The Last Silvermaw Hunter

Chapter 24

My fists clench when he says her name, I wish it didn't bother me, but the way he said it, like they had some type of history together before me. Anger summons my power and it curls around my wrist brushing against my biceps as I cross my arms and fall back against the window frame and look out the window.

I hear the door creak and Zhoron opens it wider to let Saphira in. Metal clinks as she walks in and takes a seat on the chair in front of the room, Zhoron sits opposite on the couch and rests his arm on the back. I move from my position by the window to see them better. Her armor shines with the sunlight, the black gaining a yellow gold accent. Her hair is a stunning dark blue with a lighter blue stripe on one side.

"Why are you here?" He asks, his thumb brushes his bottom lip, and I have to shake myself to look away from his mouth. Gods, what is wrong with me?

A lot. My neck twinges as I whip my head around to look at him but he's focussed on Saphira. There is a hint of a smile on his face. Saphira's blue eyes turn piercing and she turns to me and watches. My cheeks flush as I look away. I move from the window and head to my room.

All my things were moved over here within the few hours I was gone. I open the door and sigh as I see all the boxes that litter my room. I maneuver my way to my cluttered bed, and place the smallest boxes over to the side. I plop down on the open area, a sigh leaving my lips.

Everything has been going fast- to fast- almost. First, coming over her to this mystical island where everything out of a fairy tale is true. Finding out my mother left for that excuse of a king. Losing Sander, then my wings. Finding out what the king did to my brother, to Vashak - to me.

I don't realize I'm crying until I feel the bed dip by my head. There is no reason for you to cry, sister.

There is every reason to. After all I've been through-that's reason enough. I respond, seeing shadows dance on the ceiling, not really caring that I've never heard this voice before, But it does sound familiar, like mothers voice.

I lift my hand, watching as my power curls around my fingers, kind've like flipping a coin over my knuckles. I fist my hand, cutting off my power.

A scarred hand, the color of snow, reaches out and grabs my own. There will be another time for you to collapse on the ground-but that time is not this. Our mother needs you, so get up, wipe your tears for our fallen, and get out to help the one who needs it. Feel no fear for your future, and know what you're doing is right, sister.

Okay. I say, but one question.

Yes?

I take a breath, Who are you?

I'm the Black Vigilant. That's all you need to know. Now hurry before it's too late.

I don't look behind me as I walk over to my door. I stop when something flashes in the corner of my eye.

I turn and move slowly to the box where the glint came from. My hand touches the flap of the box and I freeze. I don't know why, but I do. I took a breath and opened it.

Inside the box on a black velvet pillow was a crown. It was made of black diamonds and obsidian, with the design of laurel branches rising from the brand, larger in the front and slowly getting smaller and it reached the ends. The band forms waves and at the apex of each one is a small black diamond.

I put it down before I did something stupid, like putting it on. I had to find out what was wrong with June.

I placed the crown from the box onto my bed and headed back out the door. I head back to the sitting room, cursing when I see that they're not there. I listen for their voices and nearly curse again when I don't hear them either, but something comes up in my mind as I try to think of how to find them.

🗡️🛡️🗡️

My heart beats a mile a minute as I creep around the corner trying to stay within the shadows. Zhoron and Saphira are up at the end of the corridor, quietly talking with each other, but from where I am, I can just barely catch their conversation.

"What's the cure?" Worry bleeding into Zhoron's voice.

"You're not gonna like it," Saphira said, "we need blood. Her blood."

"How much?" He asks, and I have a feeling I know who their talking about.

"Every last drop."

It's silent for a moment before I hear Zhoron sigh, "How long do we have?"

"Not long," Saphira responds, "you need to get her. They say the Queen has less than a week left."

"I will...just give me a minute."

I hear metal clink and Saphira moves farther down the hall, it gets harder to hear what she says next, "We need her Zhoron, without her we will all lose what we've been working so far to get."

"I know, but we have to be careful of her brothers," Zhoron warns, "Sander may be dead, but the other two will without a doubt kill us all."

My breath lodges in my throat and I realize what Vigilant wanted me to do. "I'll do it," The words are out of my mouth before I have a chance to stop them, and like I thought, Zhoron is on me in a second.

There's genuine fear in his Heterochromic eyes, it shocked me to see it. "You can't," he breaths.

"Why not?" I ask, "you need my blood do you not?"

"Yes, but—" he starts, but I cut him off.

"But what? She's my mother and it's my blood, I can do what I choose with my body. And a second ago you were perfectly fine with sacrificing me. Why the sudden change?"

I wait for an answer, then push again when he doesn't respond, "Why?"

He's still silent and that makes me snap. I grab his face and force him to look at me, "Tell me why?"

"Because if I lose you, then I lose myself."