Bound by Roses (The Bound Series Book 1) (24 page)

The song died away slowly.

Asena walked away, before her head turned towards her followers. Followers that eagerly waited the moment to taste the dead Wolves’ flesh, “Well? Enjoy!”

The hungry Wolves leapt upon the corpse, tearing its limbs apart viscously. This is what they wanted. They enjoyed the small feast given to them by their Queen. Many again howled happily. Asena reentered her private portion of the cavern, and began to play with the Bloodstone with her bloodied nose and paws. It rolled roughly through the furs. But this enjoyment was not enough. She removed her Wolf form and stood tall. Plucking the Bloodstone, she also took a handful of furs and wiped the blood from her pale face, but she was still bloodstained. She heard a shuffle of paws. She sniffed through the blood.

“What!” Asena howled, not looking at the White Wolf that entered. She threw the furs back down in a blood soaked pile.

“An impressive accomplishment, my Queen.” He sat tall. Bushy tail barely wrapped around his body. He was tinted as red as Asena’s skin.

“You think I do not know this?” Asena barked, turning her head ever so slightly towards the White Wolf, “this shall be the defining moment for our scattered people.”

“The song will soon bring those lost into the fold,” he bowed his head low, “Without question or doubt.”

“We will soon have the means to destroy both Theodora Talisa, and the House of Red!” Asena growled, her human jaw extended out, teeth sharp and glistening. The Bloodstone within her tight, unrelenting grip while blood from her latest kill that she could not wipe away stained her flesh.

The loyal guard cowered, “You will not forget those whose loyalty has never wavered?”

“Of course not, my pet,” Asena rubbed the White Wolves head lovingly. “You will have a place of honor in my new dynasty.”

She walked away from the Wolf. The Bloodstone danced in her fingers. She stopped and let it roll into her crimson palm. There, the blood red jewel vibrated and pulsated with a soft inner golden light before growing hot. The energy it released tingled the Wolf Queen’s fingers slightly. She wrapped her fingers around it, and allowed the sensation to encompass her entire palm. She almost purred feeling the energy pulsate through her body.

“Gather loyal soldiers!” Asena exclaimed.

“My Queen?”

“The last Bloodstone copy is near. We leave now!” Asena barked.

The White Wolf howling deeply out of the cave with his Queen and rushed through the massive encampment. Four Wolves joined. The Wolves gathered, many still feasted upon the dead, watched their Queen and her guards disappear. The mist upon the forest floor swirled and danced as the Wolves and their Queen disappeared. They were gone into the night. The Wolves left to their own devices. Only a handful of Red’s loyal guards remained to watch over the encampment. To welcome those that heard the call to their new home.

Seventeen.

Ophiuchi stood within the shadows of the blackened mist-laden forest. The Fairies onyx robes fed into the fog near the floor. With almost gaze-less eyes the Fairy watched the Wolf Queen Asena, and her loyal soldiers vanish. The Wolves that remained behind began to either fight each other from sheer boredom, or mate. They knew their Queen needed subjects to rule. Subjects to bring about the end of humanity. Soon even Asena’s guards joined in on the mating that occurred.

The Fairy cared not for what occurred with their Queen gone. Without a moment longer lingered, the Fairy sank into nothing. Through the mist and darkness, which allowed the Fairy to travel faster than light. Ophiuchi traveled back to the Witch, Theodora Talisa.

There within the darkened tower, lit only by a single candle, whose light reflected off hundreds of Mirrors, sat the Witch upon the sill. She stared out into the ever-expansive sky. The sand star-kissed. A black ocean she could not cross. She stared out and longed to see the gleaming white towers of Ashok Orai for herself, to caress the marble throne under her fingertips.

Avarice lay sprawled out naked upon the bed, sound asleep. He snored lightly. Theodora Talisa barely turned her head to look upon the Fairy, “What?”

“I have just come from where the Wolf Queen holds her court,” Ophiuchi silently glided towards the Witch. “The song has been sung.”

“Yes, I have heard it even here.” Theodora Talisa enjoyed the warm breeze upon her own naked body.

