“May my enemies live long life to see my success.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QW0pGYesS
758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdPezqqqUQ
“Back off!” Calysse bared her teeth at Aislin as she dragged her kill to the makeshift camp she’d set up lazily. It was dark despite the moonlight, as the canopy of leaves was thick overhead. The goose had been a messy fight without her claws, but it was as good as anything when it came to eating. Raw meat wouldn’t suffice any longer, Aislin had been greedily watching her for days on end in hope she’d leave something behind. Calysse knew that the wolf tried to be discreet about it but she always knew when those silver eyes were on her. Despite the breeze, the forest had been unusually warm day and night, something was off.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicv6dUKGJg
Calysse straightened her chin as she swung the goose over the small fire. Sparks flew from the hearth, threatening to burn her tender skin. The hair on her arms rose as Aislin crept ever closer to the warmth of her fire.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWBp08c2C4
“I said, back off.” Calysse raised an angered fist at the wolf. Aislin just stared at her,758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBEi3AK4Xz
“I do as I please.” 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDv2bcMVEln
“You do as I say,” She stood between the white wolf and the hearth. How strange she must have sounded, talking to a wolf when the animal didn’t talk back. The pounding in her chest grew louder as she realized her heart was thumping. She took a steadying breath as Aislin stood down reluctantly, the hunger in the beast’s belly making itself known. If a fight were to break out between the two, without her claws, it’d be a struggle. Deep inside, she wondered if the hybrid could sense her fear whenever Aislin’s silver eyes met hers.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYg02iv18YX
“God damn you.” Calysse ripped the goose from the spitfire, growling as she tossed it to the she-wolf. The sound of Aislin’s teeth devouring the half cooked meat filled the shadows. Calysse’s breath shuddered as she imagined the sheer power between Aislin’s jaws. The she-wolf, even when carrying pups in her belly, still moved with such ferocity, as if she had come out of Gehenna itself. Whatever kept the wolf from attacking her, she didn’t want to find out.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxdotRxFyQ
Calysse brought a heavy chunk of timber down on the fire to suffocate the small flame. Her jaw clenched as she stalked away from the camp, and away from Aislin. This infernal forest had to end somewhere, it’d been about a month since she had gone in, and with her luck it’d be another month before she got out. Freedom tasted great, but when one has too much, it tended to get overbearing.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMaTOtZutq
Her eyes burned as she staggered through the dark in hopes of stumbling upon an unlucky deer or some other animal, she didn’t trust anything in the forest that grew on the bushes. There wasn’t a chance she’d give her life to a couple of poisonous berries. The trees were so silent that Calysse could hear her own heart batter in her ribcage.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2x1psecBH
The sound of a twig as it cracked caused her to spin around. Eyes, a pair of eyes stared at her from a nearby tree. There was no identifiable color, and she had no idea what to do. There was no body to the creature watching her, it was shrouded in darkness.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOyqgQl78z
“Aislin, is that you?” There was no reply. Calysse narrowed her eyes as she felt a familiar feeling overtake her. I’ve missed you. The claws that had abandoned her when she faced Aislin slid out of her fingers with sleek precision. Whatever watched her in the dark, friend or foe, she wouldn’t take any risks. Calysse’s eyes flickered to the figure in the dark, had it noticed her weapons?758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwNNYHHgKo
No-its gaze hadn’t wavered from hers. Was she dreaming? Calysse’s blood went cold as she heard footsteps. This was a human, a human that wanted something from her. As the figure stepped closer, the moonlight made plain that this was no ordinary man. Even in the dim light, she could make out the small frame yet muscular shoulders of a male warrior, but at the same time, he seemed young. Calysse contemplated calling for Aislin, but what were the chances the palace wolf would actually come? Not likely. I am Calysse, champion of the Golden Eyed. She reminded herself, over and over. It was a useless title, one she’d given herself, but it meant the world.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Lk7eyF4E6
“Are you just going to stand there?” Calysse didn’t expect the man to speak, but once he did, she wanted him to keep talking. His voice was soft and articulate, it was refreshing to hear a voice that wasn’t rough or full of hatred and fear. Though it was beautiful, she didn’t let her guard down for an instant.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O74kfxfWM
