Page 37 of Unkindness of Crimson Ravens (The Crimson Duet #1)

Lost Princess

M y hands trembled as I undid Annabelle’s reins. The lump in my throat grew bigger, yet my mind was terrifyingly calm: it shoved me under the water where all the screams turned into no more than a muffled noise.

“You should really go back, Cordelia.” Florence mounted her horse, shattering my pretend peace.

“No,” I shook my head as I mounted Annabelle. “I am not leaving you.” I ordered my horse to follow dozens of others—straight into the insanity that overflowed the main street of Faris.

“Francis is going to murder me,” Florence mumbled under her breath, catching up to me.

The further we got, the more red painted the snow: drops of crimson covered every inch of the ground underneath the hooves. A chill went through me, yet it was not the winter that crushed upon us with its full glory. My grip on the reins tightened.

Excruciating screams broke through the air when the first houses of the human village entered my view. The children's cries froze my heart in place.

“Do not kill them!” someone yelled ahead of us. “Do not kill the orphans!”

My eyes widened as I traced the empty of blood bodies resting on the beaten roads. The snowflakes circled around them, hiding their flesh under a white blanket. Nausea made its way up my throat.

“Henry?” Florence jumped off her horse, tightening its reins to a nearby tree.

“Henry!” she yelled, running after a little boy whose face was covered in blood.

“Henry, stop!” She dragged the boy off a young woman’s body resting on the ground.

The women’s empty eyes stared at the moon that was now crimson too.

More screams broke through the air as I tightened Annabelle’s reins to the tree. My trembling legs carried me to Florence who held the crimson boy as he wailed, kicking her. “It’s all right,” she told him, bringing him closer.

“What are you two doing here?” Francis took the boy off Florence’s hands. “Go home!” he yelled at her. “Now!”

“Not in eternity!” Florence yelled back, rushing towards the screams once again.

Francis caught her by her wrist. “There is enough help without you! Leave!”

“I will leave when I know that all thirty of the children are safe and back home!” Florence twisted her arm in an attempt to free herself.

“Florence!” Francis hissed at her; the boy’s teeth dug into Francis’ arm though it did not seem to bother him. “Wurdulacs are just waiting for us all to be in one place. You must leave!”

An excruciating wail swept through the ground as the sound of banging metal interrupted it. “Get the orphans into the carriages!” Someone ran past us. “They are taking them back to Faris.”

“If Wurdulacs are coming, we won’t be safe anywhere.” Florence jerked herself out of Francis’ grasp, rushing towards the chaos.

Francis swore before meeting my gaze. “Don’t leave my side,” he threw at me as he charged towards the carriages.

Crimson snow crushed under our steps; the sound brought an odd comfort to my ears as I followed after Francis. Three wooden carriages stood by the line of dense spruce. Its walls barely kept the mad children within.

The children thrashed against the wood, their hands stretched out from the tiny window, grabbing onto everything they could reach.

“Thirteen!” A blonde woman by the carriage shouted, taking the child off Francis’ hands. She nudged the boy into the carriage, locking the door as though they were no more than wild animals.

My gaze widened as a paralyzing chill traveled through me.

“Stay here,” Francis shoved a small black blade into my palm, wrapping my fingers around its hilt.

“When the carriage is ready to depart, go with them and stay at the orphanage until I come back for you.” His hands wrapped around my face; his eyes desperately searched mine, yet I could not will my gaze to leave the horrific scene playing out before me.

“Cordelia!” Francis shook my shoulders. “Promise me, you will do as I said.”

“I will,” I whispered, swallowing the lump that grew in my throat.

Francis nodded once. His mouth opened and closed as though wanting to say more, yet when I finally moved my gaze to him he’d already left me by the three big carriages that overflowed with whining children.

“Is there any way to calm them?” A man whose eyes shone emerald green put another child inside: a girl who didn’t look a day past three. “We won’t make it far if they turn the carriage upside down.”

The blonde woman shook her head, locking the door. “Only human blood will calm them,” she replied. “We will have to bring them as they are.”

“How many children left?” Florence asked, carrying a child in her arms.

“Fifteen.”

A sharp pain went through my arm as a gasp escaped me. Small teeth pierced my wrist; glowing brown—full of tears—eyes met mine. The teeth left me just a moment later, realizing my blood wouldn’t suffice.

“The first carriage is full!” someone yelled, just before the horses neighed, setting the carriage into movement.

“Wurdulacs!” someone cried. “Wur—”

“Help!” A child’s voice traveled through the forest, breaking my trance. My head flew in that direction. “Help!” the child cried.

Before I could think better of it, my legs carried me towards two figures on the crimson snow.

“Stop it—” the child screamed, fighting against the figure laying atop him. “Stop! Ah—”

My hands wrapped around the girl atop him. Her teeth dug deep into the boy's shoulder.

“Charlotte?” I dragged her off the child’s body. “Charlotte, it’s me, Cordelia.” I held her close as she thrashed against me, fighting for freedom. “Charlotte!”

“Let me go!” She bit my hands that wrapped around her waist, knocking me to the ground.

My small black blade vanished into the crimson snow.

“Let me go!” Charlotte roared.

“It’s all right.” I held her tighter. “You will be all right.”

My muscles screamed in protest when Charlotte’s teeth punctured my flesh. I would not be able to carry her by myself—not when she fought me as though her life depended on it. Another bite disabled my wrist—

“Take the child.” Heavy boots crunched the crimson snow when a pair of hands reached for Charlotte.

“I won’t go back!” she yelled when the hands ripped her out of my grasp. “Let me go!” She wailed against a redheaded man in a dark blue cloak.

The blood drained from my face when I met his dark as night eyes. A cruel smirk made its way onto his face as he eyed me with curiosity.

“Let her go,” my voice sounded barely more than a whisper. “She is just a chi—” I tried to get to my feet but his boot pressed against my chest, depriving me of air.

“Isn’t it the lost princess?” The other man in a blue cloak smirked. His blue as ice eyes shone bright. “We’ve been looking for you, you know.” He forced me to my feet; his hands locked mine in place. “Kane will be ecstatic when we return with you.” They both laughed.

“Let her go!” I screamed at the man, trying to free myself, yet his grip just hardened. “I will do whatever you want me to, just let the child go!” I looked around, searching for any familiar face. “Help!” I yelled towards the departing carriages—

The pain across my cheek stung my skin as my vision blurred into dozens of stars when my capturer’s hand met my flesh in a loud thud. The corner of my eyes darkened, drowning me into oblivion.

The men laughed as they dragged me and Charlotte deep into the woods.