They regarded my words carefully before my father answered. "And who would you trust with such a task?"
I dug my fingernails into my palm. They knew what my answer would be. They all did. "I will go." My heart thundered but my voice was steady. I tilted my chin a little higher, looked them both in the eyes. They knew I had skills. I was an expert with the bow and arrow, pretty decent with a sword. I was small and quiet and sure in my steps. I knew these woods like the back of my hand and was a decent tracker. I could do it. I could find the creature.
My parents were no longer looking at me but at each other. Silent words of communication passing between them. A conversation only they understood.
Finally, my father sighed. "No, Keanna. We will not risk losing you."
I felt anger boil in me. How was I to prove myself a competent heir, a protector of our people if they never gave me a chance? "I can do it. You know I can."
"No." He slashed the word out like a slap to my face. "We cannotrisk your life."
At this I stood up, my chair scraping across the floor harshly, and pointed a finger at him. "You are the one always saying that our lives are no less important than those of our subjects. You can't spit on that philosophy now."
"We can and we will, Keanna." My mother replied coolly. Then she looked at my father. "Do you wish to tell her or should I?" His rounded cheeks flushed the color of his hair and he began sputtering nonsense. I looked between them, confused. My mother sighed at my father's inability to form coherent words. "We cannot allow you to sacrifice yourself looking for the creature when we need you to do something far, far more important."
My anger faded into anticipation, palms sweating at the prospect of being useful to them, to our people.
"You are correct in one thing, Keanna. We need an alliance. The arrival of this creature means evil is upon us once more. We needs troops but the four clans don't trust each other. And they will not trust each other unless asolid alliance is formed. An unbreakable one. And we have it. We have had it for a while now."
Excitement thrummed through my veins. An alliance had already been formed! But with whom? And how did I come into play in all of this? What was my role? "What type of solid alliance?" I tapped my fingers nervously against the table.
My father flushed a deeper shade. My mother was the one who answered. "A marriage alliance…"
My heart plummetted, not wanting to believe where my thoughts were leading me. It was my brothers who broke the silence in unison, "With who?"
There was another silence, somehow the spaces between it became filled with the erratic pounding of my heart. My mother straightened into a regal posture, her face unflinching and her voice strong. "To the Murtaugh's."
I did the only thing I could do. I laughed. Throwing my head back and holding my stomach, I laughed until I wheezed. When my fit subsided, I looked at my parents. "You can't be serious? The Murtaugh's?" I snorted. "Which one of these sorry fools is going to marry one of them?" I gestured to my brothers with my chin. No one else laughed and my father was looking at me with sorrow. That look shut me up.
"Keanna," he uncrossed his big arms.
My heart plummeted and crashed to the pit of my stomach. "No," I gasped, stepping backwards. The backs of my legs bumped into my chair, stopping me. "You-you can't be serious. The Murtaugh's? Why?"
"You know why." My mother said.
I shook my head violently. "I don't." Why couldn't it be the Griffin's or the Tilly's? She must have read the question in my eyes.
"The other clans' sons' are married already with children of their own. King Murtaugh has three sons, none of whom are married."
"I wonder why that is…"
She ignored me and went on. "An alliance with the other clans will be formed once their daughters come of age. Your brothers will take wives, too."
The triplets stilled at that announcement, making unpleasant faces but not daring to argue.
"I will not-"
"An arrangement has already been made, Keanna. We have already discussed this with King Murtaugh. He has promised his eldest son, Akir. There is no going back. You will do this for us and our people. And I will hear no more argument from you." She stood up. A dismissal. So that was it. I got no say in this. They'd decided this on their own weeks or months ago and hadn't breathed a word of it. My life was to irrevocably change. Panic nestled into my chest. No, this couldn't be happening. I would much rather die in the woods, at the hand of that creature than to be married to a Murtaugh. I would give my life for my clan but instead, I was expected to give away my freedom.
