Chapter 50 The Gates

Chapter 50 The Gates
Fiona

He sounds furious, and when I look up at the mechanisms above us, I understand why. Thick chains wound around heavy-looking wheels and gears. Some of them seem to be missing, but not all of them. There were huge pieces of wood jammed between them. Lucian had done this in a hurry, but it was clear he meant for the gates to remain closed. Varek approaches, ripping the wood from between the gears and the chains off the wheels.

“Get the other side.”

I set my sword nearby and follow suit, striking the chains and pulling the wood out. I clear the gears at the same time he does, but he looks no less irritated, staring up. His eyes are burning red in the dark night.

"Bastard."

I look up to where he's looking and wince. The main crank that would open the gates is no longer connected. The chain has been cut.

"How else do we open it?"

"Manually."

He lifts something and breaks something else before disappearing into a small opening in the stonework. I hear him cursing and hissing. He grunts. Metal grinds against itself, and rusted hinges start to whine before snapping loudly in the air. I look for a way to help, but his hulking figure takes up all the space inside. It looks like the inside of a clock, but he heaves a gear out of place and places it elsewhere. 

I want to ask if he’s sure this will work, but now’s not the time for that. He gets the gear into place, lining it up with several others before setting his shoulder against a large iron rod. There’s clearly not enough space for him to shift inside and use his stronger form. 

The crunch of snow under hundreds of boots echoes from below. The rest of the army is returning to the city. I scan the gears inside. The wheels and gears outside tremble and strain against one another. I grab one of the slats of wood and wedge it into an opening in a wheel and push with all my strength to get it to budge. I push until my arms shake and the groaning whine grows louder. The mechanism gives a little, not even an inch, then a little more. The wheel turns just a little. 

Varek snarls within, cursing and grunting. The cold air cools my overheated body, sweat slips down my head and neck, freezing as it goes, but I push harder.

"Fucking move," I growl, every muscle in my body burning. “Move.”

Then, the wind’s direction changes. I feel something moving, then I smell other wolves nearby. My heart stutters as I pick out at least ten of them. A group is coming here. The hairs rise along my neck, and my grip tightens on the wood. I glance into the shadows pooling further down the walkway. The jagged silhouette of stone turrets cutting against the moonlight obscures some of their movements, but not all. They’re heading towards us. The metal screeches, and a roar tears out of Varek, the sound echoing over stone and metal.

“Move!” He bellows, straining against the rod. Every bit of his concentration is on forcing the gates open. If he stops now, if I disturb him now, we’ll just be wasting time. I push, keeping an eye on them. The wind changes again, and I smell Lucian. He’s practically right on top of me, but he’s not paying any attention to me. His sword is drawn. His eyes are focused on the opening that Varek entered. 

I grab my sword just as Lucian lunges from the darkness. I throw myself between him and the opening, lifting my sword to block him. I bang my arm on the metal frame that forms the doorway to where Varek is. Pain erupts in my gut as the blade drives through me. My breath shatters. The scent of my own blood and something bitter fills my nose, but I don’t stop moving. I slam my head forward, knocking into Lucian. He staggers back with a cry of pain, ripping the sword out of me with a cry. He snarls and rights himself to lunge again. I beat him to it and slam into Lucian, shoving him back from the opening and placing myself between him and the doorway. His eyes flare, startled for the barest moment, before settling into a vicious gleam.

Behind me, Varek shouts my name, but I raise my sword, training it on Lucian.

“I'm fine!” I snap. My voice is raw, but steady. “Get the gate open!”

Lucian laughs. “Prisoner to defender, I would have thought better of you, princess… I suppose you're just like all the other silly girls lusting after him."

I narrow my eyes, letting the embarrassment wash over me.

"Like your sister?"

His eyes glint, and he darts forward again. The clash of steel rings out as I block his thrust. He comes back at me, and I parry, my arms trembling, fire blazing through my stomach. The bitterness has turned acrid beneath the copper tang of blood. It's poison, but I don’t know what type.

"Trust a traitor to use poison," I say.

My vision tilts for a moment, spots flaring at the edges, but I force myself to focus on him.

“Fast-acting,” Lucian says conversationally as he circles me, blade flicking out to test my guard. I shove it back. “You should feel closer to him. Though I made sure there is no more antidote left in the castle.” He chuckles. “It burns, doesn’t it? Inside your veins, in your lungs? You’ve only got minutes.” His teeth flash in a grin. “A shame. I meant to keep you alive. You would’ve made a fine queen if you weren’t so damn stubborn, but even if you live, a barren queen has no use to me."

My knees nearly buckle. The burn inside me is a wildfire now, spreading fast, but I plant my feet as the whining groan grows louder. He glances behind me. His eyes narrow. 

"He's not strong enough to get the door open. You’re just wasting time," he chuckles, but his eyes are doubtful. He clenches his sword tightly. Lucian pulls a small vial from his belt, holds it up so the moonlight glints off the glass. “This is the antidote. One drink, and the damage halts. All you have to do…” He points his sword at mine. “Is drop it before time runs out.”

Behind me, the groan of the gate drowns out Varek’s snarling curses. I can hear the soldiers below shouting to help pry the gate open. Lucian's eyes narrow. He looks behind me anxiously.

"Think of it, Fiona. What do you owe the man who kidnapped you? We'll be in-laws soon enough." My eyes bulge. "After I get rid of the king and prince of Hyath, that is. I’ve already arranged it with your father. Your sister will bear my pups, and you could stay here in Caldara as my mistress. You're a great deal more to my taste."

I bare my teeth at Lucian. “You’ll never touch me. And you’ll never touch my sister.”

His grin widens. “And how are you going to stop me when you're dead?"

My vision flickers; the poison has turned my blood to fire. Even the cold of the night isn't helping that, but beneath it rage coils tight in my chest. The thought of his hands on Elara, of my sister hollow-eyed on the throne beside him, bearing this traitor's children, is like ice numbing me to the pain.

He will never touch Elara, even if we both die here. The world pulls into a sharp relief. The sword falls, and the night turns hazy. I land on all fours. The fire in my veins twists, sharpens, and roars out of me.

Killing him is the only thing on my mind. It will be the last thing I do, but I’m going to do it. Energy slams outward in a shockwave, spearing through the night air. Lucian staggers, his eyes widening as the glow of it cracks across the stones and slices through the men at his back. Their screams choke off as they fall over the sides of the wall. Light dances between the stones, flickering weakly. The gates groan louder, and the gears squeak.

Lucian’s sword clatters from his grip. He stares at me, his smirk freezes, and droops. His eyes go vacant as he slumps to the ground and falls dead. Varek’s roar rips through the chaos, triumphant, as the gate swings open. The soldiers flood into the castle walls, shifting and howling. The cries and snarls drift up on the wind. 

Varek’s command thunders through the air from somewhere below me, but I can’t pinpoint it.

“Secure the grounds! Kill anyone who resists!”

The world grows soft around the edges. The scent of my blood grows stronger, along with the sharp scent like flint. I slump to the ground. My eyes stay on the glass vial that’s just out of reach. 

My body is so heavy. I reach for it. I dig my claws into the stone to drag myself closer, but I do not move. The last thing I see is the moonlight glowing on the glass and a shadow falling over me.

“Fiona!”