The Raven by Jenny Garcia (book series to read .TXT) 📖

I sit next to her trying to keep myself together. I grew up with Hilde she has been my friend since I can remember and now she lies in front of me bleeding to death. We used to play for hours at the creeks pretending to sword fight and that is when our love for warfare blossomed.  We trained in Khans’ Army and then later, once our talents were noticed, by Ares, he moved us up to the Shadows of Night. He believed that there was something special about us. We were the first women to be inducted into the Shadows of Night. It was hard training, made harder for us because we were women and Wolves. During our training days we hated our instructors for their cruel nature but now that we are older I am thankful they trained us the way they did. They prepared us for times like this.

Who could have been so powerful and swift that they could take down almost our entire fleet of Warriors in a matter of hours. This just doesn't make sense. “Enyo..”a small weak voice seeps from Hilde, “They were...different.” I look to her hoping that she can hold on just a little bit longer until her body can heal, “they were...huge. Taller than I have ever seen before. Their strength far surpassed ours. They came quickly, laughing and screaming for Khan. When one of our warriors screamed he was dead, they cackled.” she coughs up some blood sitting on the floor, “They screamed that they would have revenge on the ones who trapped them in the Forgotten Forest.” The heat drained from my body as nausea creeps up my throat. The murders that Renee had exiled have escaped from the Forgotten Forest, the ones that almost destroyed the Realm. How could this have happened? The Oracle knew this would happen and she didn’t warn me! “General!” Bryce yells from outside. “General the Queen and King!” My blood boils at just the sound of their names being yelled. I stand slowly and turn away from Hilde as she bleeds to death, “Be nice my friend” Hildes struggles to speak, “We need their help.” I look back to her and wink, “Don’t worry my old friend we will burn the men who did this to you.” Before I make it to the door, it rips open with a girl staring back at me. “Asclepius!” I gasp, “What are you doing here!” Asclepius used to play with us when we were children. She wasn't into swords but she was a fun companion and we enjoyed her company. She ran to my grabbing my shoulders, “Where is Hilde?!” I grunt sounded from behind me and she rushed past me and kneeled at Hilde’s side. “Oh my god! What have they done to you!?” She wasted no time waiting for an answer and she held her hands over the top of her bleeding torso. Green mist began to pour for her hands and seeped into her body. I could see the wounds healing and sealing themselves as she concentrated hard.

She looked to me with fire in her eyes, “Have your men line up the wounded outside. Have the most injured in the front and least in the back.” I nodded to her and walked towards the door. How could she have known what happened here? I screamed the orders to collect the wounded and the men that were able, jumped into action moving men and woman on by one getting them lined up for Asclepius to work her magic on, no pun intended. The King and Queen sat upon 2 large white mares. Their manes were a silver white with a slight wave all the way down. The Queen dismounted her horse and started towards me. She doesn't look how I thought she would. She walks with confidence and the closer she gets the more I can feel her power radiating off of her. My stomach turns, her power is so... immense and I don't even know if she understands what she has inside her.

I bow at the waist but keep my eyes locked on hers. “General Enyo, What has happened here?” Her voice is relaxed and dripping with concern. It almost seems that she really cares what is going on here. She surprisingly doesn't wear a gown, but the same type of leather attire I dawn. Maybe she is not what I thought. The smell of death is heaving in the air and I wrinkle my nose to the smell of corpses in the hot sun. “We were ambushed. I was not here when it occurred. The men say that it was a group of large men and women, breed, but I know exactly where they came from.” She tilts her head to the side and then looks back to her King in confusion. A man that was raised breed and I have to say that he is rather dashing. Hair the color of fresh wheat and eyes greener than any emerald. He stalks towards me and I feel that his power if far less than his mate, although he is quite strong himself. “General, Who are the attackers?” I stand for a moment wondering how to explain this. All I can do is think of the Oracle's words and the explanation she gave, but would they even know who the Oracle is or think me mad. “My Queen and King these were prisoners from the Forgotten Forest.” She looks to the King and his face drains of all color. He must know of the prison. The Queen looks between us, “Forgive me General but I have not been here long and I don’t know what the Forgotten Forest is.”