"So that's it," I breathed. "I'm to marry a prince I don't even know."
"A moment ago you were willing to lay your life on the line for our people. Think of this as the same basic concept." And with that being said, she turned and left the room. Conversation over.
But I wasn't ready for it to be over. I still had so much left to say. I couldn't get married. I couldn't.
"Prince Akir shouldn't be all bad." My father tried to reassure softly.
"I hear he's an idiot," Adahm said.
"I hear he mumbles when he speaks," Aidan added
"I hear he is a vain crybaby," Alastair snorted.
I shot them a glare. "Keep making jokes, little brothers." I sneered angrily. "Soon, you'll find yourselves married and far away from your beloved Maudey." They flushed at my words.
"Keanna,"
But I didn't bother listening to what my father had to say. I bolted from the room and went after my mother. I'd make her listen to reason. Whether she wanted to or not.
Chapter Three
"I will not marry Akir." I shouted, slamming the door behind me.
My mother was in front if her vanity, unwinding her braid. She sighed at my violent entrance but kept tending to her hair until it ran freely down to her waist. Only then did she turn to me, the stern look I'd come to recognize tight on her face. "You will."
"I won't." I argued. "You can't make me."
"Do you think you're the only woman to marry out of duty, Keanna? You are a princess. You do not have the luxury of being free. It is best you kill that silly notion now."
I tightened my hands into fists. I wanted to punch something. I wanted to punch someone. Preferably Akir. The Ruined City prince was probably ecstatic at the idea of ruining me. How could my parents do this? How could they offer me up like some prize to a family of savage killers?
"Mother, please," I begged. "Please, don't make me."
"Keanna," she snapped impatiently. "Do not argue. It isdecided. You will marry prince Akir like I married your father-when I was younger than you, I might add-and you will besilent about it."
I staggered backwards, gaping at her. Shock and betrayal rippled through me. But above that, fury. I knew, by looking at her face, that no matter how hard I begged and pleaded, she would not listen to reason. She would not cancel the engagement. "No," I decided viciously. "I would ratherdie than marry him. I swear it, mother. I swear it."
I didn't wait to see her expression before I turned and ran from her room.
I didn't stop running. I couldn't stop. My legs pumped beneath me through hallways, only stopping to pick up my bow, quiver full of new arrows and a sword and running out to the yard and to the entryway. The guards posted asked no questions, they barely had time to protest as I opened the door and went out.
The scene was much less macabre than it had been earlier. The earth still bled but the bodies had been removed. I bent to examine it, looking for disturbances in the ground. Prints, large and deep sunk into the dirt. I followed them towards a cluster of trees. Snapped twigs and branches dripping blood led me where I needed to go.
I was silent and quick on my feet, my bow notched with an arrow as I hunted. Hunted the creature. I would kill it, I would find its nest and end the problem. Then, we wouldn't need an alliance with them.
Then, I wouldn't marry Akir. There would be no need for their armies.
So I ran forward with all of my might, following the bloody tracks. Darkness began to descend slowly and the cold began blanketing over me. I tried to ignore it but I knew I should've taken the time to change. In my angry rush, I'd overlooked it. Hopefully I wouldn't freeze in my thin, single strapped dress. The lace up boots I wore beneath it provided warmth, at least.
Eventually, I slowed. At this rate I'd lose the tracks.Maybe I should go back. No. I pushed that thought away. I had to do this. I had to.
"Hey."
The sudden voice startled me, had me aiming my weapon around in a circle. There was no one. Nothing but shadows of the wood closing in on the daylight, threatening to suffocate it. My body still tensed. Could it be the creature? Calling out to me, beckoning me like a will-o-the-wisp? Had it been a trick of the wind?
"Hey, little red! Up here!"
I swiveled the arrow up to where the voice was coming from. Attached to a thick branch was a net swinging high above my head. And within it, a young man. He was looking down at me hopefully.
