The demon huntress (unedited)

Hush hush, darkness is here

The wind was blowing through the carriage windows as we bumped and jumped from our seats. The road was rough, and the tension was as high as ever. We were a company of five carriages, one was for Keenan and three of his trusted soldiers, one for Arik and two other soldiers, one for all the luggage and books Tam insisted on taking, one for the high counselor alone and finally one for me, Tamara, Luna and Laskov. They were fidgety, snapping their wings and sniffing the air.

"Oh god, can't you just make them stop making noise? Layla, I'm so sick. I don't know what's wrong, I've traveled this road so many times. I have never gotten sick from traveling. Layla, I feel my head is going to be split in half" Tam said while sweat dripped from her forehead. She has been feeling unwell for over an hour now, her eyes dizzy and unfocused from motion sickness. I tried hushing the two cubs, but they too were feeling suffocated.

"Hey" I shouted, sticking my head through the open window. "Stop the carriage, my friend needs some fresh air" I said over the loud hooves hitting the untamed road. "We can't stop until we reach the end of the forest ma'm it's Duke Keenan's orders" the driver replied, not looking at me. "You heard the lady stop the carriage now" Arik shouted as his carriage came to a halt just beside us. One by one, all the carriages stopped. It was still afternoon, but the thick trees almost hid the sun. Four bloody hours since we left the palace, but the trees weren't relenting, stretching further and further in every direction.

I helped Tam stand up as the carriage door flew open. Arik took her hands as the knights stood staring at is with cold eyes. We were disobeying Keenan's orders, and they weren't happy about it, especially the two who accompanied Arik in his carriage. I wondered vaguely what he had told them, so they gave us such a loathing stare. "Listen, we can't stay here, it's too dangerous back to your carriages" Keenan ordered. He was wearing the justice knight's black shiny armor now, his face sullen and not meeting my eyes. It was like he was a completely different man to the one who helped me rescue the cubs. Even when they snapped with their tails and looked at him, he just looked bored and unreadable. Is that what he really was, or was it just a show for his soldiers.

"She is tired and ill, and she is going to rest" I hissed, not caring about the knights who stood ready, their hands on their hilts. "You will take orders from me, Lady Layla, whether you like it or not, if I said the woods aren't safe, then they aren't safe. I'm not your lover, I'm your commander" he snapped, looking in disgust at Arik. I clinched my fists ready to punch him right in the face, not caring that he had circle power and I didn't, not caring about the oath we took to start being work partners. If he is going to give me orders and ignore my friend's sickness, I'm going to beat his ass, but then a sound came from beside and as I looked, I saw Tam vomiting just right at Keenan's shiny black boots. "Shit, sorry Duke, I think I have an upset stomach" she said, but I could feel her smiling. I couldn't help but grin.

"Alright" the word came from his mouth like a spit. You can rest for ten minutes as of the knights will accompany each of you. He shouted, giving orders to the soldiers. As I took Tamara's hand to help her walk, a soldier came toward us "the high counselor wants you sir and Lady Layla in her carriage, she says it's urgent" he stuttered between short breath as if he were running. "Go, I will be okay, I will go for a walk until Arik finds where the motion sickness medicine is, you go" Tam said as I looked at her worriedly. "Okay, just don't go deep into the woods with these men, I don't like them" I replied, glancing at the two soldiers leaning on a tree. Keenan huffed, "my knights are the most honorable in the whole land, whatever your boyfriend filled your head with, it's a lie. It's a habit of his...lying" he said gruffly. Count to ten and don't hit him in the face, I kept whispering to myself, but I knew he heard me.

When we entered the high counselor carriage, the curtains were drawn, leaving the carriage dim and eerie. I felt a shiver going through my spine, and when I saw her face, all the blood drained from my face. "Grandma!" Keenan shouted, hunching his huge body by her side in the small space, making the carriage wiggle. She was as gray as ash and her eyes went all white like she was in a fit of some sort. I felt the air thick like a heavy mist of power was surrounding us, even though she didn't speak through Keenan's cries, I knew she was having a vision, I could almost feel the past and future all rushing toward her brittle frail body. "I can sense evil Keenan, it's so close, so close" she cried, shaking madly in his arms and beads of sweat glistening on her face. I sat still as a statue, my hand shivering, is he here, is the dark master here, is he coming for me.

She stretched her hands suddenly and grabbed mine "he is so close, I can sense him, looking at you, wanting your soul, oh my poor child" she whimpered not like her steely voice, she was weak and vulnerable and her lips trembled. "Grandma wake up please you will kill yourself, wake up!" He cried, hugging her tighter in his arms. I could see his face contorting and his eyes shine with tears as he held her.

She was trembling from head to foot as if possessed. I could feel the darkness surrounding her, "he is coming for me, knew I can sense him, and will kill me, will kill every one close to you. He will bathe in blood. Dark thick blood everywhere" her words became scattered and frantic. Keenan cried in despair, "I don't know what to do" he pleaded like a child who is about to lose his only family lift. I wanted to help, I wanted to ease her pain, still what could I do with no power and no knowledge. I felt useless. Looking into his teary eyes. I felt sympathy that I never felt before for anyone. Taking her hands in my mine, I closed my eyes and begged for anything, any power of any sort to help me. That's when a pain like I've never felt in my life erupted through my forehead. And then I saw what she was seeing, and I knew then, I knew, I was doomed.