His wings were in a terrible state.
Ripped apart at the edges and bleeding.
They seemed to slack, droop further to the ground than they should— they looked nothing like she had ever seen them look before.
“They are there,” she managed to say, her breath sharp and loud. “All we need is some healing herbs.”
His laughter dragged, rage boiling in his voice. “I will never be able to fly again.” Then abruptly, he shouted. “WHAT KIND OF KING—”
Horror washed over his face and the rage in his eyes disappeared.
“Nightshade, You idiot!”
He stood up abruptly, pulling her by her wrist.
“How dare you let yourself get hurt like this? Are you stupid?”
She frowned and yanked her wrist away from him.
“I’m alright!”
He grabbed her wrist once again.
“You are bleeding too much to be alright.”
He said it like she was a ghastly sight but that wasn't how she felt at all. In fact, she felt like she had hardly sustained any injury, she felt very alright.
But when she looked down at her wrist that he was holding, she realized just how much danger she could be in.
There was so much blood around her wrist, she could barely see her skin.
Her heart was drumming in her ears once again but she remembered why she was here and forced a smile to her face.
“We must get you those healing herbs at once.” His voice - filled with utmost urgency that all the brokenness that weighed it down earlier had been absolutely buried away - sipped into her ears like a distant echo.
“I’m not going to die, Alaris.” Her lips moved without the words going through her head, her voice was low.
She was aware of too many things at that moment; her injured state and the way the grains of sand was slowly moving from one part of the sandglass engraved into her to skin, to the other.
Time wasn't on their sand.
“You better make sure of that. I have every intention to leave this cursed garden. We—” He paused. “It is gone.”
“What is gone?” She asked, but she didn't have to wait for a response to understand what he was talking about.
The necklace that was filled with the map was gone.
They both looked in the directions of the forest and just as she had laughed at the trees, the trees laughed at them.
Alaris said nothing but grabbed her wrist and led the way.
Time was ticking again them and danger laid ahead.
______
______
The Great Hall was only used for special occasions or during periods when matters of utmost urgency demanded every of the Seven Beta of the Realm to come together and have a meeting with the Alpha.
Tonight, the Great Hall was in use.
Bu tradition, Ikrus was supposed to be part of these important meetings but he had long lost his place by his father’s side.
For many things, he was an outcast and for many years he had stayed away from things like this.
But tonight was different.
It was easy to knock out the guards by the door.
He pushed the doors open and the Great Hall fell silent, every gaze fixed up on him.
On either side of the pathway that led to the throne, were three Betas, each seated on a woven mat. The seventh Beta was seated a step lower to the throne, a seat which was only about two steps elevated from the ground. At the feet of the Alpha were sparsely dressed females, and in the hand of the Alpha was a goblet of a wine.
Ikrus walked the pathway, blood dripping from the sack he had in his hand and when he got in front of his father, instead of dropping to a knee, he dropped the bag and a severed head rolled out of it.
The females scurried away as they gasped, their hands covering their mouths.
“I received your gifts, Father. Soon enough, I shall send you mine.”
His father smirked and took a sip of wine from his goblet.
“What a lovely throne you sit upon.” A deadly promise filled his voice. “It shall not be for long.``
Then he turned away and left.
The Alpha’s laughter shook the Great Hall as his son slammed the doors short. The Betas stared at one another in confusion before they nervously joined the laughter, until he tossed his goblet angrily against the wall and they stopped.
Then a Beta on the left side of the pathway, jumped to his feet.
“He disrespected you, Alpha. That is a crime and he must be—” He never completed his words. Blood rushed down the large hole in his chest and he fell to the ground with a thud as the Alpha tossed his heart next to him.
“Who asked him to speak?” He turned to the rest of the Betas with an inquisitive look on his face, his lips tugged up in a smile, as he attempted to wipe away the stain on his face but instead smearing it with more blood.
“I didn't.” He shrugged. “This is a matter between father and son.” His voice hardened. “No one interferes in such matters.”
No one spoke.
No one asked them to.
They only nodded.
Then someone did, one of the two females that were sitting by his feet.
“Alpha, come here let me make you feel better—”
Just as swiftly as the Beta had died, she had too, the only difference was that he decided to slit her throat.
“No one asked you to speak! Leave, all of you! Get out!”
They all rushed up to their feet and raced out but the Alpha grabbed the only surviving female in the room by her shoulders, stopping her.
Fear filled her eyes as he turned her to him and the door slammed shut behind her.
“Sh’aryk!” He looked at her with eyes that couldn't see her, and spoke with a voice so gentle it could only be dangerous. “My mate, my Love.”
“No, Alpha. My name is Dina.” She cried in fear as she trembled. “I’m not—”
“Did you see that?” Tears streamed down his cheeks. “Did you see what he did? Did you see what our son has become?”
Her teeth clattered as she shook her head.
“It is all your fault. You did this to me. You did this to me!” His claws dug sharply into her shoulders.
“Ah! My name is Dina—”
“Why did you do this to me? He was laughing again and crying. “Why?!”
His claws went sharply through her neck and she slipped to the floor, dead.
He walked away as he murmured to himself then he stumbled on the severed head that had rolled to the floor earlier, and fell.
He didn't attempt to stand, he just laid there and wept.