The last saint (Guardians of Red moon city #5) {In Progress}

Chapter 5

The family stares at me with their eyes wide open, and I automatically put myself in a defensive position, ready to protect little light if needed. To my surprise, the family smiles at each other before a faint glow surrounds them. I’ve encountered that glow before during my travels, and it turns out that this family is apparently fairies.

“As I said before, you have nothing to fear here, Anastasia,” Hellevi says, and I look at them for a few extra seconds before relaxing. “You’ve got tremendous power, and I have a feeling that this was just a small part of it.”

I choose not to answer her because it’s a risk not only for me but also for the family. The more they know about me and my situation, the more dangerous it becomes for them. The order wipes out everything, and everyone they believe is or could be a risk to the organization. It doesn’t matter if you’re a senior, adult, teenager, or child; if you’re considered a threat, you die. In my opinion, that’s a very barbaric way of life, but I have mentioned before that I disagree with them with what they do.

“Let’s sit down at the table again,” Hellevi says, and I slowly shake my head.

“No, thank you. I appreciate your hospitality and kindness, but I can no longer stay here without putting us all in danger,” I reply, and Gerard quickly grabs my arm before I walk up the stairs.

“What are you involved in, Anastasia?” he asks worriedly. “Let us help you.”

“You can’t help me. No one can,” I answer sadly and go up the stairs.

I quickly pack up my few belongings and pick up little light in my arms before we descend the stairs again. The family sits down but is noticeably confused about what’s going on. I wish I could tell then; I really do, but it’s not worth it. Their blood will flow along the cobblestone roads; I don’t want that on my conscience.

“I’m sorry that I’m causing you problems and will do my utmost to ensure you’re not disturbed further,” I say, and Hellevi hugs me.

“It breaks my heart to hear such dark words from such a young woman, dear,” she says. “You can never be a problem for us, and you’re welcome back anytime.”

I smile and walk towards the front door but stop at the last second to turn around.

“One last question, have you ever encountered two lone wolf cubs in the forest?” I ask.

“No, as far as I know, the wolves stick to each other in their pack,” Hellevi replies. “Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering,” I answer, waving and walking out the door, hoping the family will survive with my departure.

---

The darkness of the evening makes it easier for me to move imperceptibly, while posing a greater risk, given that unknown creatures can appear anywhere. There isn’t much more I can do than pay attention and keep moving smoothly in the shadows that fill the thorny terrain. With each step I take, I get closer to the city where my ultimate goal is located, and only then can I prepare to receive the wrath of the order. Before that, little light remains most important to me. She must be kept alive at all costs. Leaves crackle on the ground, branches sway in the draft of the wind, and the cold takes over nature as if someone were extinguishing a candle.

It’s uncomfortable to trudge around in the dark normally, but tonight it feels even worse, like evil is near, closer than ever. I can’t really describe the feeling any more than that death and destruction are just around the corner. Whether it’s pessimism or facts, I don’t know right now; the only thing I know is that the streetlights in the distance are my goal and that I’ve never been closer before. Soon, very soon, I can breathe out when little light is safe. I continue to quickly make my way through the terrain, and when I finally come to a dense forest with claw marks in the bark, I realize that I accidentally stepped straight into the territory of a wolf pack.

This is dangerous because most wolves don’t accept unauthorized people in their homes without permission. Quite rightly, a wolf begins to howl in the distance before a dozen others answer the call of an intruder. Since I don’t know where I am, I can’t automatically allow myself to be captured without further thought. Therefore, I start to run tactically back the same way I came and jump over the small stream to then continue further ahead. I knew it was risky to take that road, but I need to know which way to go.

Now I know that the best thing is to continue until I arrive at the great road that goes through the whole city and doesn’t belong to a specific pack. The alternative is to go through the wasteland to the south, but I don’t want to risk running that route in no man’s land where laws don’t apply. At least not, as long as I have little light to think about. I hear the wolves approaching from a distance and say a spell that hides our smells. Hopefully, they won’t recognize us when they come across the water. The only way to prevent them from doing so is to create as much distance between them and us as possible.

My legs and lungs are screaming at me to stop, but I don’t dare to do it until we’re out of the woods. It feels like hours pass while I gradually create distance, and when I can no longer hear the wolves, I stop. I breathe heavily and sway from the exhaustion that builds up in my body. You may think I should have more energy, given that I have rested, but you must remember that I haven’t slept properly for ages. It’s simply not an opportunity in my life. When I can breathe without feeling like my lungs are about to explode, I slowly start walking forward again. I just hope I manage to get us there in time.

---

We’ve officially arrived in the city; the only thing left now is to get to the right territory. I know where I’m going but I need to find the location. Skyscrapers, cottages, apartment buildings, and high-rise buildings surround me on all sides in a confusing edifice. In general, cottages and smaller houses are usually built separately on the outskirts; here, all facilities are a blissful mixture. It isn’t wrong to mix the different social classes; the fact is that the more I walk along the road, the more I like the concept. Instead of creating a clear class affiliation, they mix, thereby creating a much smaller distance.

