Chapter 29

Chained, Acelan and the group walked along the cleared paths that led into the Howlkin lands. As they crested over the brow of a hill, memories flooded back to him. Walking next to him, Mara scowled, and watched as Deadria led them into the city. Large buildings made of ice and snow towered over them and Acelan was silent as memories replayed in his mind, tormenting him.

As they entered the city, he stared at the ground and watched, as the dirt roads seemed to move from beneath him. Murmurings rose up from the crowds, whisperings concerning him, Iris and the group. They spoke of his mother, of his disappearance and of his half-brother, Akoto. Acelan raised his head and walked past, feeling their leering eyes at his back. He paid no attention to the crowd, instead walked on, heads held high until they reached the main gates that led inside the Howlkin castle.

The she-wolf standing guard by the gates grinned at the cluster of half bloods, shifting into her human form. "It is good to see you back, Sergeant Deadria." She whispered.

The woman stepped up, nodding to the guard. "I brought trespassers, Vera—and the missing prince and princess."

Vera nodded, sighing heavily as she regarded Acelan and Iris with a critical eye. "Ah, these two. I cannot mistake that phoenix golden hair, and your strange eyes, Prince Acelan."

Hearing his long-abandoned title said aloud, made him sound more then he really considered himself to be. Acelan knew, to his friends, it was shocking news and for him it was an equally heavy burden to the one he already carried. Vera signaled to the two watchmen to open the gates and, as it creaked open, she prodded them along.

The Howlkin guards forced them along to the throne room where Akoto sat, a statue among statues, nothing disturbing his cold façade. "So…" he began, eyes gazing at his half-siblings and at the chains on their hands, nodding slightly, "Have a nice trip now, did we?"

Acelan scowled and shrugged off the guards that forced him to his knees, "Murderer." He spat, eyes burning with loathing.

Iris gasped as one guard took her wounded shoulder and dragged her up to her feet and up to Akoto, who stood, pale eyes dancing in mockery, as he laughed softly. "Innocent, naïve, little Iris." He said every word slowly and advanced toward her as she panted, shaking, and eyes wide with fear.

Acelan struggled fiercely in another guards hold as another guard took Iris' shoulder again, and twisted her arm to her back and Akoto drew a knife to cut a shallow line down her face, from her left temple to her chin. Iris screamed in agony and writhed to escape, to only make the pain worse. " Acelan!" she shrieked, "Please make them stop!" Tears poured down her cheek as Mara and the other three tried to go help, only to be held back. Acelan felt Mara as she tried ever so desperately to hang onto sanity and that only fueled his anger as he hurried for his sister only to be met by the smirking face of his brother. "If you want me to stop, then you could've just asked" Akoto laughed.

"Let her go Akoto!" Acelan yelled lunging for Akoto. He was knocked off his feet by two approaching guards.

Akoto smiled a sickly-sweet smile and ordered Iris to be taken to the dungeons, to be locked up. Iris thrashed out and sobbed, her face horrorstruck. "Acelan!" she cried, as the Howlkin carried her away. Acelan and the group were taken to another set of dungeons and locked up.

Acelan huddled in a corner and wrapped his arms around to hug his knees and shivered in the cold air that came through the small window. He could hear Mara pacing and muttering in the cell on his left and Karma shuffling around in the cell on his right. Naosis and Nahun were in the cells across from him, staring around the prison.

He couldn't believe he had let Akoto do that to Iris! She was his little sister and he had a duty to protect her as her brother and he just let her be hurt and left her feeling scared again.

As hot tears filled his eyes and quiet sobs wracked his body, he felt as if his heart were being torn in two, the tears falling.

All he wanted was for things to become simple again, to be lost in the dance, to be home again…