Page 151 of A Crown Without Mercy

“Shit!” Klyn called out to the warriors. “Attack at will! It’s not the Acherons!”

The warriors leapt from the stallions and an army of Lycans and Fayes shifted back into their forms and attacked whomever was in the immediate area. Vispera and her warriors surrounded the area in a subtle mist and a reddish halo settled over the cloaked warriors who were on foot, revealing their whereabouts.

“Two lines and push back!” Klyn ordered.

Their stallions leapt over the hedges, appeared from between the trees in the gardens and in two separate waves, moving in opposite directions, they rode between the enemy and the castle; they then attacked head on to drive them back.

Their weaved their way through the fray, dogging with their stallions while the warriors slashed both Faye and Lycan with their swords; the rains, aided by the burst of lightning and heavy winds, caused the blood to run down their bodies like paint on a canvas.

Klyn was knocked off his stallion when a Faye leapt at him from the side; he hit the ground and rolled to his feet. He then grabbed the Faye by the arm, spun him around, and twisted his arm in a direction it was never meant to go, breaking the elbow, and separating the shoulder. The Faye bellowed, did a back flip and his knee met Klyn’s chin, which forced him to release his grip. The Faye landed in a half crouched position, gripping the hilt of his sword while his broken arm hung at his side. As he lunged, Klyn sidestepped and with a vertical slash, the Faye’s head split open.

The girls rushed to the windows when they heard the sounds of splintering shields, ringing sword, the roars of Lycan’s and the shouting of orders. The trails of rain running down the glass made it virtually impossible to see what was occurring, so Lenora quietly opened the window just enough so they could look down and were horrified when they stared down at the nightmare below.

“Oh my god,” Lenora gasped. “How did this happen?”

“I don’t know,” Venthana replied.

“We have to do something,” Calista stated.

“Like what?” Venthana asked.

“I don’t know, but I can’t stand here and do nothing.” Calista then turned to Mira, kneeled down and cupped her hands in hers. “Mira, I need you to pay close attention. Your gift. How big can you make the things you control?”

“I don’t know, Calista,” she replied with a trembling voice.

“It’s okay. I will help you. We are going to need to stand on the balcony, and I need you to do exactly as I say.”

Mira pulled away and back up. “Go out there? No, I can’t,”

“Calista, what are you talking about? You and Mira cannot go out there,” Venthana stated firmly.

“You are going to find out eventually, so you may as well know. We are purebred Ascelins and we have certain abilities which I don’t have time to explain.”

The girls were shocked at her sudden admission, and they glanced at each other, but in this moment they did not know what to say or how to respond.

Calista looked at their blank expressions and she reached for Lenora’s hand. “I think it would be best for you all to leave in case either Faye or Lycan come for Mira and I.”

“We are not leaving you,” Lenora stated. She rushed across the chamber, pushed a large painting to the side, pulled out two swords, and handed one to both Venthana and Lenora, and then took another for herself. “We know how to fight, and we will stand with you.”

“Milady, what are you doing?” Victor asked as he materialized before them.

“Calista and Mira are Ascelins and they are going to help,” Lenora replied

“I don’t care who they are. You are not leaving,” he stated.

Lenora gripped the hilt of her sword tighter. “We are not leaving. Now you can either stand with us or you can leave.”

“Milady, I have my orders and I am telling you to stand down.”

Lenora turned to Calista and nodded. “We are ready. Whatever you are up to, do it now.”

“Mira, I will stand right behind you, okay?” Calista said.

Mira looked at the girls and then at Victor, who was staring at her and Calista as if he was waiting for them to make a move so he could intervene.

“We will also be right here, Mira,” Venthana said.

Calista took Mira’s hand and tried to open the balcony doors. However, Victor was suddenly standing beside her and had placed his palm on the center of the doors. “I cannot allow you to open the doors.”

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