In the Shadows~zayn au~Completed ✅EDITING

~Chapter 95: Bait~

                  

Hey everyone!!

1. For those of you who experience anxiety, depression, and/or PTSD, you'll understand that some days, weeks, months are worse than others. This month hasn't been so great.

2. The people who reached out and checked on me during the time are so incredible. Thank you all so much! I'm serious. I love you all and it means so much that you'd be so concerned about me as well as the update 😉

3. I'm seeing maybe 2-3 more chapters of this story, so it's reaching it's ending!! AAAAAAAHHHH WTAF!! Also, In the Shadows celebrated it's second birthday in June!! 😱 Omfg I can't believe it's come that far! I've been writing this since I was in college and I can't believe it's going to end soon 😭

4. I have a lot more written for the future scenes so (fingers crossed) the next updates shouldn't take nearly as long, mental health permitting.

Anyway, I love you all and I'm sorry it took so long! Enjoy!!

Louis's POV

Louis wiped the sweat of the summer sun from his brow and watched helplessly as flock after flock of carrion birds descended on the wounded and fallen of the most recent battle. The cries of those still alive rose up through the cacophony of crows and vultures. Murdoch's evils never ceased. Just when Louis thought there was nothing more horrifying about war, the Mad King reared his head and sent out a new order to change Louis's mind.

The most recent order was the vilest of all. Mullingar's archers stood at the edge of the just-abandoned battlefield, bows ready and waiting should anyone approach to collect the wounded and dead. It went against every unspoken rule of war to allow the defilement of soldiers' remains. Usually, each side called a truce as they cared for the aftereffects of a battle, but Murdoch had other plans. No one was allowed to access the battlefield, not even his own men. Those from the resistance's army that had tried were now among the wounded and dead, shot cruelly and without warning by the Mullingan archers.

Murdoch knew how to simultaneously demoralize and incite them.

The Cheshine soldiers, already discontent with the military proceedings, were near riotous at the recent development. Their religion dictated that a person's spirit could only find peace with Ornan through the burning of their fleshly bodies after death. This necessitated burning remains by nightfall on that day. Those unburned after that time were cursed to roam the earth forever as unholy spirits. It was the one thing their wildly-nuanced sects could agree on.

Between this and the disagreements springing up, Louis wasn't sure how much longer their resistance could continue and still hope to win this war. The Velian and Cheshine soldiers were at each other's throats. One would hope they'd had enough of fighting from the Mullingans, but that wasn't the case. Their vastly differing lifestyles made agreement impossible and cordiality rare.

A change needed to come and soon.

Kalysta's POV

2 months later

~October 1651~

"We need him to leave that castle," Kalysta pointed out, taking a deep breath to combat the pregnancy-induced indigestion.

"Murdoch hasn't stepped foot out of it in many years." Thomas was pacing on the other side of the council chamber, staring at the ground as if it held the answer to their problem. "I doubt he has reason to now either. That brother of his is doing well enough as general and they're successfully holding their own against the rest of us."