Ashes of Revenge

Chapter 29: Death of a Farian

Raven and Colt were leaning against a tree, using it as support as they watched the village from the treeline. "What if he's not ok?" Colt asked, the small blade coming from his finger digging deeper into the tree.

"He's alive, my dear," Death said. Despite how much Raven wanted to react to that fact, she couldn't. "But, I gave the order today to have him killed."

Raven looked out to the village and saw servants setting up a platform; she recognized it immediately. "He's alive."

"How do yeh know?" Colt asked, hope coming into his voice.

"They are settin' up an execution platform in tha village." She pointed to what she was seeing, and his gaze followed. "Chances are since Richard is a Farian, he's gonna be put on display." Colt remembered the hanging of the Halifs in the Monstro Kingdom, but now he saw Richard replacing the half-breeds; the noose being tied around his neck; hearing the floor give way and his neck snapping from the impact. He almost allowed his eyes to change.

"I give tha signal, yeah?" Her eyes never left the construction, remembering those Halifs. While younger, she had been forced to watch such executions, being a part of the Royal family. She didn't want to watch those, but she couldn't bear to even think about this one.

Colt closed his eyes and leaned his head against the tree, naturally pulling his cloak closer. The pair had robbed the dead, taking their long, black, dirty cloaks as well as a few arrows, food, and drinks.

Raven turned her hand up and concentrated. Slowly, she watched as a small flame appeared in the center of her palm before it spread out and covered it entirely.

The area under her hand began to feel like it was being tugged and pulled, like when she had used it yesterday. Her fingers twitched and trembled in soreness.

Shifting her gaze up, she saw Death staring at her amusingly. Raven looked back down at her hand and made a fist, the flame extinguished itself, but the tugging continued for another few seconds. When it stopped, the scene of being burned infiltrated her mind, and she almost cried out in fear and pain. She bit her lip at this newfound trait as her thoughts tried to pinpoint the reason for it.

"Where do yeh stand?" Colt asked, snapping her vision into focus.

She swallowed and brushed her hand against her nose, already knowing what he was asking. "I won't kill 'em."

"You don't want to kill the guards?" Death asked, circling the pair. "Are you sure?"

"I make no promises," Colt said.

"They could have family," she murmured. Victor and Dara flashed into her mind.

"I don't bloody care," Colt said, the dark graphite and shiny silver quartz leaking into his natural color. "They hurt him." He had been hurt by Knights in his old Kingdom, and the very thought of them hurting Richard made him want to kill every last one of them.

Raven knew how protective Colt could be when it came to her and even Richard's safety. In similar situations, the Shifter had turned into what his species was known for.

Sometimes he was that fearful boy everyone saw; others, he was the heartless killer everyone expected.

"They were followin' orders," she reminded.

"I bet they unnecessarily hurt him. Was that 'em followin' orders?" They stared at one another for a few seconds. "I will wait until I see him. I make no promises," Colt murmured.

Nevertheless, they threw them on and slowly and painfully made their way to the village.

***

Raven stood in the center of a giant crowd. She could barely stand, and she knew Colt was in the same position as her.