A Daughter of Silvaris

Chapter 9 - Desolation

RHETT

Mother.

Of course, she had been with them, she was the Beta female and Marisol’s closest friend. Olena had gone into the woods, I knew that, and when Oberon had suddenly frozen mid punch during our sparring, face crumpling—and not from the hit off Jakon in the lapse, my mind had spun with dread before he’d uttered a single word. Something deep inside me coiled taut, and when his eyes refocussed and darted between Jak and I, the coil wound impossibly tighter. I hadn’t been able to speak; it was Jakon that asked what was wrong. Because something was wrong, we had both sensed that before Oberon uttered the words,

“Somethings happened in the Western Wood… to my mother, Olena, Orion. Father’s already on his way with sentinels.”

Filled with a shared rush of adrenaline, we’d thrown on our clothes and sprinted towards the woods as fast as our legs would carry us.

And there we waited, barred from entry to the trail Oberon and I both knew they’d have taken by the Guard. We’d paced, argued amongst ourselves, each of us racked with the same dread and sense of helplessness. We’d decided we were going in, guard or no, just as a grey lupen emerged carrying a limp and torn Olena.

My heart stopped. And for all I could sense the world stopped with it.

“Lena, no.” The words slipped from my mouth as a whisper on a jagged breath. I nearly fell to my knees when her head lifted from the lupen’s back and she dismounted.

Then I was running, hurtling towards her. Only when I held her in my arms did I loose a shuddering breath.

She wept, sorrow pouring from her body unrestrained. I’d have given anything to take her pain away. Then Oberon approached, I let her go clenching my hands into fists to stop myself reaching out for her again, to pull her back to me.

She sobbed even harder in her brothers embrace, and then… she’d spoken.

How could I have forgotten—

The Luna and Orion hadn’t come out of the woods yet, and we’d been given no information more than Oberon’s telepathic message from his father. The relief I’d felt seeing Olena safe—injured yes, but alive—began to drain into the earth beneath me.

And when she turned, face white as the snow that would highlight the peaks of the mountain range to the north long into the spring, she uttered the words… my mother, Gretta…

My mind all but snapped. I was gone before she could say another word.

Dread rushed through my veins like ice, chilling my body right from its core to the peripheries. My feet pounded into the earth, trampling the soft grass as my mind whirred. It tormented me with visions of what horrors I might find in the depths of the Western Wood. My mother was strong, but my sister was so young... Mother wouldn’t have hesitated in laying down her life for any of those in the walking party today, and she’d have given her very soul if it meant my sister might live to see out the equinox.

Two sentinels stood guard at the entrance to the woodland trail.

“Stand aside!” I ordered them in a breathless snarl.

One I vaguely recognised as a senior member of the Guard spoke, “You can’t go in there Rhett. General’s orders.” He spoke firmly, with authority.

Jakon’s father was a male I both respected and held a healthy dose of fear of, but, in that moment, his orders meant nothing to me. I steeled myself and took a few more steps towards them, towards the break in the trees.

If they had any sense they’d stand aside, tell the General I’d gotten through another way.

They didn’t. The two guards straightened their spines, both their hands inched towards the short swords strapped to their sides. The one I recognised, the senior, held up a hand. “Don’t do anything stupid Rhett. Now is not the time.”

Stupid? Stupid?

My temper rose to boiling point; icy blood now fizzing through my body’s vessels. One that ran down my temple throbbed particularly hard at the order, the insult.

“I don’t give a damn what the General ordered. Let me through, now,” I said through gritted teeth, baring them as I spoke the last word. No threat of violence was needed—my tone was laced with it already.

Something akin to fear flashed across their faces, and for a moment they truly looked like they considered heading my demand, each glancing apprehensively at the other. I may have only been seventeen, but I was Beta by blood, superior strength inherited from my mother’s Nativis bloodline. I was tall and well-built for my age, taller than both Oberon and Jakon. Taller than each of these guards, too.

“Not just the General, Rhett. Your father specifically told us not to let you through, too. Wait here until he comes out,” the guard, I recalled his name as Dariel now, had softened his tone when he added, “You don’t need to see this.”

Hot or cold, ice or flame—my body was a swirling pit of emotions battling for dominance. Burning anger had cut down the perishing chill of fear, but it now yielded to the rains of dread.

