Shades of Werewolf

by T. S. Ryder

  As time passed, her condition worsened. She was nauseous every day, and she began to wonder what was wrong with her. One day she felt cramps in her lower belly. Her body was bloated and her breasts hurt. Suddenly, a thought struck her. When did she have her last period? That had been back on Earth, just before Darilth took her with him. Her stomach twisted horribly and she shivered as realization hit her that she might be pregnant. She felt more alone than ever. Would anyone ever come to save her and her baby? Tears sprang to her eyes and she wished Darilth were there with her. Despair overwhelmed her and she stopped eating. She didn’t know how long it was before she fell unconscious to the cold floor.

  The guard outside her door noticed that her food hadn’t been touched. He had been instructed to keep the prisoner eating. He went inside to check on her with his flashlight and found the woman unconscious on the floor. He called for help immediately.

  ***

  Keralth gazed at Dr. Wyern with disgust when he brought him the news. After his father’s funeral, Keralth had assumed a temporary position at the court. He had persuaded the council members into believing that Prince Darilth had a hand in the King’s assassination and he had been summoned from battle immediately.

  Now, he looked at the doctor as if he had tasted something rotten. Ella’s pregnancy was a serious problem.

  “You’re certain?” Keralth asked as he sat on his father’s throne in the courtroom.

  “My lord, her pregnancy has been confirmed. I have the test reports right here,” Dr. Wyern explained.

  Keralth held up a hand to silence him. “Can you terminate it?” he asked.

  The doctor winced. “I’m sorry, my lord, but she carries a hybrid – half human and half Drakonaar. Her pregnancy is at a stage where an abortion is not possible without risking the life of the mother,” he said, hesitating.

  “And you know who the father is?” Keralth asked him although he knew the answer.

  “Yes, my Lord. It’s Prince Darilth,” the doctor said. “My lord, she requires immediate medical attention because her anatomy is not built to carry a Drakonaar fetus. It’s progressing faster than the normal human gestation time and she might not survive after delivery.”

  “You do whatever it takes, Doctor. Just keep her alive,” Keralth grunted reluctantly.

  “But, my lord, we must move her...” the doctor began.

  “She stays where she is. You take whatever supplies you need and treat her there,” Keralth said with a finality in his tone as he dismissed the doctor with a wave of his hand.

  Darilth would be here in a few days and then he would take action, he thought.

  Chapter Seven

  Betrayal

  Prince Darilth gazed at the band he kept in the black box. The Draco’s Eye glowed when he touched it. He put it on his wrist and felt its power surge through his blood immediately. He paced the length of his quarters in the spacecraft anxiously. He checked on the ring he wore, which was a communicator as well. A holographic screen projected from his ring. There were no messages from the guard who was supposed to take Ella to R13. According to his calculations, she should have reached home by now. He was still a few days away from his destination. He contacted his housekeeper then, and his heart thrummed madly in his chest when she told him that Ella never reached the house. His chest constricted terribly as he raked a hand through his hair, worry gnawing at him.

  His ring blinked and, quickly, he checked the message, thinking it was from his housekeeper. His heart sank when he saw the message from the Council Chief.

  I am sorry to inform you, Prince Darilth Rothgar of Iovis, that your father has been assassinated. You are required to leave all tasks at hand and return immediately to the Rothgar Castle.

  Confusion and rage boiled his blood and he poured himself another glass of wine, taking a swig. What was going on? Was the castle under attack? And where was Ella?

  He quickly ordered his commander to set the shortest course for home. He again tried contacting Keralth, but all communication with the castle had been lost. He couldn’t wait to get to the castle.

  ***

  He attempted to get a message through to his brother telepathically, but it was being blocked for some indecipherable reason. All other forms of communication with the castle had been lost. He was stuck till he reached his destination.

  It took them another few months before they reached Iovis. When Darilth’s ship landed on Iovis, he was still in the docking area when the guards came for him.

  “What is going on?” Darilth demanded, his jaw clenched, as the guards held him.

