I Know Your Stubborn Ass Longer Than Today

Kayol and I both remain silent as we roam through the empty corridors of the castle. Almost all the servants left for a better, safer place. I didn't judge them for leaving. I am glad they left. I want my people to be safe, and how much I may hate it, Karmina isn't the safest place in Rolyra anymore.

I take a second to breathe in the fresh outside air before walking toward the stables to get Tarabuja. I don't take the time and effort to saddle her and climb unto her back. "Go as quickly as you can, Tara. There may be lives at stake." I stroke her beautiful black manes. Tara neighs in response and gallops off toward Kayol, who is waiting on the back of his horse just outside the castle gates. Once we reach him, I urge Tarabuja to hold for a minute.

I look over my shoulder at the small balcony of Therion and my bedroom. There he is. Watching us.

"You know he will come after us the second we're out of sight?" Kayol says, also eying my husband.

I nod. "I know my stubborn husband. That's also the reason why I didn't say I love him. I knew he'd come after us." I divert my gaze from my husband back to my best friend. "I can say it to him on the wall."

I shake my head and sigh. "Let's go."

I urge Tara to take me toward the city gates. Tara seems to have understood my words from earlier and races through the empty streets as fast as she can go. Quan, Kayol's horse, doesn't seem to have much trouble catching up with Tara, even though she's the fastest horse out there.

In no time, we arrive at the heavily guarded city gates. The only thing keeping those mythical, killing machines from roaming and terrorizing Karmina's streets.

I jump off my horse and wait for Kayol. When he is ready, we ascend the many flights of stairs leading to the top of the city walls. I nod at the men, women, and others walking around in their armor. Ready to protect those who are still inside the walls at all costs. Even if that meant staying behind, where their loved ones fled, and eventually maybe even giving their own lives in the process.

I take a few deep breaths and shake my head, trying to rid my mind of the horrendous memories of six months back. I suppress the images of the eight corpses scattered over the ground. The torn-off limbs. I clench my hands into fists and force myself to think of Elin's beautiful childish laugh, to rid of the screams of pain and the ever-lasting silence that comes after.

I blink a few times to see we have arrived at the top of the wall. I gasp and cover my wide-open mouth with my fingers eying the situation in front of us. A string of pitch black rises from the edge of the Malsonee Mountains. It rises way up into the air.

Darkness.

The darkness is coming.

The time has come. Hanera – or whoever was responsible for the creatures – thought it was time to make themselves known.

For a couple of minutes, who knows, maybe even hours, I stare at the string of pitch black. A string made out of absolute darkness. A color so dark it sucks the light out of its surroundings. It is a darkness that, without a doubt, can consume us all. I press my shaking hands to my sides to hide the sweat glimmering on my palms. I don't want my people to know I am afraid of what is bound to come. I don't know what to expect. Who to expect, all I know is that it is going to be gruesome. I don't want my people to see me as afraid. If they see me afraid, they'd be even more afraid than they already are. They will lose the confidence and faith that we can fight this. Even though I know deep down, we won't be able to cope with what is to come.

"Something is coming this way," Clarissa points out the hardly noticeable dot coming this way from the mountains.

"Let's go greet them. Come on, Therion," I say, knowing dead well that my husband is hiding behind a pillar to stay out of my sight. I can pick out his scent from everywhere, so he isn't able to hide from me. No matter how hard he tries.

"How did you know I was here?" he asks sheepishly as he steps out of his hiding place. He scratches the back of his head.

I turn around to face him fully and roll my eyes, smiling softly. "I know your stubborn ass longer than today. Now, come on. Let's not keep them waiting." I make my way down the flights of stairs. Therion and Kayol quickly find themselves at my sides. I walk past the men, women, and others guarding the gate with my head held high. "Let us through," I order. The male angel guarding the small door, made inside of the big gate doors, looks unsure at my request but nods anyway. He opens the door for us.

Therion makes his way out of the city walls first. Kayol starts firing instructions at the people who are going to fight with us. Fight with us to the death.

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves and follow my husband out of the walls protecting Karmina. Once I am trough, the door quickly shits behind me.

Here we go.