Chapter 119

Cassie

"Drink." Ian ordered.

A glass of deep amber liquid was pushed across the table towards me and I looked at it blankly and then raised my eyes too look around confused.

How had I got back here? The last thing I remembered was-

Oh god Cathy. The ruins of her body and the blood so much blood.

Numbly I closed my hand around the glass and emptied it into my mouth. The burning down my throat helped me bring me back to myself.

"Thank you." I mumbled as I let the glass drop back on to the table.

"Another one?" Ian raised his eyebrow. His voice was careful almost like he was scared I was going to become hysterical again.

I glanced at my twins sleeping in the basket. They were such good babies. They barely made any noise. I knew I had it easy and not all newborns were like this. I had expressed milk enough for a few days so I knew I could have another drink if I needed to. And I wanted to but I wanted to feed them more. I needed to hold my pups to feel connected again. To feel like there was some good in the world.

Because there was so much evil and today I had been face to face with it.

"No." I shook my head. " I best not."

"Ok." Ian continued to stare at me. "Do you feel ready to tell me what happened? What you saw?" He waited for me to say something but I couldn't. "You were gone for so long that I was beginning to get worried."

"Did something happen?" My eyes found Julian. "I should tend to him." My hands shook as I reached for the bag and drew it onto my lap to look inside. "I have everything we need I think and-" I tried to stand up and Ian was at my side in an instant.

"Slow down Cassie. Nothing bad happened here. There is no changes in anyone. I just had an awful feeling about you." He sighed. "And with good reason it seems. What happened out there?" He asked. "Were you seen?"

I shook my head silently pulling out the things I needed. Ian needed me to tell him what was happening out there and I knew I had to but I wasn't ready.

Shaking off his hand I went to Julian. Working quietly and quietly to set up the drip.

"Damn there's no where-"

"Here." Ian took it from my hands and held it aloft before wedging it into the alcoving.  "Cassie talk to me." He said quietly.

"I wasn't seen. Well I was but she is a friend. They have been torturing and executing people who have links to us. Not just Julian but me and probably you as well. They-" I choked back the sob. "It wasn't - nice to see."

"What do you mean see?" Ian's eyebrows slammed down. "How did you see?"

"Because I went down and watched. There was hundred of wolves there and- it's was awful Ian. I'll never ever be able to forget how she looked. She was so good to us and they skinned her." Through tear streamed eyes I stared at him and silently begged him to understand what I was trying to tell him so I didn't need to say it out loud.

"She was my friend." I finished lamely.

"Who?" For a second Cathy looked confused and then his face changed. It became murderous. "Cathy." He said in a whisper.

I didn't say a word I didn't need to.

"They tortured and executed an old lady?"

"Yes he did?" Doing one final check on Julian's wounds I went back to my seat.

"They?" Ian followed after me. His voice was flat. He was past angry now. He was murderous. I couldn't blame him for that. I wanted to kill people as well.

"Some guy called Duncan. He seems-"

"Duncan?" Ian interrupted me jumping out of his seat. "Are you sure his name was Duncan?"

"I think so. He seems to be the one who is doing most of the bad stuff.  The torturing and executions." I shuddered and screwed my eyes closed as I took breath after breath to try and calm my erratic heartbeat. "He ripped her head off. Well his wolf did. I have never seen anything like it." Wrapping my arms around myself I struggled to keep the hysterical sobs away but it was hard.

"Well that makes sense." Ian began to pace back and forth. "But what the hell was you dad thinking working with him? Duncan is a viper , a snake." He shook his head. "If he trusts Duncan then he is a fool and he will die screaming. Duncan is many things but someones guard dog is not one of them." He took a deep breath. "I'm going to go and continue to try and clear that passage. We need to get out of here. Soon." His chest heaved. "As soon as we can. We have no supplies but him being here-" He shuddered. "I know you are tired but you need to stay awake whilst I'm gone. You need to stand guard. We can't let him sneak up on us. If he finds out-"

"What's going on Ian?"

"Things have just gone from bad to worse Cassie, that's what. Your dad won't be pretend king for much longer not if he is trusting Declan. Declan will declare himself king within the month. Probably sooner. Was your dad even at this execution?"

I shook my head. "No, neither he nor his mistress were there." Honestly I hadn't even thought to look for them which was strange. "That's weird isn't it? But maybe I missed him. I was too busy trying not to avenge Cathy."

Sadness swept over Ian's face. "I can't talk about Cathy right now. When this is over, when I have avenged everyone who has hurt her then I will be able to think and talk about her. She was a good woman."

"Yes she was." I nodded.

"Keep your blades in your hand and barricade all the doors but the one I'm going through. In fact barricade that one after I leave as well. I'll say the twins names when I come back so you know it's me. Do that now. I need to get to work. We need to leave-" he swept his hand threw his hair until it stood on end.

"How bad are things?" I asked but didn't want to know the answer. Not really.

"If your father isn't already dead then he will be soon. Prepare yourself for that. Duncan won't stop now he's this close to the throne."

"You know him don't you? This Duncan?" I asked. "How do you know him?"

Ian finally met my eyes. "Yes I know him. Julian does too. Although we haven't seen him since we were children. At one point the three of us were best friends."