  “Prince Keralth wants to see you, my lord,” the guard said.

  “Yes, I would like that,” Darilth said, annoyed by their behavior.

  Darilth immediately saw how Keralth had changed, haughtily sitting on the throne. He caught the sinister gleam in his amber eyes and a chill ran down his spine. Darilth tried reading his mind but he was still being blocked.

  “Welcome home, brother,” Keralth hissed.

  “Keralth,” Darilth said, his voice low and seething.

  “I have news for you, brother,” he said. “I take it you’ve heard that our father was brutally murdered. I’m afraid to let you know that all the evidence says that you are responsible.”

  “What?” Darilth said shocked.

  “The council has made its decision, Darilth,” Keralth hissed, his gaze chilling Darilth to the bone. “You will be tried for the murder of Kind Rezelith the III.”

  “I will talk to the council myself! Somebody’s been feeding them lies,” Darilth said, his heart beating faster and rage pumping through his blood.

  “Guards, arrest him,” Keralth ordered. Four guards came forward and put him in shackles.

  It was in that moment that it dawned on Darilth what Keralth was doing. He gazed at his half-brother and saw the madness in his eyes. Then, suddenly, he thought of Ella. Keralth must have been aware of her whereabouts. His breathing became labored as he tried to control his rage. His fists clenched as he instinctively pulled on the restraints.

  “Where is Ella, Keralth?” Darilth said, knowing where things were going.

  “What’s the hurry, brother? I’ll tell you when you get comfortable in the dungeons,” Keralth hissed sarcastically. He sounded like a maniac.

  Darilth knew it was futile asking him anything further.

  They locked him up in the Dark Cell deep down below in the castle’s dungeons. A lone guard stood at the door. He looked like an old man, but that was an illusion. He was a demon who thrived on the prisoner’s misery.

  The guards chained him at the far end of the cell and left him alone with the demon. Darilth could already feel the pressure building in his head. Soon it would turn into a searing pain that throbbed at his temples, making it impossible for him to think clearly. All Darilth could think of was Ella as he tried to block out the demon’s force telepathically.

  ***

  Darilth woke up with a start as cold liquid splashed his face. His was stripped naked and his eyes hurt when he tried to open them. Hot, searing pain pierced every part of his toned, muscular body where deep wounds had been inflicted on him as torture. He was a warrior – he had been trained to bear wounds, but this was the kind of torture specifically meant to hurt him. He was strong – still standing while others in his place would have long succumbed to the wounds. His left eye was swollen with bruises as dark blue blood trickled down his face. His long, silver hair was a mess. A few strands were matted to his forehead and jaw, drenched in blood. His breathing was erratic and shallow, like that of a dying man. He wondered how long he had been unconscious.

  Mustering all his strength, he opened his eyes and saw Keralth standing there, dressed in his finest robes, as a guard stood outside waiting. The demon guard was nowhere in sight.

  “So, finally, we can talk,” Keralth said, dryly.

  “Wh-where is Ella?” Darilth whispered. It took all his strength to say those few words.

  “O
h, I thought you would never ask,” Keralth said in a vicious tone, a smirk curling his lips. “The dark moon has her.”

  “No... No!” Darilth’s voice broke. “You ca-can’t do this to her! Get her out of there!” His breathing became more labored and his voice hoarse as his chest constricted terribly. Something inside his heart broke, then shattered. The physical pain from his wounds was practically numbed when compared to the tearing of his heart.

  No... Please, not my Ella.

  The dark moon is a terrible, terrible place. She won’t survive it... Mekarth wailed.

  “What... do you want...Keralth?” Darilth said wearily, his breath coming in gasps.

  “Draco’s Eye, Darilth. Give it to me and Ella will live,” he said.

  “You know... you can’t wield the power of the Eye,” Darilth said.

  “Oh, I can, if you willingly entrust it to me. When the judge convicts you of murder, I will be the next successor,” he said with an evil smile plastered on his face.

