Adelyn

*56*

POV Third Person

Leon saunters through the woods, listening for the hum of an approaching ship. The only sound that greets him is the wind whispering through the trees and two cardinals getting mouthy. Red and orange leaves crunch under his boots, with fall the trees do not offer much cover. If this attack came a week later, the leaves would have all fallen to the slowly freezing ground by now.

Leon sniffs the air, smelling the ship burning not far away. If luck turns to his side, the men will all have died in the crash. A branch snaps and Leon freezes, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. A cough erupts in the clearing and Leon tugs his dark gray blade free, making himself ready for an attack. Several leaves crunch directly behind him and he feels something hard press into the back of his skull.

"Drop the sword, Savage," A voice whispers and the weapon presses harder. Leon slowly lowers his blade letting the tip rest in the dirt.

"Alright, I'm lowering it, calm down." The blade falls to the earth and Leon coils his muscles, waiting to spring. He takes a deep breath through his nose and drops to the ground, catching himself with his palms and shoving, sending his feet flying into his attacker. A cry erupts from his attacker's lip and the gun drops to the ground with a clatter. Leon's fingers wrap around the black gun and he smirks, this makes a bow obsolete. He raises the pistol and fires, not looking back at the man before continuing through the forest.

POV Adelyn

My nose takes in the scent of smoke in the distance, but it does not smell like normal fire. It carries an acrid chemical smell with it.

"Time to go?" Adelyn questions Luna and the pack. Luna nods her white head and yips, drawing the packs attention. She then glances at me and nods toward her back. I walk up beside her and rest my hand on her soft white fur. "You want me to ride you?" She nods again and kneels down, allowing me to climb on top. I swing my foot over her back and settle myself. Red-Eyes takes a moment to shove his snout in the air and sniff before releasing an eery howl, one I've never heard before. The other join him and I shudder, this must be a hunting cry. The wolves take off and I hunch down on Luna's back, trying to not fall off. Riding on the back of a Nokta wolf is a lot harder than one would assume. Luna's large build equals a horse, but the way her muscles move is completely different. It takes all of my power to keep my eyes open as we fly through the woods like phantoms, trees whiz by faster than my eyes can follow without getting dizzy. The scent of acrid smoke grows stronger and I scowl, the woods are burning. A howl sounds from our left, one of the wolves on that flank must have found a survivor of the crash. A buzzing sound tickles my eardrums and a large silver ship zooms overhead, sending the trees swirling in the wake of its wind. Red-Eyes barks out a command and the right and left flanks to disappear, leaving Red-Eyes, Luna, and two other adults with us. Another buzzing sound whizzes overhead and I wince, not liking the way it makes my ears itch.

BOOM!

Our group of four skids to a stop and all heads whip to the north, where the city is. A great ball of black smoke rises into the sky, still too close to be the city. Could one of the ships have been destroyed? Another explosion sends a jet of smoke into the sky not far from the other one. Red-Eyes growls and I slip off Luna's back, standing beside her to scan the tree line. Someone is out there. I step forward and draw my sword, waiting for them to come to me.

"Savage!" A male cry erupts and a tree explodes two feet from me. A young man steps out of the woods with a black laser blaster in his hand. I study the young man, he couldn't be much older than me. Then I realize who he is. William, that son of a biscuit who got handsy on our movie date.

"William?" I call out to him and he pauses, lowering his pistol slightly.

"How do you know my name?" He blue eyes narrow at me and he casts a wary glance at the wolves.

"It's me, Adelyn," I set my jaw and tighten my grip on my sword. Asher may have needed to protect me from him that one time, but not today.

"You're lying, the king said she was murdered by Theo when he stole the crown," He raises the blaster and sets his finger on the trigger.

"I'm not, you got handsy on our movie date, remember?" His jaw drops and he stands there stunned. "But what do you mean Theo stole the crown?"

"The Crown of Acraluna, he took it when he stole a ship to come here. That's why we are here, to kill Theo and return the crown to the King," He lowers his blaster and Red growls.

"Better be careful what you are accusing someone of in front of my friends," I gesture to my pack and William looks like he will pee his pants.

"Interesting friends," He jaw shakes and he drops the pistol to the ground. "Theo took it, we wouldn't be here otherwise." I highly doubt that. I shake my head slowly and step closer to him.

"I haven't forgotten what you did to me," I snarl and raise my sword.

"I'm sorry!" He throws his hands above his head and his voice shakes. "I shouldn't have done that!"

"But you're lucky," I step within a foot of him. "I am a forgiving person." Then I slam the butt of my sword into his temple and he falls to the ground.