Hi all,

Sorry for the wait - this Chapter was hard to write, (maybe because I found these two hard to navigate without Circe around to mediate them lol,) and although it didn't end where I wanted it to, I thought I'd just post it anyway because I've made you all wait too long already.

I've been asked a lot when the series is going to end and over the past month I've been planning out the Chapters to help with the writers block and I think the end is finally in sight. So with this being said I think there maybe be roughly 5-7 chapters left, depending on how long they are? And then I have some extras planned too - maybe 2-3 of these?

I've also been considering what to do once the book is finished because I don't want to give up writing! I have some things planned in my writing bank, but due to frequent updates being an issue for me, I'm trying to work on remedying this before letting you guys in on the secret, (which I hope you are going to love.)

I hope that you are all safe and well and managing okay whether in or out of lock-down.
Much love as always,
Daisy

_____________________________________

Chapter 45 | (Un)alike

*

'Take the mask
o f f
when you speak
to
m e .'

- (unknown source.)

*

OBSIDIAN

This is the worst idea I have ever had.

"You're telling me," Zalas' reply was snarky, "the only reason I agreed to this is because no-one else is present to bear witness to this humiliation."

You say it like it wasn't you who suggested it in the first place, Obsidian snapped back.

Zalas ignored him. "Under no circumstance is anyone to hear about this. Ever. Do you understand me?"

Obsidian twisted his draconian head around to bite irritably at the arrogant Prince on his back. Much to his annoyance, Zalas didn't flinch at all, even as Obsidian's teeth snapped close mere centimetres from his face.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

"Get your face out of my face," Zalas hissed, "your breath stinks."

Obsidian's jaw opened and he exhaled forcibly in Zalas's direction. The Air Nymph swiftly used an air current to divert the stench, his eyes narrowing.

"What are you, a child? Focus on where you're flying."

The only reason you're even coming is because you blackmailed me. Obsidian was furious. He had managed to avoid everyone else, but at the last second who should appear but this fucking bag of shit. And out of everything Zalas could have said in that moment, the first words out of his mouth were,

"If you don't take me with you, I'll tell Circe."

"I have just as much right to go there as you," Zalas replied imperiously.

Then why, Obsidian shot back irately, don't you fly there yourself? Oh wait, he snickered, you can't.

"What did you say?!" Zalas spat out, grinding his heel into Obsidian's black scales. "Don't test me."

Or what? Obsidian replied scathingly, your foot feels like a massage. Move up a little higher, I know I pulled a muscle around there somewhere.

"Insolent piece of-

Obsidian tuned out.

Some time later, much to Zalas's absolute and utter disgust, it began to rain. Obsidian knew he was disgusted because his foul muttering from earlier turned into a steady stream of curses and Obsidian's reptilian ears picked up on the unnatural woosh of air that suggested the Air Sprite had created a wind sphere to keep himself dry.

Obsidian didn't mind the rain and his black wings beat steadily as he powered through the heavy grey clouds, as thunder rumbled resolutely overhead as though chasing them on. His thoughts were elsewhere as the storm intensified, water running smoothly off his scales in a steady stream.

Circe would be awake by now. Had she realised he was gone yet? He had left trusting that her desire to stay by her brothers' side would prevent her from following him. He hoped he was right.

"You realise she is going to be furious, right?" Zalas's cold voice was a reminder that his plan to face his Father alone had already been upset on the first step.

I know, he replied shortly. Don't talk to me.

He did not need Zalas to tell him what her reaction would be. She would be angry. And upset and hurt. But Cobalt knew where Obsidian was heading, and with his brother in charge, their reunion was inevitable. However, if everything went to plan, by the time the crews caught up to him, the battle would be won, and Zeus would be dead.

"It's not going to be as easy as what your thinking," Zalas warned, as though Obsidian's thoughts were laid out for him to see.

You shut up, Obsidian growled out, and stay the fuck out of my head.

Bizarrely, the Prince actually seemed to take his advice for once, falling silent with a barely audible huff of irritation.

Obsidian swallowed down the growing ache in his heart and tried to focus. He had made his choice, and now it was time to follow through. If he was going to have any chance of defeating his Father, he had to focus. That was why he had left in the first place. With both Cobalt and Circe present, his Father would have had too much leverage over him, and he could not allow that to happen. Not again.

