Silver Skin

58

Two of cups
~
Accalia
~

It was as though shaded and black clouds hung heavy and above them as they were led further from the throne room and bloodbath they left.

Accalia was thankful there wasn't a condemning and dooming path to walk upon. The trip through the castle was short and clean-cut, guards posted at their areas, servants lowering their heads to avoid eye contact and no supernatural creature in sight.

The guards had a job and they weren't here to give torment like every other person in the castle.

Accalia stood relieved she would no longer see the maroon-coloured walls, the outlandish and proper paintings that sat high and smugly, showing the demonic faces of the supernatural. She would be sure to leave this deep into the back of her mind where it would never be resurfaced again. 

The three nameless guards took Accalia and the others to a twirl of rocky staircases until they spiralled down, coming to the beginning of an endless and dark cave.

The Lithian castle reached far into the earth and they were entrenched in a cave.

"This is where we leave you," the guard who was bored to death explained. He waved lazily over to the array of torches with a placid expression. "Feel free to take a torch and be on your way, you keep going until you come to the forestland."

With final blazing glares, the three guards turned their backs on them and fled back up the staircase.

Everyone went stiff as wooden boards.

The only person who began their stride was Cole Canus and for once, there was a bounce in his step. A subtle skip.

He twisted back around with a confused expression. "Well? Let's get the hell out of dodge. The forest isn't far."

Accalia narrowed her eyes in contemplation. And where exactly did he think he would be going? He had no pack, no family, no mate and sure as hell, no friends. Cole had nowhere to go, but he couldn't have looked more content with the fact.

He dramatically flourished his hand in the direction of the exit, jumping on his feet.

Cadence crossed her arms. "This feels too easy,"

There was a row of agreement amongst them.

Cole groaned and clapped his hands together with a knowing look etched on his gaunt face. "That's because it is, fierce huntress. Adriana got what she wanted. We no longer have any meaning to her. We need to take advantage of that and fuck right off."

Adriana no longer posed a threat. For the time being, that was. She finally got what she desperately craved. Cole was right.

Being here, weakened and damaged, there was not much else they could do.

Rexton made his choice and it was for them. And now, they would have to honour what he wanted: their freedom of never stepping foot into this place ever again.

Freedom was in their favour, it was right in their hands and all it took was walking until their legs gave in.

They were weak, strained and by the light of the moon, close to breaking, but they were untied to this place.

Rexton was bound by a golden and unbreakable string. Alexene decided to stay with him. They were at Adriana's side now.

Accalia wouldn't falter and so, she walked on and didn't look back. Slowly, everyone fell into the same faulty step as her.

They had a journey ahead of them and Accalia wouldn't stop until she collapsed on the grounds of the Fenris pack.

——