Chapter 11

“He’s coming from you and him” Eryx said, his small hands clenching to me in fear and expectation. He was waiting for the danger, I didn’t know what was more dangerous, the cloaked figure or my son who ripped lungs minutes ago.

I didn’t answer immediately,my eyes were locked on the figure in the red cloak. His steps still as steady as the cold wind of snow blew between our legs, then he stood fts from us, standing motionless, like a predator waiting for its moment.

The forest around us has sensed the immune darkness that had raided us, trees talked with their movement, wind blowing beneath my fingers, and the cold snow razzling like it knew the threat in front of us.

Every nerve in her body screamed to run, to flee from this environment. But that would cost me the presence of my son, the one who I had just found, that was not possible, I was ready to protect this boy till the ends of the earth.

“Stay behind me” I whispered, shifting Eryx to my back, he hesitated but obeyed tucking his fingers at my back, still watchful, still resourceful and ready to strike.

Silence. Only the bristle of the wind heard, it kept on blowing our clothes, his head almost visible from the top of his cloak.

Should I speak first ?… was he expecting a greeting ?

All we did was express deep eye contact, not until;

He took a deliberate forward, becoming crunching of the frozen leaves. I could feel his aura thicken beneath mine, he was absorbing me, testing me to see what kind of strength I really possessed, a clear sharp blade peeked through his side pocket. Kael had warned me of powerful unknown creatures, but this one?, he was different. Power steamed with knowledge.

I sighed, not out of surrender but to recollect myself for what to come next, my recharged power left an expression of excitement of the young child’s face. He was excited of how terrifying I could be.

He too gathered energy, as I felt the light of radiant power, this lethal energy, it was a peak point for most adult wolves, but this boy was filled with a source, an instrument trained to be something beyond legacy.

“Who are you?” I asked, getting tired of the suspense, I didn’t want him to see my fear, I couldn’t afford to stand as a weak prey infront of anyone ever again.

The figure looked deep inside of me, like he could see me.

“You know who I am, I have come fro the resurrection vessel, the masters seeks him”

I felt Eryx stiffen, The words like Icë piercing through my chest.

“Master?” I didn’t know what he was saying, but I knew that nobody would take my son from me, unless they do not care for their life, let them dare.

“You won’t leave here with him” The figure said, “not without a fight”

I was dumbfounded, I knew Eryx was trained by someone powerful, but the intensity of the person sounded so familiar, like I had known who it was but couldn’t say, right under my very nose.

Eryx wolf was still growling under my protection,

“If you want him, you’ll have to go through me”

I said, and I meant it, Master or not, no one would rule my child again.

Before a blink of an eye, the figure moved quickly, dancing round the air. He was no longer slow paced, but fast and agile.

I summoned up energy and readied myself, dodging his every attack.

Eryx reacted as he bared in the battleground, never weak, always an Alpha.

My heart nearly stopped, not because of how small he looked, but of how perfect and articulate his moves were.

The figure pivoted, deflecting with a precise strike,moving with the kind of trained grace that could only be learnt from years of preparations.

My heart sank, whoever this was, this life force.. they weren’t just normal, they were hardened predators and Eryx was their prey.

“Mother” Eryx voice was sharp, fierce.

He darted low, aiming for the attackers legs, for a brief moment I could see the level of surprise from the figure face, though buried in his cloak, some part of his face was visible.

I danced with pride internally, they trained him, but didn’t even know what he was capable of.

I pounced forward, seeing he wanted to control Eryx with a strange chant.

“Leave him alone” I said, breaking the chain he planned to put on him.

That was the opportunity I needed, I immediate grabbed Eryx as I gracefully put a crest on the persons forehead.

The snow beneath us still reminding us that we were at battle.

The figure paused, calculating his steps, I felt he could see through me, that he already knew what I had done.

But the crest was supposed to lower his energy, yet nothing, this was unusual, that crest was crafted by my father, my father never misses, so how.

Unless… no it couldn’t be what I was thinking.

“You should not have returned, Eva storm” They said, their voice was edged with familiarity that made my stomach snarl.

“Everything that was taken from you was not yours to claim”

Eryx growled low, a sound that vibrated through my chest.

“I was never yours” his voice deep with masculinity.

I swallowed hard, my mind paced, body tensed and screaming with survival. Another side wondered, what was this?, how did he know about me?, about Eryx?….about Kael?.

As I drew forward with every energy that swept through my veins, I got close enough pull his cloak down, I was tired of the mystery, let me see who I was dealing with.

And then I saw and I wished I had never seen.

My body ran with intense fear, it couldn’t be!!

“Daughter” the figure said with a hideous smile on his face.