Steel Butterfly

17

Kalia's POV

I hit the ground, a rock burying itself into my shoulder. I manage to get up in time as Ronan attacks his father with the war ax. There's blood oozing from my cut on my shoulder and I feel like I pulled something.

"Gods' blood........." The Beast King looked in my direction. I turn my attention to him, pulling down an arrow from the quiver and loading my bow. I shot him in the eye.

"Ugh! Get that girl alive!" He shouted at two smaller beasts, both running towards me. I shot them both in the middle of their forehead and they dropped dead.

"You're not harming her!" Ronan shouted as his father swiped at him. I saw Aetnara and Lizin running towards me.

"It's time for you to get out of here." Lizin spoke. The Beast King ran towards us.

"You're the key to my power!" He shouted as he ran faster.

"Get Kalia out of here, we'll deal with the King." Lizin told Aetnara.

"I'm not leaving!" I shouted as the King managed to knock Aetnara out of the way and pin me down.

"You're my key to getting out of these woods!" He shouted. "You're not escaping!" I

grab my dagger and stab him in the chest. He groans in pain as he starts to bleed. I saw Ronan slam him to the ground, pulling the obsidian dagger from his chest.

"Ugh, you'll pay for that!" He shouted. Ronan slit his throat and got off of the Beast King.

"Let's go!" Ronan shouted. "It'll buy us enough time."

We got on our horses and rode away. I know it was only temporary but I wished that it would have taken care of the problem.

"Are you okay?" Ronan asked me.

"I'm fine but now he'll be hunting me down. You heard what he said." I took a deep breath.

"I know." Ronan looks at me. "I won't let him harm you."

I think my heart skipped a beat and a smile formed on my face.

"Thanks, Ronan." I could feel my cheeks turning red.

We kept riding in relative silence, with the exception of the occasional roar in the forest. It was probably the Beast King trying to catch up with us.

"I guess you really have gods' blood." Lizin spoke. The edge of the woods was very close to us.

"We're almost there, guys." Aetnara spoke.

We finally reached the outside where there were ravens, foxes, and coyotes all over the dead beasts. They ran as soon as we popped out.

"We're safe, by the way." Aetnara spoke, sounding out of breath.

"For now. He'll be sending his beasts out for Kalia now." Lizin spoke. We started to ride out to the Guild.

Oh, joy between my father trying to marry me off against my will, my usual stressors and Beast King after me for my magic native blood, I am not making it to my next birthday.

"Don't worry, you've got the best people around to protect you, my Lady." Aetnara smiled at Kalia. "And of course, you're no spring chicken at this point."

"I know. Gods, I feel like I need to pray at the shrine." I sighed. Sometimes I wondered if the Gods had abandoned me with all the shit that I'm going through.

We finally reach the Guild. Raena and the other sister were sitting inside the parlor. The Superior Mother was glaring at her.

"Did we miss something?" Ronan asked.