The Last Silvermaw Hunter

Chapter 22

The branches pull at my hair, and I don't really care. I just have to get out. Out of the castle, out of this nightmare, out of this island.

Distantly I hear someone roar my name, but I'm so far into my own mind that I don't really process it. All I can process is the dark thoughts rolling in my mind again and again and again. The shock on Sander's face as he died, the trail of blood left behind as Vashack was dragged into the throne room, his chest barely moving with his weak breaths, the screams of my mother and I lost my wings, the shouts of another mixing with her yells.

I curse as I fall to the ground. I tripped on a root that stuck through the earth, and as I looked at the floor of twigs, dead leaves, and mushrooms I noticed where I'd run.

I'm at the edge of the forest and at the beginning of the Field of Sorrow. I get up and stand transfixed. I never got to see the field, and now I can't look away. Talk stalks of rye gently swaying in the wind, with a mix of wildflowers in between. The sun is at a perfect angle, making the field gold in color, the sun shines through breaks in the branches.

I'm slowly making my way to the edge when something breaks through the forest behind me. I spin around startled and am shocked to see Zhoron behind me. "What are you doing?"

He's still crouched, heaving, breath after breath. I wait until he's finished before I ask again, "What in the name of Anubis are you doing?" I ignore how whiny my voice sounds.

"I know what you were thinking, you're lucky I got here in time." Zhoron says, and his voice has a slight accent to it, sorta British, but not.

I back up a couple of steps, "I don't know what you're talking about."

I back up more and he steps forward. "That field has a way of luring you in. Plus," he draws "it helped that your shields were down."

"Oh, screw you." I hiss; backing up another couple of steps, "you have no idea what I was going to do. All you're doing is trying to find favor, saving your poor, broken thing of an fiancé."

"That's not it," he explains.

"Then what is it?"

"First off you're not a broken or poor thing," He states, when I really don't need this stupid confidence boost, "and second, if I don't stop you from doing something so incredibly stupid then your brother died for nothing."

I can't do anything but stare stupidly at him for a second, "What?"

"Before your brother died he made me swear to watch after you, he made me promise to make sure you didn't make any rash decisions."

"My brother...spoke to you...before he died...and you didn't tell me." Gods forget upset, I'm fucking furious. My power roils under my skin and I try not to lose control but is it tempting.

He held his hands up in a non threatening way, "Before you blow my head off, he made me swear not to tell you."

I'm shaking with the strain of holding back, I shake my head and turn around to face the Field of Sorrow. I really don't know if I'm upset with Sander, Zhoron, or even myself. I feel my eyes water and I know it's not from sadness but from the anger.

I'm silent as I watch the wind move through the field, making the trees dance. I lift my face up and it brushes over the clearing. Zhoron doesn't say a word, but I have a feeling he's watching me. I walk over to one of the trees close to the field, and trail my fingertips up the bark, through the branches and over the leaves. Gently I pluck one off and hold it in my hand.

Why? I ask, my anger slowly subsiding and my confusion rise, Why would it be me whose cursed to live and watch and every one leaves? Why am I given the choice of life? As the thought leaves my mind, the leaf slowly loses color and turns brittle then into ash. A crease forms between my brows and I watch the ash slip between my fingers.

I freeze when I feel a bond that was once closed open. I nearly fall to my knees when he speaks, Adorite?

Vashak? Are you...are you okay?

It's silent as I wait for him to answer, and I know he's thinking on how to respond. I've been better.

How much pain are you in?

Nothings broken, just sore.

What happened?

He waits again, panic rises when he takes longer than usual. I was ambushed—if you could call it that. I was sleeping in the den under the castle, I needed to stay close in case you needed me. I woke when I heard you scream. As soon as I got up, there were humans who would strike me with some rod with energy at the tip, it stung when they hit me but not very much as it would be without my scales. I fought but, the more I fought the more powerful the tips would become soon enough the pain went through my scales and penetrated into my skin. At some point I lost consciousness and I would be in and out of consciousness, whenever I opened my eyes I would see blood. Then you screamed again and I swept the pest out of my way to get to you. I was so close to the exit when mother told me to stay, I think she knew what would happen to me. Then the king showed up and grabbed a chain, I had no more fight left, our mother told me to stand down, so I let that excuse of a human chain me to the floor. I don't remember much of anything else, or much more than that. But that king is the first on my kill list.

Mine too. I hiss, my power curls around my arms all I can think and feel is the anger that's flooding my system. "He's dead."

Zhoron slowly walks over to me, "Who?"

I slowly look to him and surprise flashes through his eyes, and I don't care, there is only murder going through my mind and I say. "King Caesar."