The Prophecy - ACOTAR

Chapter 3

The beast howled in response, a tinge of pain but mostly of surprise. The beasts head swung around, looking for whatever fae had defended these humans. There was just the human girl shielding her sisters and father with a hunting knife, nothing inherently fae at first glance.

The beast was feline in nature with the head of a wolf, its golden fur now stained on it's shoulders by the blood that leaked from the knife wound, elk like horns curving out from its head. It ripped the knife out of its shoulder with its teeth, the knife falling to the floor with a dreadful clang.

The beast reared up on it's hindlegs in anger and bellowed, "MURDERERS!"

In that moment, Astrid knew the creature that stood before them was fae. She looked down at her feet, Cam and Ryn standing guard in front of her, unyielding like they were with the hounds. She had always known they were different; she saw how people would avoid them at all costs. She had had never put much thought into why, but as she watched them prepare to fight this beast, she knew deep down, they were a fae creature that deemed her worthy of their protection and companionship.

There were times when even she was unsettled by how they acted, only when they seemed to work with the same mind. They would walk step in step, constantly. So much so that sometimes she wondered whether they were truly two separate entities, maybe that thought is what had her split one name in half. Some distant part of herself knew that they were one in the same.

She moved her gaze from her loyal protectors to her sister, knowing by the look on her face that she to had come to the same realization about the beast. He was no ordinary beast and the hunting knife her sister had in her hands would do nothing to protect them, it would only piss him off more if she was lucky to get a blow on him.

Astrid could tell her twin was thinking the same thing, worry, terror and anger welled up inside Astrid as she let a thought front in her mind. Feyre wasn't fast enough to even get one blow, a blow that could allow her sisters time to try and run. But the beast only focused on them, it didn't seem to see her. She whispered her thanks to the shadows in her head, knowing they were responsible for hiding her. But she needed to find a way to help, the only weapon that could weaken the beast enough for her to be able to sink her axe into its head, sat at the very doorway his massive form was inhabiting.

Astrid noticed her sister stepping forward, careful to keep the table between her and the beast, she saw her sister eye her bow and quiver standing in the entry way. She saw her sisters' eyes glance around, almost like they were looking for her. She wanted to signal her twin she was here in the shadows, but it was the only upper hand they had on this beast. She hoped Feyre could keep its attention enough that she could find a way to get that ash arrow.

"MURDERERS!" It roared again, hackles raised like Cam and Ryn when they were dealing with the hounds. Something Astrid sometimes thought to be their idea of a game.

"P-please," their father stuttered behind Feyre, anger swelling in Astrid as he still made no movement to go to Feyre's side, using her as a shield, "Whatever we have done, we de did so unknowingly, and..."

A cold angry laugh bubbled up in Astrid's chest at his choice of words. We, as if he had ever done anything these past years, as if it hadn't been all her and Feyre.

The only thing keeping that laugh in her chest was Nesta sobs as she spoke, "W-w-we didn't kill anyone," her arm lifting over her head, like her small iron bracelet would do much to the towering beast that had obliterated their front door.

A soft growl escaped Astrid's throat, she loved Nesta – the sister that had been there for her after the dreams, the sister who managed to pull her out of her sadness – but she also had done next to nothing for this family since they had plunged into poverty. Astrid understood it stemmed from her hatred towards their father, but in this moment, that understanding did nothing to quell her anger. Anger that seemed to be building for years now, that had probably been building since their mother seemed to turn on her.