Red's Wolves

Chapter Twenty-Three

The tower bells rang loudly as they approached the castle walls. That answered that question, she realized. There was no doubt now that the Prince was alerted of their arrival, and the wolves were on alert as much as she and Jere. While the pack began sniffing at the base of the wall, her attention was directed towards the ramparts above them, her attention scanning as far as she could see.

"Where are they?" Jere murmured, following her gaze.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," she breathed out in response, frustrated but knew this wasn't going to be an easy task. Not with what it took to get them there, and what she had seen on their way this far. Nicholas didn't care what it took to get what he wanted... she just hated that it was her and she was walking straight into his clutches.

But the lack of guards at the moment was more concerning than what Nicholas had waiting for them inside. The bell still rang but there was no one to greet them, no one to call further warning.

"Fine," she muttered with a sigh. "If you want chaos, dear Prince, then chaos I shall deliver to you."

Slowly, she began to raise her hands. She so wanted to tear down the walls in front of her like Nicholas had destroyed the forest with his magic, but she was better than that. She was better than him. And her goal was not to trap people within but to lure them out. So instead of focusing her powers on the castle walls, she turned her attention towards the ever-familiar stables.

Men in dark armor she didn't recognize were working in the training yard. Some of the horses were familiar but there were too many of them to be sure. How many more men had come to join Nicholas in Palazia to solidify his plans? And what had happened to her father's guard? Murdered, captured, fled or too weak to stand for what believed in and fight back. Or worse— they betrayed their kingdom and joined the opposing forces.

Whatever happened, it made Alera's blood boil.

"Don't tell your father," she muttered under her breath.

"Tell him what?" Jere asked, but the question was answered mere moments later.

The sound of horses was a cacophony of neighing and hoof beats as the horses not only within the yard but within the stable answered her wishes. The fences of the yards were kicked down and jumped over. The walls of the stables were rocked while stable doors were burst open with well-placed kicks.

The men in the yard were the first to yell for help, trying in vain to keep the horses within the falling fence. Some who tried to get in their way were trampled, and others who attempted to pull back on their reins were dragged through the mud. Eventually, the commotion lured several of Nicholas' men from within the castle, who were too preoccupied with discovering what was happening at the stables that they didn't consider looking over their shoulders to discover the source. All the better for Alera and Jere, she accepted as the two kept their backs to the wall and worked their way towards the open gates. While men were focused on taming and gathering and calming the horses loose in the yard, there would be less within the castle to stop them and their efforts.

But that didn't mean the castle would be empty.

In the main foyer stood a good portion of the remainder of the guard, swords drawn and attention focused on the open gate. She knew they wouldn't be able to just walk in— they would be expecting something that unplanned. But what they wouldn't expect would be wolves. Four of them.

With a nod to the alpha who had been focused on her as if awaiting her command, a small yip to get the remainder of the pack's attention and then a howl had the guards on surprise alert only for a moment before the screams of chaos filtered out into the yard. Alera watched only for a moment to make sure no one from the stables had heard to assist their brothers in arms, but the sounds of horses drowned out anything else that was happening within, so they were on their own.

Which meant it was time to move.

Glancing back towards Jere, who was already anxious to move, she nodded and they proceeded on. The wolves had done well enough to clear the path— she had specifically told the alpha no casualties. Maiming would be fine but she didn't need any more blood on her hands, or lives lost as her risk. Screams could still be heard, and snapping barks and rustling armor as the smarter guards dispersed throughout the castle— it would have been the stubborn ones who would have remained and tried to fight the pack, and perhaps they were the ones who deserved the injuries, just for good measure.

Hurriedly, Alera and Jere made it towards the passage that would lead her safely towards her father's quarters, so long as the horses kept the guards distracted while the wolves maintained the attention of the remaining ones within the castle. She was about to continue on when Jere wrapped a hand around her arm.

"What's wrong?" She whispered as she looked back at him with nothing but concern on her face, but the look she received in return was nothing short of love and care.

"You need someone to watch your back," he reminded her, closing the distance between them. "I'll remain here to make sure no one follows after you."

She wanted to tell him it wasn't the time, but wasn't it? It wasn't goodbye— it couldn't be— but she knew that she'd have to search out her father alone. If this was a trap like it seemed so clearly, she wasn't going to hold Jere's hand while they walked into it together.

No sooner was she battling with her own emotions than she was in his embrace, her arms wrapping around him tightly. "How are you going to hold off a whole army?" She asked with humor in her voice, because she knew if she didn't she'd start to cry.

He smiled down at her. "My sword skills are impeccable."

"Against a tree trunk, maybe..."

He smirked but motioned to his belt. "Alchemy isn't just about healing potions, you know."

"Just promise me you won't blow yourself up in the process."

"I promise, Princess. I will be absolutely and completely in one piece for you upon your return."

"Good," she said, and leaned in to kiss him gently. Not goodbye. But reassurance.

His arms around her tightened as he returned the kiss, but the tenderness was short-lived as the sound of yelling guards and howling wolves grew closer.

"Go. I'll be here," he assured her.

"You promise?"

"Always."

She kissed him one more time. And then again for good measure. "Be careful."

"I always am." He kissed her again, quickly as the sounds of pounding footsteps could be heard down the nearby hallway. "I love you."

The proclamation despite the events surrounding them caught her off guard, but still Alera smiled. "I love you, too."

She took Jere's responding smile with her as she released herself from his embrace and escaped down the dark passageway deeper into the castle.