Chapter 15: Chapter 15

STORM

Silver’s vision is stuck vividly at the forefront of my mind. From the moment I use Heart Knowledge to see into what is causing her fear, I see what she saw from the portal.

The red eyes. The way Drax and I were momentarily possessed. The sheer and pure terror consuming my soul from the shared vision is indescribable.

It is gut wrenching and threaded through with a Blood Rage I have not felt since I was an untrained Silver fledgling with too much power that I had no idea how to harness.

That…and it is similar to one other time in history when I lost control.

When I was Blood cursed to kill my own.

I remember like it was yesterday. I was filled with rage and terror, as strong as each other, until one became the other and they were indistinguishable.

The terror was from having another soul overtake my bodily actions and thoughts while being aware the entire time that it was happening. The rage was the gift of the curse.

It made murdering easy.

And it has all been returned to me; everything from that one fateful day has been reignited…like it is, once again, just at the beginning of the end once more.

I drag Silver from my Gypsy wagon, and I haul her over to the center of the camp where the Rogue is chained. I hold Silver still with my magic so she cannot move from her position.

I head toward the pile of wood we have from felled trees. I pick up a piece big enough for a pole, and I turn to see Rawk and Zoraul slinking their cheeky way under the cabins to catch a rabbit.

However, they pause when they see Silver in the middle of the clearing opposite the Rogue. Their eyes turn to me, and I warn them with my gaze not to come closer.

I’m shocked momentarily when they back off instantly in quick fright, slinking back into the shadows after they witness my gaze. I try to ignore their truly fearful reaction.

Now, I walk closer to Silver, who is at the center of all my pain. It is all her fault for coming back.

Even after I pushed her away.

She was too stupid to stay away.

And now she will learn the hard way that life is never as balanced as she thinks it is.

She will learn that I have no mercy; I have been taught to never show it, and I have learned to never expect it.

It is time she knows this too.

I stalk my way over to her, and she is unexpectedly silent as I dig a hole into the dirt with my magic and shove the pole into the ground.

I grab a few extra chains lying at the Rogue’s feet, and I motion to Silver.

“Move,” I snarl at her with full ferocity, and Silver jerks into action, lifting her head and walking willingly to the pole.

She turns without looking into my gaze and stands silently as I chain her to the post for her punishment.

“You will not be released until you understand how little importance you have in this camp. Until you realize I feel nothing for you. Not love. Not rage. Nothing.

“When you learn this,”—I see a tear escape her eye as she turns to look at me without retort—“you will leave and never return.

“You are the cause of my suffering and the ill-advised brat who brings me nothing but curses and misfortune. You will not be fed or given water. You will experience pain. You will experience no mercy.

“You will break… And when you do…you will learn.” I stand back, and I glare into her innocent and naive soul.

Then I turn and I walk away, satisfying my rage and my terror…by being the coward I was always afraid one day I’d become.

SILVER

Storm’s words are over the top in cruelty and blunt honesty. But he sounds like he is consumed in a mental state far from reality.

It’s as if he is speaking in a dream, with his gaze always far off and unfocused. I wonder if he even realizes how out of touch he is with this realm.

Regardless, I have gazed into his piercing eyes, the burned-golden dulled until I hardly recognize him.

Even the Broken Fire leaking from his cheek is minimal.

But instead of fighting back, I have simply submitted to his punishment.

Facing rage with rage won’t help him, and this is not his fault.

It is the Blood Raven’s wish and desire to cause this reaction.

She has succeeded, whoever she is.

“Are you okay?” I hear Elena groan from her pole next to mine. “I just woke up…to see you…being chained up by your mate? This is a whole different level of kinky, I swear—”

“He is not himself,” I whisper. “This has nothing to do with kink. Storm needs my help; the entire Lost Horde needs my help. We are set for slaughter—” I lower my tone when I see eyes upon me.

Many people in the camp, Gypsies and Dragons alike, notice my position. They seem curious but too afraid to approach too closely, so they stay on the edges of the clearing.

No one strays close…except Freezkol. When she notices, she is the first to bravely step forward.

“Right, huh?” Elena still sounds a little woozy after those berries she ate, and seconds later, I watch as her head lolls to the side, and she passes out again.

“Silver!” Freezkol approaches me with a hand raised in worry. She comes to stand opposite me and lays a hand on my cheek. “You’re crying. Storm—I can’t believe he put you here. What’s going on?”

“We’re in trouble,” I whisper to Freezkol while looking around to see if Storm is anywhere nearby. I spot him around a wagon by the lake, carrying a bag of something.

He chucks it on the ground, and a bunch of weapons fall out. He starts sorting through the weapons meticulously.

“How so?” Freezkol asks.

“The Blood Raven who cursed Storm has come back to fulfil the revenge she seeks. One more life to avenge her own.” As I explain, Freezkol pales with each word.

“Did you experience a vision?” she asks, stepping back as her mind races.

“Yes, and the Blood Raven teased me by filling up Drax and Storm with her presence, controlling their actions to scare me…

“She said she was here to fulfil her revenge. My heart, Storm’s eyes, my babies’ scales, every Gypsy life in the Horde, or slaughter by Storm himself. Whatever she desires—”

“Good,” Freezkol whispers unexpectedly. “She will be plotting to terrorize and then take what she desires. That means we still have a small amount of time to prepare.”