Revenge of the Luna Queen

Chapter 23

"So what's the plan?" Ciera asked ducking under a branch and following closely behind Aislinn and Kio as they traipsed through the forest. "You don't have a plan do you?" She asked after a few beats of silence. "Why am I not surprised? You NEVER have a plan! We are so freaking dead! Every single time!"

"We'll be fine." Aislinn replied, without turning.

"Fine? We'll be fine? Oh that makes me feel so much better! No you're right, I feel totally confident now because it isn't like we are trying to break into and take out a Councilor in the flipping council house! And it isn't like the last time you said everything would be fine you almost died or anything." Ciera muttered, not even bothering to hide her sarcasm.

Aislinn sighed before glancing over her shoulder. "Do you trust me?"

There wasn't even a moment's hesitation before she was answering confidently. "Yes, of course."

"Okay then, trust me when I say we'll be fine." Aislinn said, turning back to study the forest ahead of them. Her eyes on the uneven ground under her feet.

"Yes you say that, but I'm beginning to get the feeling that your judgement about certain things, say our likelihood of survival, might be just slightly impaired." Aislinn rolled her eyes, though the effect was lost as Ciera couldn't see her.

They walked in silence for a few more minutes, only Ciera's occasional cursing could be heard. Stopping Aislinn crouched down, motioning to Ciera to follow they shuffled forward, the two girls peering through the thinning trees. Kio silently snuck back from scouting the area, pushing himself into Aislinn's thigh as she ran her fingers through his fur.

"Is that?" Ciera asked.

"Yes."

"Wow."

There sitting on a slight hill sat an enormous, well the only word Ciera could use to describe it was, castle. Smaller buildings sat around the property and a wide stone drive cut a path up to the house. Cars moved along, while people and children milled about outside on the grounds.

"There's so many people."

"Too many." Aislinn said catching Ciera's eye when she looked at her and thrusting her chin at the scene before them. "The council is supposed to be a body of elders, representatives from the eight packs that help to mitigate conflict and resolve disputes. They are not supposed to be their own pack. Their allegiances are supposed to lay ultimately with the Royal line but also to the packs as a whole. This-" Aislinn's eyes swept over the lawn and the numerous buildings that clearly were housing. "-is not a neutral body that is working as an advisory role."

"Why?" Ciera asked softly her eyes widening as they watched a group of uniformed wolves exit the woods.

Aislinn's eyes narrowed in on the lines of wolves. There matching red uniforms, a council insignia stitched onto the breast of each and the way they moved in sync with such military precision, clearly marked them as a unit of the so called council's 'protector'. "The council is made up of retired high-ranking wolves, my guess; they didn't like being retired very much. What better way to perform a coup then to eliminate the old leadership and reestablish yourself in their image?"

"So they-"

"Were behind the murder of my parents?" Aislinn asked her voice cold. "Yes. Yes they were."

Cutting across the lawn, Aislinn lead them to the open window they had spotted when they had scouted out the council house from the edge of the tree line. Throwing her leg over the sill she shook her head at their stupidity and arrogance. Dropping lightly to the floor she reached back for Kio, taking him from Ciera as she climbed in through after them.