He knew himself better now. Better than he ever had before. His Father might be stronger, but so was he. He had won once before, and he would do it again.

And then suddenly, without warning, a voice rang out in his mind, faint, but determined.

You can do this.

The shock made his wings stutter in mid-air and Zalas hissed a stream of curses as they dropped a few hundred metres out of the sky. Obsidian ignored his spluttering as he tried desperately to catch the tendril of thought that was vanishing as rapidly as it had come.

Circe?

There was no reply, but he was sure it had not been his imagination. For a moment he had felt her presence, whole and reassuring. He could see her, turning towards him with that look in her eyes.  The one he never imagined he could one day deserve. The one that told him he was loved.

She believed in him, even though he had left.
You can do this.
The thought that a single sentence could hold so much power was almost laughable, but he could not deny the sudden fire that had been ignited within him at the phrase.

He could do this. He would prove to her that her confidence in him was not baseless. He would deal with this and then he would return to her. And then he would make sure nothing would separate them ever again.

With this vow burning hot in his eyes, Obsidian Bones powered through the rain with fierce intent, love for his Beauty and hate for his Father waging a furious war in his heart.

*

It took a solid week of flying for them to reach the Earth Kingdom and as the wild coastline came into view, Obsidian tasted bitterness on his tongue as he realised just how familiar it was. He may have only been here once, but the journey was unforgettable. His draconian lips curled into a derisive sneer, exposing ivory white teeth. On his back, Zalas chose to remain silent although Obsidian was sure their line of thought was not so different in that moment.

They landed heavily on the beach, a spray of sand spurting out from underneath Obsidian's massive claws, and Zalas leapt lightly to the ground, his face alert as he surveyed the area. Obsidian raised his nose to the wind and inhaled deeply. It seemed that, unlike last time, they would not be met with a welcoming party. However, for the usually diligent Elves, the occurrence was too abnormal for Obsidian to feel happy about it.

Zalas too, felt uneasy. "They did not notice our arrival."

Obsidian hissed lowly, a soft, vibrating rumble. There is something amiss.

"Last we heard, the Elves had sealed the Capital to prevent Shifter invasion,' Zalas replied tersely, "It could be that they simply can't afford to send out the scouts as usual."

You really believe that? Obsidian replied scathingly.

Zalas's eyes narrowed. "No, I don't. Change back. Your form is too conspicuous."

Obsidian eyed the Prince hatefully and, not for the first time, considered how easy it would be to eat him whole and just be rid of him.

Zalas eyeballed him. "I wouldn't taste good," he dismissed.

Obsidian snapped his jaws angrily, I thought I told you to stay out of my head.

"I am," Zalas hissed, folding his arms firmly across his chest, "your thoughts are written all over your face you huge imbecile. Now change."

They stared at each other.

Turn around.

Zalas stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

Obsidian glowered at him furiously. Turn, around.

Zalas threw his hands up in the air, "Fine. Fine! You are completely ridiculous," he spat out, swivelling on his heel until he gave Obsidian his back. "I have no idea how she puts up with you."

Obsidian ignored him and tried to focus. This was the part he hated the most. It had happened to him the first time too, when he had initially left to find Circe, he had not changed back into his human form for such a long time that the memory of humanity had begun to blur around the edges. Although a single week was no comparison- it was long enough that transforming back was a struggle and not something he could do when he was being openly watched by someone who, until recently, he had considered an enemy.

Gritting his teeth, he imagined his human body in his mind. It helped to think of Cobalt's image- he could picture his brother more clearly than he could himself. And then came the pain, it was like he was forcibly stuffing himself into a tiny, cramped box, bending his limbs back on themselves, driving his wings back under his skin until they were no more, peeling off his scales to expose the sensitive flesh underneath. Leaving himself vulnerable.

Chest heaving, he paused for a moment to catch his breath and a sudden hand on his shoulder almost had him exploding back out of his skin. One of his hands shot up to grip the white armoured claw, tossing it to the side reflexively.

"I thought I told you to turn away," he snarled fiercely. His still draconian jaw struggled around the human words, distorting them as he spoke.

"Don't be such a baby," Zalas snapped. His head was turned away as he stared resolutely at the forest, brows pulled together irately. "Focus on my form. It will make shifting easier."

