It was early morning. And the day was blue and bright. With the hint of a steamy fog still lurking just above the ground.
I could hear the other mages down in the Training Gardens.
Tanya came over to put a hand on my shoulder. "Are you ready for today?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"Warlord told me how you got the book. That was really brave."
I gave her a sideways glance. "Thank you."
She had softened much just in the last few days.
I suspected, though I knew she'd never admit it, that was in-part because of the presence of Rampage up here.
The man who, even now, watched her like a meal he intended to consume.
I glanced over and saw him leaning against the wall. One booted foot flat against the wall behind him. One arm draped leisurely across his stomach while the other thoughtfully stroked his dimpled chin beneath that fall of reddish hair surrounding his face in shadows. His gaze intense as he watched Tanya's every movement.
I wonder if Killian watches me like that. I glanced over at him and saw he was talking to Willow. Crouched before her and keeping his eyes somewhere over her shoulder as they discussed in hushed voices, how we'd maneuver out of here. His arms swayed as he pointed in different directions. Drawing attention to the wide silver bracer's wrapping them. Making his tanned skin seem much darker. The metal matched the rings surrounding his wide brown biceps.
He'd explained to me that those were intended to deflect blades aimed for his shoulders. His dark hair was pulled back into a tight tether and he wore a dark blue tunic cinched with a wide leather belt. Making him seem far larger than I'd ever realized. His chest straining the fabric in-front.
I knew what he was telling Willow. He'd give her commands and it was she that would guide many of the males.
Because they're less inclined to betray her. I understood the cleverness in that.
"You were brave to, to come at Killian. It may've been for the wrong reasons, but it was still bold."
She's strong.
She smiled.
"Thanks." She glanced over. "I'm glad I didn't though."
Less didn't. And more couldn't. I snorted.
"What?" She blinked.
"I'm glad he didn't kill you."
"Me too." She said cheerfully. Turning fully to me. "Tell me something?"
"Yes?"
"Is that man still watching me?"
"Always." I smiled as I peered over her shoulder to see Rampage's gaze burning over her. "He looks half-ready to eat you alive."
"He's always like that." She groaned under her breath. "Super intense."
"Looks like he's only that way with you."
"To tell you the truth, he scares the hell out of me."
My eyes drifted to Killian again. Remembering when I'd felt like that about him. Just a short month ago. "You might be surprised how fast that can change."
***
"Rampage." Killian called. Putting his hand on the door.
The redheaded giant wandered over to grip the handle with him. Hunkering his shoulder and rolling his head to pop it several times as if loosening the muscles. Then he steadied.
"Are we ready?"
Rampage didn't even glance up at him as he nodded.
I was at Killian's back. My hands somehow finding their way up onto his shoulders to grip them. I wasn't sure if I was reassuring him or me...
Or just holding onto him so I don't lose him in the chaos.
He peered at me over his shoulder. "You're going to have to let her loose."
I blinked quizzically at him.
"Your she-wolf." He explained.
I could barely remember the last time I'd taken that form.
I was always locked away in Auntie's house.
But now I was going to need to.
"I need you to kill as many of the humans as you can on your way out."
"Out?"
What does he mean 'out'?
"You're going to go straight through the Training Gardens and cross the meadow toward the woods. Get there as fast as you can."
"No..." I said slowly. Eyeing him. "I'm waiting for you."
"No!" Both Rampage and Killian barked at the same time. Making me flinch in surprise at their rough tone.
"It doesn't work like that." Rampage said.
"Once you change, I'll have problems focusing."
I didn't understand.
"It's near the Mating Moon." He reminded me quietly.
"Ohh..." Willow murmured. Pointing at me as she nodded with a grin, making her dark hair bob forward.
"You're going to affect him, like I effect my men." She gestured at the mages huddled behind her. Fondling her shoulders and reaching around to stroke her belly or massage her ass.
Like they can't keep their hands off her for a moment.
My eyes rounded.
"Like that?" I gestured.
Killian gave me a long look. "Worse."
***
Worse?
Killian turned from me to eye the others. "Let's go. Time to fight."
He ripped open the door.
Rampage gave him a quick look. "Time to fight?"
"My father used to tell us that before our pack went into battle with others." Killian jogged down the narrow stairs. Taking the quick turns.
I couldn't see beyond he and Rampage but heard someone draw a quick breath and knew we'd encountered the first of the knights guarding the castle.
Killian rolled a short, curved sword, he'd had tucked behind his arm, forward. He slashed the knight between his helmet and the plate of his armor. Slicing his throat before spinning the blade above and bringing it down alongside the metal collar to sink down into the collar and deeper into vital organs.
The knight crumbled. Causing a mess for the rest of us to stumble over.
Killian was still moving down.
Rampage on his heels.
They soon entered the foyer and Rampage caught my arm and dragged me between he and Killian. Pinching me between their backs and handing me a sword, he'd obviously pulled from the felled knight.
The thing immediately clanged on the stone floor as the tip fell. Far heavier than I expected it to be.
I immediately dropped it. Realizing there was no way I could wield it.
Rampage groaned and impatiently picked it up.
"Heavy." I murmured. Half in shock as another knight charged and was cut down. Shouting to the others. In a breath, knights were pouring from both sides of the stairs and the Banquet Hall.
My eyes widened and I realized I badly needed a blade.
Killian ducked a sword and only me moving with him, kept me from separating my head from my neck.
I yelped.
Killian swung his sword forward to slice through another man.
Freeing one hand to reach back and squeeze my thigh as if to verify I was still there and still well.
"I'm okay." I whispered. Instinctively responding to his concern.
***
Even as I was starting to panic, the mages were pouring out of the tower to stand in a line behind us.
It was Tanya's dark whipping magic that cleared my head to toss aside a man that was aiming for me with a battle cry.
Next Willow whispered. "Attack them for me, Loves."
The male mages poured from the line in various directions. Their hands out and hair blowing as they shouted words in languages I didn't understand.
Words that made knights gasp and fall, clutching their throats.
Some had their eyes roll back into their heads until they could no longer see, clawing at their cheeks in their desperate blindness.
Others cried in pain, clutching their stomachs, their faces bluing and sucking in as they withered before my eyes.
Mages were murdering in every direction.
It was a terrifying sight to behold.
"Guard!" The Captain of the Guard bellowed. Reverberating as he drew his sword and looked purposefully at us.
"No you don't." Warlord said in a hushed voice before whispering in a deep, echoing voice. "Midnight..."
The room quaked so hard that the edges of stones crumbled and gave. Dark smoke billowed in like a descending fog. Circling around us and lowering between us and whatever knights came next. Blinding them in pitch darkness.
The sun outside had even seemed to dim as if clouds blocked it.
"This is you?" I asked in wonder.
"I've played docile long enough." He growled.