“Her priorities are unaligned with what we need.” Ophiuchi stared out at the desert as well.

“We?” Theodora Talisa shot her glance upon the Fairy.

Ophiuchi bowed humbly low. Black robes billowed ever so slightly in the breeze, “Of course I mean, what
you
need, my Queen.”

“I have been aware of her unreliability since she demanded the Bloodstone’s reformation,” Theodora Talisa walked away from the windowsill. Another breeze blew softly in. She enjoyed how it caressed her bare buttocks. She stretched, “I thought she could prove useful given your gift. But with the Wolves song sung, this is not the case. She would rather die, than be of use.”

“Suggested course would to be to find a more reliable source.” The Fairy folded hands behind itself.

“I agree,” Theodora Talisa looked upon her many Mirrors; there was room for more. Many empty spaces remained upon the walls and beams above, “search Fairy. Search far and wide for agents that may be used.”

“As you wish,” Ophiuchi bowed and disappeared into nothing with a loud pop that awoke Avarice. He stirred, but did not move from the bed. Theodora Talisa calmed him back to sleep when she slid next to his own naked body. Curling up for the warmth his massive build released. She purred softly as his hands caressed her breasts.

Eighteen.

The clouds broke away and parted. The crescent moon shone brilliantly in the twilight sky. It was a dull copper, almost ruby at the late evening hour. Six stars were encompassed between the crescent’s tips. These stars were special to the moon. She held them close. She wanted to protect these, as she watched over all the Houses of the known Realm. A seventh star was faintly appearing just beyond the reach of the crescent moon’s tip. Marguerite still lay uneasy near the brook. She dreamed happily, but body shook and rocked as wildly as the babbling brook.

Wake up, Marguerite! You must wake up!

A heavenly voice she had heard in her dreams before called out.

Wake up, or all will be lost!

The voice sung urgently upon the moonbeams and stardust. The ethereal voice disappeared as Marguerite awoke with a sharp gasp. The copper moon shone brightly into her eyes. The forest was silent. She tried to recall the voice that sung to her. That awoke her.

It vanished like the dreams of the woods so long ago. Vanished as her dream of her mothe
r’
s disappearance by magic, gone. The Seven protecting her were nothing but memories. Gone.

The silence of the forest deafening to her ears, for no animals or insects made a noise in this late hour. Removing the sleep from her eyes, her own heart raced as she had slept longer than intended.

The moon was high.

Her majestic horse was uneasy. Head rocked back and forth sharply. The horse tried to break its reigns away from the branch it was tied to. A gentle breeze rustled and brushed through the trees. With it, a stench danced delicately. One that only the horse could smell. Marguerite scrambled to her feet to try and settle the horse. Holding tight to the reigns, the horse fought its constraints. It bucked wildly into the air as Marguerite ran her fingers through its mane,

“Whoa,” Marguerite tried to get closer, “Steady! What’s wrong?”

The horse grew uneasy as a near inaudible growl sounded from the shrubs and forest behind Marguerite. She thought she heard it, but ignored it to settle the horse.

“Whoa, girl!” Marguerite unbound the reigns.

The growl grew louder. Her horse almost uncontrollable, she bucked back and forth. Another rumble made Marguerite release the reigns and grab tight to the hilt of her sword. The growl was low, deep, and seemed to come from all the darkness behind her. The bushes rumbled.

“Do not bother Human. For by the time you have withdrawn your sword,” the growl uttered, “I will be at your throat.”

Marguerite did not look at the bushes behind her, for she knew of only one Animal in all the realm that talked as that creature did, “Then you greatly underestimate my abilities, Wolf. I will surely have this sword down yours before you reached mine.”

A second Wolf appeared out of shrub and shadow, body low. Bared teeth glistened, “Shall we test this theory, Human?”

“I have no quarrel with you, Wolves. I am but a simple traveler,” Marguerite held tight to her sword, as her stern voice spoke.

“No quarrels with us—I beg to differ,” Asena appeared from the darkness before Marguerite. Red fur glowed in the dying fire Marguerite cast, “
Snow White
.”

