Using my Gift "Keen Sense," I quickly morized the blueprint of the auction house, the layout unfolding in my mind like a well-worn map. I could see each corridor, every door, and the patterns of the guards’ patrols moving through the halls.
There were too many guards roaming around for to avoid them entirely, so I had no choice but to disable them one by one. I moved swiftly and quietly, slipping into the shadows.
As I approached the first guard, I knock him off by giving him a neck chop, he quickly fainted as his body slumped to the ground. I hurried to hide his body behind a stack of crates, as I glanced around to ensure no one had noticed.
One by one, I took them down, a flurry of quick maneuvers and well-aid strikes putting each unsuspecting guard into a deep sleep.
After what felt like an eternity of stealth, I finally found the storage room. I slipped inside, scanning the dimly lit space for my belongings. Rushing to grab my discarded clothes, I changed quickly, feeling a thrill of familiarity wash over . I secured the sheath at my side and placing it on the dagger Kairos had given .
I wanted nothing more than to find Jaxon and end him right away, but those creatures needed my help first. Caught in this web of greed, they didn’t deserve to be auctioned off like re commodities. While I eavesdropped the guards roaming around, I heard that the beasts were being shipped out tonight, so I need to act fast.
Slipping outside the auction house, I made my way to the shipping dock. The scene before was unsettling—guards hustled around, moving heavy steel cages containing the trapped beasts. Each cage held a creature desperate for freedom, desperate for anything but this life of captivity. That’s when I spotted them.
Oliver, Tatum, and Zander. A smirk crept over my face as my blood began to boil. The other two I had on my list were nowhere in sight, but that didn’t matter. I could finish these three before searching for the remaining two.
Let’s continue where I left off, shall I?
I quickly focused, my instincts kicking in as I moved with practiced stealth. One by one, I knocked out the guards stationed around each cage—quick, silent strikes that left them sprawled on the ground before they even realized what was happening.
Finally, I reached the cages and began releasing the beasts, carefully undoing the locks and lifting the doors. So of the beasts seed to recognize from when I had freed them the first ti. They roared, flapped their wings, and howled in joy upon freeing them.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
anwhile, Zander, Oliver, and Tatum—tasked with overseeing the shipnt—were thrown into chaos as beasts began running and flying in every direction.
"What the fuck is happening?!" Oliver yelled, his frustration peaking as he lunged to capture one of the erratically flapping creatures.
Zander rubbed his forehead, feeling an unsettling sense of déjà vu wash over him. "What’s the problem again?" he muttered, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.
Tatum, eyes narrowed, pointed toward a shadowy figure nearby. "Doesn’t she look familiar to you?"
Zander and Oliver turned to see what Tatum was indicating.
"Fuck!" Oliver cursed, spotting a girl skillfully unlocking the cages. "I swear she’s a pain in the ass!"
"How did she end up here again?" Zander’s annoyance spiked as he sighed and pulled his sword from its sheath. "Tatum, Oliver, let’s just kill her and feed her to the beasts."
"That’s the best thing I’ve heard from you!" Oliver chid in, nocking an arrow to his bowstring, ready to take aim.
Tatum hesitated, pulling out his axe but glancing at Zander. "Do we really have to kill her? We can just... cut off her limbs?"
Zander’s grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, the mory of their last encounter with Remillia igniting his fury. She had embarrassed them at their hideout, and he felt it was ti to settle the score. "She’s a thorn in our side, Tatum. If we don’t stop her now, there’ll be no end to this."
The chaos around them swelled as the beasts continued to flood the dock, their roars and howls echoing through the night. Zander’s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Remillia being nuzzled by a pack of Fenrivens.1
"She won’t slip through our fingers again," Zander growled, setting his sights on Remillia. He was even unfazed by the havoc surrounding them.
Oliver fell in step beside him, bow at the ready, while Tatum, still conflicted but unable to look away from the unfolding chaos, followed. "Let’s make this quick," Tatum said, his voice steadying. "The longer we wait, the more beasts may get loose."
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
When I opened one of the cages, I fully expected to find a large, nacing creature locked away. I never anticipated it would be a pack of Fenrivens—larger than average wolves, standing about five feet at the shoulder and weighing up to 500 pounds.
