Chapter 2 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.