Broken Prince (The Broken Ones)

by Jen Wylie

  His eyes changed to red while she spoke. He pulled her close again, holding her head to his chest and tucking it under his chin.

  "Cain," he whispered, his voice choked. They sat in silence, just holding each other and sharing their misery and grief.

  She could have stayed there all night. Kei understood.

  His arms tightened briefly and then he leaned back to look at her face. "Are you angry? At me. For leaving."

  She forced a small smile and ruffled his hair. "Stupid Fey. No, I'm not. I asked you to go help Prince," she faltered and looked away. "Is he..." She couldn't say the words.

  "We made it to the fields."

  "What happened?"

  "We split up." He added, "To look for you."

  She nodded. "So he's not hurt?" When Kei didn't answer panic seized her chest. "Kei?"

  "He got cut. I tended him." He grimaced. "Fighting did him no good. He was exhausted."

  She bit at one of her fingernails for a moment before suddenly standing. "Let's go find him."

  Kei rose and reached out to steady her when she swayed. "You're hurt!"

  "I twisted my ankle. I’ll be fine."

  He opened his mouth to say something and suddenly froze, eyes darting about, searching the darkness.

  She turned but he pushed her back. Swearing under her breath, she wondered what he had seen or smelled. Another curse left her lips; she'd forgotten to tell him about Garen.

  Thinking of the Were brought him forth, a blur of darkness and fur which leapt from the night’s shadows directly at them. He landed on Kei, knocking him backward onto the ground.

  Growls and snarls from both echoed around her.

  "Stop it! Both of you! Stop!" Heedless of accidental injury, she threw herself at them, grabbing a handful of Garen's fur and trying to pull him off of Kei. "Stop it! He's my friend!"

  Garen ceased his growling and attack so she pulled harder on him. He's one of my friends!

  The Were growled once more before springing away. You failed to mention one was a Fey.

  She dropped down beside Kei. "Are you hurt?" He had fallen into a full fury, eyes blazing, teeth and claws extended. "Kei! He's my friend. Calm down." She took his face in her hands and started pulling the power of his fury into her.

  He surprised her by pulling her hands away and sitting up. "I can do it," he whispered.

  She nodded but smiled a little when he wrapped his arms around her and rested his forehead against hers. His deadly claws rested gently across her back. She wasn’t afraid. Kei was someone she’d never fear again.

  Quickly he began to calm himself. She felt the wild power within him recede.

  Garen whined, startling her.

  Please move away, Aro.

  Kei leaned back and scowled at her. His eyes had gone down to a light orange, his teeth had returned to normal and she could feel the claws against her back retracting. "You didn't mention him."

  She sighed and sifted position to rub her ankle. Kei arms fell to his sides. Garen paced around them.

  "I'm sorry, boys. Kei this is Garen, he helped me earlier today. Garen, this is my friend Kei." She glanced back at her Fey. "As you can see, he's not wild."

  Your scent is a mix of fey and human, the Were muttered in her mind. No wonder you smelled strange.

  She laughed and Kei looked at her strangely. Can you speak to Kei?

  Garen stopped pacing to look at her. Not easily. It is difficult for Were to speak to others not of our kind. Without the power of a pack it is nearly impossible.

  She opened her mouth and then closed it again. Had he just implied he didn't have a pack?

  "Aro..." Kei began.

  She shushed him, mind racing, trying to decide if she should ask or not. Why not? "Do you not have a pack, Garen?"

  He looked away, ears flattening. No.

  She bit her lip and looked back at Kei. "He said no."

  "And this is important?"

  She felt it was. She had one more question to ask, "Are you in trouble with them?"

  No, he said again. They leave me alone. I am...solitary.

  Their meeting had been chance, however she felt like something important was about to happen. She liked Garen, he had saved her, helped her. "Do you want to stay with us," she asked impulsively. "We can be your pack?"

  "Aro," Kei hissed.