You don’t need to see this, he had said. It was bad then, but I knew that already. How could it not be bad. When Olena had sagged into me and I’d held her moonshine hair, it had been wet with a mixture of sweat and red tinged saliva. She was covered face to bare legs in scrapes, cuts, and bruises, and she was the only one who had made it out.

Were this any other situation, I would likely have listened. I’d never been overly head strong; didn’t mind following orders when they made sense and were in best interests. I also knew my place, and it was not above the General’s and my father’s orders.

None of that changed the fact of the matter: I was going into those Gods forsaken, Moon cursed woods.

I might be able to take them both on alone, only enough to slip by them was necessary. They didn’t want to hurt me, and I didn’t them. But hands twitching nearer and nearer their short swords—they’d defend themselves if I struck out. Would they slay me? No, not a chance. So, I had that on my side. But did I want to hurt these males who were only following orders, as I should have been? No, I didn’t want that either.

It would be deceit, then.

I was by no means a trickster, but I’d seen Lena fake an injury or a convincing reluctant submission to gain an upper hand during sparring sessions to know how it was done. I knew all her tells by now, not that I’d ever admit that to her.

So, I made a show of settling my breathing, clenching my jaw, and hanging my head in a show of defeat and reluctant submission. “Fine,” I clipped.

The lesser guard’s chest collapsed as he loosed a breath. Whether he’d been holding it a long time and either finally relaxed or would have started turning blue in the face had he held it any longer, or whether it was a simple—but stupid—sigh of relief that it appeared there would be no fist throwing.

The male was right—there would be no fighting, it wouldn’t be necessary. My little display had had the desired effect; the two sentinels’ guards had dropped. Frankly I was quite concerned at how little effort it took. Either I’ve become very good at acting or they were foolish enough to trust me. Yes, on a usual day I’d be considered exceptionally trustworthy. I prided myself on it. But today was no usual day, and trustworthy wouldn’t get me to my mother and sister.

I began to turn away, but mind-spoke to Jakon as I did so, Help a brother out. I need a quick distraction to get into the woods.

If you’ve been ordered to stay out here, probably best you do so, Rhett. He shot me down.

Like father like son.

I suppressed the snarl that formed in my throat, it lodged there like a stone I couldn’t swallow. I didn’t want to ask her—didn’t want to remind her of what she had just been through. But… she’d understand. She had to understand.

Olena… I need to get around these sentinels. I didn’t mention why, there was no need.

What do you need? Her voice was flat—so flat. It’s usual sparkle and shine winked out.

Just a quick distraction. I sent back gently. She didn’t respond again. Instead, the trees nearest the edge of the woods erupted with birds, scattering in every direction into the midday sky, startled by the ear-piercing wail Olena let out.

Despite knowing she’d do something, the pain in her screech distracted even me for a moment. It was so raw, so real. She hadn’t needed her acting skills this time.

Snapping back my focus, I didn’t waste Lena’s gift to me. The sentinels were indeed distracted; wide eyed, they scanned the openness of the plain for the perceived threat—the junior even taking a step off his mark towards her.

With that fractional break in the line, I ran and spun around his body. Straight into the Western Woods. I scarcely heard the Guard cursing my name over the rapid heartbeat pounding in my ears, but I paid them no heed.

I didn’t stop, I didn’t slow, and I did not look back.

It wasn’t long before the unmistakeable metallic tang of blood first reached my nostrils. There were other Guard here, both on and just off the trail, deeper into the woods too, I imagined. They were as unfazed by my presence as I was with theirs—they had their jobs to do, and I had mine.

Farther along the trail, the evidence of Olena’s ordeal began to present itself. Scattered drops of blood became patches, patches became a puddle. Ruby red, smeared in places and surrounded by disturbed earth, claw marks penetrated deep into the soil in every direction. This much blood… there should surely be a body—

There it was. Or, what was left of it. A gnarled mess of deep brown fur and shredded flesh and sinew. I could scent it wasn’t one of ours—an attacker, then. This was one of the lupen who had come to Iron Ridge from Gods knows where. My stomach roiled as I stared at his torn remains, but I willed it to stillness—no doubt I would find more, or worse, ahead.

Focus renewed, I willed my legs onward once more.

