From The Shadows »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ(excl.part3)«

SIXTEEN

SIXTEEN

There had been reports from Harmu from Troqic who said that Qara had been tracking the drow in her wolf form, a form only the lythari could take. One moment they were there, the next there were far away. But what had me ordering Harmu to fly ahead, and Eltaor to ride a summoned mountain lion that had been prowling around, was the fact was that there was a drow sitting on the other side of the forest to where the mansion sat. Even though the lone drow was on the other side, it was still too close. Leaving the Princess wouldn't have been my first choice, but I knew that Haemir would keep her safe. And not only was there Kharis around, but all the Coronal as they were having a meeting. A meeting that Kyra would have to start attending once she'd turned twenty-five.

On reaching near the sight where the drow had been reported to be, I looked to the sky for Harmu, but knew I wouldn't see her. Glancing around as I climbed off the the second mountain lion I had called, I looked for Qara who had remained on guard. Eltaor climbed off the mountain lion he road, stepping silently to stand at my flank.

Touching the cats minds, I asked them to prowl around, but wait for us to return to take us back to the mansion. Once I had an agreement, I looked, once again for Qara. As lythari's wolf fur was the same colour as their hair, even dyed, it was easy to spot Qara as she came to us with dark purple, tipped white fur and gold eyes. I blanked my eyes to prevent the glare, I'd told her a few months back to keep it natural so that people wouldn't be suspicious, but of course, Kyra had loved it, and since a Princess's word ruled over the Captain of her Guard's, Qara regularly changed the colour of her hair. Since that day, it had never been a natural wolf colour. If I was honest, I was waiting for her to die her hair as a rainbow.

Cocking my head at Qara, she turned to look in the direction of where the drow sat, but when she looked back at me, I could see a confusion in her mind. It was only now I wished I'd brought her Bonded as he could be able to understand her confusion.

Giving her a nod, I gestured in the direction I wanted her to go. Giving a nod, she went. As she did, I wondered if it was only her Bonded that allowed her to kill. Qara was too sweet otherwise.

Moving forward, silently through the trees, I held hope that the drow wouldn't notice us as they held sway over the darkness that surrounded us. It might have been better to wait until dawn, but with him so close we had to act now.

As we came to the edge of the trees to the small clearing the drow had claimed, I felt a moment of surprise. Not for the trees that were glowing to make light because of the drow's magic, although, since the drow loved the dark, it was a surprise. No, what surprised me was his colouring.

Drow, as a rule, had obsidian coloured skin, long pale gold, silver or white coloured hair, braided with jewellery, and red; blue; lilac; pink; or silver eyes. As his dark scent and jewels in the one braid he had at his forehead gave away that he was drow, in everything else... His eyes appeared to be a red-brown, his hair was a dark gold, skin a dark copper. Was he half drow, half wood elf? As he talked to the giant white tipped with silver feathered owl with icy blue eyes. I saw a recent scar on his face from his left brow to his jawline.

Glancing at Eltaor, I nodded. Receiving a nod in return, I returned my gaze back to the clearing to see Eltaor use his magic to shove the drow to the ground. The magic was called Unseen Servant. It was an invisible force. What I nearly growled at was when the drow called his own magic. The lights went out on the trees, and with the full moon overhead, it should have still been light, which meant that the drow was pulling in the darkness to see. But as I had Darkvision, I could still see.

Watching the drow climb to his feet, I realised that the drow must also have the magic of Unseen Servant. Knowing Harmu had Darkvision, I gestured her to use Unseen Servant also. A grunt came from the drow as he was once again being held down. As he struggled with the force above him, and Eltaor's force, I moved using Longstrider. The moment I was next to him, I touched his skin, whispering the word to paralyse. The drow froze. I felt Harmu's Unseen brush pass me and help Eltaor's who was still warring with the drow's.

"Holding darkness does nothing," I told the drow. "We have Darkvision."

With a growl, the drow released the darkness.

"Qara," I called, not letting go of the drow.

Qara appeared through the trees, but didn't come any closer.

"Go and tell Zeang to have a cell ready for a wood-drow."

She cocked her head but then disappeared into the trees.

I felt Harmu before she landed. Felt the warm summer air move over my back. Walking over, she tucked her wings in. "A wood elf slept with a drow?" She crouched near the drow's head. "How are you still alive?"

"Can you do this?" I asked Harmu, a strange protective urge told me to stop speaking.

"Yes," she replied. Black eyes met mine. I saw a flicker of emotion before she blanked her features again.

I wanted to growl at her for hiding. But I knew that the only ones she would show her true self to was Kyra, Qara – and because of Qara, Troqic, and at rare points, myself. Being in front of an enemy, there was no chance that she would lift her mask.

Giving her a nod, I waited for her to hold the drow so that she would be able to fly and call her magic to paralyse him before letting go. An urge to fly hit me so hard knocked the breath out of lungs. I knew Harmu could take care of herself. Especially in flight. But the protective instinct that rose didn't care. I should carried the drow back. But the mountain lions wouldn't have been able to cope with that. As I cursed at my want to protect a being who could easily protect herself, I went back over to where I'd asked the mountain lions to stay.

Seeing Eltaor already mounted and waiting, I mounted and we travelled back to the mansion.

Arriving back at the mansion, I thanked the mountain lions and they left. With Eltaor flanking me, we headed for where Harmu lay. Without the drow. I wasn't ready for the fear that pounded my heart, spun my head, and twisted my stomach. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was crouching by Harmu.

"Get Haemir!" I snapped at Eltaor.

Using the healer abilities I could, I diagnosed that Harmu's wings... I looked at the ground, trying to see Harmu's black wings... all I could see were the bonds. Stark white against the dark brown nearly black ground. He'd used the drow's faerie fire.

Keeping her body as steady as I could with my fear pounding heart. I murmured Elvish words, while waving my hands over the bleeding at her back where the bones came out of her body. I wanted to weep at the loss of her beautiful black wings, but I knew it wasn't the time. And I was a Captain. And, I thought, at least she wasn't dead.

As the bleeding came to an end, my head felt as light as a feather.

"Edyrm?" A male voice called. "Shit! He's used too much energy. Qara, go find Zeang and then the drow! Go! Eltaor, take Edyrm and protect the Princess, Troqic, take Harmu and do the same. Make sure Soie doesn't piss Kyra off as well. And tell Aloiene to create one of her wards against drow."

  

I saw Eltaor nod before I felt his arms under my shoulders and knees. As the last piece of energy I had took me, I hoped that Harmu wouldn't cry at her loss. That her wings would grow back.

Vote? Comment? Thanks!