Wake of Devastation, Lost in Desperation

It had been three days since I'd left the Elf castle with Robert and the others, and I'd come to a few conclusions.

First, Micheal wasn't a vampire. He didn't have those blood shot eyes that his mother and the other vampiric elves had. He didn't have the predatory grace; and besides that, he never looked at anyone with that kind of hunger.

Second, there were a lot more secrets revolving around these two kingdoms than I'd initially realized. Not only were the knights elves, Micheal was the elf-prince as well as the rightful heir to the Nove Hrady throne.

How will Father react?

Robert stopped me as I was about to take a step over a root.

"Sh," he whispered. All of them were looking around in alarm. "We're surrounded, completely."

"Good job, Robert," a slithery voice said. "I see you've been working on your senses." Roberts face darkened as Morcaus stepped out of the shadows.

"Uncle Morcaus," Robert said.

I studied the elf. He seemed to be his focused self, and right now, it was downright scary.

"What are you doing here?" I heard Robert ask.

"Now, now, is that any way to address family, boy?" Morcaus took a threatening step forward and Robert took an involuntary step back. The grin that spread across Morcaus's was absolutely... evil. Cruel and evil.

This man... He abused Robert. This thought enraged me, and I made a move for my bow and arrows.

Quicker than my eyes could register, Morcaus ran forward and grabbed my arm tightly. I refused to cry out against the pain.

"None of that, Princess." We heard the noise of swords being pulled out of their sheaths and Morcaus laughed manically.

"There are arrows aimed at each of your chests," he said, still laughing. "If any of you make a move, you all die. Don't come after us." He began pulling me away, deeper into the forest and father away from the knights.

"Sayer!" I heard Robert call. Morcaus laughed.

"He always had a strange fondness for you," he said with a manic smile. "Don't try running away," he warned me, letting go of my arm. "I have much to tell you."

"Like what?"

He smiled. "Well, my new apprentice, what would you like to know?"

"Apprentice?"

"Of course! I'll need someone to spread the disease when I'm gone."

"Disease-" He looked at me with a stern look in his blood shot eyes, and I realized what he meant. "You're the original here, aren't you? You're the reason everyone here are vampires."

"Not everyone," he said, wagging his finger at me. "The new generation aren't compatible, not with me. They will with you, though." I stared at him in confusion.

"But if the second generation isn't compatible, how can you change me?" He smirked.

"There are ways." He let that sink in to my mind before saying, "I wouldn't have to do this if Micheal weren't alive. That abomination-"

"You know, don't you? That Micheal's father is King Jakobi?" He shot me another manic smile.

"I knew before the Queen herself did. I tried to blackmail her, but her father, the previous King, was murdered by one of my shapeshifters. She was going to die after giving birth to Micheal, and offered me a promotion should I save her, but I didn't get it. So, after fifteen years, I persuaded Micheal that his mother was angry with him, and that he should seek refuge in the castle. I'd expected them to kill him and the others for being elves, but Jakobi's fatherly instincts kicked in unknowingly."

"Your shapeshifters?" I asked.

"Yes, mine," he said with his evil grin. "They were meant to strike fear in my opposers, but I found it much more beneficial to act as if I had no ties to them."

I stared at him "Why me?" He laughed.

"You are leader material. Everyone loves you. The Prince is even under your spell." He grinned maliciously. "Would you like to meet the shifter that killed your parents?"

A wolf ran forward, shifting easily into a she-elf. "This is Lyla. She was my sister; Robert's mother. Now she's just my pet." She stared at me blankly.

Rage built up in my chest and, looking around, I saw that we were on the outskirts of the forest, close to the back gate of Nove Hrady.

Distantly, I heard a familiar voice yell. "You let them do what!?" Morcaus grinned and turned to Lyla.

"Take everyone. Kill them all." She nodded and morphed into a panther, letting out a wail and running away. While Morcaus stood with his back to me, I grabbed an arrow and plunged it into his back, feeling it squirm when it reached his heart.

It wouldn't kill him, but it would give me enough time to reach the walls of Nove Hrady safely.

Without looking back, I started running toward my home, praying hard that the ones I loved would be okay.