Villainous Fae

CHAPTER TEN

His frantic stare finally left the seamlessly endless clouds and settled on Durin, who had a nagging look on his face as he climbed on his horse but he dare not utter a word. He was not the one who had to drink the blood of an innocent person every year. He was not the one who thought deeply of if he would see his heir or the fact that he everyday regretted taking the elixir of life.

On several occasions like this one, he regretted everything having anything to with Cyrena. If he had not known who she was, perhaps he would still be whole and vigorous. No one told him he had a price to pay when he fell in love with a faerie. If he hadn't, maybe his life wouldn't have been so short-lived. Cyrena was probably dead too. She too suffered the same fate he did, except she had no elixir of life at her advantage. He would-

His thoughts was interrupted by the loud shriek of a horse, Durin's to be precise. Apparently, the horse just stopped moving and it was having a hard time doing its job even though it got kicked in the side several times.

"What do you think it wants?" Calypso asked, not because he cared, but because he wanted very badly to get this hunt over with and Durin would not be the reason for this delay and the journey hadn't even started.

They were just about to get going. He had climbed swiftly into his horse and the others, comprising of Durin and Commander Gareth, climbed. Or so he thought.

"I don't know. I'm sorry, my Lord," Durin kicked its side one more time and it responded, favorably. It seemed as if the Dark Lord's effect wasn't only on humans. "I got it moving again."

"My Lord, sorry but I mean to ask," Commander Gareth said slowly, his jet black horse acted like the incoming conversation was no business of its. His silver armour gleamed in the incoming sunlight as dirty blonde hair swayed in the direction of the wind. "Which way do you think we go?"

Just like a predator may sense his prey, he took in a sharp breath. His throat tickling him excitedly out here in the open. Reassuring himself that it won't be long before all of this was over, just like old times. Before he knew it, he was smiling.

But he knew where his senses were taking him.

"East. Towards Tritia."

• • •

Raina felt the hair on her arms stand up, alarmingly. Something was coming. She knew it and at the same time, she was clueless.

As long as it had to do with this realm, she was clueless. Only theoretically had she been told she was the daughter of the Dark Lord. If anything was after her, she would not have an idea what.

"Are you even listening?" Arion's deep voice dragged her back to reality. He was already getting up to leave the table. His eyes flickered to something beside her. She followed his stare to see Leslie coming towards them.

"Is this the guy who came here to meet?" Leslie eyebrows were furrowed. She did not attempt to hide the disgust laced in her words.

Before Raina could speak up, Arion interjected hastingly. "I believe so, Alyx." He took one step, closing the distance between him and Leslie. "Any problem with that?"

"I suppose." Leslie's sharp gaze left him and descended on Raina. "You didn't tell me it was him. I wouldn't have shown you the way here."

Raina could contain the rising anger. She slowly got up from her seat. "I'm a free woman, Leslie or...Alyx. It didn't occur to me that I needed to tell you who I meet." She finally got up from the seat and was walking towards them. "By the way, I never asked you who were with because it wasn't my business so I don't see what it bothers you."

Leslie's face softened. "Don't you get? He's dangerous. All of his kind are."

Then it hit Raina at once. Arion was a ferrate. The kind she should avoid but then..."And so what if he's a ferrate? How would you like to be judge by your own species!"

Leslie's face hardened. Her eyebrows were furrowed once again. "I knew you wouldn't understand." She returned the death glare to Arion.

Raina shook her head in utter disgust. "You never changed, Leslie. Just when I thought that maybe, just maybe, you deviated from your delusional thoughts, you're still the same old paranoid girl."

"Oh. Paranoid. Right?" Leslie said. She walked towards Raina and sat down by the table. "Raina, you have to listen to me. You may not trust me and I agree. You shouldn't trust anyone here, not even me. But I need you to listen. Something's coming for all of us and we need you by our side."

"So, that's what this is all about, isn't it?" Raina scoffed. "The first to get me wins the war, right? All of you are delusional. It was a mistake coming here."

"Raina, please calm down." And she did. Caspian appeared from nowhere. "I understand you're upset but you're causing a storm everywhere."

She blinked. Truly, unending rumbling of thunder could be heard including the downpour of rain. But she was sure she was not the cause. Why was she lying to herself?