“Actually yeah we were so if you wouldn’t mind just releasing our friends from that big… giant..uh..bush, then we would be very grateful.” Trig replied with a grin.
“So foolish.” Faugrimm replied with a tsk and then a bolt of lightning flashed and Trig yelled as it struck him and he went flying backward through the air, bouncing off the stone wall.
“Trig!” Farrah screamed. She ran to him and fell to her knees beside him. “Are you okay?” she asked with a tilt of her head.
Trig managed to force a smile to his soot blackened face and patted at his wild and smoking hair.
“Never better. There’s nothing like getting struck by lightning to get the old juices flowing again.”
“Juices?” Farrah asked with curiosity and Trig nodded.
“Yep. Now help me up, honey, because I believe my legs are still twitching.”
Farrah grabbed his arm, receiving a shock of her own, and then pulled him to his feet.
Grange saw that Trig was still smoking and twitching but other than that seemed fine. He growled when Brendon went running back into the castle and out of sight.
“You should have known better than to trust that hunter.” Faugrimm stated. “If he will turn on me and help you then he will turn on you as well.”
“You elves sure do like to talk.” Grange growled. “Nickolai, are you and Brie okay?” he called out across the courtyard. Nickolai’s expression was one of boredom.
“Yes. Yes we are fine. Just, you know, hanging around.”
“He just made a joke!” Trig exclaimed with surprise. Faugrimm suddenly looked angry and insulted.
“Why are you not frightened? You are laughing and joking as if I and my brother pose no threat at all!”
“Your brother?” Dawn asked with a frown. “Was he supposed to meet you out here?” Faugrimm cast a glance at the empty rooftop and then licked his lips nervously. “Yeah, I don’t think he’s coming… You see, we ran into him on the staircase and, well, he’s dead.”
Faugrimm’s face contorted with rage and the wind suddenly began blowing with so much force it was hard to keep ones balance on the ground.
“Are you angry, Faugrimm?” Dawn asked with a smile. Nickolai had taught her that when battling an enemy who’s powers were greater than your own, it served well to make them very very angry. Their anger would cloud their vision and their judgment. They would be lost in the rage and most of the time, cooler heads could prevail.
“He looks rather angry.” Nickolai agreed from where he was tangled up in the hedges.
“Tell me, Faugrimm, how is Faugrimm junior doing?” Dawn asked. When Grange frowned at her, she smiled. “I kicked him.” she informed him. “Hard.” Grange chuckled and nodded.
“Good for you.” Faugrimm yelled out in anger.
“You kill my brother and then you mock me?!” He drew his sword and lunged toward Grange and Dawn. Grange tossed Dawn over his shoulder, much like a sack of flour so that he would have one arm free to wield his sword.
Faugrimm’s sword and Grange’s met in mid air with a loud clashing of metal on metal.
Dawn clung to the back of Grange’s shirt and she looked up to see Farrah and Trig running toward the hedges that Nickolai and Brie were currently wrapped up tight in.
“Put me down, Grange.” Dawn said as Grange grunted and swung the heavy sword again.
“No.” he replied simply. Dawn saw the blood still seeping from his back wound that was struggling to heal. She knew that holding her was hindering his movements.
“Grange, put me down now.” she ordered in her most stern voice. Grange swung his sword hard, catching Faugrimm in the shoulder with the flat side of the sword and sending the elf stumbling sideways.
Faugrimm saw Farrah and Trig coming out of the corner of his eye and a gust of wind suddenly kicked up and blew them both backward, lifting them from their feet and hurtling them toward the castle wall. Trig grabbed Farrah in the air and turned so it was only he that was sent slamming into the unforgiving stone.
“Grange!” Dawn scolded. Grange growled and lowered Dawn to the ground as Faugrimm lunged forward. Grange roared and met him halfway, using momentum to send Faugrimm stumbling backward and away from Dawn.
Dawn heard Farrah let out an angry roar and suddenly a brown blur was shooting past Dawn and Farrah was on Faugrimm with a whirlwind of snapping teeth and flashing claws.
Dawn looked toward Trig to see that he appeared to be unconscious against the wall. She half ran, half crawled, to him quickly.
“Trig?” she whispered, seeing the blood trickling from his ear, though she didn’t know if the blood was from hitting the wall or the lightning.
“I’ll be alright.” his weak voice replied, though his lips barely moved and his eyes remained closed. “I just broke my head…. That’s what I get for playing hero and catching Farrah before she hit the wall.”
“Do you have a knife?” Dawn asked.
“Yeah. Strapped to my leg.” Dawn grabbed the knife and then began to crawl slowly beside the wall and toward the hedges. She made a conscious effort to keep herself small and in the shadows. Grange and Farrah were keeping Faugrimm well distracted though Dawn knew the wind and rain that Faugrimm was now whipping up around the two of them were making it difficult for them to battle him.
She could tell that Faugrimm was frightened though. It was clear the elf had planned on having his brother for backup and if Beechum had been here they probably would have beaten Dawn and her pack. But simply Faugrimm by himself? Dawn was sincerely hoping he would wear out soon and die swiftly so they could go home.
“Nice job making him angry so he would attack blindly instead of planning it more clearly.” Nickolai said with the best nod he could manage once Dawn reached him.
“I paid attention during your lessons.” Dawn informed him. She looked at all the branches and vines holding Nickolai tight and shook her head.