It was only then that Obsidian realised Zalas had also transformed, two white horns curling out from under his hair. Not so long ago, those horns had been coated red with his blood. The twin scars on his side tingled at the memory.

Biting back a scathing retort, Obsidian exhaled through his nose and tried to summon his patience. While the last person he wanted to accept help from was this man standing in front of him- he had to give Zalas credit for not being as abrasive as usual. That and he had sworn to himself that he would not be bested by the Air Sprite again, in anything. Including cooperation.

And focusing on the half-dragon form in front of him was helping, he had to admit. He felt his jaw retract and his legs shrink in size, rather than folding away completely and it was slightly more bearable. He shook his head a little as his eyes flickered back to their usual gold, pupils widening into circles rather than slits. It was a little uncomfortable. When his vision adjusted, he found that Zalas was still looking away with an unreadable expression on his face.

"If you have something to say, then say it," Obsidian uttered tersely, stepping away from the nymph until there was a slightly more comfortable distance between them. His voice was rough from misuse and his tongue felt foreign in his mouth as he shaped the words.

Zalas paused before his opalescent eyes flickered to scan Obsidian's no longer shifting form. His jaw clenched. "It's just," he started, before seeming to chew on the next words as though they were stuck in his mouth, "I just understand, what it's like."

Obsidian stared at him as though he had grown a second head.

Zalas glared at him. "Don't look at me like that," he hissed. "I just get it, okay? The struggle to transform back. It's not just the physical, it's the mentality that comes with it. The bestial instinct, the hunger, the rage- everything. When you remain in that form for too long, it begins to consume your humanity," Obsidian felt as though Zalas's gaze was suddenly uncomfortably piercing, "whether you like it or not. You should be careful, using that form."

"I don't recall asking for your opinion," Obsidian said gruffly, after a long, awkward moment of silence. He turned on his heel and headed for the forest, ignoring Zalas's grousing as the Nymph followed after.

"You might not have asked for it, but you'd be wise to take it into account. My words are not baseless, I am speaking from experience."

"I am different from you."

"Once I would have agreed, but recent events seem to show we have more in common than –"

"I am different from you," Obsidian spun around to stare the other man down, his hostility clear. "Circe may have seemed to forgive you, and we may currently be standing on the same side but know that this alliance is temporary and most certainly, your involvement here is against my wishes."

Zalas regarded him coldly. "You misinterpret my intentions," he said frostily, "by no means am I seeking to better our relationship. I am warning you because I was in your position once. New to my power and childlike in my use of it. I spent too much time in my beast form, despite my Fathers warning. And I lost my reason and hurt someone I cared about." Zalas stepped forward past him, his scaled shoulder brushing roughly against Obsidians. "If you do not wish to hurt the ones you love, I suggest you heed my warning. If it makes you feel better, you can pretend it was someone else who gave you this advice."

Obsidian ground his teeth together as he stared after Zalas's retreating back. The nymph suddenly paused, reaching down to unfasten the bejewelled scabbard that had hung at his hip. Without warning he threw it backwards. Obsidian caught it neatly in one hand.

"Come on, let's get this over with."

Forcing himself to remain calm, Obsidian hung his Father blade back at his side and stomped after him, the scabbard clinking against his scales as he walked. If there was one thing, he would never best Zalas at, it was being a condescending prick. But then, he thought, as they threw themselves into the jungle, maybe that was one title that Zalas could just keep to himself.

*

It took them longer than Obsidian remembered to reach the Elven gates that bordered the Capital City. It was only when the light in the forest was beginning to grow low that Obsidian realised that they had indeed, stopped for the night during his last trip too.

Thankfully, the surrounding area they were currently in seemed unfamiliar, although Obsidian could hear the sound of a river somewhere to the South.

"Stopping for the night?" He asked, as Zalas paused up ahead, "Wouldn't it be better to continue?" He did not have time to waste here and with his Fathers location still currently unknown, he felt as though his nerves were wound too tightly to even consider sleep.

"No," Zalas uttered lowly, "but there is something ..." His voice trailed off, head snapping up and to the right abruptly. Obsidian followed his line of vision and something appeared from between the trees.

