Chapter 53

Xrat isn't brave from watching his father Vorth get thrown down with a killing jaw locked around his neck, especially as I ask him to run when our chance is greatest. In fact, Xrat has never been more scared.

It's not a lack of courage, but a knowing – especially in his hypersensitive nose. We're surrounded by a large group of these big cats. The Company was more than three, Mzzry, Vorth… and Xrat. Soon it'd be 2.

Then one.

Or so it would seem.

When we get the opportunity, we sprint for freedom – through the Den's exit into the dry land.

And then we run for hours; endlessly.

Xrat is pumped up with adrenaline to live, and under my command he runs hard and without need for pause.

Skye is weakly silent – mourning the death of Zrot Company.

He didn't even comment about Rrot's bleeding carcass in the desert when we passed, as Skye blames himself for this catastrophe of Wolf Dominion.

I keep my thoughts about this to myself.

Xrat will live in Ryer Valley – for now. That's the plan.

That's where I take him.

In fact, after an incredibly long journey, Ryer is finally on the horizon and I know Xrat will be safe.

That is a small semblance of peace.

However, Xrat abruptly forces me out of control for one moment as he stops in the middle of sand dunes, sniffing the air.

Breathing heavily – he smells recognition. Familiarity?

Keep your reign, Skye warns me, speaking up, don't let him explore.

Wait, I whisper.

I don't feel that is his intention.

Xrat's nose touches the ground and he navigates a mile around, looking and looking until he finds half the carcass of a camel.

He smells around some more, getting excited.

Xrat's excitement surges as the smell intoxicates his senses.

I read his joy and it seems to be – well, family.

At least one other.

We look up with his gaze and Xrat almost howls on the spot.

Over a dune peak, a dusk coloured wolf, almost equal to the sand, comes pouncing over the dune and skidding down the side of it, grinning mischievously.

It's such an odd coloured wolf.

Xrat bounds backwards, unsure of this event but excited.

It's me, dipshit.

I hear a voice in my head.

Sarcasm at it's finest.

Fyre! How the hell are you talking in Xrat's head?

They're mates, eek. Xrat and Scora.

You escaped too? Skye asks, very mellow.

Fyre hesitates when she hears that Skye is present.

Scora walks her way to Xrat's nose and they stare at one another, tilting their heads. It's cute.

We're just two humans that can't die, huh, Fyre is sassy but she… she sounds off.

Fyre are you okay back in Wolf Dominion? I ask, quietly.

I'm pretty sure I'm captive right now – or being beat awake. I'm done here, they'll survive together. See you on the other side, Fyre is so final. She always sounds so old.

I'm waking up too, Skye warns me.

We'll wake up together. Xrat doesn't want us now, he needs to focus. Scora and Xrat will survive together.

I feel Skye being sucked away as I speak.

The brief tranquillity and escape of running away in a Beast's body was now over.

On the other side of this serene silence would be the horror of war.

But it would be a horror we could all face together – until the end – with my family.

Wolf Dominion; the remains.

****

I gasp violently awake, cold ice over my head as I'm forced under a bath of water.

I push back and a hand on the nape of my neck leaves as I struggle.

There is no delay in getting my senses back out of Transcendence. I'm awake.

I open my eyes, water dripping down my eye lashes and my nostrils flare with a familiar scent of…

The underground.

Burning oil perhaps, a signature of Cracklen.

I'm with Hades.

The bastard is on a stool by the bath, smugly looking at me scramble back into a wall.

My face is chilled ice cold, my left foot is dang heavy – I'm wearing some kind of scrappy heavy robe someone put on me.

Him.

Shit.

"Where the hell am I?" I snarl at Hades.

"Calm down. My place," Hades leans his elbows on his knees, smirking at me, "You're welcome –"

"Why am I here, and where is Skye?" I yell, feeling panic about to slam into me.

"With Wolf Dominion –?"

"I'm meant to be with him, protecting him – you were meant to give us over alive to Cat Dominion?"

"Him, Skye – the Cats never specifically said they wanted you when we made the deal," Hades drawls.

