Dark Prince & the Doe

Chapter 87: An Adder's Bite

Chapter 87: An Adder's Bite

Calden

The Gilded River's roaring faded from Calden's ears, and was replaced by his own heavy breathing. Anne lay before him, still in doe form. The Life Aria built around her, gathering like timid fireflies. Her Aria's power was replenishing slowly. She might have the strength to heal herself. After all, she should have died that night he'd shot her, but she'd survived, despite the silvre arrowhead.

This time, her wounds weren't caused by silvre. She could heal from this. She had to heal from this. "Anne," he murmured and lifted her head, placing it in his lap. A chill seeped into his bones and his teeth chattered. His blue-tinged nails were rimmed in dried blood. It felt profane to lay his hands atop Anne's radiant fur, but he couldn't bear to let her go. He held her closer.

The water pouring from Dolyn's mouth had lessened. Now, it was a trickle from the corners of his purplish lips. Drowned. Calden had no idea how he'd done it. He hadn't sung an enchant. He didn't even know which Aria he'd called upon. He'd lost control.

It had to be some water-aligned Aria. The Ocean Aria, perhaps? No one in the Depths, as far as he knew, called upon its power – its source was too far away. He'd been thinking of drowning in the Gilded River, but that wasn't an Aria...was it?

Elizan and Mayer took a step back. Their eyes wavered between him and the fading barrier. The Challenge was almost over. Mayer nodded at Elizan then gestured to Kiren and Lydia, as if the two were settling for the easier kills. The roar built in Calden's ears again.

"Take one more step towards my brother and I'll drown you where you stand," Calden threatened. His voice was low and raspy from being strangled so many times, it sounded downright menacing. He almost scared himself.

"I don't think you can," Mayer said, shuffling backwards. "You would have used that skill earlier if you could control it."

Calden bowed over Anne, pressing his palm into the water. He exhaled through his clenched teeth, breath steaming into the cold air. "I don't think my control is something you want to test," Calden growled, clutching Anne tighter. "Do you?"

Elizan held out his hands. "We've got less than a minute left," he complained to Mayer. "The Elders promised this would be an easy fight. Next time, they can fight their own battle. Shifters, innate enchantments, and a whole bunch of shit they didn't tell us about."

"Shut up, Elizan. You barely did anything."

"I'm the one that got the princessa. I did better than any of you!"

"Only because we spent half an hour wearing down the Lenwars," Mayer growled.

The ring of light around the outer barrier flickered and a loud hum filled the room. Both barriers disintegrated into rainbow wisps. Calden rested his forehead against Anne as exhaustion consumed him. It was over. Over! A few damaged laughs choked from Calden's throat, intermixed with coughs.

"We did it," he croaked, brushing his hand over her head. Her ears flicked and she closed her eyes as if his thighs relaxing beneath her head was enough to calm her.

Lodon swore, slamming his fist against the ground as he and Gale rolled away from their wrestling match. They both stood at the same time, but Gale stumbled and collapsed to one knee. "Shaw! Use the Night's Lullaby on Roan," Lodon shouted as he pointed at the nervous wolf, pacing in circles. "I don't want him taking a bite out of anyone." The crowd took a few steps back from the circle as the wolf patrolled the tile line. He'd run into the invisible barrier so many times, he still believed it was there.

Elder Shaw approached the wolf from behind, pulling a ring from his wrinkled finger. He enchanted,

"By the nighttime hour, slumber take you.
May nothing wake you, till the morning's power."