Luna Queen's Fury

18 Ripple

'Remember the plan...'

I take a deep breath and push my emotions aside. By the third breath, my mind is clear and temper back under control.

"And what would I want to talk to a dog about, hmm?" He muses, wrinkling his nose like even uttering the words leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

"There's got to be something," I mumble, feeling my shoulders sag in defeat. "I can't imagine having done anything to-"

"Your mere existence is enough of an offense," he cuts in, venom lacing each word. "Your life is meaningless. It should have ended long ago and yet you stand in front of me, unwanted, unbidden... the proverbial fly in the ointment."

Something about his admission strikes a chord as he draws in on himself, his gaze losing focus slightly... as if he's conversing more with himself. As quickly as his attention wanes, it snaps back to me and his eyes burn with renewed hatred.

"No Luna, this series of events was set into motion long before you were ever born. You're just left to play your part..." His expression sours and I struggle to suppress my smirk.

His fault is his own sense of superiority... I can work with that!

"So I'm just a pawn?" I challenge, lifting my gaze to his.

"Of course... I hate to admit that you're clever enough, surely you've felt it?" he whispers, his voice like sandpaper grating my ears. "Like your life is out of your control... someone else is calling the shots and you're just along for the ride?"

I swallow hard, feeling my heart start to race and try to keep my expression neutral. Shadowman grins, clearly having picked up my discomfort.

"There it is," he gloats, lifting a gnarled, boney finger at me. "That sinking feeling as you feel the puppet strings making you dance."

"To what end?!" I snap.

He tosses his head back, barking out a maniacal laugh as sickening glee radiates from him. "All of it Luna."

"I don't understand..."

"How could you?" he mumbles, rolling his eyes. "Your feeble mutt mind is too small to grasp the complexities of the web wrapped so tightly around you."

"If that's so," I taunt. "Then you could have killed me before now... If you are as powerful as you claim."

His grin drops into a frown, deepening the crease between his brows as he glares at me.

"But you have tried before, you've just failed so far," I dig.

"And what do you think you know, hmm dog?" His glare never falters but the hatred burning in it flickers, assuring me that I'm on the right path.

"It almost sounds like a bad joke when I sum it up like this, but a grief stricken wolf, a dark witch, and a hunter go into a dream-"

My sarcastic summary is cut off by a sharp snarl as I strike a nerve. Shadowman lurches then stalks uneasily, reminding me of a cornered animal.

"You think you're so clever don't you?" He sneers, stopping dead in his tracks. "Many have thought themselves clever, more so than you, and paid for it with their lives!"

Ember growls at the poorly veiled threat, eager to shred him to pieces. Already I feel my grip on my emotions slipping and she's not helping but I need more time.

"Poor little Robert thought he was so smart, sending his baby brother away, far from my grasp, or so he thought." The twisted grin is back in place, sending a chill down my spine. "Ask your predecessor where it got him, oh wait you can't."