CILLIAN’S POV
I sat at the council meeting as we deliberated on the next step with the councilmen of the pack. It had been almost two days since Bast was taken and up till that point, there still had not been any development whatsoever on what to do. I wondered how Rosalind would be feeling. I started to fantasize but shook it off immediately. There were serious matters arising, I needed to focus
Across the long table from me was Killian. He just sat there with a straight face. Probably with his mind already made up for what he was going to do when the time was right.
“… But they could harm the little boy, it’s risky.” I heard Councilman Gabe say. Probably a reply to someone’s comment. I was not paying full attention, my mind also was troubled with thoughts of what the high priestess had said before. Many things didn’t make sense at this point.
“That’s true. Although it could just be a bluff, these creatures still have to be taken care of nonetheless.” Said Councilman Arthur.
I could hear what they were saying but I was only half attentive. There were more deliberations.
“What do you suggest, my princes?” One of them asked.
“You both haven’t said a word since we commenced.
Killian eyed him.
“What do I think? I’ll tell you what I think, what the f…”
His outburst was Interrupted by a messenger walking in unannounced.
The messenger whispered something to Councilman Arthur.
His countenance changed immediately.
“There’s been another attack by the rogues today. Just south of the lake.” The Councilman told the board.
Killian smashed his fist into a table and it felt like it was going to come crashing down.
“Enough of this nonsense. Attacks here and there and nobody is doing shit! This is just too damn much. How the fuck are we all okay with just staying idle while this shit is happening?”
“Please calm down, my prince.” Arthur said in a very calm voice.
Killian gave him a very dirty look. But before he could say anything else. There was a mild sound of a gong and the High Priestess entered the conference room.
At the sight of her even Killian was too surprised to keep speaking. The episode of our last meeting with her was still replaying in my head. I had tried my very best to make sense of all she had said then but nothing was adding up. Now here she was again, no doubt carrying some more lovely news.
“Leaders, your highnesses.” She bowed accordingly.
We nodded slowly, waiting for the bomb to drop.
“The witches want to fight.”
“You went to see them? Why on earth would you negotiate with the enemy without our knowledge.” Councilman Arthur rose from his seat.
The High Priestess turned to face him fully with a disgusted look on her face.
“You will watch the way you speak to me, Arthur. I am still the high priestess of the moon goddess and I will not be disrespected in my land. I do what I know will be in the benefit of Southern Paw always and forever. I will not be interrupted again.” She spat with an iron voice but her expression was still as calm as ever.
There was a moment of awkward silence in the room, with the councilman and priestess staring at each other.
Then she took her eyes off and continued.
“I request an audience alone with the princes.”
“Are you saying that the Council should excuse you?” Arthur was going mad with anger.
“No, Councilman, I’m requesting an audience with prince Killian and prince Cillian.” she responded curtly.
Arthur turned to me to defend him.
“My prince you can’t let …”
“You are all dismissed. This meeting will be adjourned to a late date. Apologies for this, councilmen.” I said to them all
Arthur stared at us both. He said nothing else but gathered his things, stood up, bowed and excused himself, and so did the others.
“My princes. It is quite unfortunate but at this point, the only way to solve this is to fight. These people have been preparing for war ever since they kidnapped your fiance, she said to Killian. It was a well thought out plan, to enable them to access the land harmlessly.”
Silence.
“There is vengeance on the horizon. Estella is back. Let me explain, a long time ago, when your father was king, there was a great purge of witchcraft from Southern Paw. Witches started to cause a lot of trouble in the pack and your father, the king, was forced to execute every person caught using magic. Estella was caught and so were a lot of others. They were tried for prosecution for using dark magic but she escaped while the rest were executed.”
“Why is this just coming up now?” I asked.
“I knew her and her sister while growing up, my prince. We were all childhood friends. We all had abilities, but I didn’t support some of the magic that she practiced. She was eventually caught and her sister was part of the people sentenced to death. She escaped but her sister couldn’t and was executed with the rest.
“Now all she wants is revenge.” Killian nodded.
“Exactly my prince. She blames the two of you for what happened to her and she will stop at nothing to bring you down. Even if it means causing an earthquake to gain more power.”
“Earthquake? Do you mean the disaster that happened was all her doing?”
“Every single thing was planned by her. Even the strange fighter that emerged during the tournament, all of that was her plan. She wants you both dead at all costs. What she did that day was draw from the core energy of the pack to become stronger. The earthquake was a distraction caused by one of hers. Bloodshed does not deter her at all, as long as she gets what she wants.”
“You said you used to be friends. Meaning you knew her then, there must be a weakness somewhere that you know about, so how do we take her down?” Killian said, getting to his feet.
The high priestess shook her head.
“The Estella I knew then was different from who is operating now. This person has no soul anymore. She has been consumed by darkness, by the hunger for more power, for revenge. She was strong headed then but in an adolescent and harmless way. Now she can kill without batting an eyelid.”
All this was a lot. An evil witch who we had no idea existed was bent on taking out revenge on us. But what I was most worried about was Bastien.
“What about the boy, how do you save him?” Killian spoke my mind.
“You would have to openly wage war against them for her to let the boy go. She knows you both cherish Rosalind and the only way to make you act is by going through her.”
My heart skipped a bit when I heard what she said. Was that why she wanted to see us in private? Killian was trying to keep his face expressionless but I could tell that he too was taken back by what he heard.
She continued speaking, ignoring the awkward silence.
“She threatened to decapitate the boy if you kept delaying taking action. She was not bluffing.” The high priestess said.
“What?”
Killian and I exchanged looks.
She brought forth her palms and a little box appeared. She opened it and revealed a gauntlet inside the box.
“Sending this across to her territory will signify that Southern Paw is at war with them. It will mean that you, my princes, declare open war on Estella. Do this and Bastien will be released but also, automatically we will be at war. I’ll give you time to think this through.” She said and excused herself.
Killian stepped forward after a moment. He put his hand in and took out the gauntlet in the box. He threw it aside, removed his own gauntlet and replaced it.
“If we are going to war, we might as well do it the old fashioned way.” He said and faced me.
“Shouldn’t the Council at least have a say in this matter?” I asked.
“Cillian, I know you are all about peace and settling everything with diplomacy and hugs, but some matters require iron and blood. This is one of them. It’s either you are in, or you are out.”
I took a breath.
“If we’re doing this, we do it together. If we are fighting side by side, we need to have each other’s back. This is a war we are talking about. I cannot bear any more casualties but if it is the only option then we will fight for what is ours.”
“Cillian just put the damn thing in the box, what’s with all the motivational speech? We’re supposed to be angry, not motivated for fuck’s sake.” He sighed.
“I’m serious, brother. We do this, then we have each other’s back every step of the way. No slip-ups, no mistakes, no rash decisions.”
“Always.” He nodded.
I took off my gauntlet and placed it in the box as well.
The high priestess cleared her throat from behind us. We turned to see her waiting. She looked at the box, nodded and beat her staff twice on the ground and the box vanished into nothing.
“The deed is done. Now, we prepare for battle.”