Chapter 25 | The Rainstorm Ceases
"Caleb and Tris exchange a look. The skin on his face and on her knuckles is nearly the same colour, purple-blue-green, as if drawn with ink. This is what happens when siblings collide - they injure each other in the same way."
-Veronica Roth, Allegiant (Divergent, #3)
The distant howl of a wolf resonates far away from the hills signaling the beginning of the full moon. It had begun.
Howls and snarls signify the start of a brutal massacre. The powerful howl overpowers them all. Rick... Grabbing my pocket gladius from my right leather boot, I weave my way through the hunks of men and hazes of fur.
The grey wolfed Beta of the Rapscallion pack pounces over me pulling me to the ground. As the thought of Kay and Mae being held crosses my mind, Anger replaces my guilt and a sudden rush of adrenaline urges.
My gladius runs into his upper abdomen and I pull it back quickly.
Stabbing him again on his neck, he howls in agony and nears me.
His canines plunge into my left calf and pain shoots through me.
Stabbing my dagger deep into his neck, I end it once and for all.
He lets out a strangled howl as he falls on my feet whimpering.
Time ticking by, pulls me from my reveries and I shift into my wolf, sprinting to where I needed to be right now.
The chill west wind flurries through my silver fur, making me a white blur to the viewer's eyes. My paws thudding across the field, over the lifeless bodies of many.
Up, down. Up and down.
The coldness of the night, nips through my heart as I watch countless warriors fighting with their lives on stake. With their fates treading on a thin string. What has brought this on them?
The power hunger of an individual?
I shift into my own self, catching sight off Xandro finishing a couple of the Royal guards. My scent must have drifted off to him as his armor-clad self turns to me, smirking.
"Just as I thought," he clicks his tongue. "Queen of the Wolves saves the day," he mocks, "Or rather saves her mate's sisters?"
"Xandro, please let them go? This just about you and me..." the pleading in my voice makes me want to gag at myself. He laughs.
"Blythe, why do you think that you asking me will even let them go? You're just wasting your energy. Besides you know what I want."
"Are you going to kill me?" I ask him pitiably. One thing I learned in my life is that death never hurts you, but it kills those around you. And what about Rick, Aaron, Tessa, Adele and all of them?
"Why would I do that, dear? I owe someone something. They asked for this. This is for them," he shrugs. He doesn't know it's my lifeline? Who is this someone?
"Where are the girls?" I ask him. "Oh, they're right here. Completely safe," he nods grinning. "I need to see them," the boldness clear in my voice. "Nah, I don't think so. The locket first," he shakes his head, his expression grim.
My right hand, clasps my left wrist. The cuff bracelet on it. Taking it off, I bid it to open, and the unlocking spell leaves my lips.
Thunder rumbles in the sky and the strong gusts of wind storming around me. The crescent shaped locket with its silver chain lays on my palm. The moonlight making the silver glint.
The evil gleam in Xandro's eyes prominent, as he holds out his hand for the locket. I place it on his palm and a sturdy downpour of rain begins.
His hands grasp the locket as he smirks at me.
My breathing shallow and I wait for the next, "The girls?
" I remind him. "Yeah, they're here," he nods absentmindedly and calls some number from his phone.
"I got it," says to whoever on the other side.
A couple of 'Okays' and the call was disconnected.
He motions one of his goons and they bring him a silver knife with a wooden handle. "The girls, Xandro!" my voice defiant, "You promised!" I repeat gritting my teeth. He smirks at me.
"Didn't anyone tell you? Promises are meant to be broken."
My breathing grows shallow as the silver knife's tip touches the crescent. "NO!!!" I look back to see Aaron's figure bolting towards me.
I wanted to scream, 'No Ron, go away!' But the words seemed to have stuck in my throat and I didn't know why.
"Double the reward, I guess," Xandro sneers arrogantly. No way!
"You first, though," he says pointing at me. "No Xandro! Leave him alone," I almost plead. He frown at me for a moment and then he relaxes in understanding. What?
He stalks closer to me, "As much as I'd love to kill you, you little vixen. Someone else wants to do the honor." It was my turn to frown. Who?
Before the question registers my brain, a searing pain plunges through me as a
dagger stabs from the back. "Finally," a voice, a very familiar voice breathes down my neck as the scent of sea and freshly baked biscuits fill my senses.
Aaron.
My brother. My only family. The only thing on my mind was, "why?"
Trying to even my breathing I pull away from him, the knife in my back. "Aaron,"
the whisper escapes my lips as I stretch my hand to the back pulling the knife off. My heart palpitates refusing accept the betrayal.
He walks in the direction of Xandro, smirking confirming his disloyalty and I shatter apart, sinking to the ground.
"Why?" my voice cracks within the single syllable.
