An Eternal Wintre

Chapter 24

Yulis is tied around the wrists behind his back, leaned against a wall. His mouth's uncovered so Cain can hear him speak. His clan watching while the southern clan sits outside, save for Rem who slithers the outskirts of the boundaries holding Yulis in place.

Cain looks at Yulis and snarls. Yulis laughs jovially. "Why so angry my dear friend? Did you not want me to join the fight?" He cocks his head to the side, his eyes glowing and shifting. Cain throws a dagger at Yulis, letting it slam against the cave's stone wall next to the man's ear before falling aside. Lothian's there to quickly pick it up and toss it back to Cain.

He twirls the dagger in his hand, eyeing the White Tiger. "Why'd you go after Anai?" he asks. The dagger twirls high in the air before he catches it again.

"Oh, that pretty little Nymph is your Anai?" His eyes widen. Cain grips the dagger tightly and stops pacing. "The way you look at her, it's obvious she's yours right? Haven't you sacked her yet? No? Can I?" He laughs loudly, his companion Rem seeming angry at the mention of Anai.

"Lothian," Cain commands. The large man pulls up Yulis by the throat and holds him in the air. Cain smiles at the sound of his gurgles and struggles to breathe. "Thank you." Lothian drops the man into a heap.

Yulis growls at the pain but his eyes dance with malice. "I'll ask again, Yulis. Why'd you go after her? Answer or I'll stop being nice." Cain glares at the white-haired man.

"This is you being nice? I wonder what you'd be like in bed then!" He laughs at his own joke. "Would you call me a liar though if I said I was going to protect the girl from the Raven?"

"I'll believe you going to protect a girl when you stop fucking everything that moves." Yulis only shrugs.

"Don't ya know that eatin' something of a Nymph's makes you powerful? That's why I went after the girl. That's why Corax did." At the mention of Corax, Cain jerks his head towards Yulis.

"How would you know that and why was Corax there?"

"Same reason I was but probably more sinister a reason. As for knowing about it?" He smiles, his fangs showing. "Damn bird doesn't know how to be quiet when she talks. Can I be untied now, these bonds are really uncomfortable?"

"Lothian, tighten the ropes please." He walks in front of the tied man and looks at him out of the corner of his eye. "Why'd you go after her then? The real reason isn't to gain power if you just knew about it right before going into the room." Yulis doesn't smile as he looks forlornly towards the wall.

"I have my reasons." He says nothing more.

Cain slams his bedroom door behind him to shut out the annoyance that is Yulis and his clan. He knew he'd need the man and his men in the end, but right now, he's the reason Anai's permanently injured. It's Corax's fault. The black bird hasn't been around lately ever since that night. "Good riddance," he mumbles, plopping himself in the chair at the desk.

He marks places that are easy access all throughout the castle, and circling a large red circle around Anai's room and marking the secret passageway to it through the sewer systems. He'd need those routes the most to keep an eye on the girl.

Cain worries over Anai now. Her eyes were dead that night, devoid of anything. He worries if she'll go over board and do something reckless. He'll ask Quinn to keep a closer watch over her for the time being.

His head starts to hurt but he doesn't lie down until he finishes. Stripping off his shirt, he lies half naked on the sheets and puts his hands behind his head. His mind wanders and he starts thinking of Anai. He always liked her smile, but nowadays she barely does it. He fears she'll forever stop smiling now.