The mont they pounced on , I braced for the worst, ready to have my face torn apart. Instead, they nuzzled against , their tongues rough but gentle against my skin. It was clear they recognized as their savior, the freedom I had given them echoing in the delighted yips and playful nudges.
While I was in the middle of petting them, blood suddenly splattered across my face.
Slash!
My heart dropped as I saw the head of one of the Fenrivens roll away. Before I could react, the remaining Fenrivens circled around , their growls low and nacing, eyes blazing with fury aid at the intruder.
I turned, locking gazes with the person responsible for the carnage. Zander. I imdiately stepped infront of the pack, positioning myself between them and him.
"If you want to fight , just say so. Do you really have to kill one of them?" I said while clenching my teeth.
Zander sneered. "They’re getting in the way of slicing your head off just like that beast," he pointed rcilessly at the headless Fenriven sprawled on the ground.
In a reckless surge of anger, I hurled a dagger straight at his head. But before it could reach its target, an arrow whizzed through the air, deflecting it away just in ti.
I turned my head to where the arrow was shot, only to see Oliver perched in a nearby tree, a triumphant smirk on his face. "Did you forget us, lady?"
My frustration rose, and I glanced to my left to find Tatum standing with his axe swinging by his side. "Sorry, but we need to kill you. You’ve done enough damage to our business already."
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to block out the tension around and turned my attention back to the Fenrivens. "You should leave now. Go to places where humans can’t ever see you. This will be the last ti you’ll be eting ."
As if they understood my words, the pack howled at the moon in unison. Then, they sprinted away into the shadows, leaving alone to confront these annoying trio.
Clang!
Just as I turned back, Zander lunged at with a surprise attack. I already anticipated it so I easily managed to block it, my dagger clashing against his sword, the reverberation sending sparks in every direction.
"I can’t believe it, but are you a witch?" Zander demanded, pressing the weight of his sword down on . "Did you know that witches have the ability to talk with beasts? But, you don’t seem like one so how co those beasts understood you?"
"The fuck you’re talking about?" I hissed, gritting my teeth as I redirected his force, pushing him back with all my strength.
"Is that the reason you’re trying to free all these beasts? What did they tell you? That they need help?" His eyes narrowed as he shifted his stance, preparing for another attack.
Annoyed, I shot back. "The first ti I t you, you were so quiet. But how co you can’t keep your annoying mouth shut just this once?"
Whoosh!
As Tatum swung his axe in a wide arc, I ducked just in ti as it barely missed my head. I countered quickly, kicking Tatum hard enough to send him stumbling back, buying a fleeting mont to regain my balance.
Zander, however, seed unfazed. His laughter was maniacal, sending chills down my spine as he swung his sword with increasing ferocity. "What you’re doing right now is useless. Even if you freed all of them, different poachers would just hunt and kill them while we sell them alive, at least they’re being taken care of!"
Each of his strikes pushed back, my muscles burning as I fought against the weight of his blows. I could feel my resolve wavering. I knew deep down that what I was doing might prove futile.
But amidst my doubts, a flicker of defiance ignited within . I clenched my jaw, refusing to let his words break my spirit. "You think I’ll just give up because it’s hard?" I shot back, dodging another lunge, my heart racing. "If I can save even one beast, it’s worth it. And just like you said, I’m a witch—that’s why I’m going this far to save them."
With that, I shifted my weight, using the montum of his attack against him. I pushed his blade to the side and stepped forward, forcing him to recalibrate his stance.
Swoosh!
Suddenly, pain exploded in my left shoulder as an arrow lodged itself deep. Zander and Oliver seized the mont as they both swung their weapons at .
I barely had ti to react. I twisted my body to the side, the blade of Zander’s sword slicing through the air where I had just stood. Tatum’s axe, however, ca crashing down in a wide arc. I dropped to the ground, rolling sideways just in ti to feel the force of the blow reverberate through the ground beneath , sending dirt and debris flying.
I gasped, gritting my teeth. It took every ounce of willpower not to scream as I pulled the arrow out, blood spurting from the wound.
Larger than average wolves, standing about three feet at the shoulder and weighing up to 200 pounds.
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