Warlord's Ward

Cursed

"I cursed myself." Irasus proudly admitted in answer to Killian's question.

"To what?"

She smiled evilly.

"To feel nothing." He murmured. Eyes widening on her.

Sensing she was about to strike, he moved before her. Sending lashing strands of smoky magic out to devour her.

But she bent the trees to her will. Forcing them over to weave and intertwine before her.

"No, you don't." She heard a feminine whisper somewhere near her right but didn't give it the credit she should've.

Suddenly the trees ripped from her grip. Leaning away to weave behind her. Pushing her forward and out into the opening. Despite all Irasus' efforts at using magic to hook into them, they no longer obeyed her.

She spun her head and saw the pretty young woman touching a tree far too her right. She sent rocks flying that direction but that smoky magic struck first. Blocking them with an invisible barrier. So, they toppled haplessly to the ground.

She turned viciously toward him. "Are you so sure your magic is stronger than mine."

He smiled darkly. In a way that unsettled her. "Whether I am or not, one thing I learned in your King's service is how best to outmaneuver any enemy."

"What?" She shook her head disdainfully.

He hooked those tendrils that still reached into her a bit deeper, browsing through her mind and spirit despite all her efforts to stop the images flowing through her. She grasped at them like bits of parchment in the wind. Unable to catch them as he flipped through them.

Glimpsing everyone.

He paused on one. A vision of a large burly blonde man.

An image that made her turn her head away. An image that even her spirit reacted to.

Then he held that image in the forefront of her mind. Digging further while she screamed in frustration. Holding her head as if in pain. Bent over clutching her temples.

"What's happening?" Someone asked.

"He's getting to her."

"Stop!" She shrieked.

Killian found a short memory of the man, newly crowned telling Irasus that she was not to be his. That she'd never be fit to be a queen.

Telling her he didn't want her.

Killian laughed cruelly. "Is that what broke you? Made you so afraid of a world beyond your vile King?"

He played the memory. Those harsh words over and over.

"Were his words any kinder?" Alongside that memory. He found others of horrible things King Detry had said and done that sent her back to that moment. Until she was overwhelmed by memories that caused her precious barriers to fracture. The curse of coldness she'd surrounded herself with was beginning to shatter.

"No!" She forced her way through the pain, both emotional and physical, with incredible strength. Turning back toward Killian.

She summoned the power behind all that contained pain and sent leaves and branches, rocks and every sharp weapon she could lift into the air plowing toward Killian.

Her watery, air-stealing barrier falling way.

But the other mages had found their way to Killian. Flanking him and adding their power to his. Creating a loop that curved all those weapons of destruction back up and over, narrowly avoiding wolves, so closely that a bit of Rampage's red hair sliced near his shoulder and floated to the blood coated ground. Bringing the cascade of weapons raining down on Irasus. She stumbled backward, shielding herself. She tried to block them but there were far too many. In a moment of quick thinking, she coated herself in a small shield. But not fast enough. A blade sliced along the outside of her shoulder. Another glancing along her ankle.

She sobbed loudly curling into a ball.

All the while the horrible images and echoing words had not stopped in her mind. With tears streaming she turned and fled. Wolves giving chase as she fled back into the darkness of the trees.

King Detry looked on in horror.

Killian turned to him.

Detry slid from his horse and lowered his blade to the ground. "I beg mercy."

"What?" One knight said.

Killian stopped near him. Wondering if Detry would suddenly lift that blade and try to run him through. In a way, he hoped he would. Because the idea of letting this man go was beyond distasteful.

"Now that your woman has fled, you're afraid?" Killian said.

Detry dropped his head. Looking sideways as his face flushed in humiliation. Though he refused to answer.

Killian touched the top of his head, reminding Detry to keep his head bowed in deference. "You will return to your castle. You were never again keep a mage, or hunt a wolf. And you will stay from these lands. For if I ever catch you within them again. I will rip you in two as you strove to do to all my kind."

Detry peered up at him. "Your kind? Wolves or mages?"

"Both." Killian said solemnly. "I was born of both. And I am now both as I've always been. Uniting the mages and wolves. Now it is you that should fear."

Detry rose. Sword in hand. Eyeing Killian in a way that told everyone he contemplated lunging at him.

Killian gave him a flash of a grin. Hoping to goad him, before he gave the King his back and strode toward the hut, he knew Jade was in.

"I won't forget this." Detry said coolly.

"Which?" Killian rounded. "That I spared you? Or that I humiliated you?"

Detry flushed purple and adjusted his grip on that sword.

"My King..." His Captain whispered behind him. Urging him to go.

Killian blinked levelly at him. Challenging him to do what he considered.

Detry hissed in fury. Throwing his sword to the ground. He passed the massive, redheaded monster that stood near his horse.

That man's scarred face turning to keep him in view until he mounted his horse. Whistling and heeling the mount back in the direction of his castle.

"Run, pup, run." Fury laughed mockingly.

His words haunting the proudful King that now made his way back to his castle.

In defeat.

For the second time since assuming his reign.