The Delta's Daughter Chapter 241

HUNJI/KIAN

Perched on the top of a roof, I crouch on its ledge. The vast City of Eririat below me. The Kingdom was quiet in the still night air, with only the streetlights to witness my return. The potion had now worn off, but I didn’t feel any fatigue or weariness from exerting so much energy. I felt envigored, renewed.

A feeling of calm embraced my wolf and I, even when my gaze landed on the palace that sat in the center of the city. I thought I would feel something more. Maybe anger, resentment, or even unsettledness in some way. But none of those emotions pricked at the surface. Instead, the serene feeling washed over me and bled into Ruda. And it suddenly felt too peaceful.

‘She is here. I can sense her’ Ruda said as a matter of fact.

I hummed my acknowledgment to him, coming out in a gravelly growl. I too could sense our little witch. Our imprinted bond helped my wolf to feel her out.

I closed my eyes breathing in the night’s tranquil air. It looked and felt quiet, but I was no fool. For the first time in 14 years, I let my barriers down, dismantling the wall I had built to block out Eririat and its hold on me. I was suddenly overcome with an acute rush of nostalgia for all the days I lived in Eririat.

‘Can you reach him?’ I asked Ruda of Farid. My connection to the kingdom, still intact after all these years and now that I was here and I had broken down my own barriers, I should be able to mentally connect to him.

‘I can’ Was Ruda’s reply.

I then felt our minds open up, and I pictured Farid. Forcing a connection to be made with him and giving him three little words before I disconnected the link.

*I am here* Was all I simply said, knowing he had heard me.

I watched and listened. Waiting for movement within the city that looked out of place. Looking for soldiers moving through the shadows of the street. For a while I waited to see something, anything, but nothing. I was surprised Farid had not tried to mentally connect back to me. It was unlike him to not say something, always feeling the need to dominate and retaliate. Farid would never miss the opportunity to throw a snide remark or miss a chance to try and antagonize me.

A few moments later and the wait was over. I felt the push against my cerebrum and Farid’s bitter voice filled my head.

*Welcome home little brother, time to play a game of cat and mouse. Show yourself or be hunted like the mutt you are* He cut the link.

I imagined he thought he was a clever wolf. That I would walk down the street and give myself up so easily. That I would lay down my weapons and offer him my life. He had no idea the fight I was bringing to him. By hook or crook, he would face me himself and not hide behind his units of soldiers.

I can only hope that not all the warriors in our army follow him and that some have stayed loyal to Rostam. Thinking of the takeover we executed when rescuing King Kellen only mere weeks ago.

I lift my head to the moon, taking in its beautiful sight. She too looked peaceful on a night when copious amounts of blood were to be shed. I call my wolf forward and he joins me as we let out a baying howl, long and loud and full of intent for all to hear. Letting the citizen of Eririat and all who listened that the forsaken prince had returned to claim his place.

Soundless and faultless I spring from my position, landing on the paved road below me with grace and stealth. My call was not answered, but the purpose was delivered. Stand by Farid and they will die too.

I have come for my witch and his head. I would leave with nothing less.

I scent the air, smelling nothing out of the ordinary on the surface as I walk down the center of a deserted street. I was not naive under the calm and still night, that held no scent, I could smell the ambush a mile away. My howl giving my location away. Good. Just how I wanted it.

Adrenaline filled my veins, and I held my arms out wide embracing the taste of war – relishing in the euphoria I felt before a battle. It was a feeling I never forget a feeling I welcomed. There was no Queen to fight beside me tonight, no Knights to fight the countless men I would face, no one to witness the carnage that was about to take place, and no friends to witness my death. I surely couldn’t kill them all.

I just needed to kill one.

The first wave of soldiers came around the corner, quickly marching toward me. The beat of their footfalls thumping in time. A squad of sixteen men, four wide and four deep, set their sights on me.

I reached in my vest for the vile, pulling it out and uncorking it. I spared a second of a glance at the blue liquid before drinking the remaining of it down.

The soldiers drew their swords and the first four in line bounded toward me. I drew the twin blades from the scabbard, the sharp edges glinting under the dim streetlight and the glow of the moon.