"Hi, little red," he said in a shaky voice, waggling his fingers at me. His face was pressed tightly against the ropes, his body twisted in a strange, uncomfortable looking position. "Could I get a little help?"
I glared warily at him. What type of idiot went around swinging inside of nets? I automatically didn't trust him. "Who are you?" I demanded, keeping my arrow pointed between his eyebrows
"Uh," his gaze remained nervously on my weapon. "I'm Lex. And you are?"
"Doesn't matter. How did you get up there?" I asked, gesturing at the net.
He smirked. "I decided to climb the tree and lay in the thing." He let out a snort. "What do you think, little red? I got caught in a trap."
"Only idiots would make such a mistake." I pointed out unkindly.
"Then meet the world's biggest idiot." He wriggled around. "Can youplease cut me down?"
I contemplated leaving him there. Hopeless to whatever predators decided to take a chomp out of him. It would be well deserved, too. Stupidity was rarely rewarded in the harsh parts of the woods. But that would make me no better than the very monster I hunted.
Sighing, I put the arrow back into my quiver, wrapped my bow around me and pulled out my sword. With a quick swing of it towards the tree, I cut the rope holding him up. He fell to the ground with a grunt immediately.
He stood, pulling the net off of his body, tossing it to the side. Up close, I observed him, not lowering my sword. His hair was dirty blonde and shaggy. His face was covered in dirt, granted it could have been because he'd just fallen face first into it. His eyes were big and brown, overall a slightly attractive face. He wore the clothes of a nomad, simple jeans, a baggy sweatshirt and heavier jacket over it. He wore dark gloves, cut off at the fingertips and hiking boots. He bent over to untangle a backpack from the ropes and sling it over his shoulder.
He looked me up and down. "Thanks," he said cheerfully. "I owe you one."
Lex appeared pretty harmless but I'd heard about his kind. They traveled, thieving to survive. This could all be a ruse to trick me. I kept the sword tightened in my hands. His dark eyes flickered to it without a care then went back up to my face.
"What are you doing out at this time of night?" He asked nonchalantly, eyeing me from head to toe. "And dressed like that?"
"Hunting."
He chuckled. "Right. Well, if I could advise you not to go further north?"
"Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"Suspicious activity. Blood everywhere. A terrifying creature wandering about." He shrugged a thin shoulder. "Take your poison."
My heart sped up at this new information. He knew where it was. He could lead me to it. He could help me find the monster I meant to kill. Only then would I be free. I lowered my sword. "Did you see this creature?"
His face paled and he nodded.
"Show me which way it went, nomad." I demanded firmly. Even if on the inside I wanted to fling myself at him desperately.
His eyes widened as he took me in, no doubt judging my short height and mistaking it for weakness. I frowned at his scrutinizing gaze.
"Why would someone like you want to see something like that?"
The hairs on my arms bristled. "Someone like me? What isthat supposed to mean?" I took a menacing step forward causing him to take one back and hold up his hands in a peace offering.
"I just mean that the creature looks like it could swallow you in one bite."
I snorted unkindly. "You obviously don't know who I am."
He blinked. "I don't. Because you haven't told me your name yet, little red."
I ignored him and looked to the northern part of the woods. There. The hybrid had gone through there. "Take me to it." I demanded on a whisper.
Lex sighed and ran a gloved hand through his hair. He looked me over, gaze stopping to linger too long on my bare shoulders. I felt my skin prickle defensively under his stare. "Fine," he said finally. "You saved my life so I owe you. I'll take you to it but then you're on your own." He looked at me sadly, if a little pitifully. "And may the gods have mercy on your soul."
We wandered through the north. Far, so far where I didn't know the land. Lex seemed to know exactly where we were. He was a good guide though I wondered, if he knew where we were going, how had he managed to get caught in a hunter's trap? It was a bit of a mystery to me.
