Savages

V

Exactly the moment Maldo steps up the front porch to enter his house, his mother throws the door open and rushes into his arms, crying with relief. Maldo relaxes into the warm embrace of his mothers' loving arms and smiles. If Maldo is uncertain of anything, he is that the love he has for all is something he got from his mother.

"Your father, he told me he'd come after you if you tried to protect her." She lets go and cups his face, and when she sees the truth in his eyes, she tenses, and as the emotions of the night rise from his skin and into the air, where she inhales them. "What did he do?"

"He did what he always does." Maldo squeezes his fist and shuts his eyes as his thoughts shift to Cyrie and the condition he left her in.

"Is Cyrie okay?" She asks and when he doesn't reply, she goes rigid. "Is the baby okay?"

Maldo exhales a long and tired breath, "I don't know mom. He used some kind of dagger that had dark magic on her, and when I left she wasn't in the best state."

"That bastard!" She spits and turns on her heels and enters the house, "He used a décès dagger."

Maldo enters behind her and confirms her suspicions with a stern nod, "You know of it?" He asks, surprise colours his tone, and she turns to look at him.

"Well of course. Every shifter knows about it, it's what we use to fend off our enemies if we're ever trapped in our human form."

Maldo stares at her confused and she sighs and sits at the table. "During the war, the witches had devised a plan, or rather a spell. If consumed, it could trap a shifter in his human form, therefore, rendering him dead." She squeezes her hand and scratches her head, "They had come up with many ways to kill us, but this was by far the most effective. We were dying at every turn until the werewolves caught a witch. A black witch."

"How?" Maldo asks and his mother shrugs.

"No one knows for sure, but with that witch, things changed. Somehow, they had gotten her to make some kind of spell that we could use if we were ever to be trapped in our human form. Just had to put it on some weapon, something to injure them with."

Maldo stands there, feeling conflicted about what he's hearing because even though his father is a werewolf, his mother has some witch in her that she got from her grandparents. She has their strong dark hair and black eyes, as well as short height. But her strength is all were. She opted for her wolf side but still has a lot of magic in her, not enough to cause any real damage with but still enough to cast a healing spell.

"Maldo, that spell was on the list of spells black-listed. We wolves agreed to never use it again after the treaty but if your father is using it then it's only a matter of time before it becomes a full-blown war."

"Black-listed?" Maldo asks, while taking a seat beside her.

"Maldo, that spell wasn't just to kill. It caused unimaginable pain and suffering, it was worse than death."

Maldo face turns to worry and he trembles. "Cyrie, we brought her to Lilura."

"Good. If anyone can reverse the effects, it's her."

"You think so?"

"I know that for a fact. She's one of the strongest and she was alive when the war took place."

Maldo nods and his mother rest a comforting hand on his. "She'll be fine Maldo."

"Let's hope so."

"I think it times for bed." His mother gets up and he looks at her confused. "Bedtime?"

"Yes. You have school tomorrow."

"What?! Mom, my sister was attacked by her own father, who happens to be my father. He's a raving lunatic who's lost his mind and any sense of just and love. For heaven sakes, we're at war."

"Not yet we aren't. But in the meantime, you'll be going to your regular old classes."

He drops his head back and groans. "You can't be serious."

"I'm dead serious."

*** 

HAPPY READING!