Caspian.
“What do you mean Lienna was taken by Veronica?” Adonis yelled, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at Hermes.
Hermes leveled a glare of his own, his jaw clenched. “Because that’s exactly what happened,” he snapped back, his voice low and menacing, just as clipped as Adonis’. “We were moving just like you asked us to, and she ambushed us. Took Lienna right from under our noses.”
“Fuck!” Adonis growled, kicking the dirt as he paced around the room, agitated. His movements sent the shadows dancing around them.
I sat in the midst of them, my expression calm but inside I was raging. Fear and anger twisted my gut, but I knew better than to show weakness.
Hermes’s voice remained even, but his eyes flashed with anger. “She wanted to kill all of us, but something changed her mind, and she took Lienna instead.”
“What are we going to do? How do we get her back?” Adonis asked, stopping his pacing to stare at us, his eyes burning with urgency. The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for a solution.
I glanced at Hermes, and he shrugged, his worry barely concealed. “I currently have no idea,” he muttered when the silence became too tense. His voice was laced with frustration.
Then, they both turned to me, their gazes expectant. I took a deep breath, my mind racing.
“We need to know for certain that Lienna is alive,” I began, my voice low and steady. “If she is, we need to work on getting her back.” I paused, meeting their gazes. “If she dies, we would be in big trouble.”
A flicker of understanding crossed their eyes. Adonis nodded, his jaw clenched.
“But… How are we going to do that?” Hermes asked, his brow furrowed.
I hesitated, searching for answers. “I have no idea. But at least we have to try.”
“How are the soldiers’ status?” I asked, knowing the gravity of the situation.
Hermes’s expression turned grim. “Not good. A huge number are succumbing to the wounds they sustained from Veronica, and there’s no way of healing them. Lienna barely recovered from the last fight with Veronica when she was taken away.” With a sigh, he added, “She’s probably having a harder time right now.”
A cloak of weariness settled over us once more.
“We can’t allow ourselves to be victims of Veronica’s powers, at least not until we have Lienna back,” I said, determination rising within me. “For now, we are our only hope.”
Turning to Hermes, I asked, “Are you alright?”
He nodded, wincing slightly. “I’m fine. It’s just a small wound. I’m holding up well.” His voice was tinged with bitterness. He had sustained an injury from Veronica’s attack but it wash as severe as the first one.
“We also need to launch another attack as soon as possible,” Adonis said, his eyes flashing with resolve. “We must not give Oberon the impression that we are weak.”
The weight of our situation hung in the air, but I knew we had to push forward. “If he smells the slightest hint of fear from us, he’s going to capitalize on that and we would be in bigger trouble. We’ll regroup, reassess, and strike back,” I said, my voice firm. “We have no other choice.” Looking at both of them, I asked aloud. “Do we understand?”
They both nodded, their brows set in determination. “Then, this meeting is over.” I announced and Adonis immediately stepped out of the tent, probably going to meet the soldiers. Hermes followed after, and I was left alone in the tent. I closed my eyes, waiting till I had my rioting emotions under control. Opening them, I opened eyes and focused on the work ahead of me.
Days later, we stood on the battlefield, the air thick with tension. Both forces had been significantly reduced, but determination etched on every face. Our men were ready for anything.
Oberon sauntered to the front, atop his majestic horse, a smug smirk spreading across his face. “I didn’t expect you’d be here to fight so quickly!” He bellowed, his voice resounding across the field, echoing off the armor of our soldiers.
Neither Adonis, Hermes nor I responded, our grips on the reins tightening to the point of pain. Oberon’s laughter boomed through the silence, sending a chill down my spine.
“Letting out a boisterous laughter, he narrowed his eyes, his glare piercing. “If you’re worried about her being dead, let me let you off the hook. She isn’t… yet.” He paused, his voice dripping with malice. “But that may change soon. If I find this meeting unsatisfactory, I will kill her myself.”
Adonis gritted his teeth beside me. “That bastard,” he hissed, venom in his voice. Memories of his first mate and cubs’ brutal deaths at Oberon’s hands fueled his rage.
My anger simmered, but I kept my focus on the battle ahead.
“Enough chatter!” I yelled, my voice echoing across the field, silencing the murmurs of our men.
Oberon’s smile grew, his eyes glinting with anticipation. “Gladly,” he sneered, spurring his horse forward.
With a battle cry, our forces clashed, steel ringing against steel, the earth shaking beneath the pounding hooves. The chaos of war erupted around us, our fate hanging in the balance.
Adonis charged forward, his sword flashing in the sunlight. I followed, my heart pounding in my chest, our soldiers fighting valiantly beside us.
The outcome was far from certain, but one thing was clear: only one side would emerge victorious.
.
.
.
Hours and a carnage later, the battlefield lay scarred and silent, except for the moans of the wounded. Both sides had suffered severe casualties, the toll of war etched on every face.
Our biggest problem, Veronica, didn’t show up today. We didn’t know if we should count it as a good or bad thing. Though, we had to admit it was better that she wasn’t here.
But one good thing came out of this fight. We were able to land several blows on Oberon, leaving him injured, too. That made me extremely happy. A sense of satisfaction swelled within me as I watched him retreat.
Oberon’s eyes blazed with fury, blood spilling through his armor, his teeth bared in a snarl. He glared at me, his hatred palpable.
“Same time tomorrow?” I taunted, not tearing my gaze away from his cowering figure. My voice dripped with mockery, fueling his anger.
Oberon’s face twisted in rage. “Oh… Definitely,” he spat, his voice venomous. “I’ll make you pay for what you’ve done.”
He disappeared behind his men, leaving us to tend to our wounded.
“We need to find a way to get Lienna away from him,” Hermes muttered beside me, his gaze still fixed on the retreating enemy.
“Roger that,” I replied, my eyes scanning the battlefield.
Adonis approached us, his expression grim. “We lost many good men today.”
I nodded, sharing his grief. “But we hurt Oberon. That’s a start.”
Hermes’s gaze turned to me. “We can’t keep Lienna captive for much longer. We need a plan.”
I nodded, determination burning within me. “We’ll get her back. No matter what it takes.”
The three of us stood there, united in our resolve, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the ravaged battlefield in a golden glow.
“Let’s regroup and tend to our wounded,” I said, breaking the silence. “Tomorrow, we come back stronger.”