Chapter 68

The lair of the werewolves loomed ahead, and Emma watched as Zathrian glanced around before stepping inside the old elven ruins. After a couple of minutes, she and Danyla crept from the shadows and quietly followed him. They stopped at the top of the thick roots that led down to the next level and watched the Keeper restlessly pacing. Danyla lifted her nose and sniffed the air. "He smells strange." Emma had a quick sniff herself but couldn't detect anything unusual - just dank air and dried bones - not the most pleasant of smells, but it was hardly unexpected, considering they were in an old ruin. "In what way?"
Danyla wrinkled her nose. "He smells… old; I mean, really old. Like meat that's starting to turn rancid."
"Eww, I could have done without that image."

Suddenly the side door opened and Aedan stepped through, his companions following closely. They all looked a little jumpy, which wasn't surprising seeing as they'd just left a room full of angry werewolves. Emma's ears perked up at the sound of Aedan's voice as he talked to Zathrian.
"I find that hard to believe," the Keeper stated in response to Aedan's affirmation that the werewolves had regained their minds. Emma growled and stepped from the shadows, Danyla close behind. "It's true, Zathrian. In fact, we're quite chatty. Isn't that right, Danyla?"
"Oh yes, we've even come up with a plan to destroy all fleas."
Emma chuckled, but whispered, "It might be best to leave that part out, for now." Danyla lifted one shoulder and grinned.
"This changes nothing. They are still the same worthless creatures that their ancestors were."
"Does that include me, Zathrian? I was born into your clan, so are you saying our ancestors were worthless?" Danyla spoke as she made her way down to the next level with Emma. "No!" His hand cut through the air to emphasise his point. "Of course not. I refer only to the humans."
"And yet, here I am, cursed as the humans are. You condemn the whole human race for atrocities committed by a handful of thugs."
Zathrian turned away, uncertainty and anger warring inside him. "I only ask that you go and talk with the Lady." Aedan gestured towards the door and the Keeper gave a short nod. "Very well."

All heads turned in their direction as they entered the chamber where the Lady and the other werewolves waited. "So, here you are, spirit."
Swiftrunner sprang forward and loomed over the Keeper. "She is the Lady of the Forest! You will address her properly!"
Zathrian stared contemptuously at the creature, before turning his gaze to the Lady. "You've taken a name, spirit? And you've given names to your pets? These… beasts that follow you?" The Lady stepped forward and Emma felt a strong compulsion to bow her head in the spirit's presence. This being emanated a soothing presence that reached inside Emma and calmed her heightened emotions. From the corner of her eye, she watched Danyla drop to one knee and Emma barely stopped herself from following suit.

The Lady of the Forest stopped as she passed Emma, and her eyes widened slightly. "We have never met, and yet you have control of your emotions." She stepped closer and gazed into Emma's eyes. "You are an…"
"Don't say it, Lady! My emotions aren't that much in control," Emma growled.
Swiftrunner shot forward, bellowing in her face. "You will show respect to the Lady of the Forest."
Emma turned her piercing green eyes on the werewolf. "I have respect for her, which is why I warned her not to complete the sentence." She flinched as a flea took another bite and snarled. "However, I don't have the same respect for you, so if you growl at me again, I will rip a branch off this tree and shove it up your ass!"
Swiftrunner's lips drew back as a deep growl vibrated through his chest, and he stepped forward. Emma's blood roared through her body as she eagerly strode towards him, only to find Aedan had moved in front of her. She stared at him in shock. "What are you doing?"
"I'm not just going to stand here and let you fight him alone."
Emma concentrated and a ball of fire coalesced in her hand. "I think I can take him." She wasn't trying to belittle Aedan's fighting skills, but, in her current state, there would be a bloodbath if someone harmed a hair on his head. However, before the situation could escalate, a feeling of peace washed over Emma and she looked down to see that the Lady had placed a hand on her chest and was looking over to Swiftrunner. "Enough! Do you want to lose more of your friends?"
The large werewolf shook his head. "No, my Lady. Anything but that."

With the tension eased, the spirit turned to Zathrian and began the process of changing his mind. Emma didn't hear anything as she stared at Aedan still standing by her side. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and took his hand, but then pulled away quickly when she realised what she'd done. However, he didn't let go, but instead tightened his grip, interlacing his fingers with hers. She couldn't take her eyes off their hands and once again that spark of hope flared up within her heart. She knew he might just be comforting her but it felt so good to be close to him again so she allowed herself to enjoy it while it lasted.
Emma's appreciation came to an abrupt end when she heard Zathrian shout, "See, they turn on you, as quickly as they turn on me, Warden. Help me to take the heart."
"No, Zathrian. You need to let this vengeance go," Aedan said, still wanting peace.
"Fine! Then you die with them," he spat out.

Aedan squeezed Emma's hand before pulling his blades free and jumping into the fight. A thick branch wrapped around her waist and lifted her in the air, and she found herself face to face with another sylvan. She cracked her knuckles and grinned. "Round two?" Flames flickered to life in her palm and she grabbed the branch. The tree roared and dropped her. She hit the ground and rolled, swiping at the trunk and gouging chunks of wood with her claws. All around her, the sound of battle rang clearly through the room; snarls and growls mixed with the clashing of steel and the whistling of arrows.

Eventually, Zathrian dropped to one knee, knowing he was outmatched and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. Emma pulled a splinter from her finger and walked past the charred and chopped remains of the sylvan to join the crowd that had gathered around the Keeper and the Lady. Zathrian finally relented and agreed to break the spell, thereby releasing the werewolves from their curse. A look of relief crossed his features, and a small smile played around his lips as he lifted his staff and then thumped it on the ground. His legs crumpled beneath him and he fell to the floor, lifeless.

A barb of panic pricked at Emma's skin when nothing immediately happened, but then a soft glow surrounded the Lady of the Forest, and the werewolves she had helped reached out to touch her one last time, a final goodbye. Slowly, the illumination grew brighter until it consumed the spirit. A burst of shimmering light shot up to the ceiling and then, similar flashes of light echoed around the room as werewolves were transformed back to their original bodies. Emma closed her eyes at the sudden luminescence that enveloped her and said a joyous goodbye to her fleas.