"Why not?" he retorts to me, smirking. This was a side I never knew of my brother. "Or rather, why wouldn't I?" he probes.
"They killed our parents, Aaron. He wants to kill me too and you're siding with
them?" He laughs at my statement. "A little correction, Blythe. He never wanted to kill you. I did," he replies.
"And he'd be even happier, if I spared you. Wouldn't you Xan?" he says clapping Xandro on the back, who laughs in sync.
"But why-" "Sh... Shush now, Blythe. Let me speak for once," Aaron cuts. I try to swallow the big lump in my throat, but it just doesn't go.
"You asked why, right? Now answer these questions for me.
Ever since we were born, you were the center of the attention.
To everyone, everywhere, why? When mom and dad were there, you were the apple of their eye.
Why? After they died, living with the Norwells, you were their princess.
Even more important than their own daughter, Tessa. Why?" he wanders out loud. What?
He continues. "When we were of age, you received all the powers.
What do you say? Ah. 'Fit for a queen' as Theo would say.
Why? You inherited all the best witchery and a silver wolf but, what did I get?
Completely dark sorcery. I became a freaking warlock.
While you got the king as a mate, I was mate less and then got a cheap healer as my mate.
Why?" he spoke, venom spewing in his words.
"Answer me," his voice bitter as he kicks me in the stomach. "Answer me," he repeats louder and kicks harder. Spots cloud my vision.
"And then Rhys met me," Xandro pronounces.
"I wanted revenge for my father's execution, which your mate was responsible for.
I needed you, the only living she- Silverette as my queen so that I could become king.
Rhys needed power over you. He needed a free world where he could put his powers to use without hesitation.
A better world that respects warlocks. He needed power in the world.
So we decided. Rhys and Xan. The masters of our own universe.
A world without you and your mate." And then I got it Aaron Rhys Archer was a traitor to his own family.
"We got the support of the rogues, not so difficult when everything in the world has a price. The fire, the threats, the kidnaps, the murders, were simple as that." He concludes. The murders?
Adele's dad and Rick's mom!
My vision blurs. Xandro and Aaron were hazed in my sight.
"Remember Blythe, you're strong. Never ever give up." My mom's voice warns me.
Summoning my energy, I incarnate for Xandro, knowing that mine will be no match for Aaron's powers. My spell hits Xandro and he stumbles back but does not fall. What? He was supposed to fall back. Aaron has extended a shield upon them.
"What was that little sister?" Aaron sneers. I push myself from the ground, getting up. I'm not letting them get to me. I'm not going to let them win.
My right palm, bloody because of the blood from my stab in the back. I was still bleeding, but I had time and I was hell determined on something. Something that might include not letting them win.
My hands grip the gladius hard as I throw it at Xan. A smirk grows on my lips as it drives right into his neck. I stand up, my back aching like hell but, my shoulders back, chin in the air and eyes on them.
Dragging myself to him, I pull the dagger out of his neck as he charges at me growling. Fisting my bloody palm, I punch his Adam's apple. It simply does the job.
His stance wavers as he inhales a gust of air and falls down limp.
Snarling at me, Aaron projects but I interject the beam of light focused on me with its counter spell. An uppercut gives him a bloody jaw as I corner him with my knife to his neck. But a wave of memories wash the shores of my heart.
Memories of him holding my hand as we escaped from our pack, giving me his food and letting himself starve after we ran away from home, before the Norwells found us, him giving me piggyback rides when I had wounded my knee, both of us raiding the kitchen in the middle of the night with Tessa, us laughing at our inside jokes in public, him breaking the jaw of the guy who teased me in high school, when eating others' chocolates meant war, both of us pulling at each other's' hair just to irritate the other and him promising me to be with me forever.
He used to love to sleep on my shoulder. I idly wonder if he still likes to.
All our memories now tainted because of a betrayal. I pull back dropping my gladius, defeated. I can't kill him. How can I? Warm tears stream down my cold cheeks and I wipe them off angrily turning away.
The raindrops falling on my palms washes the blood off them but the wounds didn't and never will. Both outer and inner.
A scream escapes my lips as the aftermath of conflicted emotions and frustration but, freeze mid-scream as a blade drives through my previous gash. My breath hitches.
Yanking the knife off, I turn to face him. An arrogant smirk etched on his face, he gazes at me unaffected. Taking a sharp inhale of air, I plunge the knife into his abdomen as he lurches forward, his head on my shoulder as both of us crash down.
His eyes were battling. His head was resting on my shoulder. I guess he still liked to sleep on my shoulder.
I feel his last breath on my neck. His eyelids shut close first and mine followed. The same way we entered the world. Him first. Me next. The same way we're leaving.
And the rainstorm ceases.