The Fall Of Astraea

11. The Destruction of Perania

I quickly changed the shoes I was wearing into more comfortable ones. I ran to the door only to find Malik who was heading towards my door. He grabbed my hand immediately and we ran in the direction most people were running to. The castle atmosphere was hot and it didn't help that everyone was screaming and running in different directions. We met with a couple of guards who were trying to lead people away from the fire. Malik grabbed my hand tighter as we entered the commotion. I looked at him. He didn't look worried unlike me who was scared out of my mind. One wrong move and we would be burnt to death. I couldn't believe that I thought I was safer here. This kingdom could not handle magic like I thought it would. I thought that it was the safest kingdom in the land. We could hear the cannons outside that were probably trying to shoot Attor down. We got to the second floor of the castle and that's where we found more people. Malik took us to a surprisingly empty corridor. We stopped so I could catch my breath.

"Do you know where Phillip and Laura are?"I asked between gasps of air.

"No but we have no time to look for them." Malik said as he looked around and got into a fighting stance.

"What did you just say? You want to leave them?" I shouted at him but he didn't even look at me. What was he seeing that I wasn't?

"I mean you have to. Otherwise, how are you going to leave with me?" I froze when I heard the voice. I knew he was here but I was not ready to see him. I slowly turned to see a huge black wolf, whose mouth was dripping with blood. "But then again he might be dead. My father's fire is so hot that even I wouldn't get near it." It took me a while to realize that I could hear his voice in my head. I looked at Malik and I could tell he didn't hear a thing. "Why would I be talking to him?" Lykos asked, referring to Malik.

"Get out of my head!" I told him. Astraean soldiers soon appeared out of the blue. We were surrounded. They must have been concealed with magic. I sighed. I still couldn't see everything hidden by magic like Malik could.

"You can hear him in your head?" Malik asked quietly and I nodded. "Any chance you get, run, okay?"

"What? I'm not leaving you." I told him but he looked at me with anger and worry in his eyes.

"Do you want to die here??" He asked but before I could say anything fire was blasted into the castle. We all ducked and I thought it would for sure burn Lykos but I saw him walk towards me in the fire as his form changed from wolf to man. I looked at Malik for support but he was already fighting the soldiers. Some soldiers tried to reach for me but Malik got in the way and fought them off. I backed away but then I screamed when one of them hit him in the gut and he fell on his knees.

"Leave him alone." I shouted as I ran to him but I got blocked away from him. Malik was thrown to the corner and a soldier grabbed and brought me to Lykos. "You all should be ashamed of yourselves," I told them but I couldn't see their facial reaction through their helmets.

"Ilene, don't speak like that. They wouldn't have to hurt you if you didn't run away. You should be in my home kingdom right now getting pampered for our wedding." Lykos said as he circled me, naked. I kept my eyes on the floor as he walked around me. His feet had claws as sharp as needles.

" I didn't even want to marry you in the first place." He then grabbed my chin roughly so I could look into his disgusting brown eyes.

"Have you not learned your lesson yet?" He let go of my chin and then made a sound that meant that he was disappointed. "It is an honor to marry me yet you still don't see it. You are so lucky that I am attracted to you. You are really beautiful...." I didn't want to listen to whatever he had to say. I glanced behind me. Malik was still on the floor and I got worried. Why wasn't he up? I looked around. The soldiers surrounded me. I would be caught before I even stood up. Lykos got near me again. "Are you even listening?" He asked. He shoved his manhood in my face and I gagged. Before he could even say anything I spit in his face. "You little....." His hand grabbed my throat and lifted me. I tried to squirm but I only ended up hurting myself more.