No one is worth more than the other just because they earn better and make more. I take back my previous opinion that it would be strange because this is great! No one needs to feel left out or worried about not being an essential part of society because it’s a healthy mix. It’s a pity that no more communities function similarly because to say that this is how we live now isn’t true. Instead, it’s a cruel joke that very few can participate in. No, it isn’t fair to everyone, and therefore it isn’t the same affiliation that you can find here. If I follow the main road through the city, I’ll finally find the right destination.

My legs don’t want to move anymore, and my body is totally exhausted, but no matter how much I want to, I can’t stop. I stroll in the shadows so as not to attract attention among the villagers living out their lives around me.

“I heard that an unauthorized person got into one of the smaller packs about an hour ago,” says a woman on the other side of the street.

“Really? Did they catch the intruder?” asks the man with whom the woman is conversing.

“No, apparently, the person was quick to hide their scent and quickly disappear.”

“Hm, strange. The younger wolves usually don’t lose scents when their snouts find them; something isn’t right with this.”

“I totally agree with you, Edwin. They’ve contacted Queen Aleida, and she’s now investigating the situation.”

“Good; hopefully, we can all breathe out pretty soon.”

Queen Aleida, a name the entire supernatural world knows. A wolf shifter who not only sacrificed her life to save her people but also the vampires. In my opinion, she’s one of the fairest rulers the wolf shifters have ever had. She’s harsh but fair in her decisions and judgments. As if that weren’t enough, she is, from what I’ve heard, an incredibly kind and loyal person who surrounds herself with many friends. It doesn’t matter to her that the werewolves and vampires have been enemies for eons; to her, everyone is welcome. Then we have Kaylin Clarkson, the vampire queen and dragon hybrid.

She competed in the arena of death and survived, which gives her immense respect on my part. Not just anyone can survive in there, least of all overcome the challenges after that and then endure torture in a prison cell for a crime she didn’t commit. Most people would’ve given up long ago or broken down in the meantime, but not Kaylin. She fought on and gave life to a daughter whose father despises them both because of their DNA. As far as I know, he’s still on the run and is being hunted for the crimes he committed against not only his family but also his clan and race.

Unfortunately, I’ve never had the opportunity to meet any of them, which isn’t very strange when you think about it. Witches are widely hated and rejected by the vast majority. People need to understand that only some witches seek to inflict pain and destruction. Take me as an example; all I want is to repay my debt and, hopefully, one day be forgiven for what I did, even if, in my eyes, it’s unforgivable. The dream would be to one day reign with these strong women and create a world where everyone can live in peace, just as they are. But such a utopia isn’t possible because humanity exists. In addition, there are always rotten eggs within all breeds.

Suddenly I get a blow to the back of my head, and I fall to the ground. I’m quick to get up and prepare to fight for survival. They can kill me if they want, but not right now. Not when I’m so close!

“What are you doing here, human?” the man growls, who stood on the other side of the street earlier.

He pushes me down on my knees again, and I stare angrily into his eyes, which causes the woman to react.

“That’s no human, Edwin,” she says, growling lowly. “She’s a witch.”

“Do you know what we do with scum like you in this city?” he asks, just about to punch his clenched fist through my upper body when an unknown man grabs him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he says, and the man holding me looks nervously at the newcomer.

“Gamma Jason!” he exclaims. “I was just about to hand over the intruder to Queen Aleida.”

“Sure, I believe that was probably your end goal,” the man, apparently named Jason, answers and rolls his eyes. “I think I’d better take it from here. Go home, both of you.”

There’s a glimmer of hope in me that Jason is here to save and help me. I know I can’t be naive enough to believe that. It becomes more apparent that it’s rather the opposite when he takes a firm grip on my upper arm and leads me to a shiny black car parked at the side of the building.

“I may be perceived as soft because I’m not hurting you right now, witch,” he growls, emphasizing my race as if I were death itself. “But you aren’t out of danger. The fact is that you’ve just taken your first step into the most dangerous situation you can imagine. Although I don’t plan to hurt you, there are others who are looking forward to it.”

“Bring it on!” I growl back and don’t fold under his gaze, not even when he slams the car door and starts driving toward my apparent death sentence.

A/N:

Hello everyone!

There has been a period when I haven't written, and it isn't meant to be that way. The problem is that my desire and inspiration to write come and goes. It's simply nothing I can control. Believe me when I say I'm doing my best to try to get back on track.

~ What did you think of the chapter?

~ Is the family simply just friendly, or is there a hidden threat behind it?

~ Will Anastasia get hurt?

~ What do you think will happen to her?

Please give me some comments with your opinions. Your feedback is everything to me. Hugs and kisses!