When we came upon a circle of tall hedge stones, I had to stop to gape. The stones were massive structures protruding from the earth like bits of bone or like headstones at a cemetary
Ruins.
They were ruins.
Despite what I was walking towards, my heart swelled at the sight. I'd never seen ruins before. I'd never had a peek at what the world had been like before.
"If you think that's impressive try traveling to the Ruined City." Lex said softly.
The mention of the Ruined City brought me out of my thoughts and to the matter at hand. I had to remember why I was here. What I was meant to do.
"Let's go." I snapped impatiently and continued forward, ignoring the look Lex shot me.
"Are you ever going to tell me your name?" He asked.
"No."
"Fine." He threw his hands up with a bit of exasperation. "'Little red' suits you just fine."
We went the rest of the way in silence.
We arrived when the sky was nearly black and our only illumination, the light of the moon and the splattering of stars. I kept close to Lex, despite wanting to put as much distance between us as possible. My sword was tight in my hands, thirsty for battle.
I knew we had arrived to the creature's lair when the smell hit me, so strong I gagged. My eyes watered and I pressed the heel of my hand into my nose but the smell had impregnated itself into me.
Lex placed his own sleeve to his mouth and nose and set me with a hard glance that said, I told you so.
Ignoring him, I started forward but stopped short when he tugged at the waist of my dress, pulling me back. I turned to look at him in questioning.
"This is where I leave you, little red." He whispered. His eyes scanned over my figure, halted on my eyes as if searching for some sign that I might regret what I was about to do. Maybe if he found that in my blue depths, he'd pull me away from here without a second thought.
I hardened my gaze and nodded. "Thank you, Lex." I started to turn, to go and change my fate but he pulled me back again.
His eyes were full of concern beneath the silver glow of the moon. "You're sure you want to find the beast?" He seemed almost hesitant to let me go.
My voice was firm. "I do."
He nodded once. "Then good luck. You're gonna need it." He looked me over once more, as if his eyes were memorizing my every curve before he turned and left me on my own.
I followed the stench and b
lood trails to its cave. The sight of the dark, looming entrance had me faltering in my steps, rethinking this entire maddening plan. I should have turned around. I knew I shouldn't be here but pride and my overwhelming thirst for freedom kept me glued to my spot.
I could do this, I told myself. I could kill the beast and I would bring my father its head and there would be no need for an alliance. There would be no need to marry me off.
I took in one last shuddering breath and took a step forward…
Just as an enormous monstrosity stepped out into the light.
I bit back my scream as I observed the thing.
The size of ten men, massive in both width and height. It was covered in black fur over every inch of its body, standing upright on talon tipped feet. Its face was black and leathery, marred with fleshy scars that ran down its eyes and protruding muzzle. Slimy foam slid out the sides of the thing's thin lips. It was bear-like in appearance.
And oh, so terrifying.
Its dark eyes took me in for a split second before it threw it's head back and roared.
I didn't let my fear get the best of me. I charged, swinging my sword down in an arc. The beast saw it coming and bellowed angrily, swiping at the blade. It hit my weapon with so strong a force that it immediately went flying from my grasp.
I let out a cry for its loss but just as quickly, pulled my bow and arrow from my back and shot at the thing. The arrow embedded itself onto the creature's shoulder. But it didn't go down. My heart plummeted. The action only seemed to make it angrier. It screeched at the sky, the sound sending a terrifying shiver down my spine.
So I ran.
The creature chased after me, massive paws clawing at the earth, shaking the grass like an earthquake beneath my feet. A sob slipped from my lips when I nearly tripped on the ends of my dress. Its musky breath was hot down my neck. Blindly, I reached for another arrow and turned and fired.
Another cry of rage let me know I'd hit it. It slowed it down, but it was fast and had a mind for vengeance. It was close, so close. It was going to grab me. It was going to kill me.
Braving the Beasts (The Hybrid Trilogy Book 1) Page 2