  She turned and grimaced at him. "Garen helped me. He saved my life." She looked back to the Were.

  "He can’t replace Cain," Kei whispered harshly.

  She snapped her head around to glare at him. "I know that!" She stared him down until he only pursed his lips and looked away, shaking his head.

  Aro?

  She turned back to Garen.

  He was staring at her, ears twitching back and forth. Do you mean this?

  Of course. Obviously we aren't a normal bunch, but we stick together. We're family.

  Family. His voice echoed in her head, amazed, surprised, afraid.

  She had no idea what he was thinking, how he felt. She couldn't understand what his posture or actions meant.

  Uncertainty overcame her. Perhaps she’d been too impulsive. She did have a problem with that sometimes. However, for some reason a feeling of rightness filled her. She didn’t understand, but it was better than the overwhelming darkness threatening to claim her again.

  She reached out and took Kei’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze.

  After a moment he sighed and squeezed back. "We need to go." Kei stood and helped her up.

  Garen still hadn't answered her. Perhaps his silence was answer enough. However he hadn't left either.

  "We're going to look for our other friends," she told him. "Both are men; one human, one an Elf."

  Elf? His incredulous laughter filled her head. You are a strange pack indeed. He paused. I think I will join you. It will be...interesting.

  She related this to Kei who sighed and shook his head again. He seemed resigned to the situation. At least he wasn’t fighting with her.

  Reaching for her pack, Garen's voice stopped her again.

  Wait. I found the horse. I will bring it now. He darted off into the darkness.

  "What is he doing now?" Kei growled in exasperation.

  "He got me a horse," she said with a grin. She laughed out loud at the look on Kei's face.

  Garen returned, the horse’s reins in his mouth. Strangely, the steed did not seem afraid of the giant wolf leading it. She loaded her pack and Kei's behind the saddle and Kei helped her up.

  "Thank you," she said to both of them. "Let's go find our friends."

  Chapter 4:

  The Pack

  They walked for a while in the darkness, Kei and Garen moving silently so only the sound of the horse could be heard. To be cautious, they kept just within the trees. They weren't sure if riders still roamed beyond.

  She couldn't see a thing and began to wonder what good continuing to look would do. Her ankle continued to burn and throb and exhaustion kept pulling her eyes closed.

  A hand on her leg startled her. She hadn't realized she'd drifted off.

  "Garen seems to want to stop," Kei whispered.

  With a tired nod she guided the horse further into the trees, following Kei until he stopped. He helped her down and she hobbled a few steps before collapsing to the ground with a weary sigh.

  There doesn't appear to be anyone near.

  She looked over at Garen sitting not far from her. Kei tended to the horse. "We should stop looking I guess. Get some sleep."

  "We'll find them in the morning," Kei said.

  She nodded vaguely, staring off into the darkness. She hoped Kei was right. He finished with the horse and came to sit beside her.

  "We will find them," he said quietly.

  Tears welled in her eyes and her lips began to tremble.

  He took her hand and they both shifted to lie down. She closed her eyes, knowing he watched her. Knowing he worried.

  Is he your mate?

  She choked
and raised her head, looking over at the Were. What?

  He doesn’t harm you when he’s in a fury. He protects you and sleeps by your side. When she didn’t answer he asked again, The Fey, is he your mate?

  No. He is my friend. She lay back down with a grimace. Kei raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Garen asked if you were my mate."

  Kei snorted and chuckled. He squeezed her hand. "She is my family."

  Strange girl.

  Her lips twisted in amusement before she closed her eyes and with a deep sigh, slipped into sleep.

  * * *

  She felt absolutely horrid. Nightmares had haunted her sleep. The swelling in her ankle had gone down somewhat, but it still hurt. They ate quickly, discussing which way they should travel to look for Bo and Prince.

  Perhaps we should split up?

  Biting her lip, she turned to Kei and repeated.

  Kei grimaced. "I would agree, however you don't know Bo. There were a lot of humans running around out there yesterday."

