A Heart Unbroken [Book One]

Unicorns ~ Hanan

The trees rustled and everyone stood up, preparing their weapons. Meghan stayed wrapped in my arms, whimpering quietly. I tried to calm my breathing, which had increased both from fear and the proximity of Meghan. I stroked her hair, but told her I had to get my sword.

She grasped at my shirt and whispered nervously: "I'm scared, Hanan. Last time we were in this position...Griffith died."

I lowered my head to her ear, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "I won't let that happen. We're not going anywhere, but you have to trust me. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

She nodded and let me go. I quickly grabbed my sword and unsheathed it, letting her come back into my arms. I saw a flash of light from behind her, and reached down to grab the flint knife hidden in her belt. She gasped and looked up at me, and from the twinkle in her eye I could tell she wanted to make an insinuating comment.

I didn't give her the time to do so however, aiming at the trees when a movement caught my eye. I threw the knife, earning a low growl from whatever was in the woods. The knife bounced back and landed on the ground at my feet.

Cameron cocked his gun and aimed it at the same thing, but this time a sharp voice called out to him.

"Unless you want that bullet to ricochet into you or your friends, I advise you against pulling that trigger!"

He kept it aimed, but pulled his finger off the trigger. He, Lilly, and Louis had formed a protective circle around Marshall, who still couldn't get to his feet.

I held my sword up at the creature in the woods, letting Meghan pull herself tighter to me. I tried calling to the thing to come out, but a mingling feeling of fear and giddiness was choking me.

Lilly stepped forward with her sickle, calling out what I couldn't. In response, a hoof stepped out from the shrubbery, and the body followed. A magnificent creature, white as freshly fallen snow and much larger than the average horse. The horn on its head was intimidating, and it was leveled at us.

"Step away," I commanded, finding my voice again.

"Who?" a unanimous voice said. I looked around, only to see that we were surrounded by horned creatures that were a mirror image to the one before me. They were everywhere.

"I am Crystalnils," the Unicorn said. "I do not appreciate knives being thrown at me."

"Yeah, and we don't appreciate the heart attack you gave us," Cam replied.

Meghan laughed, loosening up. She let me go and even grabbed the knife still remaining in her belt. But I kept her close.

"You have wandered into our territory; you have provoked us with your knives. You must die."

"What! Die? That's ridiculous, the Air Trolls sent us and I followed the path but-"

"It matters not to us who sent you or why you come. Unless you have another solution, you must die."

"Can't we just walk away?" I asked.

"No, Cousin," Lilly replied. "These animals are vicious and bloodthirsty. They would not be satisfied by allowing us to leave."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Child," Crystalnils said. She seemed to be smiling, but it was really hard to tell.

"I do not flatter you, for flattery is a wicked thing. However, I do propose a solution in which you alone will have your blood, as you alone have been wronged."

"Do go on, Dear."

"I should like to challenge you to a sword fight, or in your case, fighting with a horn. You and I would be the challengers, and winner walks away happy."