Zalas ghosted forwards and Obsidian had no choice but to follow reluctantly after, squinting as he tried to decipher what he was seeing. It wasn't until they emerged into the small, broken clearing and Obsidian moved to stand alongside a motionless Zalas that he understood the full picture.

He grimaced in a mixture of pity and revulsion. "That's ..."

"A Unicorn," Zalas finished grimly, "Unfortunately, yes."

Obsidian looked down at the beautiful, broken corpse and for a moment a memory flashed into the forefront of his mind. Circe crouched in a clearing with her fingers tangled in the mane of a Unicorn, the scene ethereal in its impossibility. Obsidian remembered the intelligence in the beast's eyes as it had looked from her to him for a fleeting moment before turning and disappearing into the forest, and as he stared helplessly at the ravaged body in front of him now, he was suddenly fervently thankful that Circe was not here to witness this.

His eyes hardened as he scanned the body. "Is this the same one as that time?" He asked, before remembering that Zalas had not travelled with their party.

The Prince crouched down, his long white fingers delicately examining the body. "You've seen this Unicorn before?"

Obsidian shrugged. "I don't know if it was the same one."

"There is only ever one at a time," Zalas said quietly. "Unicorn magic is more mysterious than a Dragon's in that respect."

Obsidian's gaze roamed towards the creature's face, his eyes settling on the glaringly obvious wound on the forehead. Where there should have been a horn, only a bloody hole remained. The horn had been removed.

"If there is only ever one, how do they continue to exist?" He couldn't help but ask. At the same time, Zalas's hands moved to inspect that which he had just noticed, fingers pressing delicately at the torn flesh.

"It was removed from the root," he murmured, before straightening and answering Obsidian's question. "Unicorns are born from fallen stars." His reply was curt and offered no further explanation, which Obsidian felt was a little unfair, considering the answer.

"From stars?" He forced himself to ask. Even saying it, he felt ridiculous.

Zalas regarded him for a moment, but his gaze did not hold its usual superiority. "Occasionally a star dies and falls to the Earth, where it is buried and forgotten. When a Unicorn dies, it's soul returns to the Earth and seeks out the next star. And thus, another Unicorn is created. If no star exists on the Earth, then the soul merely awaits the next one."

Obsidian snorted. "That's ridiculous."

Zalas looked at him. "You turn in a Dragon," he reminded plainly, "yet you still have the confidence to stand in front of a Unicorn and call it ridiculous?"

Obsidian glared at him frostily, his black scaled tail twitching in irritation. "Whatever," he uttered shortly. With one hand he gestured to the dead beast. "What does this mean? Someone killed it. For what?"

Observing the way Zalas's expression darkened, Obsidian realised that the answer was not going to be pleasant. He grimaced. "Let me guess, something to do with my Father?"

"The only magic capable of besting Elven enchantments would be of Fae origin," Zalas agreed grimly. "Although it may not seem it, Circe, and myself, and even my Mother, do not use magic. We manipulate an element to do our bidding. The same is true for the Water Sprite Ambrose.

"However, this is not the case for the Elves. They pull life essence from the Earth around them to form spells and enchantments. The barrier that protects their City draws on the energy of the surrounding forest to sustain itself. It stands strong because the Earth does. The only way for your or I to destroy it would be to eradicate the very Earth beneath our feet."

Obsidian nodded slowly. That made sense, in a strange way. "So Faerie magic ..."

"The magic Fae wield is, in its own way, far greater than any magic of Elven origin. Although I have only heard a little, I believe that the difference lies in the source of the magic. While Elves believe in give and take, Fae magic is far more brutal. However, I do not know the mechanics. By the time I was born, the Fae had long since vanished. Zeus Gold being of Fae blood was news to me. Like you, I believed him to be of Elven descent. If he did indeed make contact with the Fae some time in his past, then that reason alone is why I told you killing him would be no easy task. Not to mention that beast he summoned."

Obsidian turned Zalas's words over in his head as he scanned the body of the Unicorn with new eyes. "So, you think that this murder was necessary for my Father to gain access to the Elven Capital?" He guessed.

"The horn of a unicorn holds great power," Zalas agreed sourly. He straightened, glancing into the surrounding forest. "You saw for yourself back on that rock- Fae magic demands a heavy sacrifice."

