The Adventures of Iron Wolves: Book 1 - Alpha

Anima awoke the next day to the sensation of light fingers against her forehead and cheek. “You’re still here?” she asked not opening her eyes. The hand stopped, moving to her hand and holding it tightly.

I have nothing else to do but wait for you to come and rescue me. Stykes replied wryly. Unless I want to sit in a cell and stare at nothing, I think I’m better off staying with you.

“You have no idea what they could be doing to your body!” Anima cried sitting upright to stare at him worriedly. “They could find a way to control you!”

By using who’s blood? he asked calmly, amused that he was being the ‘emotionless’ one between them. Shiro’s blood no longer has power. Those with collars made from his blood have no power. The most they can do is beat me and keep me chained in that cell.

“But they can kill you if they really wanted to,” Anima said not wanting to really think on that possibility. “I’ll arrange everything for you.”

She hopped off the bed and straightened her skirt with a few sharp tugs before opening the door to head off down the hall. It took her a while before she realized she could see properly again. Pretending the return of her sight wasn’t news to her, she asked. “Do you know where everyone is?”

Hawkeye, Dusk and Blade are in the Assassins Den. As for the rest, I have no idea. Stykes replied gliding after her like a ghost. What do you have in mind?

“I’m going to disguise them as my court and visit Akira in the ‘attempt’ to create an alliance for Lunarias with them.” Anima replied, clearly showing that she had a plan in mind already. “Hawkeye, Dusk, Rue and Blade will be my guardsmen and Aruna as my advisor.” She paused and closed her eyes. “Miyako will be another guardsman I guess, and Foxwing as my maid.” She started walking again and down the spiral steps to the ground floor to the Assassins Den.

Anima slapped Rue’s arm warningly. “Hide your wings! I want you all to look like humans not elves or angels.” She stood before all them wearing a soft periwinkle blue gown with white gloves and white slippers. Her chestnut mare stepped daintily to her side and offered her a dignified bow. Anima mounted up onto the saddle with ease, the mare barely moving to support her master while she mounted. “Let’s go.”

Aruna and Foxwing on a black spotted geldings rode on Anima’s left and Miyako walked on her right. Rue, Dusk, Hawkeye and Blade alternated between guarding, scouting ahead, around and behind the girls. Veritas flew overhead keeping an eye on everyone’s status to feed back to Stykes. Unseen to all but Anima, Stykes floated along on her left between her and Aruna.

Anima eyed the females around her before murmuring quietly. “It’s going to take us about four days hard ride to get to you.” Stykes floated closer to sit on her mare’s rump. “As much as I want you to go back, you being here tells me you’re still alive… at least.”

They haven’t touched my body, Stykes said quietly. It took a lot of restraint for Anima to not stare at him. She knew that tone and deeply wished she could fly. They think I’m still unconscious. They haven’t brought a mage down to assess me yet.

“Have you tried to use your power at all?” she asked realizing Aruna was watching her. “You may be captured but they haven’t bound your power properly. They assumed you were an Elven Sword Mage so your bindings are against that. Not against your wings.”

She turned to Aruna and said softly. “Ou nan mite Stykes’ eitheril reasia ko ma reiiki tre numau tre somu.” [“I can see Stykes’ ethereal self so it is easier to talk to him.“] Aruna nodded and moved to talk to Miyako, distracting her from Anima’s seemingly insane monologue.

Rosiel granted you the ability to speak Ancient Elfish, Stykes mused glancing at Aruna then back to Anima. You can communicate to our mages secretly now.

“The knowledge will extend to you as well when you seal our marriage,” Anima replied without blushing. “Rosiel wanted it to be that way. I haven’t really asked her why. Although she’s doesn’t answer me anyway when I try and talk to her. My duel with Shiro was the first time she came out.”

Whatever the reason is, you made the same choice. He wrapped his arms around her waist. I don’t have your memories yet. Anima laughed at this causing Stykes to add angrily. Why are you being so secretive? You deliberately withheld your memories from me.

“Because you’re not in a position to receive them,” she replied with a sigh. “If you learnt what was in my mind, you would be kicking yourself over being locked in a cell instead of with me. With your memories, I was able to feel everything as you did and I had time to properly do that.

“You don’t...” She trailed off and looked up. Stykes looked up as well hearing the same noise.

Wyverns ahead! Veritas warned swooping down and landing on the tip of Anima’s saddle. They are in a blood- thirsty mood. You’re going to need Aruna and Miyako to get past them to Virago City.

Anima turned her head to look at Aruna and Miyako., her blue eyes catching theirs easily. “Veritas tells me there are Wyverns ahead and they are in a foul mood.” Aruna nodded and the two moved in front of her. Foxwing moved closer to Anima, her bow drawn taut. She was to be the one designated to keep those who came close to Anima away.