The deeper I ran into the forest, the heavier the atmosphere became, and dread settled itself into my gut as the sickly scent of blood thickened. It had always been so pleasant here; Olena had loved these woods. But there was no magic left here now. It had been quashed by each horror, each death, until nothing remained.

As I rounded a bend in the trail, my body halted. My heart halted.

Four sentinels approached; the same grim expression etched on each of their faces. Between them they carried a stretcher covered by a plain white sheet. I could smell the death. My legs threatened to give way beneath me, and it took everything to not crumple. They met my gaze, faces bleak.

“Is... is that my—?” I couldn’t say it. Could not finish the sentence through fear of the answer.

The Guard each braced a corner of the stretcher each. The sentinel at the front on my nearside spoke, “No lad.” I sagged with relief. “Your mother is further on with your father, she’s—”

That was all I needed. I gave him a curt nod and skirted around them, careful not to get in their way, and pushed on down the trail. I ran with a gut-wrenching mix of gratitude and sorrow for the deceased. Whoever they were, they were one of our own, and had no doubt died protecting mine and Olena’s family. I sent up a wordless prayer to the Moon Mother to offer their soul safe passage into the next life, whatever that may be.

It was only a few minutes more before heard it. Someone ahead was weeping, pleading with the Gods for mercy. My footsteps slowed as I approached a small widening in the trail. My breath whooshed from my chest in a sharp exhale at the view.

There on the floor lay my High Alpha. The strongest male that had existed in the Northlands for generations was in utter despair, begging the Moon Mother, the Sun, and Gods who’s names I’d never deigned to learn to undo what could not be undone, that which was final.

Octavier rocked rhythmically back and forth, cradling the lifeless body of his mate in his arms. He had wrapped our Luna in her shredded dress of silken sunshine, now stained red.

I tore my eyes away, feeling like I was intruding on something far too personal, too wounding, and too private. My father slumped against the base of a large oak tree off to the right. My chest tightened to the point of pain when I saw that he held my mother to his chest, face buried in her familiar brown hair no dull and crusted to her brow with blood. He whispered to her gently as he smoothed his hands up and down her arms.

I was frozen.

I couldn’t make out his words, and I never heard her respond.

My chest was agony, so constricted it was sickening to even draw in a breath. I willed my feet to take me closer, but they were rooted to the spot.

She couldn’t be dead. My mother could not be dead.

She was invincible—an accomplished and vicious warrior, too strong to ever be defeated. Or so I had always believed. It took all my everything I had to take even a single step closer, but I did. And then another, and another.

Relief like none I had ever known doused me. I let out an involuntary sound something like a whimper, my eyes burned. Warmth flooded my body, washing away the perishing cold which had burned through me since Olena had spoken the words outside the forest. Your mother… Gretta….

My mother’s eyes were open, tears falling onto my father’s chest as he tried to console her. She was badly wounded, covered in dried and crusting blood mixed with dirt and foliage. There were two obvious, stomach turning wounds: a deep gash bordered by three shallower ones began at the inside of her right thigh and extended across the front and down to her knee, the flesh held together with makeshift bandage wrapping—made from material that matched that of my father’s one remaining sleeve; and a second—four gashes of seemingly equal depth shredding from her right shoulder down to the centre of her chest, far too close to her long, tanned neck.

But she was alive.

“I tried… I tried so… so hard to get to her,” my mother whimpered, her voice weak and breathless.

“We know honey, it’s okay. It’s alright.” My father did his best to console her, one hand pressing a cloth to the still seeping wound on her chest, one stroking her blood-soaked, matted hair.

I advanced the last few stumbling steps before my knees finally buckled and I fell to my knees on the ground next to them.

“Mother,” I spoke softly, and her eyes moved to me, but they were vague and far off. She looked at me, but I didn’t think she truly saw me.

My father’s eyes shot to me. “Rhett, you cannot be here. This is no place for a boy,” he snapped.

“What? I’m seventeen! And—”

“I know how old you are, Gods damn it! But you can’t be here.” His eyes flicked to our grieving, inconsolable High Alpha, and I understood then what he really meant.

This was private, just like I had felt before. These were two lifelong friends, one currently experiencing the most unfathomable pain a lupen could live through. Not just loss of a loved one, but the loss of a true mate.

Marisol had been so brave to face the beasts that did this. She was no warrior—all grace and serenity—a perfect match for Octavier in every way—but she hadn’t stood a chance against them.

