The Black Cat

Chapter 44 Partnered Ice

The first thud of many started at the far end of the hall. It attracted a few eyes and drew only two men toward it. After the two went into the darkness of the end of the hall, the sound got louder.

"Oh...I sense dinner," the bone woman chuckled getting closer to me. Under Coyote's orders, I remained silent and calm.

"I sense a rotten darkness," the voice of Bataeus growled. "It seems your master isn't dead Rio."

"Alex!" Rionar's voice shouted.

"Shut it!" the woman snapped while getting closer to the narrow door.

Even I smelled it. It was a stench like nothing before. Alike trash and must with a strong oil in it.

Then came the sound of the frightful soldiers that got lost in the darkness of the hall. Along with their cries came footsteps and a high pitched wail.

This was the time Coyote spoke of.

I charged forward and behind me came the rotten smell of the worst smell possible.

I charged straight forward into the indestructible cages found at the far back of the room and placed two paws on two vertical bars. Almost instantly, the bars vanished. Coyote said he could only take so many before he was forced to put them back.

How could I take the right ones with the right amount?

Being a hero is difficult.

The stench got worse in the sheer amount of tries I took. It got so back that even the captives were getting annoyed.

After so long, the last lock pad finally clicked to the ground, on my paw more rather.

Two hands seized me and rushed me out of the winded hallway and into the first room. I finally could see again. A tall brute from behind me rushed to the two guards in the hallway while another sought the half sleep guard. Everyone taken down in seconds.

"Get them out. Hurry."

The tall brute glanced at me with a curious look, but made it to the bars of the other and tore them apart with sheer strength. I gasped at what I saw.

"Erilye!" Oliver rushed to me and carefully looked at me up and down before taking me from whoever held me.

Mark approached the center and asserted himself over the others, "as the highest rank, I saw we leave at times. This place could still hold others. There is no place for mistakes now when we have one of the royal family with us."

I looked up at Oliver and pawed his chin. Surely he'd have some terrible plan boiling up.

"Bataeus!" Mark called looking at the only brute like man among us. "You are our strongest, you'll head the crew that looks out on the surface."

The man, Bataeus, nodded. "We're at least seven floors down Captain. We don't have armor or weapons."

Mark thought for a moment and then grinned. "Arum, you are our sharpest klepto. Find what you can from the bodies of the guards.

"Reminder," Rionar's voice alerted. "We are still not alone. Helen is still here. She traced the aura."

"Yes, what about Alex!" the other soldiers noted.

"Alex was never here. Something," Mark glanced at me ever so slightly, "created a familiar death scent. Bataeus, for now stand guard for Helen."

Oliver still hasn't said anything. Something must be wrong.

"Rionar guide two soldiers to help stand guard. I'll help Bataeus while the three of you," he glared down one soldier, Kikiro, and Oliver, "you three, yes. You three will guard princess Erilye."

Kikiro eyed his brother, but said nothing. Only when we all dispersed did he speak. "I can fight brother..."

I turned to Oliver and lept from his hands. Almost instantly I grew back to normal height. The look in everyone's eyes as the saw me was shaming.

"Oliver-."

"Why do you call me that?" he whispered turning his back on everyone else. "I thought you said you didn't like that name."

"Didn't like it?" I frowned. Why?"

"It's not Oliver, Lye, it's Avi."

It felt like my lips burned. It was like a lie told by someone else. It was someone else. I am Erin. They know Erilye...who dislikes Oliver?

I backed away from Oliver as a horrifyingly cold pull of air dragged across the room. It skimmed over everyone else and attacked me fiercely. I shuddered and pulled my arms over my chest.

"What is that?" It felt unnatural. I've faced cold before, but none like this. It was like ice water!

"It's Helen!" Rionar shouted. He rushed from the entrance of the room and frantically looked around. "I need wood! Small, thin and durable. My strength isn't up."

I started to breath harder. My breaths came out to be white clouds and came in to be ice.

In front of me stood a thin woman in a short dress with pants underneath. Her blank eyes seemed to see right through me. She grinned as wider and wider as I lost more and more consciousness.

After a while she began to laugh.

"Masters Crystal and Marcilo will be very pleased to know of your death Erilye...or should I say...Erin."

I gasped...and I stayed that way.