The Chronicles of Onyx: Book 1

Chapter Fifteen

Queen Demeter and Rok rode further into the woods, the gloomy atmosphere weighed heavily on their shoulders. The forest, usually vibrant and alive, seemed eerily quiet and foreboding. The only sound that disrupted the silence was the steady rhythm of their horses' hooves on the forest floor.

Suddenly, their steeds halted in unison, their ears twitching as they sensed something amiss. Rok's eyes darted around, scanning the surroundings, tensed, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword.

"What is it?" The Queen asked in a demanding tone, however seemed wary of the forest's unsettling stillness.

Rok gaze fell upon a lifeless body lying amidst the underbrush, covered in, still wet, blood. Its throat ripped out; however, the rest of the body remained unharmed and easy to identify as a mortal traveler. The sight sent shivers down his spine, and he dismounted to investigate.

"He must have encountered something fierce," Rok said to Queen Demeter as he examined the wounds on the lifeless form. "Wolves, by the looks of it."

"Direwolves" The Queen corrected Rok.

"Direwolves?" He repeated, his voice was low, almost a whisper. "What are they doing here?"

Queen Demeter's face grew serious as she looked around, her eyes scanning the dirt, yet not a single track was left behind. "Marking their territory," she replied, "The real question is, what is he doing here in my kingdom, in the kingdom of the Orcs?"

"I will gather a scouting party to track down the pack," Rok offered, "and to bring the body back for investigation," he added, knowing the importance of understanding what had transpired.

"No," the Queen started, her voice filled with concern, "It would be suicide to track down the pack alone," she interrupted firmly.

"Then what shall we do?" Rok questioned, his mind racing with the urgency of the situation.

"We need to return to my castle immediately and gather our defenses," Queen Demeter replied, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the gravity of the situation. "It's not the wolves that concern me,"

-ooooo-

Queen Demeter's sacred wings opened and closed, her impatience running thin as the chaos in the grand hall continued. Her violet eyes scanned the crowd of bickering Orc commanders, her expression stern and unyielding. The restless atmosphere seemed to dissipate under her commanding gaze.

"Enough already!" she roared, her voice echoing through the hall with a raw power that demanded attention. "This is not the time for petty squabbles. The fate of our kingdom rests on our unity and strength."

The Orcs fell silent, their eyes turning to their Queen with a mix of respect and fear. They knew better than to challenge her authority, especially in a moment of crisis.

"I will choose who leads our forces," Queen Demeter declared, her voice unwavering. "For now, we must set aside our differences and work together to protect our kindred and our lands."

"Why have they come now? And why would they leave a kill?" Gollik asked, second in command and would have been first if she hadn't restored Rok's power. Despite his ambitions, he had enough respect for the Queen not to lash out at her openly.

"The kill was a threat, a warning that they think they are ready for another war," she said as she sighed through her nostrils.

"My Queen, forgive me if I ask, but you said that it wasn't the wolves that concern you. What concerns you?" Rok asked, breaking his silence. He stood by her throne, as he used to, and she couldn't deny the comfort of his presence. Unlike most Orcs, he had more of a man-like personality. He was kinder and more compassionate than many of his kin, and his warm brown eyes held a soul within. More than the bloodshot, black beady eyes of full Orcs.

"It is their master that concerns me," the Queen admitted, her voice heavy with worry.

"Master? I don't understand. What do you mean by master?" Rok questioned, his confusion and curiosity evident in his eyes.

"What do all canines have in common?" the queen asked rhetorically. Before anyone could answer, she replied, "They all listen to the alpha. Dire wolves have both a king and a queen. And in this particular case, it is the king I worry about," she said, hoping her answer would quell any further inquiries.

"And not the queen?" Gollik interjected, only trying to grasp the full hold of the situation.

"Because she is dead, I killed her," the Queen snapped irritably, continuing on she said, "After I did so, he became king, the Alpha, he likes to call himself. He ordered the last remaining of his kin to hide, to retreat to safety. But Dezenym can be a grate threat, and if he is attacking now, he must have risen an army." Her words hung heavy in the air, and the gravity of the situation settled upon them all.