The Last Silvermaw Hunter

Chapter 17

I didn't hold back this time. I grabbed his arm and slammed his elbow into my knee. It didn't break, but at least he dropped my dagger. I spun kicking Zhoron in the chest, he stumbled back hissing through his teeth. I snatched my blade from the ground.

"Adorite you will not move." My mothers voice changed, her words having a melodic tone.

My body froze as I turned to my mother. All my muscles froze, which means my lungs did as well, but based on how my heart pounded in my ears, that gratefully didn't stop. Fear filled my veins, this was like Zhoros, but worse. My mind was not my own, my whole body under someone else's command.

"Don't panic, it'll wear off in a few minutes." June stepped into my line of view, as each muscle in my body froze. Little late for that warning don't you think?  

Her face softened, "I needed you to calm down." She stepped closer, her armor clinking softly. The tips of her fingers brushing the hair that had fallen out of the braid I put in this morning. Her hand cupping my face. "It hurt so much leaving you. And it hurt so much more to watch you lose the only person you considered your family. I pray that one day you'll forgive me."

Anger warred with forgiveness. I wondered if she could see the war raging in my eyes. Ever so slowly my body relaxed and so did the war. The former won. "One day I might forgive you June, but that day is not today." She flinched, it was small but I noticed it.

A throat cleared to my left. "Sorry to interrupt the moment you two are having, but you both should look at this."

Shock passed over June's face when she looked over towards Zhoron. I followed behind her as she rushed over to the pile of ash that was once Zhoros' body. June gasped as she saw what laid in that pile of ash. A flower, glowing silver.

It was what was behind that flower that made me gasp. A wolf, a pelt as dark as night, eyes twin to my own. If I stood by him his shoulder would reach my waist. As I looked at him, I felt a feeling in my gut.  It was strange, like I'd known him forever. I shouldn't be feeling this- I shouldn't- but I do. I hadn't realized I steeped forward until Zhoron stepped in front of me.

"Don't." 

Not going to lie, I felt a little smug when I saw that my punch had left my mark on him. His lip was split and he had a bruise under his eye. "Why shouldn't I?"

He was going to answer when a roar rattled the earth, a sound of rage and pain. And it came from the castle. Vashak?

The bond was unnaturally silent. I curbed the rising panic crawling up my throat. VASHAK?!

When he didn't answer I ran, the black wolf with silver eyes forgotten. If something happened to Vashak, there was nothing in this world that would stop me from tearing everyone and anyone responsible down. It wasn't long until June was running beside me, Iwarin close behind.

It was a struggle to keep from my power taking control, so bloody hard. By the time the castle was in view, I was sweating and it wasn't from running, but from restraining my power. 

I didn't dare stop running, but I caught glimpses of what happened. The walls surrounding the castle were down, and in the middle of the courtyard was Vashak. He was fighting, what it was, I could not see it. But he had gashes all along his sides and down his legs, minor wounds on his wings. 

No one stopped me as I walked in, probably because the guards on the walls ran. I saw some who were strong enough to stay fighting but I bet the rest ran. I drew my dagger with one hand and summoned the sword in the other, with a flick of my wrist, the spell imbued into the dagger worked.

With two swords in hand, and my power prowling under my skin, I walked into the battle and did not look back to see if June and Iwarin followed. For there was one goal on my mind and that was to help Vashak and make sure he would live another day to fly in the skies.