Broken Wings [Completed!]

Chapter 33

When Queen Hermyne disappeared into the depths of the hall, Evira peeled off the walls like a shadow. She kicked off her heels, her footsteps light as she shouldered past dancing faeries, eyes locked on one person and one person only.

Evira had been hunted for the whole of her life. So she revelled in the prospect of being the predator, her knives strapped on her thighs as elegant and strong as eagle wings taking flight. Behind her, Haku had edged away to the outside of the palace steps, most likely joining the battle with the dragon riders.

The smell of faerie alcohol dissolved as they hurried down the steps of the palace, as if it were suddenly awashed with a hush of secrets. Her bun had loosened at some point, so they fell in messy curls around her face. Queen Hermyne's back was exposed and Evira felt her grip unconsciously tensing around the knives on her thighs.

Not yet.

Lights flickered through the dark hallway and Evira swung herself around a protruding wall. Two armed faeries flanked her, swirls of menace circling like snakes. When one turned around, his eyes searched for any signs of threat, but found nothing. Slitted pupils, the black spilling from within slowly devouring the green irises. They were almost identical to each other - a mass of lean, smooth muscles hidden by an armour of scales.

She tapped the side of her forehead, so that her earpiece extended out a camera and relayed whatever she was seeing to Remy. Hearing Remy swear softly on the other end relaxed her, reminded her they were safe. So far.

"I'm sending Maeve after them," Remy said after a while. "Don't worry, I've told Haku about it. He said Maeve's magic would be most useful for them."

Evira, aware she couldn't make any noise, meekly tapped a short reply back.

"Gotcha. How about your side? Seen any werewolves yet?"

They were moving behind double doors. Memorising the sound of the keypad, she tapped the pattern across her dress, repeating the password. Waiting was always part of the game. She was sure the god was behind those doors, and the itch of excitement spiked through her bones.

People feared going against death. She bathed in its exhilaration.

"No, but Axel's sensed them. Horrid, if you ask me."

Evira couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Are you telling me you've smelt Axel?"

"No." The answer was too quick. Remy growled in embarrassment. Even that was too werewolf-like. "Stop teasing me and do your job properly."

As Evira walked towards the double doors, frantically typing down into the keypad, she winced at the sound of broken glass and strangled cries from within.

"Oh, that's just Maeve," Remy reassured with a hearty laugh. "Gee, you may not like her but I think I've got feelings for her now."

Shaking her head to muffle a laugh, Evira tapped 'ENTER' on the keypad and watched as the doors creaked open. A hand already on her knife, she ducked from two walls that slammed from the side of her, spikes sprouting like tree roots from the wood.

Rolling through the spikes, she caught her breath. Traps. Of course. The security here would be extra.

They were in a library. Massive, tall bookshelves circled the walls and dust collected on the spines like small snowflakes. Beautiful, but cold. Dangerous.

A window, already smashed, curled around on the other side, so the light entered through the gaping mouth, enlightening the room.

"Look out!" Remy screamed as Evira jumped out of the way, the tip of her dress tearing through a knife that smacked onto the floor. It was like a bomb, the purpose aimed to kill, its edge so sharp that it caused splinters to shoot up from the wooden floorboards.