The Blood King

Chapter 28

Caius

Cassian has done a lot of messed up things in his life. But this takes the cake. This is up there at the top. Neytiri's wolf is carrying her on his back as we make our way discreetly back into the village.

Cassian used her.

She left the village to protect us and to try to reason with him. But you can't reason with a monster. You just can't. We reach the gates and I make sure to make my way around the left side where no one will see us. The only reason I knew she had left is that I wanted to ask her something. But she was gone. And so was her wolf.

By the time I made it to the bottom of the mountain it was too late. Cassian already had his way with her. I feel anger boiling inside of me just thinking about the way she looked. She was naked and crying. And there were obvious signs of what had happened. But I wouldn't dare point it out. Not when she couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

She finally experienced who he really is. And I hate that I couldn't shelter her from that.

He could have killed her. But he let her leave in the state that she was to show us just how inexperienced our leader is. He isn't playing around anymore. And he isn't going to spare us. He's going to kill us all. And not just that. He's trying to show us that she isn't fit to lead. Not when she can fall so easily for his act.

I reach up pulling her off of the massive beast holding her weight in my arms. She is light. Her body is chilled which is a good sign. Earlier she was burning up from Cassian. But now that she is back in the mountains, her strength is returning.

I make my way to the springs and pull the cloak off of her body. Her eyes flutter lightly and open when I lower her into the warm water. She looks up at me, and I feel my heart break for her all over again.

"I'm sorry," she murmurs. She lowers her gaze. She looks so defeated. So lost.

"I thought... I thought I could prevent this..." she chokes on a sob.

"No. Don't do that," I wipe a tear from her cheek. "You did what you thought was right. You tried to save us. No one can fault you for that. Don't apologize."

"But Cassian-"

"Forget Cassian. He's been alive much longer than you. He knows things you don't. You're still young. You still have room to grow," I smile at her. But she cries even harder. I let out a deep sigh.

"We all knew the moment we turned on him, this would be the result. We don't fear death, Neytiri. We know Cassian. He was our king for years. But now... it's your turn. You deserve a fighting chance. This world deserves some kind of hope. We can't just give up without a fight," I say.

"Cassian is going to torture every single one of you," she whispers. "And, there will be nothing I can do to stop him," she cries. I smile softly.

"Neytiri, look at me." She blinks twice. Then one more time, and finally looks up at me.

"This isn't something you have to go through alone. We are your army. Not the other way around. And we willingly did that. Do you understand?" I ask. She nods her head.

"I just wish I wasn't so foolish. I wish I wasn't so naive," she says bitterly. I don't respond. There is nothing I can say that can change what happened, and at this point what happened in that camp is the center of her words right now.

* * * * *

Three Days Later

War. It is inevitable. It's always been inevitable. But never in my life did I think that the inevitable war I would be fighting would be against my own King. I've fought many battles. Alongside the same men. But now, I am going to fight against those men, to defend the people that were responsible for our suffering in the first place.