“What’d you prefer I do?” She spat and took a step away, her fists clenched as to hide the tiny daggers on her fingers. Calysse already disliked him, and his perfect voice. Oh how she would have loved to cut her nails across his vocal cords. An annoyed growl escaped the figure and he stepped even further into the light, a mistake, a dire mistake.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJMY2C4SrY
“You’re going to come with me, captain’s orders.” The corners of his lips turned upwards as Calysse hissed. Captain. He couldn’t possibly be a solider of the crown, he’d be dead if he was. Calysse was no assassin, but she could hold her own against a mortal. Instead of a growl of hostility, she began to laugh. It was a twisted laugh, nothing she’d ever uttered before.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5HVnfwL0v
“Like hell I am!” Now she was seething. Calysse would spill this man’s blood across the dirt, she didn’t care how young or strong he was. His grin widened, this was not the reaction she expected. The cloak on his shoulders shifted as he spotted her claws.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMfiuAXHdC
“Come kitty, I won’t bite.” That was it. He was going to die. Maybe she didn’t know how to fight very well, but she’d tear him apart if she got the chance. Calysse sprung forward in a moment’s notice, her claws came about an inch to his skin before she was pushed back. Ice… the chill crawled up her skin, freezing her hands and legs in place. The man clicked his tongue and gripped her chin with his hand. Calysse couldn’t move, something had frozen her veins, her muscles, and her tendons in place.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1C0s2yGF8
“You’re a Venefica!” Calysse met his gaze without speaking, somehow she knew her glare said exactly what she wanted. He didn’t seem at all surprised that her eyes were gold, nor was she when he wasn’t a Golden Eyed. A smile parted his lips as he grasped her hand, once he undid whatever kind of magic was on her, he’d be a formidable opponent. Still, it was hard not to let her eyes fall upon his face, judging, testing, and assuming what he’d do. His brown hair fell quite alluringly over his face, which was sleek and shaven, the rest of his face wasn’t excessively handsome, but she admired the strength in his jaw and how smooth his skin seemed, though it made her underestimate his abilities.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFCJZ523nC
“So sorry it had to come to that,” He stroked Calysse’s chin. “Are you ready to cooperate?” His tone had a hint of a warning to it, as if he could do worse to her. Warmth slowly returned to her body, but she didn’t strike out. “Now put away your claws, kitty.” What kind of pet name was that? So unoriginal, but it irked her none the less.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyL7GPp9jN3
“Whatever you say.” Calysse felt the words roll off her tongue with an edge of spite. Could she somehow disarm his magic? She had to if she was going to get away. Whoever he was, whoever he was going to bring her to, it wasn’t good. Her claws slid back into her fingers reluctantly, they hadn’t even tasted blood. “But at least answer this, who is this captain.” Calysse brushed a wisp of hair out of her face.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxi10f8wVt
“I’m afraid that’s not how it works.” He clicked his tongue again, this time with more vigor as his hand closed around her arm with suffocating tightness. If she dared call for Aislin now, the wolf wouldn’t make it in time. Calysse felt her jaw tighten as he yanked her forward. She found herself nearly tripping on the roots. His moves were so fluid, so swift, he had definitely walked the forest floor many times before.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LxI8sQ22c
It became useless to struggle, whenever she made any move to resist, the man instantly sent a freezing pain up her spine. It was cruel, that’s what it was. Calysse felt her feet become raw from walking as the sun peeked up through the thicket of leaves overhead. It was near the dawn of morning and he hadn’t stopped. Fatigue weighed her down like anchors tied to her ankles as the man led her along like a sick child. In the daylight, his shadowy façade was given up. Every once in a while, his satchel would move and rustle, but Calysse didn’t bother asking what kind of items he was carrying.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTq0NzGtqvy
“Where are we going?” Calysse asked, a snarl in her voice. When no reply came, she asked another question. “What’s your name?”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzDMQNYNyH
“Adian Fonneraeru.” He had taken the bait. Calysse felt a grin stretch over her face. Adian had become noticeably irritated and had finally wielded some information. “Why does my name concern you?”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡek3yTQBq8r
