Chapter 53

Seraphina and Aurelia readied themselves for another attack as further footsteps could be heard in the distance. Aurelia picked up a sword from one of the dead soldiers as Achilles burst into the entrance hall. He paused, taking in the piles of dead bodies around him and turned to look at Seraphina, a pain stricken look on his face.

“Seraphina…Did you do this?” he gestured to the charred bodies.

She gave him a single sharp nod. “You should be at home with Leonardo.”

Achilles frowned at her, “He is with Isobella… Seraphina, I understand your need for revenge but, why didn’t you bring me?”

Seraphina could tell he was hurt by her actions, she retracted her tail and her claws shifted back to her normal, dainty hands. Silently, she approached him and took his face in her hands.

“Achilles, I am not the same abused servant girl you rescued months ago and you are not the same Prince who could ride into battle like a knight in shining armour. I can take care of myself and I can take my own revenge. You are a father now. I didn’t ask for your help because, Leonardo needs at least one parent to take care of him…” Her eyes searched his, hoping to find a trace of forgiveness.

His shoulders slumped forward as guilt began to eat away at him, Seraphina was right. Leonardo needed him, at least Aurelia was protected by Seraphina’s spell.

“I just…I hate feeling redundant to you…” Achilles despised confessing that. He had no desire to ever feel needed before Seraphina. He wanted to be her support though, he wanted to be the one thing she could always rely on.

“Achilles, my love. You aren’t redundant to me, Aurelia is helping me because my protection spell has made her invincible. I need you to be safe so I can be rest assured that Leo will be cared for no matter what happens to me.”

Seraphina pulled him in for a kiss, it was the first time they had kissed since before they lost the twins.

It somehow felt foreign yet, so natural…Like coming home from war, everything felt different but it was comfortable, familiar, right…

As their lips parted, a blush crept across Seraphina’s cheeks as she looked up at Achilles. She felt stricken with guilt for neglecting him, she would have to make it up to him after she dealt with the De-Buccleuch’s.

“If you stay, I suggest you shift. If not, leave now before things get unpleasant.” Aurelia addressed Achilles.

Achilles gave her a firm nod, “Now that I’m here, I will stay and fight. I promise to be careful,” He caressed Seraphina’s hair as he pressed a gentle kiss on her head. “Aurelia, are you shifting or staying as you are?”

“Staying as I am.”

Removing a cloak from one of the dead soldiers, he threw it to Aurelia.

“Wear this then.”

“Really brother? I am much more of a distraction wearing nothing,” she frowned but, put the cloak on anyway.

Seraphina stifled a giggle at the grimace that flashed across Achilles face.

“If you must stay, keep close to me and Aurelia. I know you are a more than capable warrior but, Aurelia is protected and I have my dragon.”

They slunk through the halls of the manor in silence, it was eerily quiet, the only sounds were their own footsteps and hushed breathing. Achilles drew on his fire power, summoning a small ball of fire in the palm of his hands.

The flames quietly hissing and crackling as they progressed further into the manor.

It didn’t make sense, roughly 60 guards had attempted to attack Seraphina and Aurelia yet, the manor was calm. There were no sounds of footsteps or armour clanging, no sounds of maids or servants screaming or even residents trying to flee.

It was as though their intrusion on the manor had been forgotten. As they rounded a corner, they came to the archway of a large hall. Seraphina paused at the opening; a confused look painted on her face.

“Strange, I can sense people but, I can’t see or hear anyone.”

Aurelia nodded, “I know, my wolf is clawing at the surface but, everything looks fine.”

Seraphina titled her head as she stared into the hall, she squinted her eyes as she tried to concentrate. A strange ripple seemed to move through the air, barely noticeable…unless you were looking for it.

Taking a deep breath, a slight smirk twitched on Seraphina’s mouth. She extended her hands out into the open air, her fingers tips began to glow as a bright light seemed to travel through the air and into her opened palms.

Achilles and Aurelia stared at her, mesmerized by the light show as magic appeared to rush into Seraphina. She opened her eyes and her smirk turned into a full grin, exposing her sharpened teeth yet again. Her tail extended from her spine; hands shifted back to her claws.

They looked on with sinister grins at the room full of soldiers who were blissfully unaware that their glamour had been removed.

Achilles spun the fireball in his hand, growing bigger and bigger with each turn until he launched it into the room sending the soldiers flying through the air until their charred bodies hit the walls.

Sword drawn, Aurelia sprinted into the room with a battle cry as she began maiming and dismembering the soldiers. Achilles sprung forth, shifting into his snow leopard and with a fierce roar, he too began to take on the soldiers that were running around, frantic in the fray.

Summoning wind, Seraphina sent a blast through the room creating a walkway for herself. She stalked up the aisle to where Lord Stevano sat on a throne, pinned into place by Seraphina’s wind. His head jerked from side to side as he flexed his fingers, fighting with all of his might to free his self from her hold.

A sadistic smile played on Seraphina’s lips as she looked a the man before her, the man who was responsible for her parents death, the reason she spent 18 years being subjected to torture, quite possibly the man responsible for the death of her children.

“Oh, how I am going to enjoy bringing death upon you.” Even if the chaos of the battle behind her, her voice still rang out through the room. Lord Stevano shivered as he looked at the sight before him.

Silver eyes bore into his soul, he could see the faint trace of scales that covered Seraphina’s body and her long, muscular tail that swayed menacingly behind her.

She threw her head back laughing, the sound echoed off of the walls sounding like evil personified.

Her tail whipped around as she brought the sharp, pointed tip to drag down Lord Stevano’s face, leaving deep lacerations behind.

Leaning forward, she ran her tongue up the side of his face, catching the blood that trickled. A tremor of fear shook through the Lord as he stared in horror at the smile painted on Seraphina’s face.

This was not the weak girl Lady Briseis had portrayed her to be. No, he was staring in the face of a predator.

A tail wrapped around his throat, only slightly cutting off his air supply.

“I am going to inflict every single wound that I have suffered over the years onto you. Every cut that marred my skin, every whip that cracked on my back, every broke that was broken and every unwanted touch, you will endure it all! You will beg for mercy, the mercy of death. You will cry more tears than I ever could, then and only then will I grant you your death.” Seraphina’s screams rang through the hall.

Those that were still fighting Aurelia and Achilles fled without a glance back. The rest of the soldiers lay dead or dying, scattered around the room.

Lord Stevano whimpered as Seraphina dragged a claw down the length of his thigh.

“Now, Lord Stevano. Before then fun starts, I have one question for you… Where is Lady Briseis?”