Page 247 of Dark Souls

Zoran slapped his hands against his face, physically hitting himself out of his fury and nodded. “You’re right. I can’t be impulsive. I’ve waited too long to fuck this up now.”

Against my better judgment, I listened to Heathen. “Perhaps you should go there and lie low for a little while. Watch her. Figure her out from the shadows.”

Zoran seemed to consider it, sitting back down at the end of the bed. “If she senses me, she’ll run again.”

“And you’ll let Ambroz hunt her. Once you have her scent, he’ll easily track her,” I offered.

‘And once he sees her, he’ll know if she is his soulmate or not,’Heathen added.

Zoran nodded, his shoulders slouching a little as the tension crept out of them. “I’ll go tomorrow night and scope the area. After we’ve been home.”

Home.He still considered that little cottage, scorched and demolished, in a rural part of Serbia, our home. My chest hurt as I stared at my brother. In some ways, he was more broken than me. He was stuck in the past, unable to move on. My past may haunt me but he was still living in his. I placed my hand on his shoulder and agreed.

Love Endures

“Areyousureyoudon’t want me to come? Once you get there, you could text me your location and I can transport myself there?” Ilaria asked, smoothing the ruffled feathers of my wings with her hands as I held her close to my chest.

“Thanks, Snow. But this is something we need to do, just the three of us.”

She smiled with a sprinkle of sadness. “I understand. I just know how hard it’s going to be for you and want to be there to support you.”

“You will be. You always are.” I placed her hand on my pec so she could feel my heart beating. “Keep our bond open and I’ll know you’re there.”

She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and hoisted her up, spinning us just to make her giggle into the kiss. Sometimes, I needed to pinch myself to believe that this was all real. That she was really mine.

Ambroz grunted next to us and I put Ilaria down reluctantly. My older brother had never been a patient demon and he seemed to be in a foul mood. Ilaria handed me the metal briefcase that contained mama’s bones and I gave her another hasty kiss because I just couldn’t help myself.

Hana shifted into Casmira and the three of us took off into the clear sky, leaving Ilaria and Ronnie behind until their bodies became specks in the landscape. It didn’t take long for the three of us to fall into sync with each other as we soared with effortless grace above the clouds. Our wings beat in a slow, rhythmic pattern, a gentle cadence that allowed us to savour this long-awaited moment of unity.

I felt free, unbound, as if the weight of our existence had lifted and we could finally be our true selves. The wind roared in my ears, the sun warmed my skin and pure joy thrummed through my veins. Yet, beneath the harmony, an underlying sense of unease sharpened every flap of my wings. What would we find, if anything? Our home, our land. Would it fuel cherished memories or should I prepare for only grief?

I glanced to my left and then my right, where my brother and sister flanked me. Ambroz flew beside me with fierce determination. We looked alike except for the telling signs he was a firstborn of the original bloodline. The tips of his black feathers were tinged with a deep red and his horns curled larger and also had a red sheen to their scales in certain light. His black gaze was fixed ahead, unreadable. His emotions came second to his loyalty to our father. They had the closest bond with him being the firstborn so I knew he would never rest until we found his bones.

Looking to my left, Casmira’s movements were elegant and fluid compared to the power and fierceness of Ambroz. She glided through the air like a boat in a stream. Her black eyes flicked to mine briefly, and a ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. Everything about Casmira’s appearance was more delicate compared to Ambroz and me. Her wings, her horns, her aura. She was lean and toned, her vines swirled in beautiful patterns around her body to define her curves and she moved with such lethal agility, you could never underestimate her.

Ambroz clicked his fingers at me, indicating that now would be a good time to transport as we had just flown over the sea. I nodded in agreement and glided to allow them both to come closer until each of them took a hold of my ankles. Transportation during flight was one of the firstborn gifts and so they wouldn’t have been able to achieve it without me.

I closed my eyes and focused, allowing the memories of my homeland to infiltrate my mind. In a blink of an eye, our bodies vibrated with the demonic magic I possessed and we materialised high above a new landscape.

Rolling hills and vast plains stretched in every direction; Serbia’s outline softly rose and fell like the rhythm of a gentle wave. Gold and green patterns shimmered in the sunlight, showcasing the fertile fields and well-maintained farms. Glistening rivers cut through the ground like serpentine pathways, the flowing, pulsing veins keeping the very heart of the country pumping. But so much had changed since I’d last flown this route. Large cities, vibrant and full of modern architecture, reached up towards the skyline and once quaint villages now seemed larger and more imposing against nature’s surroundings. We passed over the occasional forgotten monastery or fortress that had refused to yield with time and blended into the untamed beauty, a nod to our country’s history.

Heading towards the south, where the rugged mountains stood like dramatic guardians over the landscape with their peaks lined with thick pine and oak forests, my heart beat faster than my wings.Home.We flew over clusters of red-roofed houses that were nestled in the deep valleys until we reached a familiar forest. The smell of my childhood, the subtle tones of oak and damp moss, infiltrated my senses. We swerved down into the dense forest, weaving through the trees and landing crouched in the dirt. For a few minutes, none of us spoke and just listened intently to our surroundings, checking there was no one nearby. Our eyes scanned the area and slowly we stood, folding our wings back behind us.

“It’s exactly how I remember it,” Casmira whispered in awe, her onyx eyes studying everything as she moved in a cautious circle. “But the trees don’t feel as tall as they used to.”

“That’s because you’re bigger.” I smirked and she returned my smile. But that didn’t ease the nerves rolling around inside me.

Ambroz remained silent and stepped forwards, leading the way through the forest towards the place where we had created so many memories. Our last memories as a family. As we got closer, I was finding it harder and harder to breathe normally. The horrors of all we endured that night were returning. I stopped dead when I recognised the very tree, I had sheltered mama and Hana in before I tried to return to help my father and brother. I closed my eyes when I heard the screams of mama and Hana’s crying ringing through my ears. A soft claw slipped into mine and I glanced down to see Casmira’s and my joined hands. She gave me a sad smile and I squeezed her hand, finding the courage to continue.

Ambroz was already well ahead, each of his heavy footfalls echoing with his conviction to achieve the one task we came here to do. Find father’s bones. Reunite our parent’s souls. His silent but loud dedication was enough for me to rein in my emotions and focus on each step ahead. When the familiar clearing came into view, I held my breath. Ambroz had finally paused, stepping out of the shadows of the trees and staring at the rubble of stones and demolished ruins of our cottage. Moss, wild plants, and grass covered the remaining structure, but it was still visible. Even the large wheel of our father’s wooden cart stuck out from the brambles and overgrown weeds, the bolts rusted and misshapen.

My throat closed. The three of us stood in a heavy silence. Casmira’s eyes were glassy with unshed tears. Ambroz’s body was as solid as a rock with tension. I wanted to say something. But there were no words to say. Nothing could bring back what we had lost that night.

Ambroz turned his head and looked at me. His face was stoic but his eyes told a different story. He was finding this just as difficult as us.

“Come on,” he said with the decisiveness we all needed to hear. “Let’s find father.”

The three of us walked up to the ruins and took a few minutes to just remember. Casmira sat on a pile of stones and looked around, a sad smile painted on her face that wouldn’t leave. I climbed over stones, overgrown plants and scorched wood, running my fingers over them as if their timelessness could help me remember all the love and happiness that once was here. When I turned to search for Ambroz, my chest tightened with a sharp, painful breath. He was standing with his back to us, in the exact location where they had bound him with magic against the beam structure of the cottage to burn alive. His shoulders were rising and falling heavily as he kept his gaze focused ahead on the treeline. After a long moment, he raised his arm and pointed toward a tree in the distance.

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