My voice mixed with my wolf commanding and roaring. My posture was strong and powerful. Within seconds the soldiers were cut down. They didn’t stand a chance. Each one met the bite of my blades and each one fell to their death. The next four advanced and they too met their end then the next and so on. Until all sixteen men stood no more. The sound of more soldiers running toward my location rang in my ears. When they reached the street they paused in formation, their eyes cast toward their fellow fallen men.

“I am Kian Tikaani! The rightful and true heir to the kingdom’s throne! Lay down your weapons and stand with me! I do not want to kill any more of you, I am here for Farid and what’s mine!” I add command to my voice, yet I am not their Alpha, and they were conditioned to obey the King and his commanding officers which meant Farid and Abbas.

I look at the men who are poised to launch an attack, and my ears prick at the sound of more marching feet heading in our direction. I suddenly find myself surrounded by hundred-plus soldiers in all directions.

This is not good.

‘We can take them’ Ruda growls to me.

I shake my head ‘There are too many,’ I tell him.

‘Then we will die with honor and go down fighting’ His words carry power and pride. His determination is admirable and how I wish I had my wolf’s confidence at this moment.

There were too many soldiers, this was a fight we could not win. No matter the potion we drank and no matter how good I was or how well trained. This fight was suicide. Still, I raised my swords, breathing in deeply and letting it out slowly. My heartbeat evening out as I prepared to fight to the death.

Moon Goddess, if you favored me at all, I beg you to show me mercy, and if it is my time to die then give me a quick death. If it is not my time, then I ask for your strength and courage to go forth and complete my destiny.

I say a silent prayer and ask for the goddess’s strength. I can only hope she is listening.

The soldiers close in on me. I rotate my wrists - swords at the ready. I feel Ruda come to the forefront of my mind, pushing every ounce of strength he holds into my skin form, and I wonder for the briefest moments if this is how Queen Lamia feels when she pulls on the power of her wolf’s spirit.

Metal against metal clashes together as the first round of soldiers charge me. I spin, blocking and slicing at whatever comes my way. The grueling sound of torn and ripped flesh is heard beneath the growls and shouts of the men I come into contact with. I grip the handles of my blades tightly in fear that they could be knocked from my hands. I duck and weave, slash and kick. Some go down immediately some are only temporarily wounded as they heal. But for every soldier that falls, another is there to take their place.

The sweat builds and drips from my brow. And my speed increases, with the help of my wolf and the magic potion from Asena. I don’t count the number of men I have killed, there’s no time. I don’t stop to take a breath, there’s no room. My hair falls from its bun, strands sticking to my face and over my eyes. But still, I don’t stop to brush them away. One pause, one false move and it could be me with my head rolling on the floor or a blade dug deep into my chest.

They keep coming and I keep fighting. I’m getting tired and I don’t see a way out. The bodies pile up around me but more keep coming. As if Farid unleashed his whole army on me.

I let out a ferocious growl, rattling the thick air that’s permeated with blood. I see a few soldiers shiver and pause at the power behind my howling bay.

Just when I think all is lost and I can in no way, defeat Eririat’s army and my thoughts drift to Morgan, I hear a familiar roar, followed by the two most satisfying howls I have ever heard. Suddenly my adrenalin is amped up and I begin to fight with new vigor and new hope as I watch Travis and Rhett join the fight, alongside them Is Morgan’s brother Finnegan his violet eyes glowing as he grabs and rips at soldiers, plowing through them like they are ants. I can’t hide my surprise and relief at seeing them.

The biggest surprise being, Finnegan the hulking bear shifter, the last I knew he was still on house arrest in the Kodiak kingdom under King Mathias's order. Half-brothers or not, Mathias didn’t trust him because of his part in the attacks that took place on the first continent.

My nose twitches and underneath the scent of blood comes the familiar smell of the Trizar Clan, led by Zayd and Alpha Jasper of Bhakhil with an army of wolves.

“We heard you needed backup!” Travis shouts to me, never in my life had I been so grateful to see him and Rhett.

