Age of War: Book One - Alliance of Wolves

Chapter Twenty Four - Cries of the Betrayed

The moment of victory after a long battle was supposed to be filled with rejoicing, pride, cheering masses. There was none for Drew.

"Take them to the dungeons and find a healer." He swept a hand towards the huddled groups of nobles. "They're more useful alive than dead. And burn that." They had dropped Haedrik's to the gound, blood still pooling.

"With pleasure." Ignius brought a ball of dark red fire to his hand. Drew turned away and started towards the door, vanishing his sword.

"Drew, where are you going?" He could hear Blaze's footsteps behind him. "Drew?" The empty halls sped past as he began to run. What in the name of all the gods was he going to say to her?

What was worse than the constant roar of battle? Than the seemingly endless chorus of screams? Than the earth shattering explosions?

The dead silence.

After the explosion, all noise had died away. There was nothing from the courtyard, nothing from the hall.

They still hadn't got a word from the little girl. She'd sobbed and sobbed and then fell so silent they'd thought she was asleep. But she'd been wide-eyed awake, silent and trembling. Cimmorene had stopped trying to question her a while ago.

"I can't believe Blaze would do this." It was about the thousandth time she had said this.

"I swear, if you mention that godforsaken, flea-bitten, werewolf one more time I'll-"

Cimmorene sprung to her feet, eyes raging. "Don't you dare talk about him like that!"

"And why not? The gods only know why he locked us up or what he'll do when he gets back or what even hap-"

"Shut up!"

"What did you just s-"

Cimmorene waved her hands frantically. "No! I can hear someone outside. Shut up!" She hurried over to the door, pressing her ear against the wood. A moment later she backed away, face white. "They're coming this way! They're running." They both backed further into the room, Amber snatching up the crossbow and aiming at the door. She could hear the runner now, their footsteps echoing through the hall. Closer, and closer, and closer-

Someone slammed against the door. It buckled in, cracking the wood, before the whatever lock was placed on the outside broke. The door burst inward and Amber shot. But the door was pushed so hard it struck the wall, bouncing back and shielding the newcomer.

There were few times Amber had been truly afraid of someone who wasn't her father, but this was added to the list. Drew was nearly unrecognizable. Blood was smeared around his mouth, dripping down his chin and soaking the front of his shirt. He bore only a few minor wounds from Amber's cursory glance. But his eye; his eyes were terrible. She'd seen them gold before, but this- this wildness and power made her want to look away, to sink into the floor and never be looked at again. But she couldn't.

Because Drew was wearing King Haedrik's crown.

His unhinged gaze slid right past her, focusing instead on the little girl.

"Maisy!" Drew pushed past Amber, dropping to his knees beside the bed and pulling the girl into a tight embrace. His presence brought about a new onslaught of tears, but over the sobbing Amber could hear him whisper, "I'm so sorry," over and over again.

"Crows, Drew. What the hell are you-" Blaze stopped short in the doorway. He too was covered in blood and grime, but didn't bear the same horror as Drew. Cimmorene stalked towards him, trembling with rage, tears trickling down her face. Amber stepped back.