I understood. So despite the flare of anger, the desperate wish to disobey, to stay with my mother, I nodded affirmatively to my father. As I rose, half a dozen warriors, some I vaguely recognised, arrived, headed by Jakon’s father, Breem Payton, General of The Northland army.

He bowed his head.

“High Alpha Silvaris, Beta Thornton...” he began tentatively, formally. He only gained the attention of my father, Octavier not acknowledging his presence at all—his focus never leaving his beloved.

My breathing stilled as I waited for Breem to speak.

“We found Gretta. She’s scared, a few cuts and bruises but otherwise unharmed.”

My hands fell to my knees, their brace the only thing that kept my knees from buckling again, and I fought back the urge to vomit.

“Praise to the Moon Mother,” my father and I said, almost in unison, both our breathing heavy.

“And my son...” Octavier’s voice was low, heavy… broken. His eyes had not left Marisol’s broken body.

Breem cleared his throat. “I’m sorry Octavier, he wasn’t with Gretta. She told us that one of the attackers caught up to them and took Orion. He was also unharmed when they took him.”

An audible sigh of relief was released by all but the High Alpha, a low menacing rumble reverberated in his chest instead. The General’s throat bobbed nervously.

“We haven’t found him yet, Octavier, but we will. I have warriors out searching, tracking the two surviving attackers south.”

Two survivers. How many had there been? With the bloody body I saw earlier I counted three. But that was a large body, or pile of fur and sinew. It could well have been two bodies piled into carrion mound.

Octavier’s shoulders heaved with deep breaths. I couldn’t tell if it was in an effort to control his rage or if he was crying again, but my heart told me it was likely a painful mix of the two.

I was lucky—so, so lucky.

My family were all alive and safe, and I couldn’t thank the Moon Mother enough. But my gratitude was tainted.

My family was safe, but the Silvaris family?

Our Luna murdered, Orion kidn*pped and taken to Gods knew where, and Octavier, long known as the most powerful living lupen for generations and the High Alpha of The Northlands was a broken male.

An imperial family decimated... in a single damn morning.

What could I possibly do to help Lena and my best friend through this. No words could take away this magnitude of sorrow, no actions could bring them back. I couldn’t fathom how much it might take to see either of them smile again.

My father’s voice snapped me from my thoughts.

“Son, as you’re here, go with your mother and these warriors to the infirmary and mind-link me if there is any news. I need to stay here...” A forlorn glance to our High Alpha, to his lifelong and closest friend, his brother not by blood but by choice, said the rest.

I straightened my spine and nodded. We would all need to be strong now. Strong enough to hold together those who were breaking. “Yes, father.”

I helped the sentinels carefully shift my mother onto another stretcher to carry her out of the woods and to the infirmary. I held her hand tightly the whole way out, my thumb caressing the back of her cold hand.

Cold, but alive.

As soon as I breached the treeline, she was hurtling towards me.

“Rhett! Oh my... your mother...” Olena trailed off, stopping a few feet away.

“She’s alive, Lena, she’ll be okay.”

I gave my mother a kiss on the cheek and a promise to be along soon, then motioned for the sentinels to take her to the infirmary with haste.

I called Oberon over too, but after what I had just seen, I couldn’t look either of them in the eye.

“They found Gretta,” I began. Olena’s breathing hitched, eyes glistening. “She’s fine, the attackers didn’t hurt them, but... they took Orion with them.”

“f**k!” Oberon bellowed and let rip a snarl strangled with pain. He threw a fist into the nearest tree, splitting a c***k into it that ran metres up its length.

Olena’s knees shook, face paled as white as the sheet that had covered the fallen warrior. I caught her just before she fell and held her close as the dam burst once more. “No!” Olena cried out over and over again in utter despair, clutching at her aching heart.

She heard Oberon start sniffling, his breathing unsteady and she left my arms to console him.

Jakon moved to them both and placed a hand on her back. “They’re going to find him. My father has members of the Guard chasing them as we speak. It’ll be okay, Lena.”

Olena turned into him, hugging him tightly and whispered into his chest, “Thank you, Jak,”.

I couldn’t stop the pang of jealousy that sparked in me, but I held it in. I did not show it outwardly. This was about what helped Lena, not me. My family was safe, but hers… hers was not. And she would need all the help she could get.