  She rubbed at her forehead. Prince wouldn't be a problem. His elven heritage would make him easy to identify. Garen felt certain he would be able to talk to him even from a distance. Probably.

  She sighed. I don't suppose you can look in my mind and see him?

  I...could. You would allow this?

  From the tone of his mind voice she could tell her offer shocked him. She grinned, if it worked, problem solved. She turned to Kei, "I'm going to picture Bo in my head and Garen is going to try to see it."

  Kei frowned. "More people in your head?"

  "It will be fine."

  She grinned at Garen's obvious surprise at their exchange. "Do you need to touch me?"

  No. Just think of him.

  Closing her eyes she pictured her fortress and herself standing outside of its towering walls. They needed to meet outside of them. She didn't even let Prince inside her inner walls.

  Opening her eyes she found herself within her own mind again. It didn't frighten her. She had done this many times with Prince while he taught her how to strengthen her mental barriers. Her fortress rose tall and mighty behind her. For a short distance all around lay barren, dark earth. The sky rolled with darkness and abstract thoughts. It wasn't pretty. However, it was her.

  Turning, she glared into the darkness made of anger, fear, panic, and everything else dark and broken within her. She wished it would go away, turn into sunlight. She doubted it would happen, not for a long time at least.

  This is your mind?

  She turned again at the sound of Garen's voice, grinning because he sounded so surprised. She froze when she saw him.

  He wasn't a wolf.

  He looked human, thankfully clothed in simple pants and shirt, though his feet were bare. A very sweet, innocent and handsome human. She blinked a few times trying to smother her thoughts when she realized where they were.

  Too late. A flush crept across his cheeks and a cute half grin appeared. He looked down at himself, holding out an arm, turning it over. He looked back at her. Am I acceptable?

  She rolled her eyes. Stupid men. Don't be getting any ideas.

  His grin cracked into a full smile. He looked beyond her and it faded. How did you do this? Why did you?

  I travel with an Elf, she answered flatly. And I've had some problems with a Dragos.

  His eyebrows went up in surprise.

  Before he could ask for the story she brought them back on topic. You wanted to see Bo?

  She pulled forth the memories, spreading her arms to release the images to float around them. At least he paid attention and looked, finally nodding when he had seen enough.

  He bowed slightly in her direction. Thank you. He gestured around them. For sharing with me.

  She shrugged. I don't mind if you want to come again. Prince is here a lot.

  Surprise spread across his face again before he turned thoughtful. I suppose the Elves are different. Were rarely go into other's minds. We usually don't have need to, since we can mind-speak so freely.

  She smiled a little. Well, you can discuss it with Prince, once we find him.

  He took the hint and left her mind. She followed.

  They made plans to meet. Garen would go alone, she would stay with Kei. They still had a problem with Garen not being able to communicate with Bo while in wolf form. So she peeled some bark and scratched "Aro sent me. Follow" onto it. Garen would be able to carry it easily and hopefully Bo would read it and not attack the wolf.

  They set out before the sun rose over the mountains, though its light filtered through the shadows so at least she could see enough not to ride into a tree. She and Kei headed north. Kei quickly bounded across the section of plowed field to search the fields beyond while she kept to the tree line, keeping watch within the forest and also the cleared sections.

  The rider slowly moving out from a corn field caught her attention first. She quickly pulled on her horse’s reins until it stopped and they both froze under the shadows of the trees. She turned, eyes searching frantically for Kei.

  What was she supposed to do? Biting her lip, she looked back at the horseman, trying to figure out what he was doing. He had a spear out, pointed down, and moved very slowly.

  She noticed the man on the ground then, crawling, pulling himself valiantly forward despite the armed, mounted man at his back. Leaning forward she squinted, trying to see better.

  Prince. Her breath caught in her throat and she quickly searched for Kei again. Seeing him suddenly peek from within the crops across from her she waved her hand and pointed. He nodded.