Asena growled as she spoke Marguerite’s pet name. The other Wolves lowered and growled. Teeth glistened. They seemed to chuckle.

“Seeing as you are so intimate with my name, you are?” Marguerite stepped to the side; she tried to keep her eyes on all three Wolves.

“My name is unimportant to you, Human,” Asena growled.

As Marguerite stared down the three Wolves, the Bloodstone began to glow under her blouse. An unearthly aura pulsed from it, that only the Wolf Queen could see. Marguerite only felt the Bloodstone grow hot against her bare skin. Coolness ran up the base of her neck. She shivered. The Bloodstone burned brighter.

“
YOU
!” Asena’s eyes grew wide, and with a howl, stood on her hind legs. Fur fell in thick patches, and chunks. Joints rearranged. Twisted. Her neck turned, elongated, and shortened. Bones snapped into place. Marguerite winced at the sound, but did not lower her sword.

The Wolf Queen stood naked before Marguerite. Skin red, and raw, but still milky, and beautiful. Her jade eyes bright in the moonlight, while Bloodstone glowed and pulsed around her own neck, “I should have
known
a copy would be within your grasps as well.”

“You must be the Wolf Queen’s daughter—”

“I am the ruler of
all
Wolves!” Asena howled cutting off Marguerite.

The two Wolves howled with her. Far away so did the Clans she held dominion over. Asena’s ears perked and she smiled when she caught wind of new Wolves howling back. She closed her eyes for a moment and took in the ecstasy of her empire slowly reforming. She would defy the gift the Fairy placed upon her. Asena would have both the Bloodstone, and the Wolf Empire she sought so desperately. When the howls stopped her eyes fell sharply to Marguerite. She extended her hand. The other played with her Bloodstone, “Be a dear, and hand over your copy.”

“Copy?” Marguerite held fast to both her sword and the Bloodstone that now pulsed brilliantly. The heat grew with each passing moment. The brightness of the jewel radiated through her skin.

“She does not know?” One of the Wolves cackled through bared teeth. Saliva glistened bright. The creature wanted to pounce upon Marguerite, to tear her throat apart. He wanted to revel in her flesh.

“Why would she? Being merely a pup when it was scattered,” Asena commented as she chuckled through bared teeth.

Marguerite held fast to her unsheathed her sword. The moons silver glow made it glisten like a fallen star. A small portion mirrored the light of the Bloodstone, its red light a beating heart. The runes glowed brighter than the moon it reflected. She pointed it at the Wolf Queen, “What you they talking about? What was scattered?”

“The Bloodstone, you stupid girl,” Asena touched the Bloodstone upon her chest gently. It rolled between two fingers, “Six copies were created after the Queen fell, clever, really as they were scattered across the Realm. Six have been gathered—but the final remained out of reach.”

Asena explained taking a step forward. Hand extended out. Fingernails sharp and still stained with blood.

“You have been quite busy then?” Marguerite questioned. Her own eyes drawn to the beating Bloodstone that hung upon Asena’s chest.

“Yes. My forces have been quite busy while the House of Red crumbled through old age. That is how I came to acquire—”

“You mean stole,” Marguerite declared. Sword tight in her grip, “The night you betrayed, and killed Rose Red!”

“I was invited to look for what I needed—it only became betrayal when that bitch of a ruler, Saledii would not give what I came for,” Asena was unsympathetic to past events. She played with her razor sharp nails. They were still slightly red from the blood of the Wolf she killed.

“Zhan’ding defended the Realm from your kind!” Marguerite yelled.

The two Bloodstones began to call to one other.

Both women drew closer.

“How the writers of history choose what words to use!” Asena howled, looking upon Marguerite, “Defending the Realm. Your precious Saledii and her House of Red would not leave
us
in peace. Continually have they have tried to eradicate us. We did what we needed to survive! She deserved that death!” Asena barked loudly. Two sharp fingers pointed towards Marguerite. A wind blew through the Wolf Queen’s thick red locks. It was cold and made Marguerite shiver as she clutched the burning Bloodstone. She fought back tears.