Page 7 of Wolfsbane

“You’re right. His own mother wouldn’t even kiss his face.”

“You think that’s funny?” He shoved closer, knocking my arm as I spilled the ale.

“Oh hell,” Orion whispered, lowering his head.

“I was drinking that.” My temper was bubbling beneath my skin, my muscles tensing as he and his friends laughed ignorantly at their fatal mistake.

“Oh? And what’re you going to do about it?” The man ripped my hood down. “You’re just a—” My fist swung fast, slamming into the man’s face. He stumbled backward, the sound of his fumbling footsteps and choked voice mixing as he groaned in immense pain. The smell of his blood and taste of fear he emanated was amusing, pulling a gentle grin from the corner of my lips.

“You’re going to pay for that!” the first man snapped.

“Am I now?” I rose, Orion sighing as we both turned to face the drunken uniformed men. My hand moved from beneath the cloak, seamlessly removing it and rolling my sleeves, Orion mirroring my movements as I stood towering over them.

The men froze, their bodies rigid as their eyes trailed up my torso and met my gaze. I knew my features gave away who I was, but the way their eyes widened and faces drained told me the stories did no justice to the monster I really was. Excellent.

“P-please,” the second man began to beg as I stepped closer, rolling my neck. “We-we didn’t know.”

“That wasyourmistake.” I grinned as I snatched him by the collar of his uniform, raising him off the floor as his feet dangled a few inches in the air. “Not mine.” Before he could utter another word, my forehead slammed into him, my hair brushing past my face as his nose began to bleed. The sound of his pain filling my ears as I released him, watching his measly body fall to the floor. He wriggled around, groaning and whining like a worm.

“Why you—” The second man drew his sword and rushed me; the third, despite his injury, did the same to Orion, clasping his face as he did so.

My arm swung towards him, jabbing his throat as I instantly caused him to choke. My body turned as I gripped his arm andsnapped the bone, forcing him to release the weapon and fall to his knees in agony. My hand gripped the sweaty handle of his weapon, tossing it around in my hand as I slammed the round pommel into his face, knocking him unconscious. His body slumped over across the first man, who was still on the floor and crying out as his nose continued to bleed like a fountain.

I turned to face Orion, brushing a few stray hairs from my eyes as he held the third man in a chokehold, handling him perfectly fine on his own. Grinning, I faced the bar, grabbing his empty pint and slamming it onto the man’s face as his eyes rolled. He slunk from Orion’s arms onto the other men’s bodies, forcing the single conscious man to groan under their crushing weight.

“I had everything under control,” Orion snipped, wiping his tunic as he mumbled under his breath.

“Yes, well, maybe next time, you can sing to him.” He rolled his eyes at my snarky remark as I stood over the pile of bodies, stepping onto the back of the man on top, pressing down with my weight as the first man groaned and stared up at me. “Where’s Boletus?”

He cried out in pain, refusing to answer.

“I won’t ask again.” My foot pressed harder as blood began to pour from between the man's clenched teeth, staining them. “Where is Boletus?”

“He—he’s up in the castle, probably sitting on the throne.” So Boletus had proclaimed himself king of Hellbore. The sound of horses and scurrying feet began to brew outside, telling me it was time to go. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone noticed our presence. My head raised to meet Orion’s with frustration and concern.

“Speak of the devil,” the bleeding man cackled, drawing my attention back down to him. “The night guard is here. There’s no escaping them.” My head tilted as I began to smile, the man’sexpression fading as I pressed my foot harder, increasing the pressure as I spoke.

“That is where you are mistaken. Boletus is not the devil.” I pressed with all my strength as the sounds of his bones snapping and body caving in filled my ears. “I am.” His eyes watered as blood poured from his gaping mouth until a final snap of his ribs stole his life from him. I waited a few seconds before removing my foot and approached the bar to find Orion holding my cloak, waiting for me.

“Now that you’ve had your dramatics, shall we leave?” I shot him a look, reaching for my cloak when the doors of the tavern burst open, quickly followed by a swarm of the night guard.

My arm tensed as I remained still, my hand inches from the cloak. The guards filled the tavern, swarming up.

“Fuck.”

Orionand I were kicked to the floor of the throne room, our arms bound behind our backs. We had been stripped of our weapons and forced to Hellbore’s castle. The night guards had taken their time delivering us, seeking pleasure in landing a few blows to our bodies, something they would all come to regret the moment I was free from my binds.

“Well, well, well.” The sound of his smug, annoying voice made my body tighten with anger and exasperation. “If it isn’t the mighty, self proclaimed king of darkness himself.” My eyes rose, peering through the dark strands of my hair up an elaborate set of marble stairs to see him sprawled across the king of Hellbore’s throne, smiling like a petulant child.

He was dressed in his usual attire: an elegant black uniform with golden accents and leather strapping, that ridiculous scorpion sigil sewn across his chest. His dark, wavy hair was tied atop his head, adorned with an elegant silver crown that contrasted his dark skin and dead brown eyes as they burned into mine.

“Boletus,” I spat, insulted by the sight of him disrespecting Hellbore’s throne.

“Morel,” he hissed, jumping to his feet. “Why I must say, I never expected to find you way out here.” He placed his hands behind his back, stepping down the stairs before he stopped in front of me. His head tilted as he observed me closely. “My, my, what a man you have become. It seems banishment has been good to you, king of darkness. Tell me, does your twin brother know you’re still alive? Still hiding in the shadows while he rules in the sun?” Our eyes locked as a fire burned inside my chest.

My body jolted forward as a woman suddenly appeared, the sound of a whip cracking as it wrapped around my neck, stinging as it constricted like a snake, holding me in place. Boletus erupted in laughter, my eyes straining as I looked at the woman with ire. Her face was hidden behind a dark hood and face covering, only a glimpse of her dark ebony skin and vibrant white eyes peering through. She was dressed in foreign gear, leather sheaths and straps tightly wrapped around her body.

“Allow me to introduce my personal security, Hystrix. She may not be as strong and mighty as you, Morel, but I assure you, no man is a match for her stealth and speed.” He looked at the woman, nodding his head as she released me from the grasp of her whip, my neck stinging as I gasped for air and eyed her with hatred. She slithered closer to Boletus with a cat-like stride, making no sound. “I found this gem a few years back when I overthrew a small southern kingdom. She is a child of the dawn, a small group of warriors who train their whole lives in the art ofstealth and killing. Impressive, really. I saved her life, and thus, she is indebted to me.”

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