  “The Council will never agree to it,” Darilth replied.

  “They will, brother, when I present to them the assassin who will confess to have killed the King,” Keralth seethed.

  “I ... I want to see Ella alive and safe... I want her safely transported back to her home planet. Only then... will I give you the Eye,” Darilth challenged him.

  “Oh, that won’t be needed. Your little whore is pregnant and dying. Remember how Father told you that she was weak – not good enough for you? Too bad, really, that you didn’t listen.”

  “Do not speak of my wife like that, Keralth!” Darilth hissed through clenched teeth, breathing hard as his hands closed into fists and his knuckles turned white.

  “Think about it, Darilth. She doesn’t have much time left. You had better decide which one you want to keep: the Eye or the woman.”

  “Keralth... Please... have mercy on her... She’s pregnant. She won’t survive there...” Darilth begged, desperate to save his wife. She was carrying his baby, and she was in such a terrible place. His father had been wrong. She was a strong woman. Strong enough to produce an heir.

  Keralth laughed and left without another word, the cell door closing behind him.

  Darilth would never have given Keralth the satisfaction of gloating over his misery, but as soon as he was gone, he collapsed. Suspended by chains, his whole body sagged. Tears streamed down his already blood-streaked face, and sobs wracked his body. Excruciating pain seared his head as he thought of her suffering. He coughed up blood while trying to catch his breath.

  No, No, No! Ella, Ella... I’m so sorry...

  And far away on the Dark Moon, Ella dreamed of Darilth. He was bound in chains and severely wounded and he was crying out her name in misery. She wanted to take him in her arms and comfort him but an invisible wall was in between them. She was helpless. She woke up in the dim light, shivering as cold sweat beaded her face. The first thought that came to her mind was that he had been captured in battle by the enemy and was a prisoner of war.

  ***

  Darilth didn’t know how long he wallowed in his grief, crying out her name in the dark, trying desperately to reach her telepathically. He knew it was all futile. He went numb.

  Darilth, get a grip! You must think clearly if you want to save her! his inner dragon said fiercely.

  He pulled against his restraints, jaw clenched, and took a deep breath to regain control. Mekarth was right. He must do something if he wanted to save Ella and the throne. His mind raced as he thought of a way out. Then, he thought of the witch. Merelith! Yes, she could help him if he could summon her.

  But there is one problem. The demon never sleeps. He will sense if we try to contact someone telepathically outside these walls! Mekarth reasoned.

  He had a point, thought Darilth. He looked at his hand. He still wore the ring. His captors didn’t know that it was a secret communicator, undetectable for demons. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it before. He turned it in his hand and pressed the core. A holographic screen appeared right above his hand as he deftly tapped a message and pressed send. Now all he had to do was wait.

  Chapter Eight

  Merelith

  Merelith was an old friend of the royal Rothgar family, tall, beautiful, and red-haired with bright green eyes. She was a shifter too, but of a different kind. When she got Darilth’s message, she knew something was seriously wrong and immediately headed out to his rescue.

  The night was cold and silent when a sleek panther snuck down into the dungeons. Silent as ever, it stayed softly in the shadows, sensing the demon guard’s presence. The panther shifted and there stood Merelith. The demon suddenly sat up. Merelith had cloaked her scent but the demon was sharp enough to sense a presence there. Still in the shadows, she quietly whispered an incantation and blew shadow dust from the palm of her hand toward the demon. The demon instantly fell asleep. Only powerful magic could make a demon fall asleep, but Merelith was no ordinary witch. She had years of experience. She had to hurry as there was little time before the old man woke up.

  Merelith found Darilth half-conscious when she went inside. As soon as she removed his restraints, he staggered and dropped to the floor. She covered him with a cloak and then helped him up.

  “Darilth, we need to get out of here, now,” she whispered.

  He nodded. They made their way outside, cautiously evading the sleeping guard and hurrying back up the stone steps.

