The gathering was slower than any of the expected.
The werewolves that lived in the city had not only gone underground but so had fled and we’re still fleeing.
Cold evening air settled heavily over the streets, carrying the tallic scent of blood and fear that had yet to dissipate since the alarm was raised. Doors remained bolted, windows shuttered, and the silence between movents felt strained, as though the city itself was holding its breath.
Getting them all out of their houses and to the square where it would be ensured that they were not Zygons was harder than anyone expected.
Shouts echoed from distant alleys, commands repeated again and again as resistance, panic, and confusion slowed every effort. So obeyed imdiately, others hesitated until threatened, and a few were dragged out kicking and snarling.
Still both vampires and Werewolves did their best as they had been ordered while Jared and Clara headed to their mansion to get cleaned up.
Their departure went largely unnoticed in the chaos, their figures disappearing into the maze of streets while guards continued their grim work. The hierarchy was clear, and so was the urgency of obedience.
Slowly the transport system of the city was arranged into working order even as one after the order the citizens were arranged into the center of the city.
Carriages rolled again, tracks were cleared, and magical conduits humd faintly as they were reactivated under supervision. Every movent was asured, watched, and catalogued.
ssenger we’re sent to other parks that lived outside the city to gather together since the intention was just to ensure that Aira checked that the Zygons beasts had no stable structure within the werewolf cities.
Horses thundered out through the gates, wings cut through the sky, and enchanted seals flared briefly as orders were relayed beyond the walls.
It was clear that it wasn’t a solution and was simply a stop gap to ensure that whatever spies that had been planted would not destroy whatever future plan that would be made.
No one believed this would end the threat—only delay it. But delay, for now, was survival.
Aira stood in front of one of the houses behind Zyren watching quietly. With no intention of heading anywhere until her services were demanded for.
Her posture was rigid, hands clenched at her sides, boots planted firmly against the stone as if rooting herself there would stop the world from moving forward.
Staring up at his back even as she spoke to herself for the ten thousandth ti.
His presence lood in front of her, broad shoulders blocking her view of the street beyond, a reminder of everything she despised and everything she was bound to.
’He deserves to die! He killed my family!’ trying to stamp down whatever hesitation remained in her heart unable to deny that her heart felt sothing for him even if it was from a bond that she would rather rip apart.
Her jaw tightened, nails biting into her palms as mory after mory clawed its way forward uninvited.
’After he is dead, I’ll be able to live the rest of my life with my sister!’ she thought to herself with a smile. A frowk flashing across her face as she rembered her mother who was still under Lord Dangrey’s hold when suddenly her frown deepened.
Hope flickered briefly, fragile and dangerous, before being smothered beneath reality.
Only for it to deepen even deeper shocked to look
Intently in front of her and see the Lord Dangrey she had been silently cursing in her heart.
Her breath caught sharply, heart slamming violently against her ribs.
If she wanted Zyren dead for killing her father and brother then she wanted to kill Dangrey herself and chew on his bones as he openly flaunted her mother as a slave.
Rage surged hot and blinding, drowning out all reason.
Strutting proudly forward while behind him was her mother who was barely fully clothed dressed in a transparent white gown with a jewelled collar on her neck.
The gems caught the fading light, mocking in their beauty.
Her face fixed on the ground as she walked in a submissive manner. If before Aira had been pissed off, at that mont she was currently raging in anger as she moved to step out only to be stopped by Zyren’s voice.
The single command cut through her like a blade.
"You should make sure they aren’t Zygons!" He pointed out showing how dangerous it was to move closer without being sure. Sothing Aira instantly did allowing her ability to spread out towards them relieved to find out that it wasn’t a Zygon with her mother’s face.
The familiar pulse of her power rolled outward, brushing skin and soul alike, returning only truth.
"You brought my mother here!" She snapped at him the mont they ca to a standstill in front of them.
Her voice trembled with barely restrained fury.
"You will get her killed!" She snapped visible anger in her voice as she spoke.
Only to beco even more furious when she heard Lord Dangrey respond in a clearly calm and almost superior tone.