“Can’t you break these?” she asked with a smile as she began to cut them. “I thought you were some kind of tough guy.”
“And where exactly did you get an idea like that?” Nickolai questioned. “I would prefer if you cut Brie free first.” he added and Dawn shook her head. She was more worried about getting her mate help and that help would come from Nickolai, not Brie.
Just then a pain filled growl filled the air and Dawn turned to see Faugrimm’s sword sticking through Grange’s stomach and out his back.
Time stood still. Farrah jumped forward but another blast of lightning had her flying back and falling in a completely still heap on the ground. Trig began to crawl toward her, though it was clear his body was still more broken than fixed.
Dawn’s eyes met Grange’s across the distance between them and pain filled his features as Faugrimm yanked the sword back out and Grange fell slowly to his knees, blood pouring from his body.
“Grange!” Dawn screamed. She gathered up all her remaining strength, forced her screaming legs to work and took off at a run toward Faugrimm with her knife held high.
The elf was distracted as he raised his sword and prepared to slice off Grange’s head and Dawn jumped onto his back and sunk her knife deep in his neck.
Faugrimm cried out in pain and dropped his sword as he began to swat helplessly at his back in an attempt to get Dawn away. The rain and wind stopped suddenly as Faugrimm focused all his attention on Dawn and the knife she was now twisting.
“You stupid bitch!” he cried out.
“I may be a bitch.” Dawn agreed. “But I’m not stupid.”
Grange swung his sword and brought it across Faugrimm’s legs, bringing the elf to the ground. Faugrimm swung a fist back and caught Dawn in the temple, momentarily dazing her and causing her to fall off of him.
He pulled the knife from his neck, Grange was now too weak to lift his sword, and Faugrimm turned to Dawn just as Nickolai broke free from the vines that Dawn hadn’t had time to cut and launched toward them.
Dawn knew he wouldn’t make it in time. Grange roared with rage and jumped toward she and Faugrimm but the elf kicked his injured body away.
Dawn was going to die.
Faurgimm held her down on the ground. His eyes were full of a crazy light. His white hair was wet and full of blood. His face was streaked with dirt and his pointed teeth were bared as he put his knife to her throat.
“Goodbye, wolf.” he hissed. Dawn squeezed her eyes shut tight and readied herself for death. But then a whistling sound whisked past Dawn‘s head. Dawn opened her eyes just in time to see an arrow tear through Faugrimm’s temple with a wed thud.
The elf’s eyes widened with surprised shock just before he fell off of her to the side and landed on the cold stone of the walkway.
Dawn let out a small scream of shock when two furry bodies suddenly shot past her. One black and one gray. Grange and Nickolai both fell onto Faugrimm and blood splattered as they tore into him with claws and teeth. Dawn scooted away from the grizzly scene and grabbed Faugrimms sword. She moved as quickly as she could Brie and cut away the branches and vines still holding her captive.
“Thank God you’re okay!” Brie exclaimed once she was free, hugging Dawn tight and supporting her body with her own.
“Where did that arrow come from?” Dawn asked and Brie pointed up at the old guard tower. Dawn followed her hand and saw Brendon standing there with a bow in his hand. He tipped his hat to her and then turned and walked back into the castle.
“He just saved my life.” Dawn stated and Brie shook her head.
“He helped but Nickolai and Grange would have gotten there in time. Faugrimm was never going to get the time to finish you off. You are very brave, Dawn. I had my doubts about you as an alpha but they are gone now. You have my unfailing loyalty.”
“Right now I’d settle for a bath.” Dawn replied with a smile and Brie nodded.
“Me too.”
Grange and Nickolai finally stepped away from the now unrecognizable body that had moments ago been Faugrimm. They shifted back and Dawn took in the sight of Grange’s naked body, though instead of noticing his hard muscles and perfect physique, she noticed all the cuts, bruises, gashes and wounds he was covered in. She saw the hole that Faugrimm’s sword had created when it had passed through Grange’s stomach.
“Is everyone okay?” Grange asked, his voice strained. Dawn nodded as Trig and Farrah limped over to join Grange and Nickolai.
“I believe everyone made it.” Trig replied. Grange nodded and then his eyes rolled back just before he collapsed to the ground.
“We need to get him in and sewed up.” Nickolai stated as he lifted Grange and hefted the bigger man over his shoulder.
“Can you walk?” Brie asked Dawn and Dawn nodded, though she kept her arm around Brie for support.
They started toward the castle and Dawn stopped suddenly.
“The key!” she said, trying to turn around.
“I’ll get the key, ma’am.” Brendon said as he walked out. “I’ll make sure everyone gets let out of those cages and gets a decent meal. Farrah, can you show me where the kitchens are?” Farrah nodded and she, Brendon and Trig stayed behind while Brie and Nickolai took Dawn and Grange into the castle.
“They’ll be coming in a moment to get you out.” Dawn promised the prisoners as they walked by them.
“Brie, lead us to the nicer rooms. A soft bed and a good place to rest, fairly close to the kitchens.” Nickolai said and Brie nodded.
The walk seemed to take forever and Dawn was close to passing out when they finally arrived at a suitable bedroom. Nickolai lay Grange on the bed and though Dawn had wanted to stay away and see to Grange’s wounds herself, she found herself collapsing beside him and her world went black as sleep and exhaustion claimed her.