Hellion's Reckoning

Ashryn left that cottage in tears. She hadn’t bothered to grab her sundress or her sandals by the door. Before Inias changed his mind and chased after her, she wanted to be out of there. He’d been swept up in the moment, both half naked in a moonlit pond. After all that had happened, anyone would have been lost in it. She didn’t care if people saw her like this as she walked around the camp through the dark to find her tent.

As she navigated the camp under the eerie glow of the moon, the shadows of the trees seemed to dance around her, whispering secrets only the night could hear. The air was heavy with a sense of unease, mirroring the turmoil in Ashryn’s heart. Her long, flowing red hair cascaded down her back in waves, a fiery contrast against the darkness surrounding her. The soft earth beneath her bare feet provided a stark reminder of her vulnerability, each step a painful echo of shattered trust.

As she reached her tent, a wave of both relief and despair washed over her. She pushed the flap aside and stepped inside, seeking solace in the solitude of her makeshift sanctuary. The camp lay quiet around her, a stark contrast to the tempest raging within her soul. She knew that the events of that night would haunt her, the memory of Inias’ touch forever tainted by her betrayal. As she lay down on her threadbare cot, her tears mingled with the shadows.

What would he think of her now? It wasn’t her he had eyes for, it was Keira. Everyone saw it. The way they held each other and sparred so passionately. She didn’t want to get between that. The Ravenmoons were the last great hellion clan and Inias was prince, a potential heir to the throne. Their union would breathe new hope into the hellions.

The camp outside seemed to hold its breath, the normally bustling sounds muffled by the night’s heavy silence. The rustle of leaves, the distant hoot of an owl, all seemed to conspire against her. The very air crackled with tension, a palpable manifestation of her inner turmoil. Her long crimson hair, a vivid scarlet against the muted darkness, lay tangled and disheveled around her, a fiery reflection of the chaos within her soul. Each strand seemed to whisper accusations, echoing the doubts that gnawed at her from within.

As Ashryn lay in her tent, the weight of her emotions pressed down on her like a heavy cloak, suffocating her. The soft glow of the moon filtered through the fabric of her tent, casting eerie shadows that danced across the walls, a silent reminder of the darkness that now pervaded her heart. Was it truly a hellions burden to carry this darkness? To live a life filled with misery, twisted desire, and loss?

Her long, flowing red hair, once a symbol of her fiery spirit, now seemed like a shroud of deception. Each strand whispered sinister promises, urging her to play her part in a twisted game orchestrated by forces beyond her control. Inias, her close friend, was unknowingly entangled in this web of manipulation, his trust in her exploited.

A rustling of leaves stole her thoughts, and she scented the air. She could smell the sweet eastern pine scent approaching her tent. A smile began to tug at her lips as he neared. Even in such a desperate situation she had a friend who could make her smile. “I was sensing a hint of sorrow from over here,” His friendly voice widened her smile, “Has something extinguished those fires?” he asked as she quickly threw a cloak around herself.

“Something like that,” Ashryn wiped her tears and pulled the flap open on her tent allowing him to enter. In the dark she could see the loose fighting green night sweater he wore and the gray trousers covering his legs. “Who am I chopping?” Ruvyn asked lifting one of his axes, causing Ashryn to gasp and shove it away. He left it on the ground and turned back to her.

“No one, I…” Ashryn wasn’t sure how to explain it without giving away everything. “There’s something I have to do and…it might hurt someone.”

Ruvyn crossed his legs on the ground and looked up at her, “People get hurt, it happens. Won’t they understand?” he asked, a glimmer of optimism in his smile. “Maybe not, in this case,” She answered.

“I’m sure you know what you’re doing,” He said, reaching out to take her hand, “You’re a hero, remember?”

Ashryn blinked, never thinking of herself as a hero. No one had ever used that word to describe her. Brave or fierce, but never a hero. “What gives you that idea?” she asked, sliding her hand from his with narrowed eyes. “You made an oath to avenge those hellions. Stood with all of us vowing to fight the magistrate.” He told her, placing his hand atop hers, “Heroes stand up for the people who can’t. So whatever it is, I know you’ll make the right choice.”

Ashryn had spent so much time reminding Inias that she believed in him, it was nice for someone to have the same faith in her. Slowly she slid her arms around Ruvyn’s neck, pulling him up into a hug. “Thank you.” She whispered, brushing her nose against his cheek. “I really needed to hear that.”