Ruler of Shadows

Chapter 4 - Ariah

Show no fear. I will not be afraid. I chanted this in my head as I stared at the King of Hybern.

"Let. Them. Go." I hissed, enunciating each word with a growl.

"I don't know. I kind of like them." Hybern said while looking at me. More like my body. I was clothed in tight fitting Illyrian leathers, and I looked hot.

"Enjoying the view?" I asked with a smirk. I did a slow turn. I made a point to turn my back to them, to show I wasn't afraid of them. But I was. Cauldron, I was surprised I wasn't shaking in fear.

I heard a growl and the clang of metal. I turned around.

"Get out of here! Forget about us!" Karin shouted. There was panic in his eyes. Please get out. I saw it in his eyes. He was my strategist, since most of us kill first, think later. He didn't think we would make it out of here alive. He was trying to save his Commander.

I appreciated the thought, but there was no way in hell I would leave my family behind.

"No." I growled out. Since Hybern didn't seem very afraid of me, I needed a new tactic.

I swaggered up to the King with a shit-eating grin on my face. I surveyed him, and gave him an unimpressed look. I dismissed the rest of his soldiers with a glance.

"How about this? If you surrender now, I'll let some of you live." I offered. One of my favorite tactics was bullshitting my way through everything. I was a master of the bullshit arts.

He laughed in disbelief, looking around at his soldiers and they chuckled. He looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Feisty. I like it." He said, his eyes burning into me. More specifically, the assets that were on show with the tight fitting leathers.

"Pervert." I said with a cough. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"

"I hope you know that this isn't a negotiation. I could snap all of your friend's necks with a word. You better watch it girl. I'd hate to be the cause of yet another family member." I swallowed. I'd adopted many children over the years. Well, not a lot. But they were very special to me. And Kaz was my 11th child. He was actually the only one to survive to be 25. Most died before 17.

I looked at Kaz. My son, who was so brave. I don't think I could take losing another child. Losing your loved ones is painful, but losing a child, whose life had barely begun, was excruciating. His honey brown eyes were filled with pain and fear. Not for him though. For me and our people. I noticed he was staring at a girl. Annah. She was beautiful, and his best friend. She was basically a daughter to me too.
I then looked at Damon. My second in command. Essentially my brother. I could see in his sapphire eyes that he knew we had already lost. And that there was no way in hell any of us could survive.

Except for one possibility. I was valuable. I'm not modest. I know I'm powerful, sexy, and scary. I'd trained as an assassin for years, and there were stories about me that mothers used to tell their children to stop them from misbehaving. I was dangerous, and in war, whatever side I was on, won.

Hybern no doubt wants me on his side. Or at least, not on the side of the Night Court. Some of the other Courts may join Night, but my shadows weren't positive.

"Ok, let's stop dancing around. What do you want?"  I drawled.

"I'm glad you asked that sweetheart." I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "I want you to be a General in my army.  I may even give you some of your own legion if you behave like a good girl. It's either that or an assassin. Your choice."  He smiles charmingly (or at least, what he thought was charming) and raised his eyebrows. "So, what's it gonna be?" 

I tapped my finger against my chin. I knew if I refused, some would die, but if I became general, my people would die anyway. And then I would have to kill people who were fighting for the good side. And if I tried to rebel, he'd kill the rest. And if I was an assassin, it would be hard. I would have to figure out how to smuggle the people out. But when I was eventually caught...I knew I had one choice. I knew it was suicide, and that he was powerful, but I didn't give a shit.

I flew at the King, my Illyrian wings fanning out behind me. I sent shadows ahead to disable the barrier he no doubt had in place. As I sprinted, the shadows quickly broke the barrier. I lifted my sword, and charged.

I drew their attention to the sword, and threw a dagger at Hybern's ugly face.

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814 words.