Obsidian thought back to the limp bodies of the black dragons, slumped against broken stone, empty and soulless. "I understand," he replied tersely. His clawed hand curled around the hilt of the sword at his side, "then hadn't we better get moving?"

Zalas grunted in reply and without another backwards glance, the two moved forward into the swiftly encroaching darkness.

It was sometime later on, once the night had truly fallen, that Obsidian felt the presence of others infringing on their space for the first time since they had set foot on land. He kept his gaze steadily focused ahead, giving no sign of acknowledgement as he followed Zalas through the forest. The Air Nymph had been steadily picking up the pace and now the two of them travelled at a powerful sprint, their enhanced forms maintaining the speed effortlessly.

Continue heading forward.

Obsidian tried his best not to flinch at the intrusion in his mind.

I thought I told you to stay out of my head.

Zalas ignored him.

They are Shifters. Part of the Rogue group that has been rebelling against the current Lycan King.

Lycan King? Obsidian felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle unconsciously.

Darius Greyson.

I know who he is, Obsidian replied abruptly. He couldn't forget him if he tried.

Zalas fell silent for a moment before continuing.

Unabonan and I came across a pack of them previously. They are not a threat to us.

Obsidian's head was suddenly and inadvertently filled with snippets of memories that were not his own. The thrill of the short, one-sided fight. The thick, hot, taste of blood. The profuse sense of smug satisfaction when the snivelling beasts had burned as he unleashed-

Zalas coughed and the memories vanished.

Sorry.

You don't sound all that sorry, Obsidian smirked. A rare expression considering the company.

The Dragon Prince snorted. Probably because I'm not.

Obsidian felt the corners of his lips curl upwards and he tried to tug them back down. So?

So, let them come if they are so eager for death, came the reply, but something tells me that won't be necessary.

Obsidian glanced curtly at Zalas, his night vision allowing him to see the flawlessly blank expression on the Air Nymph's face. He felt the Shifters grow closer when suddenly another presence appeared on the outskirts of his senses. This time he could not help but let out a low snarl as the beast inside him recognised the threat.

That is no Shifter.

As they ran, Obsidian could feel the Shifter presence being eradicated swiftly, one life force at a time. It was as though they had been running down a corridor lit with candles and someone was following along behind, snuffing them out.

Several more joined the first presence and soon the Shifters had been completely erased. During the whole time, they had not been close enough for Obsidian to see through the thick forest and the only noise that had reached his sensitive ears was the occasional snapping of bone. However now, the creatures that had oppressed the Shifter force were closing in and soon he was able to see the shape of a beast running parallel to them, it's heavy shadow flickering in and out of the trees.

When a final, overwhelming presence joined the opposing forces Obsidian was unable to ignore them any longer. He felt his hackles rise in defence as he skidded to a stop, spinning around to unleash a roar that shook the trees surrounding and attacked automatically.

His tail thumped against the ground aggressively and he whipped it around his body, striking a nearby tree and snapping the trunk in two. The wood groaned as the tree toppled over, but before it could fall completely, Obsidian had ripped it from the ground and launched it without a second thought.

The tree smashed through the forest in front of him before abruptly coming to a stop as the person on the other end caught it directly. The trunk cracked in the centre as the person's grip tightened and the two halves of the tree fell harmlessly to either side.

The man who stepped through the gap was a person Obsidian had conflicting feelings toward. On one hand, he had hoped to never see the man again in his life. On the other ... well, the bloodlust rising within him now answered that particular question. Behind him Obsidian heard Zalas's drawn out sigh.

"Was that really necessary?" Zalas uttered scathingly, not bothering to lower his voice, "Now I have to talk to him, and this dog is such an effort."

"You don't need to talk to him at all," Obsidian ground out, his eyes unwavering as he stared the man down, "just sit here and watch. This shouldn't take long."

A restraining hand fell down on his shoulder and Obsidian shrugged it off forcefully. Zalas withdrew his hand with an irritated snarl that grated on Obsidian's ears. "You fucking hot-headed idiot. Did you forget why we came here? Settle your grievances later, we don't have time."

Obsidian eyed the man that had come to a standstill about fifty meters away. He could feel more of them lingering behind, concealed in the forest, protecting their King. He sneered. "I have time to kill him."

