Long live the Villainess

#15- Ivelles

"We are all going to die," whispers Arlette.

Her voice is so subtle that if the wind had blown the other way, I wouldn't have heard a word. Her hands toy with the naked blade of her sword hung on her back. I also fidget with the little cubic device containing my swords.

"We have to try, but if you want to go back we won't hold you back," I respond peeking through the dry intertwined branches.

Standing behind the deep forest green leaves, we observe with attention the movements beneath us. We didn't catch any suspicious ones, but that doesn't mean they are not hiding next to us. My eyes start to burn, but I am scared to miss a sign if I blink. One moment of inattention would mark our end to all four.

"Are you kidding, I am not backing off now that we are almost there," she mouths.

Behind her the flapping noise of the wing of a falcon makes the dry branches rustle. At the same time, we jump towards it before staying still again.

Enhya is already ahead of us, scouting the way. I feel again this itching feeling on my neck.

"We are almost there," I whisper.

"How do you know that?" she signed. "He is certainly not at the same place where you left him. But we can't be certain he is in this specific area."

I raise my hand to respond but suddenly a real bird flows into the sky. Enhya found Vidarr.

I jump down to the floor ignoring the sensation echoing in my knees. Enhya is kneeling in front of a pond. She points to two trails going in opposite direction.

"We have to make to separate," she frowns.

Her hand wanders on the top of the sand without touching it.

"I don't notice any struggles. At least no fight occurred here."

"I can take the left one," I propose. "You two can follow the other one."

I can see the glow of relief in Arlette's eyes. It is obvious that those two will never want to part from each other.

"Do you think it is a trap?"

I hesitate before answering, "...I think it is the most situation."

Enhya's lips tighten before she nods slowly, "Good luck Raven."

I smile without any joy before raising my hand to bid them farewell.

I put delicately my feet in the sand paying attention to the noise I do not cause. Everything is silent, except for a gentle breeze that I wished blew when we were guarding the Southern wall.

I suddenly freeze, and the birds and the insects stop to fly or chirp. The only reason why they would stop would be because a predator is lurking around.

Suddenly I see him. Or I see what is left of him. A bloody ripped face and twisted members. I stumble across a round softball. I let out a cry of horror and fall on my back seeing the wondering eye rolling on the floor. A beautiful green shade.

Green eyes...

A small gush of air makes my hair stand on my neck. I grab knives as thin as paper and throw them around me. The man protects himself with his arm. Two knives lodge themselves in the metal protecting his flesh.

Tied in front of him, Vidarr serves him as a human shield. His head is motionless and is moved by the will of his assailant. His clothes are ripped revealing a bare chest marked by the arrow wound. Brown hard coagulated blood mixed with fresh one painted his tanned skin like an artist would violently throw paint on a wall.