The Journey

“What the hell?” I exclaimed, rushing at him. My stepfather lay limp on the chair, blood gushing out of his neck in a mad frenzy. He held my hands which had been raised to attack him. 

“Let us be on our way.”

He began to drag me away but I resisted, looking behind me at my mother who still sat, her eyes emotionless as she stared at her husband's dead body.

“He has children,” I cried as we stepped out into the open. My mind was a chaotic haven for emotions I could not recognize. I did not even know how I felt about the death of someone who betrayed me. Judas had been good to me once upon a time and I was not going to forget it. 

“He doesn't deserve them,” the man said coldly. 

“They need their father!” I exclaimed, exasperated. “How do you think they will react to seeing their father's dead body with a dagger to his neck?"

"I did not leave my dagger in his neck." This man has the guts to flash me a smile. "This is pure silver, too expensive to be left in the body of filth."

"You are unbelievably cruel."

"I would not use that word to describe me," he said, still dragging me towards the carriage. "I prefer to be described as someone who enjoys to mete out justice. 

"You're despicable," I spat at him.

"That is no way to talk to your new master," his eyes flashed an angry red colour. "Get in!"

The doors of the carriage had been opened by a man in a peculiar uniform. There was another carriage behind the one I was shoved into with men wearing the same peculiar uniform. Curiously, I asked. "You are not a government official, are you?"

He said nothing and got in beside me, leaning against the walls of the carriage. The doors were shut and the carriage began to bump along the road. 

Silence prevailed for most of the journey and I had no idea that I had slept off. When I awoke, it was to my horror that I had leaned against his shoulder and drooled on him. "I... I..." I began to stammer, my heart beating against my chest. 

He gave a slight chuckle and then his expression turned serious. "You shall wash this shirt the moment we get to our destination."

Shrugging, I turned to the window of the carriage that had curtains drawn across it. Curious to know what time of the day it was, I drew the curtains aside and was met with pitch blackness and it seemed like we were travelling through the forest. "How long have we been travelling?"

"Long enough," came the cool reply. 

"It is dangerous," I gasped, and as though to back up my point, I could hear the distant howl of a wolf. Fear gripped my chest. "Did you hear that? We should have stopped at an inn!"

The man shrugged. "You don't seem to be the type that is scared of anything Agnes."

He knew my name.

"I'm Cyrus if you are curious to know, but you shall refer to me as Master and we will get to our destination."

Swallowing hard, I pursed my lips and drew the curtains back but pulled them open almost as soon as I did. There had been an animal-like creature that suddenly seemed human in my eyes or had I been dreaming? Was it paranoia?

"Did you see that?" I asked, turning to face him. The moon had turned a different colour, and it shone through the window on him, and his eyes had a feral colour. He licked his lips briefly and turned away. 

"Close the curtains," he simply stated.

I did as I was instructed, getting suspicious by the way his eyes had glowed when the moon shone directly on it. 

Could it be that the rumours and fairy tales were true? That amongst us humans there were supernatural creatures?

I shook my head in disbelief, I had to be imagining things. 

My stomach growled and I sighed. I had not eaten breakfast in the morning so the Found would be enough for the twins who had a ravenous appetite, and I had been whisked away before lunchtime.

"We will stop at an inn soon," Cyrus mumbled. "I can hear your stomach very loudly. Did you not have breakfast?"

His eyes were closed as he spoke and I could not help but say. "The curtains are closed."

"I know."

"Why are your eyes still closed then?"

He shrugged in response.

"What are you? You're not human, are you?"

"What makes you say that? Don't I look human?"

"You do, but your eyes are strange," I commented. "There have been rumours of the existence of witches, wizards and vampires."

"Have you seen any of them?"

"Nope, but a woman was burned alive at the market two days ago. She was accused of being a witch."

"Did she look like one?"

"Not at all," I shrugged. "Her nose was crooked."

Cyrus chuckled, his eyes still closed. "If I wasn't human, what do you think I'd be?"

"A vampire? Your eyes... They flashed orange."

Cyrus snorted. "I hate to be compared to those extinct blood-sucking mosquitoes."

And for the rest of the journey, he was silent. 

*+*+*+*+*+*+*

We arrived at our destination two days later by noon. The sun was harsh on the surface of the earth and I squinted as I stepped out of the carriage. 

A stone palace stood erect in front, its tall figure loomed over everything menacingly and the shadows it cast in all directions were enough to send fear into everyone. I could see humans mingling fearlessly with wolves and as much as I did not want to, I clung to Cyrus. 

A wolf charged towards us, and I screamed but was silenced with a hand over my mouth. The wolf that had run in our direction changed into a human as it got to us.

"Welcome to the Ghysem, the Pack of the Northern Wolves," Cyrus said with an amused smile.