“How did you get here?” I yell back, though pleased to see them, I didn’t understand how they could have made the journey so fast. I knew the Trizar Clan and our troops from Bhakhil were on standby, but Rhett, Travis, and Finnegan were a surprise.

“You really think King Kellen was going to leave your ass to face this shit show alone?” Travis chuckled while snapping the neck of an Eririat soldier. “Damon rigged a supercharged motor to a boat, and we left from the shore of MacTire.” Snap, he takes out another as my sword drives into the heart of one. “Came up on the east coast of Asiarian earlier this morning.” Travis smiles.

“We left when we got the call, Finn here insisted on coming for his sister,” Rhett explained as he too engaged in wolf after wolf, showing his hybrid power, half shifted with fangs poking over his bottom lip and claws expended.

Behind us, I could hear the fight as Alpha Zayd, and Alpha Jasper’s men fought back against the Eririat soldiers.

“Where’s my sister?” Finnegan yelled out with a pissed-off tone, swatting at the soldiers and smacking them down to the floor.

“Farid has her in the palace.” The crunching sound of a smashed skull grated in my ears when I dug my pummel into a man’s head. “Farid is mine!” I growl out, making sure Finnegan is aware there is no argument that my brother is mine to kill.

“Shit Hunji, I always knew you were a badass, but even Lamia would be impressed with the amount of damage you did just on your own.” I give Travis a side look. The young wolf is a beast in battle. No fear. And as I watch my old friend who built the kingdom of MacTire with us; I notice the change in him. His aura is darker, sinister, and more threatening. I see the change in the wolf and the man. And I’m not sure if it is a good change.

In no time at all, with the help of Alpha Zayd’s Clan and Alpha Jaspers Pack warriors, we have the Eririat soldiers backing down. They may have bigger numbers but our fighting skills outclass the Eririat soldiers giving us the upper hand.

At least that’s what we thought until more Eririat soldiers came through the streets. Surrounding us and their own men. Swords and silver arrows at the ready. Soldiers who had shifted into their wolves stood by them, baring their teeth ready to strike and rip the enemy apart.

“Shit Hunji, what the fuck did you do to get this kind of heat?” Travis laughed, undeterred by the magnitude of the situation and the number of soldiers who now surround us.

Farid had sent the whole army to take us out.

“Welcome to my home,” I say, glancing around at the new wave of enemy. The fighting ceases and the soldiers retreat and join the new batch of soldiers. We are not quite a hundred men and Eririat must be at least three hundred strong, maybe more soldiers.

We stand off facing each other, them circling around us when one wolf breaks rank and fly’s towards us, shifting midair. I catch him by the scruff of his neck before he can even make contact with me, throwing him to the ground and plunging my sword into his chest. Killing him instantly as the tip pierces his heart.

That was all that was needed for the full force of Farid’s army to descend upon us.

I was no longer on my own, fighting an army. Still, we were greatly outnumbered but at least I had more hope as I watched my closest friends and Morgan’s brother fight alongside me.

“You better pray my sister is safe, wolf!” Finnegan growled at me, positioning himself next to me and taking on two soldiers. He fought with precision and a strength I had only seen in King Mathias. It made sense seeing as they shared the same father, Orion.

“Your sister is stronger than you give her credit, but my brothers are cruel and evil, and I fear what they have done to her or have planned for her.”

“I know all about Abbas and Farid.” He claws the neck open of a shifted wolf “You forget who my father was.” Finnegan gives a shudder as if recalling his father, King Orion, who met his death at the hands of his other son, King Mathias in the battle for Riocht.

“That’s something I will never forget Finn!” I growl out through gritted teeth, giving a fleeting moment of thought to Orion.

“She may be strong, but she is still my little sister! And is not a shifter!” He yells at me, while during the midst of battle.

Just then the air fills with blood-curdling screams, not the screams of battle or men dying but ones full of terror. All eyes turn toward where the screams began, and we watch with astonishment and fear as Eririat soldiers began to bleed from their eyes and fall to the ground. Lifeless and features sunken in. Their eyes were dark and void, streaked with tears of blood.