Zalas snorted incredulously. "Time to kill the Lycan King. Don't make me laugh, you couldn't even win against me, how can you hope to beat him. The dog has centuries on you."

He eyed Zalas belligerently. "Last I remember, it was a tie."

Zalas crossed his arms. "It wasn't a tie, Circe is the only reason you're still breathing," he sniffed haughtily, "if it weren't for her, you'd be six feet under."

"And you were six feet under before your little girlfriend came to the rescue, if I remember correctly," Obsidian shot back.

Zalas looked ugly. "Well if you-

"Am I interrupting something?" The voice was clear, although the other party had not raised their voice in the slightest. To others he might have sounded mildly amused, but Obsidian knew that voice well enough to pick up the undercurrent of deadly irritation seething just below the surface.

Before Obsidian could speak, Zalas had stepped forward.

"Actually, you are."

Obsidian had to give it to him; somehow Zalas managed to sound pretentious, inconvenienced, and bored to death, all at once.

Opposite them, the Lycan King acknowledged Obsidian presence with eyes of steel. His gaze had flickered to Zalas for a moment when the Prince had spoken, before locking back onto Obsidian as he raised a hand.

"I'm fairly certain you are supposed to be dead, boy."

Obsidian couldn't contain the snarl that ripped its way out of his throat. "Well think again, mutt."

From the surrounding forest a chorus of growling erupted as the other Lycans reacted to the insult to their King.

Darius's frosty eyes narrowed, and he held his hand up. "Enough," he commanded. The growling stopped immediately. His eyes landed on Zalas. "Prince Zalas, I assume since you are accompanying him, that something has changed?"

"Yes," Zalas's expression made it clear he was certain the other party would have no issue with this fact. However, unable to trust in Zalas, Obsidian remained tense, his hands clenching and unfurling repeatedly, "It has. He was found innocent. We are here on other business."

Obsidian couldn't help but give Zalas a quick, incredulous glance. He never thought he would witness the day where Zalas would be the one to defend him. But he doubted such a vague excuse for their presence would satisfy the Lycan. He looked back to Darius swiftly.

"What is your other business."

Obsidian gritted his teeth. Sure enough. He had no desire to speak of his Father's resurrection, if the King did not already know of it. No doubt Darius would stake some claim on Zeus and then Obsidian would have another tag along to put up with. And if he had to pick between Zalas and the man who had driven him halfway to insanity, he would choose Zalas every time.

Obsidian winced imperceivably at the thought and made a mental note to never put the words 'choose' and 'Zalas' together in a sentence ever again. He coughed and spat at the ground at his feet.

"I don't recall this being your territory Lycan," Zalas replied smoothly, "my business is with the Elves."

Darius folded his arms across his chest. "The Elves have vacated the Palaces at present. The Capital was breached by the rogue Shifter forces and the Elves were forced to retreat momentarily. However, such a poor assembled Shifter force should not have had the power to break the barrier surrounding the City. They should have had an accomplice; a powerful one. I came to investigate and subdue any leftovers." The massive Lycan rose an eyebrow, "I don't suppose you have any insight to offer, Dragon Prince?"

Zalas barely paused before replying. "If I did, I would tell you to leave the investigation to me and concentrate on pushing the Shifters out of the Capital so that the Elves may return."

Darius took a step forward. "And I would remind you that although you are not in my territory, you are still on Earth Kingdom land."

Obsidian felt the hair on the back of his neck rise at the blatant threat.

Zalas however, remained unruffled. "I was under the impression that now the banishment was done, we were to be working together Lycan," a quietly intimidating smile lingered on his face, "you know, to strengthen relationships and all of that business. My Father is naturally interested in the outcome of my current mission. I would rather report that we found you willing to form a temporary alliance during this time, as opposed to the ..." his grin widened, "the alternative."

"You dare threaten me?" Darius rumbled, his brows drawing together in contempt. "Your Father doesn't scare me boy, that Dragon hasn't left his mountain in my lifetime. It would take a lot more than this for him to act and you know it."

Obsidian watched as Zalas gave a nonchalant shrug, his small, smug smile remaining in place. Obsidian resisted the urge to roll his eyes; Zalas had obvious told him not to provoke Darius, so then what did he think he was doing exactly?!

There was a pause as both parties entered a stare off. Finally, Darius spoke.