  “Are you okay, Darilth? They seem to have beaten you quite badly,” she said, concerned. She could see that the Eye had kept him alive. Nobody could survive the kind of torture he had suffered.

  “Merelith, I... I had a vision. We need to find Ella, my wife,” he said as he gasped for breath.

  “Darilth, listen to me. Use the power of the Eye to heal yourself first,” she said.

  “I... I can’t...” he said as he collapsed to the floor.

  “You have to. Try to summon the power. Right now, you need all your strength if you want to get out of here,” she insisted.

  Darilth concentrated, wishing for strength, and at once the stone on his band came to life. He felt the energy immediately, a lifeblood coursing through his veins. Some of his strength returned.

  “Now, do tell. What was the vision about?” she asked him.

  “I saw her in the dark. She was cold and shivering. The place resembled the prison on the Dark Moon, and she was weak,” Darilth said as they got farther away from the dungeons and outside in the open. “And she’s pregnant.”

  “Death looms near. She is in grave danger. She might not survive after the baby is born,” Merelith replied. She saw the worried expression on Darilth’s face.

  “What should we do?” he asked her, raw pain in his eyes.

  “The only way to save her would be to turn her into your kind, but the transformation can happen only after the baby is born,” Merelith said. “Darilth, we must hurry before she dies of the brutal cold. Call the doctor right away. We’ll take him with us.”

  Darilth again used his ring to call the doctor and asked him to bring some clothes and medical supplies.

  They walked a little further and reached a spot in the wall of the castle that concealed a secret passage. They waited there for the doctor. After a while, the hidden door slid open and Dr. Wyern emerged. He carried a bag with fresh clothes and robes. They followed the doctor, hurrying over the snow-covered land until they reached a small cave-like tunnel. They walked through it and when they reached the other end, Dr. Wyern uncloaked the spacecraft that stood there.

  “My lord, Prince Keralth had assigned me to keep the woman alive. So, I visit her frequently and monitor her health. I’ve been trying my best to keep her stable, but her health has been deteriorating,” he said as he tapped in commands at the console and revved up the engines.

  “Thank you for taking care of my wife,” Darilth said. “Wyern, you do know that Keralth is the real traitor, don’t you?”

  “Yes, my lord. There have be
en rumors around the castle and among the people in the city that Keralth may have a hand in the King’s assassination and not you, as it has been assumed,” he said as he hesitated a little, wondering how the prince would react.

  “The truth will come out,” Darilth said. His wounds were really beginning to hurt now and he had a hard time standing up.

  “My lord, please, I would advise you to lie down in the healing capsule. Your wounds don’t look good,” Dr. Wyern said with genuine concern in his voice. He could see that the prince looked pale. “If you stay in the capsule, the less deep wounds will have healed by the time we reach our destination.”

  “You’re right, Doctor,” Darilth said, “but I need a drink first.”

  “I’ll make you a drink. I’ll also make a potion for you to heal faster. You can have it with your drink,” Merelith said from the corner where she was already working away, mixing herbs and roots.

  “Thanks, Merelith,” Darilth said with a faint smile and winced.

  He drained his glass with the potion and lay back naked in the healing capsule. His mind numb with pain, he couldn’t stop thinking about Ella.

  The ship hovered up and rose higher till it reached the outer boundaries of Iovis’s atmosphere and then sped forward toward the Dark Moon.

  ***

  The Dark Moon was as cold as any planet that hadn’t seen the light of a star in many lightyears. It was far away from Iovis’s sun and positioned in a way that only a small part of the moon saw daylight. It took them almost four days to reach the moon and when they landed, they could sense the place was haunted, devoid of life. The only thing that seemed alive were the unpredictable snowstorms that hit the place.

  Prince Darilth and Dr. Wyern walked up to the large iron gate and unlocked it with the help of the doctor’s entry pass. They were carrying bags containing medication and warm clothes for Ella. Darilth had instructed Merelith to stay back in the craft. They entered a dimly lit circular room and as Darilth tapped in the commands, the room descended steadily, hundreds of feet below the surface.