Chapter 49

Ezra’s P.O.V

I put on the vest that my ancestors had once gifted me, when I had surpassed all the men in my pack to become the beta. The colorful eagle feathers were added once I won a battle, or beat a challenger. My vest was now had a layer of feathers to signify my achievements.

I strapped on my quiver filled with arrows that held a poison in the tips. It wasn’t to kill but to paralyze the opponent and the effects would last for almost ten hours once it was in the bloodstream. The sword I placed on my waist-belt had the same poison as did the dagger hidden in my boots. I had used every weapon possible to defeat the enemy. Lastly, I picked up my bow.

But it has been three centuries since I had last held my bow or yielded my sword. I was afraid I wasn’t that strong any longer, not efficient enough. But this was a battle I couldn’t bow down from, no matter what. This was the ultimate test for my love.

I came out of the spare room behind the prayer hall and found my maidens all ready for battle. They too were dressed in attires that would help them move about freely without getting tangled in their robes and falling over. And each of my maidens held a weapon they had been able to master enough in the short span of time that had been given to them.

Swords, knives, whips and metal rods. My maidens had chosen any weapons they could find and tried their best in the limited time that was available to them. It was more than I could ask of them and I was proud of my children for coming this far.

“My Maidens.” I called forth as I stood behind the Dias. “The time is finally here. Tomorrow is the night of the Blood Moon, the night of the final sacrifice. Tonight, we go into war with our own kind. Do not be afraid of failure, my children; be afraid of what might happen if we do not succeed.”

I picked up the final sacrifice; a lamb bone wrapped in cedar bark and leaves and placed it inside the bowl of moon water at the centre of the Dias.

“Great Goddess Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt and the moon, sister of the Sun God,” I called out to the Goddess. “Give us your strength, mighty Goddess. Your children need your blessing. Give us the strength to bring back peace to our land and defeat the intruders who kill without mercy. Hail Goddess Artemis.”

“Hail Goddess Artemis.”

The Maidens and I bowed low to the ground, to gather strength and honor the Goddess…and then we rose as one unit. Warriors of Artemis.

We waited till morning, for the early hours of the morning before I walked up to the door that separated the Shrine from the rest of Lindersay and ordered two of maidens to push the doors open. Andre and his men were celebrating his mating today. They had been up all night drinking and making merry. Even intoxicated, I knew his soldiers were trained extremely well, but it was a chance we had to take.

But then the doors opened to revel an army unit standing right outside our Shrine and a man named Hector, who I knew to be Andre’s second in command, standing in the center, and ready to battle.

Hector gave a startled laugh just as my heart thrashed against my ribcage.

“Holy hell!” Hector clapped his hands together. “Andre was right! You bitches have been too quiet and accepting all of a sudden.”

And then there was no more time for words.

“Charge!” I snapped at my Maidens, pulling an arrow out of my quiver and shooting it at the first soldier that tried to come forward.

The arrow hit him right on his shoulder and he went down almost immediately, the poison potent enough to spread through his bloodstream. It made Hector instantly alert and he too ordered the men to charge.

There were only fifteen men here, but taking them down with inexperienced warriors turned out to be more of a struggle than I had anticipated. I took out my sword and slashed the arm of one of the soldiers before ducking down to avoid a blow. I used my sword to cut through the second attacker’s leg and watched him fall to the floor in a heap.

Several other enemy soldiers fell as well, my maidens having painted their weapons with the same paralyzing agent. And then there was only Hector who was left standing in front of me.

“Don’t worry, we aren’t monsters like you.” I told him, holding my sword ready for battle since I didn’t trust Andre’s men to play fair. “None of your men are dead, but they will be immobilized for quite some time.”

“You bitch!” Hector shouted, charging at me with his sword drawn.

I moved out of the way just in time, but I had underestimated the length of the sword and felt it slice into my arm. Damnit! I couldn’t get weak here! I needed to get to Andre. He was a far greater and a much more powerful threat.

So when Hector turned around and charged once again, I catapulted over his head and slashed my sword across his back before landing in front of him. Hector hadn't expected the attack. He went down immediately, his eyes wide in shock, but I was sure that he had sent a mental message to his master about what had just happened.

“Get ready for the real battle.” I warned my maidens, taking a pouch of the paralyzing herbs out of my belt and reapplying it on my sword. “It’s up to us now.”

With that, we ran across the hallway and headed straight for the main courtyard and as expected, Andre’s party was over and he was fuming. But much to my surprise, a battle had already begun in the courtyard. Malachi’s soldiers were fighting against Andre’s men and even though they were outnumbered, Andre’s men weren’t easy targets. Our men were failing.

“FORWARD!” I pointed my sword ahead and charged through the soldiers, heading straight for Andre. My maidens made sure my path clear as they fired their arrows and swung their swords.

Andre gave a cunning smile before picking up a candle stand from the table next to him and blocking my sword with ease and before I had time to react or move away, a bottle was smashed right on top of my head, making me see black spots in my vision momentarily.

A warm liquid rolled down the side of my face and I knew he had done damage without even touching me. I stepped back out of reach immediately, finding it a bit difficult to maintain my balance. Andre laughed at my state as I heard more than a few screams from my maidens.

No! I cannot lose! I was the Shrine Maiden of Lindersay! I was the beta of WoodlandHunters! I will not lose.

Letting out a battle cry, I charged towards Andre once again with my sword. This time, he took out a dagger from his belt and blocked my advances. Sparks flew as our blades clashed, his hits forceful and violent, but I managed to match his strikes.

But then Andre caught my blade with one hand and swung his blade at me. I let go of my blade instantly and kicked out at his abdomen with all my might, sending him flying back. Picking up the bow I had dropped, I pulled out an arrow and shot it at Andre, hitting him in his shoulders.

And then something happened that I hadn't expected. Andre got up from the ground and pulled out the arrow like it was a mere thorn. Blood gushed out of his wound, but he didn’t drop down like the others.

Was it the wrong arrow? Did this one not have the paralyzing herb?

Without wasting any more time, I shot another arrow, hitting his other arm…but once again, nothing. The poison had no effect on him.

This time, Andre gave out a maniacal laugh and charged at me full force, punching me in the gut with all his strength.

The wind knocked out of me as I crumbled to the floor. I felt blood dripping out of the corner of my mouth. The pain was blinding, but I didn’t get time to recover as Andre came back with another hit.

With difficulty, I blocked it with my fists…and then I felt the power being drained from me like a tidal wave.

Flora…

That was the last thought I had before Andre’s fist connected with my jaw and darkness consumed me.