"Very well Dragon Prince, I will concede to your demands. However, do not think that your movements will escape our notice while you are on Earth Kingdom soil. I will be expecting an explanation once you are finished with your business." He did not sound happy as he stared Zalas down. "The explanation will come from Airocei," he stressed, "she owes me that respect."

Zalas waved him off, turning to leave immediately. "I'm sure my Mother will be all too happy to oblige," he replied coolly, "I will pass on your regards."

"Wait," Obsidian was still frozen in place, his eyes pinned on Darius.

"No," Zalas turned back to grab his arm, hissing between his teeth, "no waiting. We need to go. I can't deal with him any-more, he frustrates the hell out of me. Stubborn mule."

Ignoring Zalas, Obsidian raised his voice slightly to address the man who had turned to leave. "You," he uttered, his voice barely containing his anger, "you and I have a score to settle."

Darius paused, looking back over his shoulder. He eyed Obsidian up and down, steel eyes hard and emotionless. "I have nothing to settle with a child like you." He said dismissively.

"Oh, I think I could come up with something if that's your issue."

"Is that a threat or a challenge?"

"Both," Obsidian snarled.

The Lycan studied him for a moment before turning his back again to leave. "Sounds interesting. You can challenge me if you wish, it is not in my nature to refuse. Come and find me some other time though, it seems the both of us currently have other matters to attend to. And a doubt you want to keep that Father of yours waiting. If I recall correctly, he was never a patient man."

Obsidian stiffened and beside him he felt Zalas do the same, the Prince letting out a low stream of curses a moment later. Before either of them could refute the statement however, Darius had vanished into the forest and when Obsidian probed their surroundings, he found that the Lycans presence had vanished as swiftly as they had come.

"Well I should have known there was no hiding anything from him," Zalas said grimly, "the bastard has been around too long."

"Let's just go," Forcing himself to calm down, Obsidian turned away from where Darius had disappeared feeling slightly pacified, mildly confused, and mostly pissed off.

Darius Greyson was the person who had unhinged his mind when he had been at his lowest. The man was obviously well versed in the art of torture and Obsidian recognised that, in his line of work, he probably needed to be.

However, Obsidian would be lying if he didn't acknowledge that the Lycan's behaviour just now had thrown him slightly. Darius, once confirming Obsidian was no longer an 'enemy' hadn't given him a second glace throughout the entire exchange and this attitude shook his original perception of the Lycan.

Originally, Obsidian had believed that Darius's vicious torture had stemmed from the Lycan's personal hatred towards him and his Father, as Zalas's had. But now, with that reaction ... perhaps he had just been acting on the information he had been given. Which was that, Obsidian was a prisoner who had committed the heinous crime of attempted kidnapping of a Dragon egg. Not only that, but due to the influence he had been under, Obsidian had even admitted to this crime himself.

Obsidian frowned. Now it sounded like he was trying to justify the man's actions. He rubbed his forehead angrily.  That wasn't right at all. He wondered if there was something wrong with him. Something like taking revenge on those who he perceived to have wronged him- he would have never used to think twice about it. But now ... he massaged the space between his brows, attempting to ease the ache in his head, he was starting to think like Circe.

He shook his head and chuckled. No, she would want revenge on Darius too, of this he was certain. Well either way, Darius had accepted Obsidian's challenge. Perhaps she would accompany him, and they could fight the Lycan King together. The corners of his lips curled upwards as he imagined his Kitten exacting her vengeance on the big bad wolf.

He looked up to see Zalas staring at him in disgust.

"What?" He snapped, somewhat defensively, his smile disappearing immediately.

"I don't even want to know what you're thinking about," Zalas enunciated slowly, as though afraid Obsidian might not understand, "but whatever it is, do me a favour and just don't. I do not want to see that expression on your face ever again. Ever."

Obsidian swiped at his head and missed. "Shut up," he glowered, "weren't you the one in a hurry?"

Zalas scowled and pointed in a seemingly random direction. "The gate is that way. If we continue at our previous pace, we should reach it just before sunrise."

"Fine," Obsidian's golden eyes flashed, the momentarily forgotten anticipation coiling in his stomach like a thick rope. "Lead the way."

*

(Please read the Authors Note at the top!)