14. Aramis

Chapter 14

Aramis

I bet you never had to wash your own linen before, Prince?" Aries snickers as he leans against a tall pine at the edge of the stream. The afternoon sun filters through the trees, and I take a moment to appreciate the scenery.

"I don't know what idea you have of the life I lived at the castle, but I can assure you I have slept more nights on rocky grounds by the fire with my men than on silky sheets."

My fingertips ache from the freezing water but I ignore it and dunk the sheet in again. This newfound freedom at the rebel camp had come with responsibilities in exchange for better comfort. The first night I spent in one of the little huts away from the stench of the cells and Axton's incessant chatter had been glorious. But when the morning came, with it also came Aries, my "guard," and a list of tasks I had to do to pull my weight at the camp.

I have done everything from cooking to chopping wood and even aiding with the injured, although my healing skills were embarrassing compared to Sybil's. Occasionally, Victor would summon me for war councils to help organize movements around the castle. I drew maps and compiled long lists about where our armory is located, where my men train, and the routes they usually follow. We even set up a plan to have food secretly delivered to the small folk at the citadel to help them survive the famine caused by Tricella's dark magic poisoning the soil.

Granted, no one really knows how much of what I know is still relevant. Maybe Kieran has infiltrated himself in the military ranks of Shadowvale too and fucked up everything I have built, but I am still willing to share.

"You can fool everyone else around here, but you can't fool me," Aries says, twisting his dagger in his hands.

I roll the soaked sheet on itself, trying to get as much of the water out before resting it into a wooden basket with the others. I can't help but remember I treated Sybil the same way Aries is treating me.

"For the sake of your people, I hope that the day you realize you and the council can actually trust me doesn't come too late," I murmur. According to the latest messages, the moles are getting closer to the access by the crypts. I pray to the Goddess the passage is still viable or the council will turn it against me and not grant me the help I need to go after Sybil. The mating bond tugs gently, and I feel excitement rushing from her side.

What are you up to, Sybil Vandeleur?

Drying my reddened hands on my breeches, I stand, lift the heavy basket and make my way back to the tents without so much as muttering a word to Aries who follows me instantly.

The whispers start rising as soon as I enter camp.

"Mama, look at him," a young boy says as we pass. Glaring intensely, the woman protectively gathers her son behind her flowing skirts and guides him away.

"Ironic having the Prince of Shadowvale wash our sheets," a teenage boy snickers with his friends.

"Why is he still here?" another asks.

Their eyes follow me with a mix of fear and suspicion and all I can do is lower my gaze, until an orange ball the size of an apple rolls to my feet. Angling the basket on my hip, I take the ball and search for its owner in the crowd, but no one claims it.

"Bella—" A woman comes running through the crowd in my direction, but something tugging at my black tunic catches my awareness. A little girl, no more than three years of age looks at me with determination. She has dirt on her cheeks, her knees are bruised, and her green dress has seen better days. But she does not seem to mind.

What really catches my attention, however, are her big blue eyes, void of the suspicion most people hide behind when it comes to me. She does not see the Crown Prince of Shadowvale and his unspeakable crimes, but a man holding her toy hostage, and it makes my heart melt.

The girl tilts her head and points to the ball I am still holding.

"Oh, I see." I smile and kneel to her level and give her toy back. If I had my magic, I could have made it roll on itself and fly but alas, I am still only an ordinary male. The girl, Bella ,smiles back and returns to her mother, who stands frozen in place.

As more and more eyes focus on me, I feel heat rushing to my cheeks.

What do I have to do to be seen as everyone else in this damn place?

Before I can take another step in the direction of the rods where I'm supposed to hang the laundry, a scream breaks the silence.

A man with blood dripping down his left arm hobbles past us, his ripped sleeve fluttering in the wind as he yells in pain. I recognize him; it's one of the sentinels, tasked with protecting the perimeter of the camp.

"Shadow beasts!" He screams. I let the basket drop to the floor.

Shadow beasts.

Chaos ensues as more screams come from the west border, and I let my old instincts take over.

"Aries, inform the council, have every man and woman who can fight take arms. Everyone else must hide." My head snaps up to see smoke rising to the sky.

"If you think I am going to leave you, you're mistaken, Prince," the shifter spits at my feet. Pushing down the desire to punch Aries in the face, I take a deep breath.

"This is not about me and you, you stupid fuck. I have faced these abominations before. People are getting hurt and if you don't want your hands to be stained the same red as mine, go get that fucking backup!" I shout, indicating the way to the council building.

Aries blinks and narrows his eyes, studying me.

"I better not regret this. Go," he says suddenly. I don't hesitate before we both run in opposite directions.

A few tents down, I catch sight of a massive bull-like figure made of twisting shadows, with four menacing horns and a wicked spiked tail. It moves erratically side to side,taking everything out in its wake.

Great, they just keep getting bigger and uglier.

Feeling dangerously exposed without my magic nor sword, I look around and spot an axe leaning against a stack of wood. Without second thoughts, as the screams grow in the distance, I sprint in its direction.

"This'll have to do." I test its weight and take off toward the beast, who has a family of shifters cornered against a rocky wall.

Fuck .

Picking up a rock, I chuck it and the bull's massive head swings toward me. Its snort echoes through the air as it aggressively paws at the ground, smoke swirling from its flared nostrils. "Why don't you come pick on someone more your skill," I shout.

The bull charges, thundering toward me with unstoppable force.

Here we go.

Adrenaline surges through my veins as I brace myself, tightening my grip on the axe. With every step, the ground trembles beneath its hooves, shaking the very foundation of the street. I stand my ground, fearless, ready to face the monstrous creature head-on. As the bull closes in, I swing the axe with all my might, aiming for its colossal head. Metal clashes against shadow, sparks flying in a fierce clash of strength and darkness.

"Fuck." I muster all my strength, digging my heels into the ground at its brute force.

The bull retaliates, its tail whipping through the air like a jagged whip, aiming to strike me down. I dodge, narrowly avoiding the wicked spikes that could pierce through bone. Instead of finding its mark, the tail imbeds in the house behind me. The bull wrenches its tail from the wall above my head, sending plaster raining over me. I cough, trying to clear my vision as I scoot away from the beast and regain my footing.

My heart leaps in my chest as more screams from down the road tear through the air from either direction. If the shadow beast is here, it means Tricella is getting close.

Roaring with fury, the bull charges again, its eyes burning with malevolence. But I am relentless, dancing with death as I dodge and strike, a whirlwind of bravery and skill. With each swing, I chip away at the bull's twisted form, determination fueling my every strike. Blood pumps in my ears, drowning out the chaos around me as I fight for the innocent lives trapped in the alleyway.

Council be damned. If I had my magic, this fight would be over by now.

The clash of metal against shadow reverberates through the street, a symphony of defiance against the forces of darkness.

With one final, mighty swing, I cleave through the bull's shadowy form to its heart, shattering it into fragments of darkness.

Silence falls, broken only by the heavy breathing of the exhausted family and the victorious beat of my heart.

I lower the axe. The weight of the battle finally sinks in, as I take a moment to catch my breath. I kneel before the boy, who's shaking like a leaf, and place a hand on his shoulder as I meet his tear-streaked, dust-covered face. "You did well protecting your family, but I need you to continue to be brave. Go inside with your family and don't come out until we've cleared the others."

I rise to my feet and lock eyes with his father and mother, who are standing behind him, hand in hand. The father acknowledges me with a nod, silently expressing gratitude, and then guides his family indoors. I tear my eyes away as more screams fill the air.

Where the hell is Nero?