Shadow Bands

VI. Apogee

The rain felt warm on her cheeks, but perhaps that was the tears that streamed with them. Lyra remembered the warmth that was Aeris wrapped around her, and she held her hand. She didn't know what to say. She was just as lost.

Lyra looked up at the dark clouds. Her eyes wincing to prevent the droplets from getting into her eyes. There was an odd irony in them, she found. Darkness loomed over them, yet there was a fire in her chest. A strange feeling that surged through her whole body.

"What is your name?" She asked the werewolf.

"I am Kaelen, son of Knhaul."

The ground rumbled once more, as more werewolves appeared from the grass. Within seconds, a few soldiers, showcasing their military prowess, surrounding them.

"Great job at finding the perpetrators," a werewolf said, walking towards them.

"They are not the ones who have attacked, Alder." Kaelen said, stepping in front of them.

"If you cannot smell the demon's blood, then you're more of a failure than I thought!"

Lyra saw on Kaelen's face that as much as he hated to admit it, Alder was right. He couldn't smell the demon's blood at first, but now, as he searched for it, there was a faint smell that lingered, smelling foul to him. Kaelen traced the smell, and his nose led him to look at Lyra, but it split to the carriage.

"What you sense. . . there is more than meets the eye."

A wolf emerged from their carriage holding a vial that was now empty. Lyra recognized it as the one Draven handed to her before she went unconscious. She pieced together that somehow she consumed the contents of the vial.

"Are you defending these imbeciles?" Alder's hands reached for his blade that rested on his back.

"I am doing what is just!" Kaelen's hand reached for his twin blades that also rested on his back.

"Enough blood shed for this day!" Said Aeris. Lyra didn't notice that she had stood up. Her hands clenched into fists. A gesture Lyra knew that meant Aeris was gathering her courage. "I am Aeris Veil, daughter of Elveris Veil! I will take my mother's mantle and end this war." Aeris' hand reached out to Lyra, and she took it. "Come, my friend, there is much to do."

Aeris sat up in the driver's seat of the carriage; Lyra followed and sat beside her.

"Whatever demon you seek is not here," said Lyra, grabbing the reins from Aeris, who didn't know how to use them. "We are at war with the Underworld, not allying. Now let us be so we can report to our kingdom."

The werewolves hesitated to move. Lyra saw Kaelen walk towards the path they were traveling. But he didn't block it; he made sure it was open for them to travel. The other werewolves snarled at him, some even snapped, causing him to shove them out of the way. Lyra took the moment and whipped the reins off the horses, making them move. She watched as Kaelen got surrounded by the other werewolves.

"Kaelen," she said to herself.

Lyra looked at Aeris, who was holding her own hand. Her knuckles turned white. She knew Aeris was afraid, even though her exterior expressed otherwise.

"I'm sure my mother will know what to do." Said Lyra. She noticed Aeris' demeanor completely changed and her brilliant eyes dimmed. "What is it, Aeris? You've been quiet about what happened at the fortress." Lyra let go of the reins with one of her hands to grab Aeris'. "You can talk to me."

Aeris couldn't look Lyra in the eye, not out of shame but out of regret for not being able to do anything. She knew it wouldn't be right to keep what happened a secret from Lyra.