“You should have asked that before you told me.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUZ6O0LZGT
“I’m asking now.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJouUTdAJge
Calysse just shrugged, and this in turn made Adian even more annoyed. A growl escaped his mouth as he shoved her arm forward, nearly sending her to the ground. Calysse hissed like a savage animal, her teeth bared as she twisted out of his grasp.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhm0jxcdru
“That’s enough of that.” Calysse wiped her mouth with the back of her palm, “Now you’re going to tell me everything. Or I’m not going anywhere with you.” She couldn’t exactly go anywhere with her feet so injured without assistance, but she would keep it up until he took her bluff.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAgA2lR5dR
“Oh aren’t you so tough.” Adian rolled his eyes. “You’re wasting time.”758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2OHTuF1an
“I have all the time in the world to spend out here, do you?” Calysse saw him stiffen, whoever ordered him to bring her didn’t give him much time to work with. Adian snarled and rested his hand on the hilt of a concealed blade, Calysse hadn’t noticed it before. An empty threat, was he really going to draw it?758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KE2MmOxLb
Calysse saw Adian’s bag as it rustled, she also saw how his hand reflexively went to cover the latch. Instead of utilizing his momentary distraction, she decided against it. Calysse could already feel Aislin’s presence somehow, as if she’d been following her from the beginning. If the wolf was going to do anything, there’d be time for that.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknyWjDWvyO
“My sister is one of your kind. Her scouts have been tracking you and the palace wolf.” Now this was interesting, Adian claimed his sister was a Golden Eyed, but he wasn’t. It wasn’t always guaranteed that every child of the Golden Eyed inherited the trait, but it was unlikely.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQd6Q3gDOJu
Calysse pursed her lips, it was too easy. Too easy that someone would just come along saying they were taking her to exactly where she wanted to go. Adian’s expression didn’t reveal anything, she’d need to follow him. Calysse adjusted her torn and dirty tunic, her eyes flickering to the bag.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tfYvVMP4C
“Very well.” She flicked her wrist and Adian reached forward to grab her hand. With a fluid motion, Calysse jerked her arm away. “No.” Adian recoiled as she snapped, his head dipping in a barely detectable nod.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Xf5bWbhvq
She followed him now, this time, willingly. Her feet still caught on roots but not as often now that she was more attentive to where she stepped. It seemed unbelievable that there could be any civilization living in such a dense forest. There were no paths that looked as if they had been tread more than once. By the lack of animals, the forest looked as if it had been hunted clean.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUmDKh4SgZ
The wilds certainly didn’t live up to the tales, the tales that spoke of dragons and of creatures that didn’t exist in Indignor, as they had been hunted to extinction. All the forest was just miles and miles of old trees that hadn’t been touched for centuries.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGhpRrCTh7
“Stop, please.” She suddenly took a seat on the ground and rubbed her feet, which were a mixture of pink and red with festering sores. Adian just scowled as he stopped walking, his smooth hand still around the opening of the bag.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0DL2pGiEB
“Do you need me to carry you?” He spoke gruffly, Calysse looked to his face for any sign of sarcasm, but there was none. It wasn’t her escort’s intention to have her drop out on the account of sore feet. Oh how she didn’t want to have him carry her, but Aislin was taking her sweet time if she was even trailing them. Calysse was still set on slamming Adian’s pretty little face into the ground like he had nearly done to her. She was close enough to do it, but she wasn’t so fond of ice in her veins. Whatever breed of Venefica he was, he was strong.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qR0zjzg31
She let out a puff of air and strode back over to Adian, trying her best to keep her expression from showing her agony. Calysse became aware of what a mess she must have looked like, there were cuts all over that had clotted weeks before, but still hadn’t completely healed over. Adian looked as if he’d never seen a day of combat in his life. Calysse frowned as his eyes flashed with pity, something she despised more than hatred.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAaIntc3BJ
Adian’s brows rose as he turned away, stalking down the path once more as if he hadn’t even cast her a glance. Calysse followed him like a shadow, a limping shadow. When he did look back, Adian’s eyes would glimmer in amusement at her struggle, each time he did so, it made her angrier. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRt1cWMTXPU
