The Throne • Book Two

Chapter 10- The Hounds

Author's Note: I hope you like my story! Feel free to voice your opinion, ask any questions and point out any mistakes I make.

Antonia's POV

Peace.

A feeling I haven't felt in a long time. A feeling that is still just out of my reach. A feeling that beckons me in when I am with Saber, but is never able to envelop me fully. A feeling that is never stronger than my strongest thought. A feeling that I desire to feel.

I think about peace, and the calmness it brings, while lying next to Saber on my bed. Our hands are together as we both stare at the ceiling, talking through our connection and therefore making it stronger.

"Do you think there will be a time where we have total peace, like when we were younger, before I started to have that dream?" I ask Saber, sighing.

"I don't know, hopefully. Maybe when we find Ivy and Wolf, we will get that peace." He answers. I think about it, and reply

"Actually, with my line of work, I don't know if total peace is possible. Being a queen is stressful."

"True, but I will always be here to help with any jobs you have to do."

"You know, I was actually thinking that we should build a village, because currently everyone just lives in the castle, and I don't really have villagers. Just the Dark Warriors."

"Good idea, but where would we build it? On the mountain?"

"Nope, better. In the mountains. I can create paths and foundations for houses with stone using my powers, maybe have some slightly sticking out of the side and then we can get people to actually construct the walls and floors and stuff."

"That sounds awesome. We could also build villages in each mountain, and tunnels connecting the mountains." Our conversation is interrupted when someone knocks on my bedroom door. I groan and let go of Saber's hand, immediately missing the warmth. I stride over to my bedroom door and fling it open to see Angel.

"The Dark Hounds have arrived." She states. I turn around to look at Saber and see him already on his feet, right behind me.

"Let's go, then." He replies and Angel starts walking, leading the way to Lauren and the Dark Hounds.

When we get outside to where Lauren is waiting, I see two Dark Hounds standing next to Lauren, one on each side of her.

"These are my two Hounds that were closest to the castle, and they will help. Do you have something that smells of the missing people?" Lauren says, and I reply

"Yes, I'll be right back." I shift into a tiger and run back into the castle, zipping through the halls and up the stairs to Wolf and Ivy's rooms, where I grab a piece of each of their clothing in my mouth. Moving quickly, I go back outside and hand the shirts to Lauren, shifting back into my human form.

"Thanks." She crinkles her nose up in disgust and only touches the edge of the clothes, avoiding where I carried them in my mouth. Lauren separates the two pieces and gives one to each Dark Hound. They both sniff the article of clothing for about half a minute, then run off in the same direction. Saber and I look at each other, both shifting into tigers simultaneously. Angel and Lauren extend their wings, and we all follow the trail of the Dark Hounds.

Saber and I are leading, since we can track the scent of the Dark Hounds and the pounding of their feet, but from earlier I caught a glimpse of Lauren's wings. They seemed to shimmer with every color, swirling and twisting around each other in each feather of her massive wings. It was stunning to look at.