Scars Will Remain

Chapter Eight

I was left with only one more warrior and i disposed of him as soon as i knew that we were almost close to the lycans main camp. He stayed behind and i smiled to myself. Thankful that my plan was playing out as i wanted it to. Securing the daggers on my legs once more, i tightened my coat around me and carried on. The lycans scent was overpowering in this area and it felt like there was only a few more steps i needed to take before i reached my goal. Throwing my senses out around me, i leaned up against the wall and peered around the corner. I had found their camp. I couldnt believe what i was seeing. Lycans filled the whole cavern. There were more lycans here than the number of lycans Phaedra battled in her second reign. Scanning the area, I tried to find that scent I had not been able to pinpoint at the rendezvous point. It wasn't present there at the moment. I sat down and instead observed like I planned. It was obvious that they were recruiting new men. I could see it in some of the men who were sitting focused on one of the other Lycans. Their markings were not the same and their bite marks were still fresh. Some were trying to become settled in with the change and some were struggling with it. I sensed their pain and I felt a small amount of pity for them. "Go and teach the young ones. We need strong men. Not puppies." One of them stepped into the light and faced all of them as he stood on what seemed to be a shelf of ice. He was tall with a medium build and his skin was a tan color. His hair was brunette and part of his fringe covered his left eye. He was very muscly but then again, all of them were, except when he spoke, all of them bowed down and did as he ordered so he was obviously the alpha. "The young ones aren't fully in sync with the change yet Aaron. We can't push them." "Well we need to. In order to push back the vampires and take what we want, we need every strong bodied lycan we can get. Now leave and do as I've commanded." "Yes Alpha." The other lycan put his fist over his heart and left. Aaron sat down on his furry throne and leaned his cheek on his fist. Just looking at him made me shiver even more. His golden eyes were glowing but I couldn't tell if that was because of the mountain or him. Pulling back I looked around for any other clues. It was evident that they were planning something against us, thanks to Aaron, but what? My day so far became a day where I would have to sit and wait. And I didn't like waiting.

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I reached the eastern passage and just as I began to enter, I came across a rogue. "Are you part of Lady Ariahni's scout force?" "Yes sir. Who are you may I ask?" "I'm Fane. His highness, Khan, sent me as further backup for her." "Well I'm afraid she's not with me sir. She disposed of us and made us markers. We couldn't go against her orders." "That's fine soldier. You've done a grand job so far." And with that, I carried on. Khan was right. She did dispose of them as soon as she could. I wonder what other secrets this little sister of mine also had.

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My alliances were gathered and so we galloped to the mountains and made our way to the south entrance. I had received Phaedra's message and she was also coming back from Romania with her alliances. I had not yet received word from Fane and I hoped he had made it there safely. I was very grateful to him for doing this for me, but, the fact that he too was Ariahni's brother, helped out even more. Pushing Reyna to her limit, she galloped even faster. My goal was Ariahni and the mountains. To be with my little sister once more and to know that she was safe and unharmed was the force that continued to push me forward.

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I didn't know I had fallen asleep until the wind blowing through the passage gained my attention. Blinking my eyes, I stretched out the aches in my neck and stood up. All the lycans were asleep as well except for Aaron. He was having quiet words with someone else. Someone I couldn't see. Inhaling the air, I caught the unknown scent from the rendezvous point and my interest was immediately piqued. Moving closer to the shelf, I listened in to their conversation. "...make sure that chamber is ready. We also need every lycan to be alert and on guard when it's time..."...it will be done. You will have all of us at your disposal..." "...good. There is no time for error here. I want those vampires to feel exactly how you did when that arrogant one, Phaedra, battled against you in her second reign..." "How will we fight against them though? They are stronger..." "...you will have my help. Do not worry. You just worry about the fighting..." "...yes master. As you wish..." There was no more talking as the source that Aaron was speaking to had left. Planning on moving closer to the shelf, I didn't get very far when i felt something grab my waist and I felt myself being moved back out to the passage. I struggled. Hitting back against whoever it was. But I never made a sound so as not to disturb the lycans. Whoever it was put me down in a smaller adjacent cavern that I had missed and I looked at him. "What were you thinking kid? Are you that stupid?" "Who are you? And who do you think you are pulling me back huh? Do you know who I am?" He laughed. "Of course I know who you are kid. I don't always grab women that way." "Oh I'm sure." "Your brother sent me." "And I'm just supposed to believe you am I?" "Yes, because you know Khan is capable of doing such a thing." "So how am I supposed to trust you, despite the fact that Khan sent you?" "Because I'm your brother too." I looked at him and his eyes were telling the truth. That didn't mean I had to accept it. My fist moved and just as it was about to reach his cheek, he caught it. "You're gonna have to be a bit faster than that kid." "You're lying!" "No, I'm not. Your father..." "Don't! Don't say it." Pulling my hand back, I stood up and began to pace. This was doing my head in and my thoughts so far were all scrambled.

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She was a feisty little thing which was really funny. When Khan said that she acted before thinking he was right. Her throwing that punch was a wrong move as I anticipated it before she had a chance to fully follow through with it. I fell in love with her straight away as she was much better than Phaedra when it came time to have some fun. No wonder Khan was so protective over her. Ariahni stopped pacing and sat herself in front of me. Her green eyes never left my face and I could swear there was steam coming out of her ears. "So your my brother." "Half-brother yes. But a brother all the same." "And Khan sent you?" "Yes. I have his message if you want to see it." She held out her hand and I gave it to her. She was silent as she read it and I waited for her. "It has his signature on it and his stamp so I guess you speak the truth." "I feel a 'but' coming along." "It's not a 'but', it's more of a resistance to your existence. And I don't want to hear it from you. I want to hear it from Khan." "Well that may be a bit impossible kid, your father forbid them from telling you. It was a direct order. They couldn't go against it." Little frown lines appeared between her eyebrows and she was clenching her hands tightly. I could tell she was contemplating the situation. And then she jumped up. "Okay then. You can go back to my brother and tell him I have everything under control. My plan is going as I want it to, and the second part of it is just about to begin. So you can go now." "No offence kid but, this plan of yours, whatever it is, it's not going to work." She came to stand in front of me and poked her finger at my chest. "Look, you may be my brother, but I've already got a protective one on my back and I don't need another. You can stay or go, I don't care what you do, but stay out of my way." And with that, she went back to her viewpoint, her back facing me. I smiled. She was everything I'd ever wanted as a sibling. Even if it was in a girl. She was a fiery little thing but there was also a little bit of curiosity and carefulness in her. Which is probably why she was so attuned to any outside environment. She was a rare lioness who could not be kept in captivity. I sat back down and kept an eye on her as I wrote an update to Khan.