“Can I have my rapier just in case?” Anima asked feeling very vulnerable and naked without a weapon.

Aruna shook her head. “You’re supposed to be a Royal Princess. You leave the fighting to us and not mess you elegant dress.” She sighed then added. “Tin shikin mei forna, ou neen shiki quan rien tre friith sua ou junkaa sooma qu.” [“For your own image, I know you would prefer to fight but I cannot allow it.“]

Anima looked away pretending she didn’t hear her. Aruna sighed again and turned to Miyako, who nodded. “You can have a bow and a small quiver of barbed arrows.”

“Better than nothing,” Anima replied looking back and taking the bow and quiver Miyako held in her hands. Her fingers pulling the bowstring taut before letting it snap back into place. “Tho I do really prefer my rapier.”

Stykes, after flowing back to his body, opened his physical eyes slowly. A man in the finest silk clothes stood before him.

“You’re awake now? Good. I’m sure you’ll be the perfect bargaining chip for the Princess of Lunarias. I’ll pawn you off as a tamed mage. I wonder what I’ll get in return.”

Stykes waited before replying in rough speech, disguising his nobility. “I heard the Princes fancies elves and pays highly for them. She’s known to like keeping healers as well. If you throw me in with a healer you’ll probably get a huge amount of gold for your treasury.” The man punched him and Stykes licked the blood from his lip before adding. “I was born in Lunarias, Milord, so I know the Princess and her absurdities better than your personal spies.”

“So what do you believe she’ll bring for me as a bargaining chip for an alliance with Lunarias?” He asked with a smile making it clear he was testing Stykes. “Whatever it is, it would have to be extremely valuable for me to want to part with a healer.”

“Wyvern teeth,” Stykes replied knowingly. “Fresh Wyvern teeth.” The man gasped and stared at Stykes. “Wyverns are in abundance in Lunarias and so the Archers of Lunarias are always prized as the best because of their arrows tear through everything.” Stykes pretended to look thoughtful before adding. “I think she’ll probably bring you at least enough for one full quiver of arrows, three if you carve them carefully and properly.”

“Wyvern teeth…” The man stepped out of the cell and called to the guards. Stykes strained his ears to listen to the conversation through the magical barrier.

“Prepare this mage and send him to the holding room next to the Hall of Kings. Make sure he is presentable but still bound. Also, place Chiae there. She’s my weakest healer and the best to use in a trade with the chit from Lunarias.”

Stykes relaxed against the wall and sent his ethereal self to Anima. Wyverns dead? He asked her quietly before realizing her aura showed her on high alert. Ask Hawkeye and Dusk to harvest their teeth. King Akira is willing to trade me and Chiae for a wyvern teeth.

“I hope you’re ready to reap the consequences of that,” Anima replied, not caring if Foxwing stared at her strangely or not. “Wyvern teeth in King Akira’s hands spells trouble.”

He doesn’t have people who know how to carve them. Stykes replied pulling her roughly away from a wyvern that had come too close while she was distracted by him. It’ll take him through half before they work out how. Even then, he’ll probably be able to make at least one quiver… if he’s lucky. He’s assuming it takes normal methods to carve the teeth. Something pulled his physical body hard. I’ll be back again to see you. Remember, collect the teeth.

Anima awoke to the sound of popping and low growls.

“What on earth is going on?” She rubbed her eyes and squinted through the darkness, aided poorly by the firelight, at Aruna, Miyako and Foxwing.

“Cleaning teeth,” Foxwing replied tossing one to Anima. “You said Stykes wanted us to collect the Wyvern Teeth, yes?” Anima nodded and turned the newly cleaned tooth over in her hands. “We’re making them clean and presentable.”

“Aiight then,” Anima yawned and laid back down, the tooth nestled in her left hand. “Wake me in the morning.”

“Night then Milady,” Miyako said scrubbing a tooth hard enough to break the enamel if it were a human tooth she held.

Stykes groaned. Someone was pulling his clothes. He tried to lift a hand and swat the person away. His wrists were bound. His body grew cold and he snapped his eyes open. The guards were roughly trying to pull his clothes off.

“Elf mages power is not only in their swords and bodies, but also in their clothes.” He said weakly and yelped when they sat him down onto the hard ground. “If you unbind me, I can clean my own clothes.” The guards laughed at him. Stykes pretended to play embarrassed prisoner.

“Then you need to wash the blood out by hand while it’s on me. Or…” He paused knowing the guards would want the alternative. “Find a mage that can use Transference. It’s rare so I doubt you’ll find one. Normally it’s an advanced skill Healer mages have.”

The guards conferred amongst themselves quietly before one set off at a run.

