Chapter Twenty- Torches On the River

Seren's P.O.V

I knew that feeling. That silence just before something snaps. I had felt it in Davan's flat, the Great Hall and the sealed corridor. I felt it here now.

Isolde moved,

She had the coin in my hand folded and her hands were cold and rough on mine. "You will not lose it. Not to me, Rysen or anyone. You understand?"

"I...-"

"Say it."

"I won't lose it."

"Good." She kicked at the ashes and stamped her foot. "Rysen! Behind the herb shelf on the back wall. There's a crevice in the rock."

"What?"

"It's an escape route. Haldane dug it during the winter I gave birth. Move!" She pulled the shelf with one arm causing a few jars to crash. Behind it was a narrow black crevice. Just wide enough for an adult to squeeze through. Cool air was blowing from it. "It goes underneath the ridge and comes out where the river bends. Half a mile east. Go!"

"You're coming with us!"

Her eyes locked with mine and I knew.

"No."

"No!" I grabbed her sleeve. "You said you would go to the council and stand up for yourself!"

"I have had enough of hiding. But I haven't had enough of being the reason he stops." She gently pried my fingers from her. "He wants the white wolf. He wants what's in you. Whilst he thinks he can get to you he will burn this mountain down. But if he finds me here all alone with just my knife and name he will stop to boast. He always has."He'll kill you."No." Her smile was broken. "He's still my brother. That's the worst part. That's why it works."

Rysen grabbed my arm. "Seren, we need to move."

"I just found her!"

"I know." His voice was raspy. "I know Isa."

Isolde placed her hands on my face. She leaned her forehead into mine. "I waited outside your door for eighteen years. Let me stand in front of it."

She kissed my forehead and pushed me towards the crevice. She stood with her knife raised ready to fight.

I think I screamed. I don't remember. All I remember was Rysen pulling me back into his arms. The stone closed around us. The last thing I saw through the gap was my mother. Straight backed like a blade. Her back glowing against the light of a hundred torches.

The tunnel smelled of cold and stale earth. We were crouched over with Rysen at the front with his hand running along the wall. I was stumbling along with my hand on my stomach and heart racing so fast it felt like it would burst. Somewhere above us there was a loud bang as a door broke. Men shouted. Then a voice. One I recognised. It was smooth and cultured.

"Isolde. My little sister. You look thin."

I stopped.

"Don't listen to her Seren." Rysen whispered frantically.

"I can't."

"I know. But if you go back she has done this for nothing."

I forced my legs to move. It felt like I was ripping something from my insides. Above us Thorne spoke. Isolde replied but it was too quiet to hear. Then there was a loud crack. One sharp bang. Followed by my mothers low bitter laugh.

My knees gave way. Rysen caught me.

"She's alive! Isa! She was laughing!"

We got to the bend in the river. The tunnel ended on a ledge of ice above the black river. Snow was falling heavily and everything was white. For a crazy second I thought we had done it. We were safe. The torches were behind us and the ridge was between us and them. We had a horse ready. Rysen had tied it to the pines as soon as we got there. He never trusted any hide outs without an exit.

Then I heard hooves.

Not behind us. In front. A dozen men on horses wearing grey cloaks. The exact same as us. Our group of six. Five of us.

At the front was Dren. Calmly riding her horse. Her scarred face glowing with the torch in her hand.

"Luna."

Rysen stepped in front of me. "You."

"I'm sorry." She didn't look sorry. She looked tired. "You really were a nice person. Never shouted at any of the stable boys. A real shame."

"How long have you been working for him?" Rysen's voice was dangerous.

"Long before you were born. Thorne's dad saved my family from burning. Debts never go away. I was with Caelum's guard for fifteen years. Waiting for something worth bringing north. And here you are." She tilted her chin. "Her."

Five of them drew their swords. Rysen drew his sword. I felt like a harp string had been tightened. The connection was bright and angry. I knew he was going to die for me.

"Hand her over and you can leave. I promise." Dren said.

"Your promises are crap."

"Then you die. Quickly."

Rysen laughed. A horrible yet beautiful laugh. He had run out of witty things to say. "Isa." He didn't take his eyes off Dren. "When I tell you run to the water."

"Rysen..."

"There is a skiff hidden under the ice shelf. Three yards from the pines. Get it and head down the river. Don't stop. Don't look back." His voice dropped to a gentle whisper. "Get to Caelum."

"I'm not leaving you."

"No. You're carrying us."

Both of them. The babies, him and everything.

"Now."

He charged.

I had never seen someone move like that. He knocked the first rider clean off her horse before she could even raise her sword. He flicked his wrist and the second rider went flying. The rest of them surrounded him like water. Metal clanged. A horse screamed. Rysen fell to one knee but got back up. Blood was dripping from his hand which was pressed to his ribs but he was still fighting.

I ran.

I stumbled through the ice. My stomach was heavy and my breath was like glass. I got to the shelf. I found the skiff. It was a thin boat half covered in snow. I got my hands under the front and pulled. A non human sound escaped my throat.

Behind me I heard metal slice through skin. Rysen screamed.

Something inside me snapped.

The wolf didn't question. She just surged through my spine like a flood breaking through a dam. White hot. I thought of the babies. Then my body contorted. Skin ripped. White fur covered my arms, back and face. The pain was overwhelming. It made everything bright.

But I could feel them. They were there. Small and steady. Two heartbeats. Like the wolf had wrapped herself around them.

I landed on my fours snarling.

All the riders looked.

Dren's face fell. "Gods." She whispered. "It's true."

I didn't wait. I lunged at the nearest horse. It screamed as I knocked it to the ground. The rider flew sideways into the snow. I slashed at an arm. I heard bone. I heard the voice of the wolf. The oldest voice I had ever heard. But this time it was mine. Protect. Mine. No one touches them.

Three riders lay in the snow. The rest had scattered backwards. Pale faced. Their horses were wild. I got to Rysen. He was curled on his side. There was a dark patch growing. His hand was still clenched around his sword. His eyes were half open.

I buried my nose in his throat. His heartbeat was uneven. It was faint but it was there.

"Isa." He breathed. A smile tugged at his lips. "I told you to run."

I let out a noise. Half a growl half a sob.

"You're beautiful." He whispered. "Did you know?"

His eyes closed.

Something huge and terrifying ripped through our connection. Something that tore. Something that felt like it was happening far away but also right here. I could feel it. Caelum. He had just felt his brother fall hundreds of miles away.

A long howl erupted from my chest. It shook the snow from the trees. It echoed across the river, up the ridge and into the hollow where my mother was standing, facing down her brother with nothing but a knife.

A hundred wolves howled back from the north.

Torches appeared over the ridge.

I stood on my fours above Rysen's body. My stomach heavy. My heart breaking. I showed my teeth to the entire army of Redmoor.

Let them come.

---

This scene is set up nicely. It's a punchy scene that sets up the next part of the story. Rysen's life hangs in the balance. Isolde is in Thorne's hands. Caelum can feel everything. Seren is all alone in her wolf form with an army coming.

As for hitting 100k. You're about 20 chapters in. I would suggest planning out the rest of your arc to build up the tension in each chapter. Would you like me to write you a chapter by chapter plan from chapter 21 to around 60? Showing the key points such as Rysen's fate, Isolde in captivity, Caelum's war, the trial at the border council and birth? Or would you prefer to continue writing one chapter at a time?