The Hunted
934 Words
"She has been found."
Lucien's words echoed like a death sentence throughout the room. I glanced from the Lycan King to the frightened guard.
"Who are the Crimson Order?"
Nobody responded right away. Aldric let out a long sigh instead.
"They are the reason your mother is dead."
The room dropped silent. I felt my chest closing in.
"My mother?"
Aldric nodded in agreement.
"Originally, they were the royal guards of the Moonborn family. They promised to give their lives in defense of the crown."
"What changed?"
"Power."
Lucien responded this time.
"They believed no one ought to inherit the Moonborn crown. So they eliminated the royal family."
I clenched my hands into fists.
"And now they want me."
Lucien's face stayed dark.
"They've spent twenty years making sure no heir survived. And now they've learned they failed."
A cold sensation passed across my body.
"So, they will come here?"
"They have already."
The castle horn sound once more. It was long, loud and urgent. The guard rushed to the nearest window before turning pale.
"They're inside the outer walls!"
Lucien was already moving.
"Aldric."
The elderly historian straightened.
"Protect her."
"No," I said as I stepped forward. "I'm coming with you."
Lucien kept walking without looking behind him.
"No."
"I won't hide while people fight because of me."
"They are not here for my soldiers."
His golden eyes met mine.
"They are here for you."
I found the words rather more unsettling than I had hoped. I had always felt I was invisible. Now powerful enemies were willing to invade a kingdom just to kill me. It didn't look real, it seemed imaginary.
The castle shook once more with another explosion and ceiling dust descended.
The guard stumbled backward.
"The eastern gate has fallen."
Lucien curswd under his breath.
"They're faster than I expected."
He vanished through the doors without saying another word. Moments later, the castle descended into chaos. War horns rang all across the hallway. Guards raced in every direction and I could hear steel clashing against steel.
Aldric grabbed my wrist.
"We should go."
"I'm not running."
"You don't understand."
"No," I responded. "I'm tired of not understanding! People have kept things from me my whole life. I'm done being treated like a child."
Aldric's face softened.
"You remind me of your mother."
The chamber doors burst inwards before I could respond. Three masked men stepped inside. Their black armor was covered in crimson cloaks. Each had a silver blade etched with ancient symbols.
The leader slowly took off his mask. His face was scarred.
His grey eyes settled on me, and then he smiled.
"So... the Last Moonborn."
Aldric moved protectively in front of me.
"You will never touch her."
The man chuckled.
"You've grown old, historian. And you've also become foolish."
The warrior lifted his sword.
"Kill the old man."
Two assassin lunged forward. Aldric pushed be behind him just as steel met steel. The old historian battled surprisingly well. His blade moved with practiced precision. But he was old, far older than the assassins around him.
I looked around desperately. There had to be something I could do.
One assassin slipped past Aldric. His sword sought straight for my heart.
I was unable to move. There wasn't enough time. The move came closer, and then, my body burst with silver light. The room felt a wave of energy burst through it.
The assassin yelled as he was propelled backward into the stone wall. The same fate struck the other two attackers. Aldric also stumbled several steps.
The room went completely silent. I gazed at my own hands. Silver light moved over my fingertips.
"What..."
The assassin slowly got up. Blood dripped from the side of his mouth. Rather than being afraid, he started laughing.
"The stories thus hold true."
He gazed at me with an almost enthusiastic expression.
"The Queen's power has awakened."
He started to smile more broadly.
"The Master will be pleased."
Before anyone could respond, he threw a tiny black sphere on the floor and the room became filled with smoke.
Aldric started coughing.
"Stay behind me!"
When the smoke cleared, the assassins were gone. Only their laughter lingered in the air.
The room grew very silent. I gazed at my glowing hands. The silver light fade slowly until nothing was left.
"What did I just do?"
Aldric sighed and shook his head.
"I've only read about it."
"Read about what?"
"The Moonborn Gift"
Footsteps thundered down the hallway. Lucien walked in, his clothes stain with blood that wasn't his. His expression darkened when he saw the ruined room.
"They reached you."
"They escaped," Aldric added.
Lucien turned to me, then to the cracked stone walls, and back to me once more.
"You used your power."
I nodded slowly.
"I didn't mean for this to happen."
"You didn't control it."
"No."
For a few minutes Lucien kept mute. At last he spoke.
"That makes you even more dangerous."
I frowned.
"To them?"
His expression became unreadable.
"To everyone."
Before I could clarify what he meant, another guard ran inside the room. He dropped to one knee.
"Your Majesty."
Lucien looked at him.
"What is it?"
The guard's face had gone completely pale.
"We captured one of the Crimson Order."
"And?"
"He keeps repeating the same message."
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
"What message?"
The guard swallowed hard.
"He says...the true heir isn't the only one who survived."
The room became silent.
My heartbeat quickened.
"Another survivor? Another member of the royal family?" I wondered within me.
Lucien slowly closed his eyes.
"Then the nightmare has begun."
- Writer
