CHAPTER FOUR DEERSHELL TOWN
Trever
My legs gave out and Ophelia and I fell into the road. I was breathing heavily; my hand cradling Ophelia’s head. I rolled over so as to not put all of my weight onto her.
She was staring at me. The whites of her eyes glowing against the dark of her face. The moonlight blocked from the trees surrounding us.
“Stop looking at me like that.” I panted between gulps of air. She blinked slowly but didn’t take her eyes away from me.
“Oxwell is safe. I assume the soldiers from Deershell have found him.”
She started to breathe normally and turned away. I kept my eyes on her trying to find the strength to roll over onto my side so that I could push myself up.
“I am so sorry,” Ophelia’s voice barely above a whisper.
I could tell Ophelia was crying. I rolled back over to her and pushed the tears away with my thumb.
Even covered in dirt, her makeup smeared, face puffy from crying. She is so beautiful.
I hovered over her. Get a grip, you are still in danger and this is not the time to be—
Ophelia’s lips graced mine. I kissed back. Hard. A soft moan escaped her mouth into mine as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I rolled over again, this time putting myself over her. She clung to me as though I was giving her life again in this moment of certain death.
I stopped, and pushed myself off of her. Standing up straight, I reached out and pulled Ophelia to her feet. She looked so sad and confused.
“Uh… we..,” I pulled her into a hug and rested my head on top of her’s. I could feel her push away from me but I just grabbed her hand and led her down the path towards Deershell. If I see her face again, I will have to keep kissing her.
Ophelia
My heart would not stop pounding and I could not tell if it was from the fear of the monsters, or the passion I had explode within me. I swallowed hard and did my best to keep up.
My boots are uncomfortable and this corset is really cutting into me. One hand was held tightly by Trever, the other kept reaching for the strings of my corset, trying to undo them and loosen them up. But I failed.
I fail at everything. The night is upon us and I have no idea where we are or what we are going to do. I keep thinking about Oxwell. His chubby face. How brave he was in the carriage trying to protect me. My heart swelled with the thought of seeing him again. Not of. When. When I get to see him again.
An awkward silence rests between Trever and myself. I had never before felt so much in such a short amount of time. It’s exhilarating.
“Have.. you done this before?” My question sounds stupid. I couldn’t think of the words but something needed to be said.
“Done what?” Trever slowed his pace and smiled at me. It reminded me of when he was teasing me in the mirror.
I felt his lips against mine in a heated memory of just moments before.
“Kill monsters?”
His smile disappeared and he continued forward. “Yes. I have killed all kinds of monsters before I was discovered by your household and the Celik’s took me in.”
“It was wrong of what Father said to you.”
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“It’s wrong how he treated you as well.”
Silence. Only the sound of our feet hitting the road as we progress forward.
“Part of me feels ashamed.”
“That we kissed while you are in your undergarments?”
I blushed and the heat radiating my body was a nice welcome to the cool air. Only, this heat seemed to linger between my thighs.
“Uhm.. well.. I was thinking… more in regards to Father. I should feel sad.”
“You are in shock. Reality will set in soon.”
I stopped walking. Trever was marching forward and didn’t seem to notice. He was limping. His silhouette in the moonlight made me long to be in his arms.
Memories of Father being devoured by those monsters fluttered into my mind and yet, no emotion was felt.
“What if it doesn’t?” I bit my lip to keep from talking. My mind would often wander about such things. It would be all too easy for me to steal Oxwell away from our terrible lives on the estate and find a village far away from Warkington’s kingdom. We could live a nice quiet life. I can teach the local children and Oxwell could go on to do as he wishes after having such a loving and comfortable childhood.
But Father finding us kept me back. And now..
I could hear Trever sigh; he turned towards me and I couldn’t meet his eye. His long finger lifted my chin and I stared back into his beautiful dark eyes.
“I do not try and guess what events have real meaning and what events are meant to pass us by,” his stair was making me feel naked and vulnerable. It was exciting.
“What does that mean?” I close my eyes and slightly open my lips. Just kiss me already.
I leaned forward but his fingers had left my chin and I could hear him walking away. Embarrassment filled me up causing my legs to move faster than I meant them too.
Trever just chuckled and continued walking.
Trever
I kept my eyes away from Ophelia. I had never seen her act in such a way. It was.. Kind of exciting to see a side of her I had not witnessed before. Of course, I have only been with the Celik family for three years. Those three years were a blessing for me.
But it only took a few weeks to fully understand the dreadful lives Ophelia and Oxwell were living under Count Celik’s command. The death of Countess Celik was no accident as it was described to the Celik children. Ophelia knew the truth of course, but pretended not to know.
And now they were free. Free to do as they wished.
“I will continue to protect you and Oxwell Countess Celik,” I couldn’t hide my smile. I will do anything for you Ophelia.
“Oh posh. Who knows what will happen now. Some idiot with a crooked crown will probably declare Oxwell to be the head of the household despite his young age. And Oxwell will spend the family fortune on sweets and soon enough we will all be in the poor house. I would look for a better future if I had skills such as yours.”
“And what skills would those be?” I stopped, gently linking Ophelia’s arm with mine and holding her hand with the other. She had chicken skin from the cold. Her breasts heaving in the tight corset. Her almond arms are bare and dirty. Her hair is a curly cloud of fluff and earth.
“Oh you know,” she leaned into me, resting her head on my bicep, “rescuing damsels in distress, being a thief and bandit, stealing from the rich and feeding the poor. Going on grand adventures all throughout-”
“Halt!”
We stopped walking. My body froze and grip tightened around Ophelia’s hand. I slowly began to pull her to the center of my body to better protect and shield her from the strangers.
Emerging from the tree line, shiny bodies of soldiers appeared, weapons drawn and aimed.
“Have you seen my brother? Oxwell!” Ophelia pulled away from me and started walking towards the soldiers who were aiming their weapons. They didn’t put the death machines down. My hand rested on the hilt of my sword.
“Are you Countess Ophelia Celik?” One of the solider’s inquired. I let go of my hilt and put my hands up.
“Of course! Who else is walking around this dreadful forest!” Ophelia’s voice took command in a way I had never heard from her. I felt a twitch of excitement rush through me.
“We must hurry and get to Deershell. The night is still upon us and monsters continue to lurk. Please, madam and sire, let us debrief behind the safety of our walls. Are there any other survivors?”
Ophelia looked at me with a sad face. I walked over to her side and she gently tugged on my shirt with her fingers. I shook my head no and the soldiers immediately surrounded us.
Draven
I paced the entrance of my camp awaiting word. I should have gone with them to ensure the success of our mission.
That was when I saw Dory and Alex coming up still in beast form. Their muzzles drenched in blood. I snarled at them. They bowed low in shame.
“You fools such mere pups to have gone crazy with the moon!” I snarled at them. “Where is Clyde?”
They looked at one another. No words needed to be said. A deep sadness swept me and the howl I unleashed into the world told the entire clan of the Silverstreak Growlers, my dear right hand man is dead. And revenge is not far away.