The sun must have been in the middle of the sky by the time any signs of a city appeared. It wasn’t much, but it gave some truth to what Adian claimed. Two stone dragons stood on either side of the narrow path looking down upon the pair. They looked so realistic that they warranted a double take from Calysse, who almost doubled back in fright. It was humiliating when she did realize they were stone, as Adian simply paced past them.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL732Kceh6t
Even when she was convinced they weren’t going to leap out and incinerate her, Calysse kept her eyes glued to them. Their faces were twisted with rage and their mouths hung open. Their tongues hung out and their legs combatted their warped disposition, as they were lolled back in relaxation. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Xph2azC7a
“Be careful, they might turn in to real dragons if you look too long.” Adian smirked, his blue eyes shone as he looked back at her. Calysse frowned as they lingered a bit longer on her face, particularity her lips. She squared her shoulders and stepped closer, close enough to rake her nails across his face. Adian was quick to look away and continued back along the path. The ground was more clearly marked past the dragons, stones were discarded and cracked but looked like the remains of a path.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUvGHkhQPP
“It isn’t far.” Adian didn’t look back this time, but he must have known she was about to drop from both exhaustion and discomfort from her feet. His steps had become more careless, more relaxed. It was tempting to sweep her feet in front of his, to disable him long enough that she could get away.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbz1NvGj8RJ
Her thoughts were cut short when a gateway appeared through the mist. It was built of sturdy stone, and beyond it, when she craned her neck to see, were sloping roads that branched off to different directions. The middle pathway traced like a snake up a hill and eventually lead to a slim castle atop the dirt overlooking the city. The windows of glass yawned like the mouth of a beast ready to devour its prey. There was a break in the middle of the castle that opened up to a water-filled ridge, and in between the two hillsides, a large regal boat sailed like a bird skimming the water. On one end of the path there was a wide open ocean with ships docked along the coastline, each grander then the next. There were people, more people then Calysse had ever seen of the Golden Eyed, more then she’d ever imagined.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqn1F59ejg
If these were the Golden Eyed, then they were better off then she’d expected. The stories spoke of a lost civilization that was nearly impossible to find, not this. Adian just stalked through the gates, both hands on the bag now. Calysse followed, and as they strode through the city, the crowd seemed to cut in half at the sight of them. She had a difficulty breathing as the people waved, cheered, and congratulated her upon finding her way to them.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRiKnj7Tm2C
Adian just pushed anyone in his way aside, not pausing to exchange pleasantries with any of the people who looked their way. Calysse however, took the time to look at their eyes, such beautiful variations of gold and amber, the color that once meant seclusion now bonded her to these people like family. Sooner then she would have preferred, Adian ripped her from the crowds and ducked between the palace gates, which were spread wide open.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlEuoF8826
Whoever ruled over this place must be very confident in their citizens to leave the entrance to the palace so open and exposed. In Indignor, if anyone dared touch the gate to the castle, they were shot by a sentry. Most never made it close before they had an arrow through their head. Calysse shivered and scurried after Adian. Tension knotted in her stomach as Adian nodded to the sentries. They’d been expecting him, it seemed obvious that he’d been sent out for someone, but it was still terrifying and thrilling all the same.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTU7NW3h0en
Shrouded in the darkness of the courtyard, there were ropes hanging from wooden planks. The gallows. Calysse gulped, even her own kin could be cruel. It shouldn’t have been a surprise, but everything she’d been told painted her kind as gentle and powerful people who took mercy on their enemies. Only now was she realizing that was half-true, if it had any truth to it at all. Adian coughed slightly, reminding her that she had been staring at a shadow for far too long. Calysse took it as a warning not to step out of line. Whoever had gone through so much trouble getting her here evidently had no problem with disposing her either.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmS3bOtsc9
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