Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Seraphina
The densely wooded forest blurred into a mass of green and black as I sprinted away from the castle.
But I wasn’t me anymore. The Princes were gone, the bonds of my mates ripped from my soul, leaving a dark void of endless rage and desolation.
I felt all of that pain for approximately thirty seconds, and it was enough to last a lifetime.
As soon as the bonds started to fray, chaos erupted in the throne room.
Animals crashed through the doors and attacked the daemons performing the ritual.
Massive brown bears, eagles with talons as long as my forearm, and many more.
I couldn’t focus on any of it while my soul was being ripped to pieces, until one of the animals shifted in front of me.
One moment, a cheetah was running straight for me, and the next, a female covered in strategically placed leaves crouched in front of my writhing body.
“We don’t have time for pleasantries, I need you to shift,” she shouted at me over the roar of fighting. Before I could respond, she grabbed my face and forced a blue liquid down my throat.
My insides burned as if I’d swallowed liquid fire. The female vibrated with power, and the cheetah reappeared in her place.
SHIFT.
The command hit me like a wrecking ball, and my limbs hummed with power. There was no time to understand what I had become.
Now run.
The cheetah took off, and I followed. The heavy pain of my bonds dimmed to a dull ache and relief soared through me as I chased after the wild cat racing out of the castle. We’d been running for hours, but my powerful legs showed no signs of slowing. What had I shifted into?
You’re a panther. And Elgo owes me a new blade.
Huh?
The cheetah slowed, turning her small head back and rolling her eyes at me.
Elgo said you’d turn into a bird so you could fly out, not unlike your father, but I knew you would be a jungle cat the moment I saw you. Big bad pussycat vibes for sure. I won the coin toss, and now he owes me a new blade because that was an epically perfect escape.
My mind was too jumbled to truly focus on the hints she casually dropped about my father. Who the fuck are you? And how are you in my head?
The cheetah huffed a laugh, as much as a cheetah could laugh. A cousin, technically. On your father’s side.
Her revelation had my massive paws stumbling.
The truxen daemons, I presumed. There were so few of them left, and what exactly they were capable of was a closely guarded secret, according to Jophielle.
She’d left a note that burned up as soon as I read it, telling me to trust the truxens.
I knew very little about my birth father, but there was something familiar about this female.
And I’m in your head because the vial I shoved down your throat had a bit of my blood. Your mental barriers aren’t as strong in this form, yet, so it was easier to slip in.
The idea of anyone getting in my head was discomforting, but for whatever reason, I trusted this creature. Our pace slowed, and I was able to finally examine my surroundings. There were other animals, truxen daemons, I assumed, traveling with us.
You all came just for me? Did everyone get out of the castle? Jophielle’s face flashed in my mind. Oh gods. Did she get out?
The cheetah shook her head softly. I don’t know how many were lost. We will assess when we return home.
I haven’t seen Jophielle. Anyone who lost their life on this mission knew what the price would be.
Death is better than capture. If they cannot escape, we were given poison to end it before being taken.
I stopped hard and snarled in rage, my growl echoing in the forest. No. I won’t leave people behind to die for me like that.
The cheetah turned to face me, several other animals pausing to watch our exchange.
It’s not your choice. Every one of us pledged our loyalty to your father.
Your mother. Your family. We all know the prophecy.
And if we hadn’t got you out when we did, we’d all be dead soon anyway.
Her stern voice boomed in my head, shaming me.
I don’t want anyone to pledge loyalty or whatever. None of it matters anyway. They’re gone. My mates…the bonds. They’re gone.
The pain returned as I spoke, and it was too much.
Leaping over the cheetah, I took off into the woods, away from everyone.
She called after me, but I shut her out.
Somehow, I let my animal nature take over, and bit my bit, my humanity faded.
Only predatory instinct remained. No more feelings, no more heartache. No more death.