room together. All to deliver the same message to our high lords"
This was bad...very bad. I had to go, I couldn't let these rogue half dead half alive soldiers destroy all of Prythian, all those innocent fae, and not to mention my mates and the other high lords. I began to think up a plan, how to leave when they wouldn't notice. I couldn't just tell them that I thought it was best for me to go, they wouldn't allow it. And I understand, I'd do the same thing in their place. It would be so incredibly difficult. I didn't want to leave them. I couldn't bare it...but if it meant saving them and the citizens of Prythian, then I would. My thoughts were interrupted when Tamlin and Rhysand each held my hands.
"No one is taking you from us, and no one is destroying Prythian. We're going to figure this out." Tam said, releasing my hand as his claws began to come out at the knuckle.
"You have nothing to be afraid of as long as we're around." Rhys added, kissing my brow.
If only they knew what I was about to do...they may never forgive me.