I take a breath and realize that she really doesn't know what is needed to rule over the Realm, but there are bigger problems that need to be dealt with. Putting my anger and loathing aside I respond with an even tone. “Many centuries ago when Renee and Khan first began their rule, the Realm was in a terrible state. Murderers, rapist and criminals where on the loose. They destroyed towns, small villages and Renee had enough. There was a great war. Renee and Khan rounded up everyone that surrendered and sentence them to exile in the Forgotten Forest, it's a prison and that is where they have been ever since, for centuries. It seems that they have managed a way to break free.” The Queen lets out a sigh of frustration and looks to the King, “We need Ares.” I cross my arms and scoff. She looks to me with confusion and places her arms on her hips, “Do you have something to say about Ares?” Her tone surprises me, as if she cares for that pig. “You think that Ares will hunt down his own Army.” She stomps towards me, “You know nothing of Ares!” If she only knew. I knew everything about Ares. He is a cruel man that cares for nothing expect the glory of war. He is loyal to his Queen and King, but something made him break his allegiance to Khan and I am dying to know what it is. It’s only a matter of time before he breaks his vow to the Child Queen.

I can tell that I have angered the Queen and even though I do not like her, I still must obey, “Sorry my Queen, but it’s true. I spoke with the Oracle once about this story and Ares was leading the Army when they first attacked all those years ago, he surrendered to Khan and swore his allegiance that is why he was spared. This was centuries ago, even before I was born.” The Queen looks to her King and rubs her hand over her forehead. She seems to care for Ares, I am not sure why. He is a pigheaded man and he cares for no one. “Travis, we need to ride back.” She looks to me, “You are coming with us. Asclepius has it from here.” I bow my head to her, “Respectfully my Queen, I need to stay here and tend to my wounded and get a body count of my dead.” She turn her horse and a fit of dust flies into the air. She looks back to me over her shoulder, “That is not a request it’s an order.” She drives her heels into the sides of her mare and she bolts to life galloping back towards the castle. The King mounts and follows her.

“General.” A voice from behind me calls. I turn around to see Hilde fully recovered walking towards me from the barracks. I rush towards her, “Hilde you're alive!” She smiles and winks, “Going to take more than a few stabs to kill me.” She smiles brightly and I want so much to huge my old friend but it will show weakness to the other men and that is the last thing that we need. Asclepius ignore my presence and begins working on the long line of men and women lying on their backs staring up vacantly into the smoky air waiting for their pain to be erased by her soothing green mist.

She calls over her shoulder as the green mist floats from her palms and into another victim of the raid. Beads of sweat begin to form on her forehead and I can tell that Hilde took a lot of out her. She has changed so much since the last time I saw her but at the same time she still looks like the girl well played with for hours on end. The sun breaks through the smoke that hovers above us and warms my face. “You better leave Enyo, the Queen is not as patient as she once was.” She doesn't look in my direction and continues working on the bloodied mass of man before her. Hilde runs to Dex, grabs his bridle and leads him by the reins to my side. “Ride hard General.” I look her and nod. She knows I care for her deeply as my friend and she returns the gesture whispering, “I’m fine, go please.”  I secure my foot in the stirrup and throw my other leg over Dex’s back and pull myself unto the saddle. “He isn't the man he once was Enyo.” Asclepius says to me not looking away from her work. “No one ever really changes.” Anger burning from every word. I slam my heels into Dex and he galloped off towards the castle. My minds reals with her words. He isn't the man he once was. I push the thought from my mind. Even if he was different, I want nothing to do with him any longer. That chance died many years ago.

It doesn't take much time to catch up to the King and Queen riding towards the Castle. Dex’s hooves beat the ground as he increases his speed to catch up to the white mares, he hates to be at the back of the pack. We grow close so I pull back on the reins and sit back a little in the saddle to slow him down to a gentle lop. I come up besides the Queen and she looks over to me and yells over the wind whipping past us, “Is there a reason you gave such a sour face when Ares name was brought up?” I look away from her and try to ignore the question. She prys, “General?” I look to her with disgust, “I prefer not to discuss Ares if you don’t mind.” Her brows arch and she looks to the King letting her shoulders rise and fall. He lets out a chuckle and speeds ahead. I join him Dex lurching forward with every step. The Queen yells from behind, “Travis! You ass!” I hear her cue her mare to speed up and she is blasting past both of