Blood

Chapter Fifty-Four: Shadows of Resistance

The forest loomed heavy with silence, its dense canopy blotting out the moonlight and plunging the world below into shadows. The crunch of leaves beneath their boots was the only sound as Eliza, Ethan, and Gregory trudged deeper into the woods. Each step carried the weight of their failure, the sting of their lost kingdom palpable in the cool, damp air.

At last, they stumbled upon a decrepit cabin nestled among the trees. Its walls leaned precariously, the wood blackened with age and moss creeping up its sides. Ethan pushed the door open with a creak, his hand hovering near the hilt of his blade.

"This will have to do," he said, scanning the dim interior. Dust motes danced in the weak moonlight filtering through cracks in the walls. The air smelled of damp earth and decay.

Eliza stepped inside, her gaze sweeping the room. It was a far cry from the castle's gilded halls, but it was shelter. She sank onto a rickety chair, her shoulders sagging under the weight of their defeat.

Gregory plopped down on a wooden crate, brushing cobwebs from his jacket. "Well, it’s cozy. If you’re into the whole haunted shack vibe."

Ethan shot him a glare. "Not the time, Greg."

"Just trying to lighten the mood, mate," Gregory muttered, raising his hands in mock surrender.

Eliza rubbed her temples, her voice soft but strained. "We need a plan. Sitting here wallowing won’t fix anything."

Ethan leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. "First, we need information. The shifters didn’t take the castle on a whim—they had inside help. We figure out who’s behind this, we find their weakness."

Gregory leaned forward, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. "I say we go back and sneak in. Scout out their defenses, maybe pick up a few secrets along the way."

Eliza shook her head. "It’s too dangerous. If we’re caught—"

"We’re as good as dead anyway," Gregory cut in, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Might as well go down swinging."

Ethan’s jaw tightened. "We don’t have the manpower to storm the castle, and sneaking in blind is a suicide mission. We need allies."

A voice cut through the tense air. "Allies, you say?"

The three of them sprang to their feet, weapons drawn. From the shadows at the back of the cabin, a man stepped forward. His amber eyes glinted in the dim light, and his wiry frame spoke of someone accustomed to surviving on little.

"Relax," the stranger said, raising his hands. "If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have let you make yourselves at home in my cabin."

"Your cabin?"

"Wait, you thought this cabin made itself? I know we're in a magical world but even that is a crazy thought."

Ethan’s blade of energy didn’t waver. "Who are you?"

"Name’s Kael," he replied, leaning against the wall. "And before you start accusing me of treachery, I’m not with them. This place has been mine for years, long before your kingdom fell."

Gregory scoffed. "Convenient timing for a shifter to appear out of nowhere."

Kael chuckled humorlessly. "Believe me, if I’d known royalty was going to crash at my place, I’d have swept the floors." His expression sobered. "Look, I’ve been keeping my head down ever since they exiled me. But if you’re serious about reclaiming your throne, I can help."

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Why would a shifter betray his own kind?"

Kael’s jaw tightened. "They stopped being my kind the day they tried to execute me. Disagreeing with the leadership apparently counts as treason. When they realized I wouldn’t stay silent, they banished me and told me never to return. So, believe me, I’ve got no love for them."

Eliza’s gaze softened slightly, but her voice remained cautious. "And what do you want in return?"

Kael met her eyes steadily. "When you reclaim your kingdom—and you will—I want a place to live. Somewhere safe, where I don’t have to look over my shoulder every second of the day."

Gregory snorted. "A shifter asking for sanctuary in an elf kingdom. That’s rich."

Kael’s expression hardened. "I’m offering you my knowledge of their patrols, their weak points, their leaders. You can either use it or die out here in the woods."

Ethan lowered his blade slightly, his brow furrowed. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"You don’t," Kael admitted. "But I don’t exactly have a glowing reputation with the shifters. If they find me, I’m dead. Helping you is my best shot at survival, same as yours."

The group exchanged uncertain glances. Eliza finally nodded, her tone resolute. "Fine. But if you betray us—"

"You won’t live long enough to regret it," Ethan finished, his voice cold.

Kael smirked faintly. "Threats, really? I thought we were past that."

"Try betraying us first and you'll see that they're not just threats."

"Fair enough."

The cabin settled into a tense silence, each person lost in their thoughts. Eliza’s mind raced with the possibilities Kael’s knowledge could offer. But just as a spark of hope began to form, a low growl echoed from outside.

Ethan froze, his hand gripping his blade of pure energy. "We’ve got company. You called your brothers on us?"

"How was I supposed to call them? I don't have access to magic out here."

"What do we do?"

"Judging from the footsteps, there are at least seven troops there."

"Think we can take them?"

"Honestly speaking...
No."

The door started creaking open and they braced themselves for the inevitable.