The Sun's Shadow

Chapter Three

"You two, get in their armor and wipe any blood from it. And you..." Davient rounded her and pinned her against the fence after forcing her to her feet that no longer wanted to hold her up. "Somehow, you can still be useful to us. Although the initial plan didn't involve you, I think the gods placed you before us for a purpose."

The scent of poison licked the air around her, and she couldn't help but gag. How had he not passed out from that amount of consumption?

"Hm, want a taste?" He pulled her head back by her tangled hair and smashed his lips into an unwilling victim. A slippery tongue snaked its way into her mouth and smothered her so greatly that it became difficult to breathe. The taste was far worse than the smell; burning all of her senses and making her cry for mercy.

He broke away, panting so violently that his warm breath could be seen against the crisp air. He stopped, only to glare at her. "One more drink and you would have caused me to break the most sacred vow amongst men. With that in mind, listen close and follow everything I say without resisting. Then maybe you have a chance at seeing your pretty wings again. Don't worry, they're stowed away somewhere safe for now. I may even know of someone who could restore them for you."

Eledorah's elation could not be contained. To smother the hope in her, he reached into his sack and pulled out the ticket to get her wings back. A petite ivory gown; intricately weaved with gold stitching that made her ponder who he stole it from. She tilted her head, confused.

"You will strip and put this on. Then my brothers will walk you to the gate where you will play the part of a good, noble mute woman whom the Queen is expecting. They will speak for you, you will nod along and agree with anything they say. Make any effort to go against their lead and I'll shred your wings before giving them to my father." Not doubting a thing he said, she nodded at his every command. 

For good measure to drive the demands deeper, he added, "The girl that dress was meant for got cold feet and disappointed us. You don't want to end up like her, got it?"

Again, she nodded compliantly. 

Either way, a bunch of drunk thieves breaking into the castle to steal some jewels would likely be caught. And once their plans foiled, she prayed that the guards would allow her a chance to write down her story before declaring her as one of them. If anything, they'd see her lack of wings and take pity on her.

When she undressed down to her undergarments, all the brothers stared, fixated. She hurriedly replaced her clothes with the dress and sighed with relief that they went back to focusing on their plan. The tight-fitting fabric of the dress scratched the swelling wound on her back, that she felt oozing despite being cauterized. It was likely to get infected.

"Go with them," Davient nudged her into place. "Play the part and remember that your wings await if all goes according to plan. I'll be catching up soon."

They passed the first set of gates with ease, having beheaded the guards stationed there, and walked up the ascending cobblestone street towards the castle. She realized how close another set of guards had been to the fight. If only they had been around fifty yards closer, she was sure they would have heard or smelled everything based on the knowledge she had about a dhampir's range. 

Would they have simply added to the body count left behind by the brothers?

Behind her, she watched the oldest brother hiding the bodies and heads of the victims. Though she felt pity, Claymore's words echoed in her head. How far would the man have gone and would the other watch idly by?

So many questions that she barely had time to mull over since there would be no rewinding the clocks to see another outcome.

As they approached the second checkpoint, she realized the biggest flaw in their plan. The stationed guards would surely notice the satyroid's horns-