C. Bryant - Broken

The boy approached with shaking hands and wide eyes. “Shall I open it for you?” he asked.

Still not breathing, Octavion turned his head away from the bundle and took in a short breath, barely enough to satisfy his lungs. It still burned-the blood belonged to Kira. “No,” Octavion whispered. He stretched out his arms and let the boy lower the object into his hands. It was light, too light for what Octavion’s mind had imagined. He took another breath.

Octavion, would you like me to do it? Cade asked.

Octavion shook his head. He slowly unwound the fabric. When the last piece lay back and their so-called evidence came into view, Octavion didn’t know how to react. Their proof-their solid evidence that Kira was indeed dead-was a blood soaked braid of red hair. It was Kira’s hair and Kira’s blood, but it was no proof of death. The only thing this proved, was that she had been injured and some sadistic fool of a Royal had received a reward for something he hadn’t done.

“Is this your only proof?” Octavion asked.

“It is.” King Tyrious said. “I am told her body was fed to the lions.” His words held no remorse and neither did the smirk on his face.

Octavion tried to push the image from his mind. “The woman who this belonged to was to be my wife; she would have been queen of Xantara. May I enquire of the man who brought you this proof? I would like to retrieve what is left of her body so we may have an honorable burial.”

Cade and Luka both tensed. Careful , Luka thought. We do not want to anger them, not here.

Octavion ignored him.

“I am told there is nothing left. What purpose would it serve to view the feeding grounds of a wild beast?”

Octavion took more air into his lungs, fighting to control his rage. “I will not view it myself, your majesty, but send my cousins there to search for her remains. If there is but a single bone that can be retrieved, I want it properly laid to rest. I would also request that I take this with me as well.” He gently folded the fabric back around her braid and handed it to Cade. “If it is all we have, it will be enough.”

Tyrious considered him for a few moments, then agreed to Octavion’s request. In a moment, a man appeared before the king. Octavion recognized him by the scar on his face.

Luka grabbed Octavion’s shoulder to keep him from advancing. Not yet , he instructed. We will deal with him later. Right now we need to find Kira.

Octavion nodded. He knew Luka was right, but it was all he could do not to rip the monster to pieces with his bare hands.

“Draego, these Xantarian’s would like the location of their. . wench .”

The king’s words caused Octavion’s muscles to swell. He leaned forward, exposed his feline teeth and growled.

“Down, boy,” Draego said. Then he bared his feline teeth and hissed.

The rage Octavion had been suppressing surged through his body and there was no holding back. He flew at Draego, taking him to the ground. As Octavion opened his mouth and lowered his razor sharp teeth to his neck, the room exploded with Royals. Octavion felt Draego’s pulse on his lips as his teeth punctured his skin. Cade and Luka ripped Octavion from the room with so much force it was impossible for him to resist. They came down hard, right in front of the hunting cottage.

“How dare you!” Octavion roared, the taste of Draego’s blood fresh on his lips.

They were all fully transformed-hunched over and ready to fight.

Luka snarled. “You gave us no choice. Do you want them to wage war on your people? Do you want them seeking revenge on your family?”

“He said he killed Kira! He deserves to die.” He advanced toward Luka, but Cade stepped between them.

“You do not know that, Octavion. We have seen nothing to prove her death. Nothing.” He held her blood soaked braid in his hand.

Her scent attacked Octavion senses again, but this time it brought him to his knees. He looked to the heavens for some kind of answer as he cried out in pain.

Luka attempted to console him, but Octavion pushed him away. As he looked at his hunting cottage, the memories of his time there with Kira flashed through his mind and tore at his heart.

“Leave me,” Octavion instructed.

“We will not!” Luka protested.

“Then stand down and let me have my release.”

Luka and Cade took a few steps back. “You have it,” Cade said.

Octavion stood, blew past them and exploded the cottage door right off the hinges. Everything was a blur as he held nothing back. He shredded every piece of fabric, then broke the furniture into splintering pieces. Books hit the walls so hard their covers ripped from their pages, leaving a storm of paper flying around him as he continued taking his revenge out on what was left of his past. Even the box holding his most precious memories of his mother lay smashed at the feet, having been thrown at the fireplace with so much force, the mantle broke in two.

His energy spent and his beast exhausted for the moment, he collapsed onto the animal pelt where he’d refused the only woman he ever truly loved. Her memory invaded him. He felt her touch his face and caress the scars that plagued his body. He tasted her lips and smelled the sweet aroma of her auburn hair. As tears flowed down his face, he caught sight of his mother’s comb lying on the floor in front of him. He slid it out from under the broken pieces of Serena’s crystal necklace. The comb still held Kira’s scent. He ran his fingers over the tiny strands of auburn hair that remained twisted around the teeth. The words she’d said that night finally had meaning.

There was nothing left of her to save.