Her Dawning Empire: The Prophecy

Chapter 89

It was her.

This was't just the mention of her name or a glimpse of a dream, it was truly her and the thought made my blood run cold.

She was tall, not too tall but it still looked unnatural on her as she loomed at a 6ft height across the clearing like a dark presence. Her raven-black hair was just as long, cascading down her back and across the ground like a cloak that surrounded her. Her face was what horrified me the most and I willed myself to look away, but I couldn't. Her silver- almost white- eyes were narrowed and wide like snake eyes, flitting across the surroundings at a rapid speed. She was smiling all the while, her red lips unnaturally long and curled up too high. As she smiled, her skin stretched dangerously as though it was about to rip with any sudden movement. What's more was how gray it was, devoid of any life and showing black thin veins that danced across her body. She was hideously beautiful in a way that made me want to cry but also bow in her presence. Emut had said once how bending the natural elements of the world can distort the appearance and Anouke was evidence of just that. She was wearing a flimsy black dress that showed her grey legs and a very bony foot that rested now against Ayla's chest.

My hands clenched in anger as Ayla let out a weak cough, but this only made Anouke smile, her mouth opening to show her sharp skewer teeth.

"I wouldn't try anything if I were you. It would only take a second for me to snap the warper's tiny neck. Need I remind you that when I'm touching her, her powers are obsolete." She mused, her snake eyes flitting across the surroundings and I gaped at her words. Without Ayla, we were unable to retreat back home and that meant facing this danger. I bit my lip in thought, thinking of a next potential step, but the sound of Anouke's laughter cut through the silence, making shivers crawl up my spine.

"You have caused me much trouble. I wonder why I shouldn't just kill you." She mused again, her blood lips widening again in a petrifying smile, her large black nails coming to rest against her grey slender chin. I stilled at her words, looking to Demir beside me who kept his stoic gaze on the scene in the midst of the clearing, his grip tightening against his glaive.

I looked to the other side with wide eyes as Abrax moved towards Ayla only to be held back by Maya beside him, her arms around his waist. This only made my fists clench as I thought to how we couldn't even move out from the hidden trees to help our friend. We had to be strategic. The Chigaru were still frozen in place, their eyes vacant and I ignored the need to keep my eye on them.

When all she was met with was silence, Anouke smiled, seemingly liking that her presence prohibited any verbal challenge. She nodded in mock-thought, her hair stroking across the grass as she looked to the skies.

"Well, I will consider letting you live so long as you comply to one request." She began and my eyebrows furrowed at her words, looking to Emut who had his fiery gaze on Anouke; even from here, I could tell he was confused too. My blood ran cold at hearing that she had a request, knowing that this attack had been meticulously planned. She wanted something and we had played into her hands.

Again, she was met with silence and I breathed heavily as Ayla writhed on the floor, losing more blood by the minute, but Anouke didn't care for this. The lives of others, like Ayla, were insignificant to her and the very thought scared me. It would be so easy for her to end Ayla right now and that was the only reason I stayed put. Anouke knew she had us right where she wanted us and I watched with gritted teeth as she smiled, her sharp teeth showing as well as a bit of her pale-white tongue.

"I will let you go so long as one of you stays behind. The one I choose." She finished, her smile widening at the dilemma that she had placed us in and I froze at her words, my heart beating so loud that I was afraid she could hear it. At her words, Emut's, Abrax's and Maya's eyes flitted to me from the other side of the clearing and Demir moved in front of me slightly, his body rigid and his glaive raised. Emut watched with his jaw clenched, nodding at Demir as if to tell him to keep watch of me.