If Not Now, Then In Another Life

Elin nuzzles closer in my hold. I can only stare at her beautiful little sleeping face as I bounce my legs up and down nervously. All I can hear are the agonizing screams of pain Allen produced when that thing plunged his iron limps into his chest. All I can see is red.

Red from the blood smeared onto the stone. The blood from the fallen knights. Blood streamed down Nigel's face as he lay unconscious in the grass. Blood dripping off that thing's limps and mouth. Red from the blood that made its way through my husband's bandaged torso. Red as in that thing's blood-red eyes. Eyes that will forever haunt my dreams.

Blood. Blood. Blood.

"Your Majesty?" I look up from my daughter's sleeping face to the muscular man standing before me. His pastel pink skin glimmers under the chandelier's light and burning torches. His long white hair is strapped in a loose braid, uncovering his pointy elf ears. He stares at me in concern.

"I'm sorry. Did you say something, Fealar?" I ask the middle-aged male dressed in old, casual clothes that are slightly too big. My Father's trusted advisor.

"It's okay, Your Majesty." Fealar smiles softly before his expression turns stoic again. "What exactly happened outside the city walls?" I rub my irritated eyes from all the crying. For a moment, I glance at the blonde Undercaptain of the Royal Guard. Clarissa's damp hair, from the bath we received to wash away all the blood, sand, dust, and sweat covering us, hangs in front of her face. Hiding her bloodshot eyes and the tear ducts on her cheeks.

Clarissa hadn't said a word or even made a sound since we gathered in the conference room to report the incident from earlier today. The incident in which eight, most likely nine skilled fighters of the Guard got killed. The same incident where Therion was seriously injured.

I look away from the girl and back to my sleeping daughter. I caress her chubby, pinkish cheek. A silent sob leaves my trembling lips. My lips are not the only thing trembling; my whole body is.

I don't want to admit it out loud, but I am afraid. No, terrified beyond words. I can't stop thinking about the fact that someone went out of their way and made that monster. That manticore was made. Made. There is someone out there who created that killing machine. And if there is someone out there who managed to create and adjust a fucking manticore... I don't want to think about what else they can do.

What I do know is that we aren't safe.

This may be the biggest threat we have dealt with in forever. We survived wars and other overseas Kingdoms trying to overthrow us. We survived poverty and so much more. But this... There is someone out there with the ability and knowledge to create mythical creatures and even adjust them in a way that makes them even more deadly.

"Your Majesty?" Fealar pulls me out of my mind again.

"I'm so sorry, Fealar, for zooming out, again," I apologize. I pinch my nose bridge to get myself to focus.

"It's quite alright, Your Majesty," Fealar smiles reassuringly at me, uncovering his sharp fangs. "But I still need you to tell me what occurred outside the walls."

"I know."

"They died," Clarissa sobs, drawing our attention to her. "They all died," she continues. "Everyone is dead! Jill, Nicholas, Shera, Hiro, Iniq, Tusky, Nigel, Allen... Kayol. They're all dead! Killed by that... That thing!" she screams. I stare at the broken girl sitting opposite me at the oval, oaken table. A lonely tear streams down my face. "They're all dead! My friends, my family!"

I carefully rise from my chair. Siraya, who has been standing in the corner of the room observing, quickly makes her way beside me. I carefully hand over my sleeping treasure and walk toward the sobbing Under Captain. I lower myself on my knees in front of the chair she is sitting in and wrap my arms around her trembling body. Clarissa immediately holds onto me and cries on my shoulder. "They're all dead," she breathes in my hair. Her tears landing on my uncovered shoulder.

"I know, Love," I whisper and pull her even closer to me. "We'll kill the one responsible for this. We will get our revenge. If not now, then in another life. But we will get it, Clarissa. I'll promise you that. We will avenge them. All of them."