ESCAPE

Sail

Sorin glared at Asteria and she took her sword away from his neck.

"Get up." She said

Sorin stood up shakily and she kicked him a sword. He picked it up and lunged at her. The ringing of metal echoed as she blocked him.

"You fight like a coward." She hissed

Asteria swung her sword and a bright red line appeared across Sorin's cheek. He staggered and she kicked him to the ground.

"You call yourself a King?" She taunted

Sorin jumped to his feet with a growl. His eyes blazed gold and power lashed at her. Asteria smiled and swung her sword again. This time he blocked her strike.

"Now we're talking." She said

The echoing of swords rang across the area as women continued running to the docks. Ageus helped them escape some of the soldiers while many women used their newfound powers to help. Out of the corner of her eye Asteria saw Ageus get knocked off his feet. She faltered and felt the sting of Sorin's blade across her shoulder. It cut through the skin where his mark used to be. She roared and stuck back in a red haze. Asteria glowed with power and her strength increased. She was less of a woman and more of a storm. Metal against metal crashed. Sorin was losing strength, but Asteria was just getting started. The sound of his sword hitting the ground was like a victory song to her ears, but before she knew what was happening he shifted. Where Sorin once was stood a massive lion. Blood matted it's golden fur and it's eyes blazed like the sun. It leaped at her and she let it. Just as its claws hooked her side she stabbed upwards and the lion fell onto her sword. She flipped it off of her and the lion melted away to Sorin's human form. Asteria got up and stepped away from his naked and bloody body. She let out a victory cry that sent ice running through all of the men's veins. Tess came running up to her.

"All the women are on board. We're ready when you are." Tess said

Asteria opened her mouth to respond, but Tess fell before she could. Darian stood where Tess had fallen and he was still holding the bloody knife that had stabbed her. Asteria froze for half a second before she attacked. Darian fought harder than Sorin had, but she managed to get him to the ground. He fought ruthlessly against her and she kept her hands around his throat so her couldn't shift. She squeezed until his eyes turned red and he stopped struggling. Someone grabbed her shoulder and she turned to fight. But it was Natia.

"The island calls. We must go now." She said

Asteria let go of Darian throat and picked up Tess's body.

"We leave no one behind." Asteria said

Natia nodded and they ran to the docks. Asteria held Tess's body in her arms as if she were a child. All she could think of was the fact that Tess would never make it to the island. That she died a slave and it was all Asteria's fault.

Once they got to the docks Natia directed Asteria to the first boat and told her that she would follow on the second one. Asteria nodded numbly and followed her directions. When she walked on the ship all of the women froze. The silence was deafening and Asteria laid Tess down on the deck. A cry rang out that echoed across the bay. It was the sound of a Banshee and was so haunting that it raised the hairs up on everyones' arms. Asteria joined the Banshee cry with her own. They had lost Tess. The Banshee quited, but Asteria's cry still rung out in mourning. A bloody and beaten Ageus put his hand on her shoulder and then embraced her. Asteria's voice grew hoarse and she quieted.

"She died free. There are no chains on her. She died fighting and as a warrior." He whispered

Asteria closed her eyes in pain and nodded. She brushed Tess's hair from her face and several women stepped up to take the body. Asteria stood up and stepped to the bow of the ship.

"Let's go." She said

The sails opened and they were off. The island called to them. It was time to go home.