The Clan of Outcasts (Seasons 1 and 2)

Part 18: "Unleashed"

In the White Castle...

Jaran clenched his fist as the blue lightning crackled around it. Every thump on the wooden surface of the door left a black, singed imprint.

"Beren!" He yelled. He heard his brother scream, heard Zayra proclaim herself queen—

Jaran stumbled back down the hall as he felt her influence buzzing around his ears. Clearly she resented him for the pain he'd caused—but how could he have known? Now his brother was in mortal danger; he could only hope that the Angel had somehow managed to save his brother.

Jaran dashed down the hall. He couldn't do this alone.

"Azelie!" He called.

The fair maiden emerged from the doorway leading to the back courtyard.

"I am here," said her thoughts. "What happened? Where is the King?"

High in the west tower, the door slammed open and Queen Zayra descended. They could hear voices, a lot of shouting—but none was clear enough.

"Zayra," Jaran whispered. "She..."

He couldn't quite form the words, but Azelie read his mind. She gasped. "She killed him?"

Jaran hung his head. "No, at least I hope not. I don't know."

The young woman shook her head. "She is completely insane."

Jaran heard somebody scream in the atrium. "What was that?"

Azelie pursed her silent lips. "I've been trying to find out, but there are too many voices, and some of them have changed. It sounds like Edri is trying to—" she stopped and gasped. "Erlis is free!"

"Free?" Echoed Jaran aloud. "You mean she isn't a dragon anymore?" He turned toward the doorway, but Azelie grabbed his hand. "No! Don't go out there, it's not safe!"

Jaran pulled away just as a series of explosions rocked the ground beneath them. Part of the wall before them collapsed, and he glimpsed a few bodies flying through the air like the toys of some giant child. A bright light filled the space—Jaran knew it could only come from Aurelle—and then there seemed to be a lot of shouting.

"AFTER THEM!" Zayra shrieked. "FIND THEM!"

A wolf howl sent the chills racing down Jaran's spine, and then the castle lay eerily still.

Queen Zayra gave an order, and the scuffling steps of servants rushed to obey, but around the young man and young woman standing absolutely still in the back room, the dust settled and nothing else moved.

We need to leave, Jaran thought.

"That is a wise choice, I think," Azelie's voice responded in his head.

Jaran turned, and his foot scraped against the floor as his shoulder brushed a few pebbles from the crumbled wall.

"What was that?" Queen Zayra's voice came sharply from the next room.

Jaran quickly scuttled toward Azelie and the two friends slipped behind the door leading to the east tower just as servants entered the back room along with soldiers to move the rubble.

"I don't get it," Jaran wagged his head. "How could they just follow her like that? I mean, everybody saw my brother's coronation, didn't they?"

Azelie watched him. "Do you remember how it felt when she sent you out of the room?" She asked.