CHAPTER 25: ICARUS MUST DIE
1697 Words
FREYA
If I had thought the journey to the White Wolf pack was weird, the journey back to the Jade pack was even more awkward.
Icarus would steal glances at me, while I pretend I did not notice him. I made sure I sat at the far end of the car. I could not be anywhere near Icarus, even though our bond rebelled against my decision.
The tension hanging in the air between us was so tangible, you could cut through it with a knife. Our ‘intense’ moment at the bathroom did nothing to help quell that raging flame. Quite the contrary actually.
Having Icarus close to me put my brain in snooze while filling my mind with very unholy thoughts.
Not that I was religious or anything.
But the thoughts that filled my mind and the desires fuelled by his presence are those I only want to fulfil with my now deceased husband, who Icarus killed!
I should not feel that way?
It would be a high level of betrayal for me to have anything to do with Icarus after all he had done to me and my family. My late husband would turn in his grave at such an abomination.
We were seated in his car, the silence between us growing louder per second. We never got to talk about that bathroom moment. Usually, Icarus would have brought it up by now but for some reason, he did not.
Neither of us were willing to address the enormous elephant in the room.
He just maintained his side of the car, stealing glances at me every now and then. I wondered what was running through his mind. I wondered if he thought about our bathroom escapade as much as I did.
I could not wait for the ride to be over. Breathing the same air with Icarus was not healthy for me. I really had to stop spending so much time with him. I was sure it was one of the reasons I was letting my guard down.
After what felt like forever, we arrived at the Jade pack. Tension hung in the air, one that was stronger than the tension between Icarus and I in the car.
“Something feels...off about the town…” I muttered and to my surprise, Icarus replied.
“You feel it too, don't you?” He asked and I nodded.
Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, moving to and fro like a wild wolf was hot on their heels. They formed clusters, and these small groups seemed to be talking about something.
“Is that...a mob?” Icarus asked, referring to the growing crowd of people up front.
It was difficult to decipher the nature of the crowd from a distance, but as we drew closer, taking in the clubs and torches, it became clear.
What in the world was happening in this town?
“That is definitely a mob.” I replied, trying to peer through the crowd to know what was going on. “What is going on?”
“Whatever it is, it can't be good.” Came Icarus' grave reply. “Marcus, park over there." Icarus pointed at a parking space very close to the rapid growing mob.
“Wait here, Freya. I will be right back.” Icarus said right after Marcus had parked the car, but I vehemently refused.
“I am coming with you, Icarus.” I replied, alighting from the car before he could decline.
Together, we walked down to the crowd of people, trying to find out what was going on but everyone seemed to be talking at the same time.
I spotted a guard in the crowd and informed Icarus.
“There is a guard over there!” I pointed to the man whose eyes were focused on what was in front of him. “We should be able to find out what is going on.”
Icarus signalled the guard who raced down to where we were, bowing as he granted a stop in front of us.
“What is the meaning of this pandemonium?” Icarus asked, gesturing at the mob of people who were chanting something indecipherable.
“We caught a witch, sir.” He replied, his eyes lingering on me for a second.
I felt my heart leap in fear. Did the members of the White wolf pack contact the Jade pack about their suspicions of me being a witch?
What was going on and why were they suddenly devising means to identify witches?
Were they going to fish me out like they did in the White wolf pack?
So many questions raced through my panicked mind as I looked around, thinking of ways to escape in case the angry mob decided to jump on me.
“What?” Icarus exclaimed. “Who is she?”
My heart thudded against my chest as I anticipated the guard's response.
“She had been living among us for a while now, until someone caught her using a spell on her child.” The guard replied.
At the mention of the word “child,” I instantly relaxed, knowing that I was not the witch in question. However, knowing a sister of mine was in danger made my heart troubled.
Icarus' brows drew together as his face contorted into a menacing scowl.
“Take me to her.” He ordered.
Curious to find out what Icarus would do about the woman, I followed closely behind. The guard made a clean path for us through the thronging crowd of people and soon, we were at the centre where a frail looking woman was sprawled out on the floor with a crying child standing opposite her.
Her platinum hair was matted with blood and sweat, and her skin was decorated with cuts and welts, inflicted on her by the angry mob.
“What is your name?” Icarus asked her.
“M-My name is Hera…” She stuttered, coughing out drops of blood.
“Hera.” Her name rolled out of Icarus's tongue like a curse. It held so much venom you would think it meant something evil.
“Are you a witch?” Icarus asked her.
She hesitated, slowly lifting up her swollen grey eyes with a maniacal smile on her lips.
“If I said yes, would you spare my child?” She asked.
“My question was simple, Hera. Are you a witch?”
Hera lowered her head, nodding slowly. At that moment, the atmosphere changed and an involuntary shiver washed over me at the coldness that emanated from Icarus.
He directed his gelid eyes at her, and his next few words made my heart sink to my stomach..
“Tie her to a stake and burn her alive.”
The crowd erupted into cheers and as I looked around the hungry, bloodthirsty people around me, all I saw were wild animals.
“Please, have mercy!” She cried out, tears running down her face. “I have lived among you peacefully and caused no harm!”
Her cries pricked my heart and I turned to Icarus with pleading eyes.
“She has a child, Icarus. You can just send her away. She has not caused any trouble in the town.”
“And how would you know that, Freya?” Icarus asked. “Her kind has brought nothing but hurt and pain to the world, Freya. They deserve to die. Every one of them.”
Icarus' venomous words struck my heart and words felt too heavy for my mouth to speak.
I watched in terror as they dragged her to a stake, binding her with cords as her child watched on.
I wrestled within myself, torn between keeping my cover or helping the woman. This was a sister, one who was peaceful and caused no harm.
If I used a spell to loosen the cords, they would just capture her again and probably stone her to death instead. Any other spell would end up exposing me, and I was here on a mission that I was not ready to put at risk.
“Mummy!” The little girl cried out to her mother, running towards her but the guards dragged her away from sight.
“At least let her say goodbye to her child, please Icarus.” My voice broke as strong emotions overwhelmed me.
Icarus watched on, paying me no mind.
This was clearly injustice, and they had criminals who deserved to die this way but they let them walk free because they were fellow wolves.
As they doused her with grease and other fuels, she lifted up her eyes to meet mine. A small smile grew on her lips in recognition. I did not think she would recognise me as a witch, but she did.
“I am sorry.” I muttered, tears streaming down my face and she nodded, still smiling with tear stained cheeks as fire enveloped her.
Her smile slowly faded as the effect of the fire caused her to cry out in pain.
Tears slipped down my face and my skin hummed under the heat emanating from the fire as memories of my very own first death filled my mind.
I was also burnt on a stake like she was and while I struggled to watch, I could feel the searing pain all over again as my skin melted in the fire and the smell of roasting flesh filled my nostrils.
The memories tormented me until I could not take it anymore, so I took to my heels, running as far as I could without a destination.
Tears streamed down my face as I ran, images of Icarus' satisfied smile flashing in my mind. All that we had been through in the past few weeks lost its meaning to me. This was who he really was. His true nature.
Icarus was a monster.
What I had witnessed was the very reason I had to come back. It was my destiny to put an end to these killings and the person who masterminded them.
Icarus had to die and I would give anything to see him take his last breath.
- Writer
