Shandira’s brow furrowed as she stumbled back against a tree and put her bleeding hand to her heart. She blinked hard and shook her head. Then she looked at the small wound on her arm where the arrow had cut into her skin. “What did you do to me?”
“Doesn’t feel all that great to be poisoned, does it?”
Rage filled Shandira’s eyes as she began her transformation. Her brown eyes turned yellow as she hunched over, taking the stance of an animal ready to attack. She let out a ferocious roar, exposing her feline teeth, then leapt into the air, taking Kira to the ground. Kira’s back struck the edge of the fallen tree, knocking the breath from her lungs and causing her arrows to scatter. She shoved Shandira away, threw off her quiver and stood.
Shandira was still on the ground, struggling to stand, when Kira kicked her in the side with her boot. Shandira rolled over to her back. An eerie sensation swirled around Kira and for the first time, she felt a Royal preparing to leap. Kira threw herself to the ground and grabbed hold of Shandira’s pant leg a split second before she leapt.
Kira didn’t know if it was the poison or the unexpected passenger that drained the so-called princess, but when they landed near the stream, Shandira collapsed to the ground. Kira pulled herself to her knees, threw her leg over Shandira’s body and straddled her hips.
“Get off me,” Shandira screamed. She took a swing at Kira’s face with her curved blade, driving it into the side of the tree. Shandira tried to pull it out, but she didn’t have the strength. She slid her hand out from around the hilt just as Kira drove her own knife into Shandira’s chest. Air rushed out of her lungs and her body went limp.
Kira felt the beat of Shandira’s heart through the handle of the knife as her pulse became sluggish and her breathing slowed. It was finally over. Nobody would ever be afraid of Shandira again.
Shandira opened her eyes, now back to a chocolate brown, and for the first time, Kira saw something innocent in Shandira’s gaze-sorrow and desperation gave her the look of a scared little girl. Kira sat back and let go of the knife. She didn’t want to feel sympathy for her enemy and she certainly didn’t expect Shandira to show any sign of remorse for the things she’d done. But that’s exactly what happened.
With what little strength Shandira had left, she reached for Kira’s arm. “You were a worthy opponent. I misjudged you.” She swallowed hard and tried to take in a breath, but it caught in her throat and she coughed up a stream of blood. “Tell my father. . I love him. . and I am sorry.”
Kira didn’t answer at first. The change in Shandira’s demeanor had caught her off guard. She wanted to hate her and be glad she’d finally been defeated, but Shandira’s words touched her heart and the sincerity Kira saw in her eyes melted some of the hatred away. “I will,” she finally whispered.
Shandira closed her eyes and tears flowed down her face. When she opened them again, they held more urgency.
Her weak voice was harder to understand. “They will come for you. Tyrious will not. . stop. He will. . attack. . Xantara.” She seemed confused and disoriented. She took one last short breath and said the words that would change Kira’s life forever.
“If. . you live, they. . die.” She closed her eyes and breathed no more.
The meadow fell eerily silent. Kira could hear the cadence of her own heart as the blood rushed through her veins. She’d killed Shandira. That single act of retribution should have given her some comfort, but it didn’t. Shandira’s final words had changed Kira’s perception, and she couldn’t hate her anymore. Regardless of what she’d done, she was the daughter of the King of Xantara and deserved some respect.
Kira gripped the hilt of her knife and slowly pulled it from Shandira’s body. She went to the water, but as she washed the blood from her knife and hands, her body began to tremble. Visions of all the injuries she’d healed flashed through her mind as she healed their wounds: Luka with an arrow sticking out of his shoulder; Octavion covered in blood with a deep cut in his leg; Cade with a knife sticking out of his back, struggling to save her life; and Altaria, risking her life to save hers. Their blood was on Kira’s hands. Their very lives were now in her trembling blood-soaked hands.
A deafening scream rang out through the meadow. It took several seconds for Kira to realize it came from her. She slid her knife back in its sheath and tried to calm the spasms as adrenaline flowed through her exhausted body. The vivid images kept bouncing around in her head, sending her hopelessly into madness. She had to gain some control. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she let it out, the images slowed. Another breath-then another. Finally, she could push the memories away.
Kira turned to look over her shoulder at Shandira’s lifeless body covered with blood, her hair and clothes askew. Someone would come for her and take her back to her father. For him, the least she could do is make her presentable-but it would never erase what Kira had done.
Since her shirt was already cut by Shandira’s blade, Kira tore off the sleeve and soaked it in the stream. When she returned to Shandira’s side, an overwhelming sensation of calm surrounded her. Her hands grew steady and her pulse slowed.
Kira gathered Shandira’s long black hair to one side of her head, taking extra care to brush the leaves and grass away. She washed the blood from her mouth and a small streak along the side of her neck. Kira retrieved the heart pendent from her pack and placed it in the palm of Shandira’s hand, closing her fingers around it. She laid her hand over her chest wound-across her heart.
The long shadows Shandira so poetically spoke of in her note, stretched across the meadow. It wouldn’t be long before it was too dark for Kira to find her way back to the castle. As she stood, she heard something moving in the trees. Althros. His brilliant white coat stood out in stark contrast to the darkness of the forest. He watched her, waiting to take her home.
Kira carefully returned her unused arrows to her quiver and slung it along with her bow over her shoulder. She sat on the fallen log, Shandira’s last words echoing through her mind.
If you live, they die.
In her heart she knew Shandira’s words were true, but she couldn’t help thinking she was wrong. She had to be. After all, Shandira didn’t know about the meeting with King Tyrious. If Octavion was able to convince him that Kira’s death would not heal his heart, then everyone would be safe. She needed to have faith it would all work out.
Althros grazed a few feet away, struggling to chew with the metal bit grinding between his teeth. When she stood, his head shot up, flipping the reins in the air.
“You ready to go home, boy?”
He responded by coming closer and nudging her with his head. She had to smile. Octavion had just lost himself a good horse.
She gathered the reins, used the fallen log so she could better reach his back and hefted herself up onto his back. He stood completely still, letting her adjust to the saddle and find the stirrups.
“Thanks, buddy,” she said, stroking his mane. Then nudged his side with her heels.
At first, the setting sun spilled over the forest through tiny spaces between the leaves and branches, giving her enough light to find her way through the trees that separated the meadow from the road that led to the castle. Soon the shadow of the mountain blocked the sun and Kira found herself making her way through a long dark tunnel filled with strange animal sounds and eerie noises. The hair pricked the back of her neck as she rode deeper and deeper into the trees.