"Selira? You an my slave?" he asked with a smirk on the edge of his lips even as he lowered his head low and dropped to his knees to greet Zyren sothing that Selira her mother also did.
"My King!" he greeted with the utmost expression of loyalty on his face but barely had the words left his lips when Zyren spoke giving an order.
"Break your left arm!" Zyren ordered and barely had the words being said when Dangrey did as he was told, a flash of pain across his face and the sound of a bone breaking all that showed that he had done like he was asked.
The snap echoed unnaturally loud in the tense street.
Opening his mouth to apologize as he remained kneeling aware that he shouldn’t have spoken to Aira first especially with Zyren there.
"I apologize to my king! I was foolish!" he said even though regardless of the loyal expression on his face any noble would know that it was a mistake that no Vampire would easily make.
Zyren didn’t speak or ask him to stand up either, his gaze flicking to Selira, Aira’s mother who’s attention Aira’ gaze was focused on.
"Is there a reason why you ca?" Zyren asked his red eyes boring into Lord Dangrey’s red ones as he spoke.
Even as Lord Dangrey lowered his head as he began to speak, " I simply brought my slave to see her child! Nothing more my lord! I intend to join the Werewolves and help!" He pointed out his tone respectful even though his words barely asured up.
Aira looked flushed red and it was clear that she was on the verge of blowing up in anger.
Zyren simply nodded his head before he gestured that he could leave, Lord Dangry instantly nodded his head as he raised himself to his feet. His left arm was still dangling by his side as he left but not before whispering into Selira’s ears as she bowed towards him.
It wasn’t until he completely left that Aira stepped forward towards her mother hugging her tight with tears in her eyes.
"Mother!" She cried even as Selira cried right back hugging her harder than usual with tears in her eyes.
The warmth was real, devastatingly so.
"Does he hurt you?" Looking at her with concern only to be frustrated to hear her mother respond.
"...No, he takes very good care of !" Selira Responded but it was the look of adoration in her mother’s eyes that made Aira want to stalk away to go and find a knife and shove it down Lord Dangrey’s throat.
"He’s a good man and he would..." but she was still speaking when Zyren interrupted.
"Go and stand there!" He ordered pointing a few steps away from where they stood even as Selira instantly obeyed bowing her head down.
The space between them felt deliberate—and final.
Aira looked confused even as Zyren began to speak to her in a much lower tone than he would usually use.
"His bloodline ability has to do with his mind. Even if he sets her free she would always be his slave!" Zyren began before getting to the point he was trying to make.
The words settled like poison.
"Do you want him dead?" He outrightly asked her even as Aira’s eyes widened surprised by the matter of fact tone Zyren used as he turned to look right at her.
"I can kill him before we leave here! But I want an oath in return! He said words that made her brows squeeze together in confusion.
"What? An oath?" Trying to process what he was trying saying. "Why?" Unable to comprehend what else he could possibly want from her that he didn’t already have.
"Do you agree? I want the oath now!" He continued which only made her heart race faster as she stared at him. Clearly he was being very serious.
"It won’t have anything to do with you killing !" He said going ahead to assure her that it wasn’t past her bottom line.
"...you’ll kill him? " she asked and Zyren instantly responded with a nod.
"I’ll set your mother free! But I need you to solemnly swear on your na that I will ask you to do one thing and you will do it!" He said and while various things were still going through her mind Aira was stunned to see him pull out a weird pendant and cut his hand before handing the pendant to her clearly asking that she do the sa.
Obviously the oath wasn’t as simply as she had previously thought.
"You can’t ask to not kill you or heal you or ask to stop anyone from killing you!" Aira clarified her expression cold aware that he would also not leave the werewolf realm alive if all goes well. What was one more oath.
"I swear to not ask you any of that!" Zyren said Aira knowing him well enough to know that he would surely comply.
The very next mont she went ahead to cut her finger with the sharp point of the pendant splaying her blood on it even as she felt the pendant her hand crumble to dust.
Desperately hoping that she had not just made a mistake.
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