  Cursing under her breath she looked away, trying to decide what to do. Kei apparently knew about Prince. However, what exactly they were going to do about it she had no idea.

  Watching Prince crawl through the dirt brought tears of anger and frustration to her eyes. She couldn't watch, couldn't let him go through this. He was a prince, her prince. The soldier would not kill him, not in front of her, not if she could save him.

  Kicking her heels into the sides of the horse, she pulled the reins to the side, steering it out of the trees and directly at the horseman. The horse thundered forward and she struggled to keep her seat. Growing up in a city, she’d had very few experiences riding. Her brothers had made sure she’d learned the basics, but she’d never ridden full out before.

  Her only thoughts centered on saving Prince. There was no time for tactics or planning. Other than that, she had no idea of what she was doing, or what she would do. It scared her. For once, she didn't care.

  The man looked up at the sound of the approaching horse and turned, but she was too close for him to move out of the way. He tried to raise his spear but didn't have time. Her horse veered slightly, trying to avoid his, but still it crashed into the front side of the other mount. With a scream she threw herself at him, vaguely realizing she hadn't even drawn a weapon.

  Her momentum took him off his horse and they landed heavily on the ground while the horses bolted. Luckily she landed on top of him, breaking the worst of her fall. Even so, fury and anger still boiled recklessly within her as she shifted and sat up to straddle him.

  She automatically drew a dagger with each hand and attacked, screaming and stabbing while he tried to push her off and defend himself. Anger took over everything else. She’d lost Cain. He would have killed Prince. Loss after loss was destroying her. Someone had to pay. She couldn’t take it anymore.

  He died…at some point. Kei's cry brought her out of her fury, distracting her.

  She stopped. Bloody daggers raised, she turned her head to see him and Prince sitting together a short distance away, both staring at her in complete shock. Looking down she saw the bloody mess beneath her. She stood quickly, keeping her weight on her good foot, hands dropping to her sides as she stood over the body.

  Her chest heaved and she tried to control her frantic breathing and calm the wild anger within her. It had felt good, killing him. It probably shouldn’t have, but one like him had killed Cain. Ho
w could she feel guilty for having her revenge? There was no trace of guilt or remorse within her. She felt strangely better, freer.

  She crouched down and wiped her daggers clean on the dead man’s pants before sheathing them. She wiped her bloody hands as well. The actions gave her more time to calm herself.

  Sucking in a deep breath she stood and faced her friends again. The feeling of being alone struck her suddenly, a sharp pain in her heart. Embarrassment at her wild attack heated her face. Not for what she had done, but the messy and uncontrolled way she’d done it.

  Hands slid gently down her arms, and she looked up at Kei, wondering how he’d come to stand before her.

  He looked searchingly into her eyes, his full of confusion. "Ar-ro?" Her name came out a quiet stutter. "You–" His hands came up to gently wipe spattered blood off of her face. "Aro." Kei shook his head slightly. "Are you hurt?"

  She shook her head and glanced past him to Prince.

  His pale face looked more tired and haggard than she had ever seen him. Blood stained his clothes. She didn't know if any belonged to him.

  "So you do know how to fight," he said quietly.

  She smiled weakly. Did they think she had gone insane? "That wasn’t fighting," she murmured.

  Kei cupped a hand to her cheek. "Vengeance."

  She nodded and locked her gaze on the ground. The image of their shocked faces wouldn’t leave her mind.

  "Aro," Kei whispered.

  She met his eyes again. They shined with an orange glow. A small, encouraging smile crossed his lips for a moment. "We have to talk…later."

  Despite his words, his tone filled her with relief instead of worry. She nodded. Kei understood.

  "I'll get the horses." He glanced over at Prince. "We could use two now."

  She watched him dart off across the field in the direction the mounts had gone.

  Prince sighed and shifted, his shoulders slumping. She noted his pack was missing and held in a curse. Maybe Kei could find it. Limping over to him she dropped down to her knees. "I was worried about you."