Of Ash and Amber: The Last Lyandan Wolf

Chapter3

Blood from the corpse stained Indiya’s clothes as the headless body toppled onto the dirt. Dust billowed into her eyes, and she rubbed them furiously. When she opened them again, a cloaked figure stood through the haze. Indiya’s lips parted, but no words came out. She clutched her throat as her surroundings began to blur, her senses slowly dulling as exhaustion settled over her body.

“Jeri,” she thought.

She tried to lift her body up to look for him, but her limbs stayed put. Around her, shadows of people in chains moved through the smoke as cries for help mingled with barked orders. An orange glow flickered across the ground, and the smoke irritated her throat, forcing a raspy cough from her lips.

A cold breeze brushed her cheek as her feet slowly lifted from the ground. Her stomach struck a shoulder as she was hoisted into the air, her arms swinging back and forth. Before she could turn to see who had lifted her, her consciousness slowly slipped away. Darkness consumed her, and the world around her went still.

Low voices echoed around her as Indiya’s eyes slowly opened. Dim light filled the room, accompanied by the mild scent of sage. She pushed herself upright, and a sharp pain shot through her head. She winced, a soft groan escaping her lips. Cupping her head in her hands, she looked around and took in her surroundings.

A bookshelf stood to her left, its shelves filled with dusty books. A lamp on top cast a faint glow across the room. The walls were painted a pastel green color, the uneven splashes of an unknown liquid staining them. To her right, a wooden door stood slightly ajar, strange carvings running across its surface. Looking down, Indiya noticed she was wearing different clothes, with white bandages wrapped around her knees and stomach. She leaned closer to inspect them, but a strong stench hit her nose, making her eyes water as she drew back.

The low voices still echoing drew her attention back to the door. She eased herself to the edge of the bed, and lowered her feet to the ground.

Warmth seeped through the soles of her feet, accompanied by a faint tingling sensation. Indiya opened the door and stepped into a corridor. She followed the voices down the corridor with shiny wooden floors, passing a long line of framed pictures hanging on the walls. The women in the pictures all wore cloaks and grim expressions. Candles in wall-mounted holders lit her path, allowing Indiya to navigate her way through.

Closed doors lined both sides of the corridor, but as she approached a huge open doorway, the voices grew louder. Upon reaching the doorway, Indiya peeped inside. The room was vast. Around a table in the middle of the room stood several women, their hands interlocked as a cloud of red smoke engulfed them. They chanted in unison, their voices low and rhythmic.

Something on the table remained just beyond Indiya’s view.

Curious to see what was happening, Indiya ignored the instinct, urging her to leave and instead crept slowly into the room, using the furniture around her as cover. As she drew closer, an overwhelming aura stopped her in her tracks. An invisible force pressed against her body, making her stumble into a bookcase. Books tumbled to the ground.

Indiya’s heart hammered in her chest as sweat trickled down her cheek. Slowly she looked up. A pair of icy eyes stared back at her, sending a shiver down her spine. The women had broken their circle, all of them staring in her direction with disgust twisted in their expressions. Indiya’s eyes darted from the women to the table.

A look of terror crossed her face as she saw a girl lying flat on her back, blood staining her hands and legs. Fur covered parts of her body, while the rest remained pale and bare. Adrenaline surged through Indiya as she dashed out of the room. Racing through the unfamiliar corridors, Indiya panicked, but stopping wasn’t an option.

At a bend in the corridor, Indiya came upon a flight of stairs. As she placed one foot on the first step, a cloaked figure suddenly materialized before her. The dark fabric immediately reminded her of the unknown figure she had seen in the ruins of her home. The cries for help and the heavy smoke in the air seemed to return, clouding her mind and leaving her completely frozen in place. The figure in front of her, sensing her hesitation, grabbed her and hurled her against the wall. Her back slammed against it, knocking a picture askew before she crashed to the floor with a heavy thud.

A cry of agony escaped her mouth as she used her hands to cradle her knee that landed first. Hot tears trickled down her face as the memory of the events of the past few days raced through her mind. Laying flat on her back, Indiya’s muscles relaxed, and she took slow, steady breaths. She could still feel the presence of the figure but she didn’t care. All she had was lost. Her friends. Her parents. Her home. Death seemed less frightening as her will to live slowly drained.

A sudden warmth on her forehead caused her to slowly open her eyes. A woman with hazel eyes and blonde bangs smiled down at her. Warmth spread through Indiya’s body, a calm sensation pulsing through her veins like an imaginary blanket over her tired muscles.

“You need to rest for the ritual tomorrow. We’ve lost so many lives to this cause, and it hurts me every time. But the deed has to be done. I really hope you live,” the blonde woman said with a sigh.

Before Indiya could protest, the woman blew a fine, sparkling powder into her face, and she slipped instantly into sleep.