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While Ryuu and Theon tie up and cover the creature, I walk closer to my mother.
“Seren. What are you doing here?” She raises a sharp brow and gives me a look of annoyance.
“Helping?” I reply, my smile innocent yet deceiving.
Both my mother and Ryuu have silently yet reluctantly given me their blessing to help but have yet to allow me entry intothe workings of it. I took it upon myself to come tonight in hopes that my help was needed and they would drop any further hesitations.
Warrick moves over to us, dipping his head in greeting. “I did not realize you fought that well.” He gives my mother a look. “Maybe you should join us?—”
“Iwilldecide that, Warrick.” My mother gives him a glare that makes him immediately back down and agree.
Clearing his throat, he looks to the dark, rotting, and crumbling wall. “Let us keep watch for a minute to make sure no more come through tonight.”
My mother’s sigh is weary. “We can’t be sure that will happen. The minute we leave, two dozen more could show up. We need guards out here at all times.”
Warrick shakes his head. “We don’t have that kind of manpower. You know that, Aloisia. Most Sidus can barely defend themselves with their abilities, let alone fight. Let us hope your plan works. It is all we have right now,” he says, the worry slashed across his face as he glances to Ryuu and Theon. The creature appears to be knocked out; it’s tied up, and the dark robes are wrapped around it tight. It could be easily mistaken for a bundle of weapons or a dead body.
“What plan?” I turn to my mother just as Ryuu steps up beside us. I ignore the agitated glare and focus on her.
Her face is filled with the same agitation but also with a small amount of acceptance.
“As you can see, the numbers seem to be multiplying quickly. Something needs to be done. The Caligo guards need to help,” she says.
“They’ll never agree to it. You know that,” I reply. I don’t even need to think about it, knowing it is a fact. The Caligo guards do not care about the Sidus.
My mother shares a look with Ryuu. “We’re hoping after they see some evidence firsthand, they will have to move forward with a plan to secure the kingdom.” She glances down at the tied-up creature, and it hits me what they are going to do. Or at least attempt.
They are going to take this creature straight to the guards.
“But how can you contain it? They move like smoke and are able to move through the wall.”
“Iron,” Warrick answers. “For some reason, they can’t move through or beyond it. It is the only thing that seems to contain them.”
“But—”
“Go home, Seren,” Ryuu says, his tone leaving no room for question.
“Straighthome,” my mother warns, giving me a knowing look before placing a kiss on my head and turning to leave, Ryuu a step behind her.
They say their thanks to Theon and Warrick, warning them to be careful in their watch tonight, before heading toward the guard’s watchtower nearest to the wall.
I turn and move quickly, heading into the shadows, and move into the void with ease before coming out on top of one of the old towers across from the watchtower. No Caligo guard enters it, as it now lies wasted to rot and is too near the crumbling wall and dark forest.
Using its darkness as cover, I keep an eye on my mother and Ryuu as they make their way toward the Caligo guards. As soon as they’re a few feet away, a guard walks out, a snarl on his lips and an arrogant look on his face. His clothes are the same as most other Caligo—black attire with soft leather and thin plates of gold armor over the shoulders and chest. Some have a small insignia woven onto the right upper shoulder, revealing their high rank among the guard. But their rank does not seem tomatter to the Sidus, only themselves. They think us all beneath them anyway.
My stomach churns as I watch, knowing deep down how exactly this is going to go. Either the guards will think they are lying and this is just some trick or hoax or they will blame them for bringing such a threat into the kingdom.
I catch the look in Ryuu’s eyes as he stares down the guard. Nothing but raw rage is there as he attempts to talk to him.
The guard laughs at something he says, and that rage only grows. Ryuu clenches his jaw before sharing a look with my mother. She nods her head, and he quickly bends down to slice his dagger across the robes that hide the dark creature.
The Caligo guard’s haughty laugh is cut off at once as he jumps a step back in horror, his eyes not leaving the unconscious creature.
Ryuu says something again, making the guard nod a sharp reply, his face now ashen. But before any relief is felt, another guard appears and whips out his sword, slicing it across the creature’s neck, effectively killing it. The iron chains drop to the ground as the creature disappears.
The new guard quickly turns on Ryuu and my mother. I take a step to move toward them when I realize what I’m about to do and stop myself.
Going down there will only bring them more trouble.
