Chapter 44 – The Knife in the Hand

Chapter 44 – The Knife in the Hand
Calla’s POV

“You should have stayed dead, Calla.”
The voice came from behind some trees. It is cold. Well-known. Soaked in poison.

I stopped moving while still being on my knees by the riverbank where Raiden and I had hidden. The blade from the killer hurt my back. I was so tired that my body felt heavy. I jumped up like a whip, though, when I heard that voice.

Lysandra.

I stood still and slowly turned to face the trees. The air smelled funny—sweet, like flowers that had been poisoned. I slid my claws out, and the wolf inside me growled low in my chest.

Raiden came over to me, even though he was still wet and hurt from the night before.

He whispered, "We can not handle another fight right now."

I replied in a whisper, "We do not have a choice."

The leaves moved.

It was Lysandra who then came into view.

Her long braid was over one shoulder, and she wore smooth, shiny silver and black armour. Her eyes were shining with pride as she smiled, which was mean and cruel. They were also crazy, though. Something is wrong.

She slowly turned around and said, "I warned you." "Nobody thought you would make it."

"You tried to put me to death," I said in a steady, low voice.

"You lied to your pack," she yelled.

"They set me up," I growled. "You know it too."

She laughed. "Framed? You do not get it yet, do you? The point was never to be fair. It had to do with power. You were in the way.

Raiden moved forward. "You joined forces with the Shadow King."

She looked at him for a moment. "And you, you loyal jerk." "You would still give your life for her, right?"

It was not an answer. He did not have to.

She laughed again, this time with a dry, unpleasant sound. "That is what makes both of you weak. You believe that love can save you. You think being loyal makes you strong.

I said, "I believe betrayal is a sign of weakness." "That is all you are."

Her face turned funny. "You have no idea what I did." "What I have given up."

I pushed, "Then tell me." "Let us end this now."

She shook her head as if she were thinking about it.

After that, she moved.

Too fast—too fast.

She threw something out of her hand. It was a dark energy-filled dagger. I was about to step on it when Raiden pushed me away. It went straight into the ground where I was standing.

The ground hissed.

Dangerous.

I got up and got my claws ready. She charged with another blade, and I was in the middle of her. Steel hit each other. There were sparks.

I did not remember her being that strong.

Better.

Cooler.

I was no longer going to hold back.

Our swords danced, and I hit her twice for every one she hit. She fought anyway, like she had nothing to lose.

She yelled and cut low, "This was always your problem, Calla!" It is like you could not see the bigger picture!

"What picture is that?" I spit. "Giving our souls to a monster for money?"

She screamed, "He promised freedom!" "From this blood of curses! From the old rules!"

"Did you believe him?" I pushed her away. "He feeds off of your anger!"

She growled, "You do not get it." "You showed me who you really are."

She cut me on the side and caught my ribs.

It hurt a lot, but I did not stop.

Raiden lunged at her with his blade, but she kicked him away with a dark power surge. He groaned as he hit a tree hard.

"RAIDEN!"

He was not moving.

My heart stopped.

Lysandra growled, "You should not have come back." "I could have made the decision." "The Shadow King told me to."

Though my side was bleeding, I stepped between her and Raiden. I told her, "You are not a queen." "You are scared." Fear does not make anything better. It only causes harm.

Her eyes got darker. "Then let it kill you."

She screamed and threw herself at me, teeth bared and blades flying.

I faced her straight on.

When we hit each other again, metal screamed and claws tore. Every move was a fight for life. It hurt to breathe. I sank my claws into her arm after she cut across my shoulder. I bit her wrist after she slammed her elbow into my face.

It made her howl and made her way back.

She then pulled out the last blade, a long, curved dagger that was buzzing with the Shadow King's magic. Blood was running from her mouth.

She said, "I will be honest." "Let your heart stay where it is."

She moved quickly forward.

I was ready, though.

I got down on my knees and swept her legs. She fell hard and turned around in the air before landing on her knees.

I lunged.

She swung.

Not far enough.

I held on to the blade with both hands, even though it hurt like hell.

I growled, "You do not win." "Not today."

I used all my strength to twist the knife out of her hands and hammer it into the ground.

The ground broke under us.

Dark energy hissed and then went away.

The spell ended.

She just stared at me, dumbfounded.

I did not land the final blow, though.

I stepped back.

I told them, "You wanted to kill me." "But I am not going to change into what you are."

Her angry face turned into a mask.

Then fear.

All of a sudden—

Behind her, a dark shadow grew.

Not mine.

Not Raiden's.

It was him.

The King of Shadows.

Taking a step out of the air like it was a door, his cloak moved with the stars and the night.

He spoke in a smooth but scary voice and said, "Lysandra."

She turned around with wide eyes.

"My King, I did what you asked me to do."

He said in a calm voice, "I asked for her death." "You failed."

She got down on her knees. "No, please give me another chance—"

He cocked his head. "You are not useful anymore."

He then put up his hand.

Black fire raged.

She screamed, and I stood still as I watched—

And turned into ash.

Gone.

That is it.

Not able to move.

Raiden climbed up next to me, hurt and confused.

We saw the Shadow King look at us.

He had a soft smile. Almost nice.

He said, "It was fun to watch you run." "But the game is almost over."

He saw Raiden.

"You let her down once." "Do it again, and she will die."

He looked at me.

"And you, Calla? You are starting to see, right?" I already live in your world.

After that, he vanished into some smoke.

Gone.

The same as Lysandra.

Raiden let out a shaky breath and stepped closer.

He asked, "Are you okay?"

Little by little, I agreed, even though my knees were weak.

I said in a whisper, "She tried to kill me." "And he killed her like she was not there."

Raiden said, "That is what he does." "Fits people." Breaks them."

I said in a whisper, "I will not let him do it to me."

He put his hand on my arm. "You are not going to." "Not while I am here."

That is what I wanted to believe.

However—

A rustling.

One more shadow from the woods.

I quickly turned.

Youngster.

Not more than ten.

She walked into view barefoot, her eyes shining with silver light.

She gave me a calm look.

Then he said, "Next, Calla, he is coming for your soul." You will beg me to stop him when he does.

My heart stopped beating.

"What are you?" I spoke softly.

She laughed.

Then it went away in the wind.

I knew what was going to happen next...

It would be the worst thing we have seen so far.