Anima awoke not realizing she was already in her saddle. Foxwing steadied her and laughed. “Hawkeye wanted an early start but you were so tired that he just picked you up and planted you onto your saddle while you slept.” Anima’s eyes fell to a pouch at Foxwing’s waist. “This is the Wyvern teeth,” Foxwing said touching the pouch. “I took some and made arrows from them. There were more teeth than King Akira deserved.”

“Where are we?” Anima asked looking around. “If I’m not mistaken, we aren’t in Lunarias anymore.” She sat herself up properly, taking her weight off Foxwing. “Have we passed the border already?”

“We’re in Burnarn now,” Foxwing confirmed pulling out her bow. “We’ll reach Inopia City by nightfall. Rue has gone ahead to give Queen Raene warning. He had a feeling that she would be offended if we entered the city and not told her that we were there.”

Anima grimaced and replied in forced even tones. “Raene…” She heard a faint cry and pulled her mare to a halt. “What was that?” Foxwing held her bow taut, casting a sharp eye around at her surroundings.

“There’s nothing out there…” Foxwing answered in hushed tones. The cry grew louder now causing Aruna and Miyako so come closer to Anima, the three forming a rough triangle around her. “I wonder where it’s coming from.”

Anima leapt down from her saddle and knelt. The cry was louder with her head near the ground. She placed her hands on either side of the brown dirt and felt it move under her hands. She smiled and carefully pulled until she unearthed a small furball.

“What are you doing out here hiding in the dirt?” Anima asked, pulling a thick clump of dirt that stuck its ears together.

Foxwing took the furball from Anima and placed it in one of her empty saddle bags with the lid open. The furball unwrapped itself, shedding flakes of dirt and peeked out at Anima, its pointed ears flicking around.

“It’s a kitten,” Aruna said with a smile. “Poor thing must have been trapped here during the storm last night.” She waited while Anima got back up into her saddle. “What do you want to do with it?”

“I’ll keep it for now,” she said looking at the kitten. It mewed at her happily giving Anima the impression that it knew human speech. “We better get a move on if we’re to get to Inopia City by nightfall.” She indicated with her head towards the setting sun.

Anima internally cringed as Queen Raene gave her a kiss on both cheeks. “Well met Cousin,” Anima said formally keeping her dislike for the lady out of her voice. “I’m surprised you are so well prepared for us. An inn in the city would have be enough.”

“Not for my dear Cousin!” Raene exclaimed shocked at the thought. “No! You must stay here a few days…”

“I’m afraid I can only stay tonight,” Anima replied pulling away from Raene. “I’m expected in Figura City tomorrow to meet with King Akira.” It was Raene’s turn to cringe. “I need him as an ally if Lunarias isn’t going to turn into a land battle…”

Raene nodded regally. “I’m sorry to hear about your father.” She swept her hand to the stairs before guiding Anima up them. “Then rest comfortably tonight before setting out in the morning.” Anima thanked Raene and disappeared into her room.

Why don’t you like Raene? Anima jumped like a startled deer and turned to look at Stykes. She’s really nice to you yet you always seem to be repulsed by her. Anima sat on the bed and began to change her clothes without saying anything to him. You angry I startled you?

“For all she is nice,” Anima said quietly but formally. “She is the vilest person I know. She doesn’t command respect from her inferiors, she demands it. She has beheaded a fair number of them for voicing their own opinions. She’s nice to me because I defeated her once when we were kids. I told her exactly what I thought of her and she tried to kill me with her sword for saying it. I managed to knock her out with the dagger Father told me to carry for emergencies, and she’s been scared that I’ll be the one to kill her if she ever tried that again.” She placed her clothes on the chair and picked up a white cotton shift.

Stykes, unable to keep his eyes off her naked body, replied. So basically your relationship with her isn’t familial but more love-hate. Anima pulled on the shift before nodding. She could tell he enjoyed the sight of her just then. You know, when we’re officially married, I’m going to make you sleep naked.

“You try that,” Anima said without smiling. “And you’ll find I’m not much of a bed warmer.” She turned to face him, hands on hips. “We’re already officially married, at least in the eyes of the Gods. We haven’t completed the ceremony, but the main part of the ritual has been done. What I believe you mean is that we announce it to everyone, so official to the public.”

Right… He perched onto the end of the bed with a smile on his face. Anyway… When you get here, King Akira will demand you come to the Hall at once. He basically wants to embarrass you so be prepared for a grating. He thinks you’re too young to be the Crown Princess of Lunarias. He believes you should have someone who is older and wiser than you… Namely him.

“You think he’ll propose that I marry him to bind an alliance?” Anima asked angry but also a little afraid of what she was hearing. “Because our rings can’t be removed by anyone in any way shape or form.”

He probably will. Stykes replied ruefully. But I have a plan…