"And what the hell did you get for this 'deal'–?"

"Immunity," Hades smiles, "And gold – and you, last minute decision but… I doubt I'll regret it."

Says the man with a healing slit throat.

I feel my temper is fast dying, however, which is an odd feeling.

Like a bright but quick burning Sunblast of confused fury.

"Is Skye dead?" I whisper.

"Honestly, I have no idea, none of my business what they do with my family… my brothers," Hades finds it funny, he's trying not to choke on a laugh, "Never really felt like home though."

"You made a deal to… betray – but why. Why. Why am I – why am I here?"

"Freedom bitch," Hades stands up, "And I like you," he turns away from me at that moment, hiding a slight blush, "You're welcome," he murmurs under his breath and walks off into his residence.

I take it in.

Like a den, made out of rock, an open space – all areas are in this one space.

In Cracklen.

"I don't want to be here," I state, in a dead monotone.

Hades takes awhile to reply, chewing on something – or lighting some sort of thing he chews on… no, inhaling? What the heck?

I watch, confused as he slowly turns to me while standing at his window, and the fires of Cracklen's lanterns, give him an amber glow. He's totally relaxed in his home.

"You don't want to be here," Hades repeats my sentence, shaking his head, "But you don't even know what you want," he challenges me on that front, "Fanatic. Slave. Human. Lunette. Luna," he tests these words out, "What are you?"

"They're all just empty words to me – who cares."

"Shut up and listen, who are you? I'm Hades," he gives me a hint, "You're…?"

"Ryder," I answer like it's a surprise pop-quiz by Jawkin and I'm worried I might answer it incorrect.

"Yes," Hades nods, smiles a bit, "Ryder. You're free."

Um.

"Free…?"

Hades looks off into a corner of the room and slowly turns again, chuckling to himself, "…I always like the hurt ones… why is that…?" he laughs lightly to himself, "Yeah bitch, freedom. Get used to it. It's scary at first but… a life without rules, it's, kind of fun," he is talking about himself, murmuring to himself.

He's so odd.

Hades is so…

…kind.

I can't believe I've thought that.

I look down and I take note.

I'm not wearing any shackles.

Or any weights.

Only a heavy warm robe. I'm not naked.

Then it hits me.

What he means, kind of – like, no duty, no rules, what that means. Real freedom. I was actually – I am free.

Hades saved me…

I didn't know… I… I didn't… I'm not sure if I should thank him?

So I say nothing.

I had never tasted freedom before.

Running yes. Fighting yes.

Freedom? I had to experience that something I had never acquired before.

"You don't seem too upset about Wolf Dominion being toppled… not much to miss, huh, Ryder?" Hades makes me think about it.

I… It's true. I didn't miss them. In a shocking strange way… I was… I was kind of relieved.

"I thought I really loved them," I blurt out.

"It's a thin line, baby," Hades is trying so hard to keep serious. Love and hate. A thin line. True, "Trust me, I know how that feels," Hades adds, "How about you sleep on it – when was the last time you slept a full night? You sleep like the dead."

"I was dead," my lip wobbles.

Oh, no.

When was the last time I cried –?

"Hey. None of that bullshit – I hate cry babies," Hades paces, "By the way, you have a bed here if you want it. Not mine. Yours – your own, anyway," Hades reaches for his throat and feels the wound lightly. I suddenly feel a little bit… bad about that. Awkward. Um, "You want to get some air?" Hades asks me suddenly, spinning to me in his paused pacing, "…or something?" a deep, dark, drawl. He doesn't have to make it sound so menacing, he does have a very similar death drawl like – never mind that thought.

I don't want to think about Sk –.

I banish him.

But Hades does somehow manage to make everything he says sound like a lie.

Or a dark joke. Whatever. It was personality I guess.

I make myself stand up anyway.

I nod at him, agreeing to get air.

Hades motions me to follow him.

And so I follow – willingly.

It's the first step I take that's free.

I almost collapse.

I hide it though – because I want to take another one.

And another.

A thousand more.

More.