Chapter 9
As Serena stepped into the room, the raw emotional energy that lingered in there hit her like a punch. She looked around, utterly shocked to see the medieval-looking torture devices that sat around the room. She realised that they must date back to the witch hunts of two-hundred years ago. It was a business that had made her sick when she heard the stories from the wild pack as a cub. Wolfbloods taken from the wild and executed on suspicion of witchcraft, their eyes burning yellow as they were burned at the stake. It was the reason the species as a whole had come out of hiding to reveal what they were to the world. For their own safety. To prove that the so-called 'prophets of God' had been torturing and executing innocent people. Before that, there must have been a reason the species was hiding before. And now they had to try and do so again. Such coming and going must be destined to be the nature of their kind.
She refocused as she looked around, trying to spot where Des had gone. He'd become so absorbed in his Wolfblood sorcery and harnessing the power it gave him that there was no way he was going to fight fairly. She knew she was going to have to break a promise she made to herself before she even met Damien, but she'd accepted that when she swore to end what they'd started.
As if on cue, the Shadow himself dropped from the ceiling. Des cushioned his fall by blanketing himself in shadows and melting into the floor before rising in a sea of black mist until his body became solid again. She glared him down unflinching as he stood tall over her. Even at only sixteen, he dwarfed her. His formerly sandy blond hair that once mirrored hers had been stained jet black by his own darkness.
"So the master of terror is such a coward he hides in the shadows." Serena looked him up and down, her face impassive.
"So the Wolfblood destined to lead us into a future of concealment calls it cowardice." Des mimicked her scoffing tone. "Look how far you've fallen."
"Something far worse has happened to you." Her tone of disapproval caused him to flinch briefly. It was only for a second, but it was there and she knew she'd hit a nerve.
"I am more powerful!" His eyes ignited, the yellow glow in his pupils looking almost liquid from his many times merging with the shadows and solidifying again. He hadn't realised the cost of using such a dark power before becoming addicted. Serena knew that. She also knew it was for that reason that it was far too late for him. "I've gained a knowledge from your scrolls that means I can outlive anyone!"
"Ah, so you've found out about the spell of life essence transfer." Serena nodded in understanding. "I'm surprised the spirit inside that scroll told you about that. My Ansion told me he was always quite judgemental of students. He also wouldn't have given it to you so quickly. I know you forced it from the scroll. I'll admit that's impressive. It's also a good thing for me. I was never able to destroy that scroll while the fragment of Andeddu's soul guarded it. Now when I destroy you, one copy of that secret will die with you. As for the other one, I leave it in the hand of fate until such a time when I or one of my descendants finds it."
"You assume you'll win." Des shrugged.
"I have to win." Serena glared at him. "I have the fates of two others riding on this. Now, we will find out what the gods plan for both of us." With that, she let out a snarl, her teeth morphing into fangs. The battle of her life was about to begin.
Author's Note: Okay, so this chapter is short as hell. That's why I'm double-updating it with Chapter 8. There's not too much more of this story left now and then I'll be looking at uploading chapters of Ghosts of the Past. I've got a lot going on right now so chapter updates might be a bit infrequent over the next few days. I will be updating as often as possible so this story will get finished in due time and Ghosts of the Past is a long one so that should take us right up to Christmas if not past it. Don't worry. There's still plenty of content ahead.