The Four Realms - Book One - Truth

Episode 17 - The Lycan bodyguards

If there had been a moment in my life I had wished to relive, this would not have been one of them. The door swung open; I couldn't control the momentum as the ship banked to the right, and it slammed against the cabin wall loudly.

I was met with a woody heat that wrapped around me like silk left in the sun. It felt wonderful. The cabin was dark, and the only shafts of light were those darting into the room from the corridor behind me. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the blackness, but I could soon make out the edges of furniture and the edges of...

I was rooted to the spot, unable to speak or turn away. A huge beast with powerful wolf-like legs and a wolf-head knelt in the centre of the room, it's back to the door. Amia stood in front of it, looking directly at me. 

The girl with Blonde hair, Aleea held the creatures front legs in her hands, hands which were glowing with a gentle ebbing orange light. 

"What is it?" I began to back out of the room.

Amia was glaring at me now.

"Esatain." Lian's voice was behind me in the corridor. His breath heaved from chasing me along the length of the ship. "Stop being so bloody hot-headed and listen."

"You shouldn't be here, Esatain. Go back on deck." Amia spoke in a quiet, controlled tone, and although her anger was obvious, I also saw deep concern in her blue eyes.

I felt Lian's hand on my shoulder. "Quietly, I'll take you back on deck."

Did they both think I was a child? I didn't want to be handled; I just wanted to know the truth.

"I don't want to go on deck; I don't want to be here, and I don't want you both telling me what to do." I blurted out loudly.

It took seconds for me to regret that moment. The creature's head flew around, and it pinned me with its blue, translucent eyes. All I could see in the depths was a burning need.

"Everen. No!" Amia screamed. This was Everen? This terrifying creature with a huge wolf like  mouth snarled as it headed straight for me.

Lian instantly grabbed my arm and pulled me back towards him in the corridor. He stepped between Everen and me.

"I hope you forgive me for this old friend." With that, he launched forward, pushing Everen back, his jaws snapping terrifyingly.

"Esatain, run." Lian had slammed the door shut, trapping him, Everen, Amia and Aleea inside the cabin.

I moved swiftly through the corridor, up the small staircase, onto the deck of the ship.

"Kryal!" I shouted.

I watched as he glided down the sails and landed without effort on the deck beside me.

"Kryal. Everen is a beast." My hands were shaking, and my heart was hammering.

"It's happened then. I'm going to take you on the row boat off the ship, just for a short time. Come on, let's lower the anchor."

"I'm not going anywhere." Again, with people dictating my life and where I should be.

"Ok stay." Kryal folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the windlass holding the anchor. "Of course, I am relatively sure that she would prefer Everen wasn't killed on this ship in an attempt to save your life. Just a hunch." Kryal gave a shrug of his shoulders; however, his face was pale and gave away his concern.

"Why would Everen try and kill me?"

"Now that is a great question, and one I am happy to answer on the row boat quite some distance from this ship." I nodded. Perhaps Kryal would be able to shed light on quite a few of my questions.