Rebellion

Chapter 3

Aurae's POV

   Lyklor's voice is steady and firm, despite the fact that he just ordered me to kill a man in cold blood, when he stands no chance. I've killed before, I've had to, but it is the one thing I hate most in the world, having to kill anything. The regret and guilt you feel for the rest of your life...it's unimaginable. The only thing I allow myself to do in honor of the dead is cut a gash in my left forearm for ever person I kill. The scars will stay with me forever, thanks to my method of taking a hearth poker, dipping it in fire and placing it on the bleeding wound. It hurts like hell, but it's all I can do for the dead, so I will. I currently have two marks, one for a prisoner my father forced me to kill and one for a woman from a neighboring kingdom that my father deemed treasonis. She was not, but she refused his deal and he didn't like that.

   "Lyklor, I can't!. He's tied up! Just let him go! He won't say anything," I plead. When I'm in an animal's body, my voice comes out as it does when animals talk to me; hanging in the air, my mouth unmoving. Oacenth turns to me.

   "You want your ridiculous leopard, then you will kill him!" He yells at me. His eyes fix on Hildrim's styled hair. "Slowly...make him feel it." My face drains of all color and it takes every ounce of muscle in this powerful body for me to not explode. I look at Hildrim, who finally lifts his head to me. His gray eyes are red, tears streaming down his face.

   "Please, I beg you. Please don't!" He cries, his eyes burning of so much emotion, I nearly crumble to my knees and die with him, right here. But Everest's blue eyes pop into my mind and I know I have to live for him. He has nowhere else to go. It's selfish of me, to think that my leopard's life is worth more than three humans, but I see my mother standing beside him everytime I look at him. The only thing I can do for Hildrim now is make his death quick and painless, so that he doesn't suffer.

   "I'm so sorry," I whisper to him and he lets out a sob, right as my sharp teeth slice through his throat, bloody spraying everywhere. I pull back, the copper taste filling my mouth and coating my tongue. Hildrim's body sways and then falls to the side, thumping on the ground. I spit out his blood, I can't bear to taste it.

   Oacenth swivels to face me, but I don't move, I can't. My eyes gare into Hildrim's so intensely, I think they're going to burn a hole through him.

   "You were supposed to kill him slowly!" My brother exclaims angrily. He spews out more nonsene, but I tune him out, focusing on the fact that I just killed Hildrim so easily. It had been much harder the first two times. Is...is killing getting easier for me? The question rings through my mind over and over again.

   "Aurae!" Oacenth shouts. I turn towards him, still feeling dazed. "We're going home and you shall pay for this! You disobeyed me! Now shift!" I pause, analyzing my options. I didn't really have any. After shifting into a human, I follow my brothers outside and drive to the carriage back to Chastershire. They order me to put the horses and carriage away, then met them in the foyer where they were waiting. 

   "You'll learn what happens when you go against my commands," Oacenth snarls as Lyklor grabs ahold of my arm and pulls me after him and Oacenth. As soon as we reach the stairwell, I know what my punishment is.

   I shall have to spend the night in the dungeon.

   I've done it before; it's a popular punishment for me. It's cold and dark down there, and they lock me in a dirty cell with nothing in it but rats, who I usually talk to while I'm there. I could easily escape the dungeon by shifting into a big or something, but when I did it the first time they locked me up, I was whipped six times. I shall never forget the excruciating pain as the leather slashed my skin apart. I still have the scars to prove it. Dorane had decided that the whips weren't enough and rubbed salt in my wounds. He also ordered the castle doctor to refuse me any medical treatment, even though I hadn't planned on asking for it. Ever since, whipping and salt has been my brothers' favorite cruelty.