Marwynn, Duster and Oaklyn had stopped for the evening and had only a few hours left to walk. Oaklyn had stuck close to them and Marwynn could not understand why. She was clearly suspicious of him and constantly kept her eyes on him. She often muttered under her breath in sprite speak and occasionally it would illicit a giggle from Duster. Marwynn was feeling quite frustrated and wanted to ask her to leave. Being with Duster always reminded him of Honey and the pain that he caused to them both. Marwynn laid his head against a tree trunk. His eyelids grew heavy and closed slowly.

  Marwynn dreamed that night about when he first met Duster. It was dark out then too. The air was heavy with darkness and filled with the peaceful sounds of the evening. Marwynn and the other shadows moved in on the town known as Roseglen. It was to be Marwynn’s first hunt and Lady Revna had specifically requested that Marwynn be present in this retrieval. It was his first major role as acting commander and his responsibility to make sure things went according to plan. Before this, his main role was in the prison within Embergate. The orders were to retrieve the family of Caladrius, enslave the others and if any were to resist, leave no survivors.

  Marwynn was excited to be awarded the trust of Lady Revna, she had taken a special interest in him. To say they had grown close was an understatement. Marwynn felt that they were one in the same mind. He was fascinated with her and spent many hours in her company dreaming up plans to return the world to peace for the humans. She confided to him that she had never felt anything like what she felt for him. He shared that he felt the same and mentioned that he and Honey never agreed on what peace for the humans looked like. Lady Revna did not take well to hearing that Marwynn had feelings for Honey. Shortly after they spoke Lady Revna fell ill, she refused to see Marwynn, he thought he had done something to upset her. He counted this night as a test to be back in her good graces and prove that they were of the same mind.

  Marwynn turned to the others he commanded and gave the signal. The first tree went up in flames and a scream came from above. The Caladrius family shifted into their bird form and flew from their tree to the next, Marwynn signaled the archers to begin. They shot at the family and the largest bird fell to the ground. He shifted back, it was the father.

  The mother flew down shrieking in pain. She covered her wings over her husband. Tears flowed from the bird’s eyes and onto the open wound of her husband. Marwynn’s eyes stared in disbelief as the wound began to close and the bird started to breathe again. He grabbed the mother and threw them both into the nearby carriage.

  The other screeched out for her parents on the branches above. Marwynn signaled the archers. They managed to graze her with an arrow sending her into the ground. Once on the ground, she shifted into a young girl of about eleven years. All around tree folk and humans started flooding out of their homes. The shadows descended on them and began rounding up the compliant ones and killing the ones who fought. Marwynn swiftly glided down the path now that he had his prey. He watched as the other shadows cleaned up all of the non-human filth.

  A family of brownies was thrown out of a house and were fighting with every fiber of their beings. A woman with hair the color of honey ran towards the shadows screaming at them “Let them go you filthy rats! They have done nothing!” She beat the shadows on their backs with her fists trying to force them to release the brownies.

  The light of one of the blazes shown on her face, Marwynn realized with a sickening dread that the woman was Honey. Rushing over he grabbed her hands and held them as she fought to be released. She recognized who was holding her, “Marwynn!” she yelled in disbelief. Her face changed from surprise to anger. “How can you stand by and watch this?” she screamed at him.

  “They are not human, they will only bring chaos.” Marwynn explained.

  “Marwynn” her eyes pleaded, “look around you, you are the ones bringing chaos!”

  Marwynn was blind to her pleas and firmly said “You should not be here.”

  “Neither should you!” she said.

  “No really, I need you to run,” Marwynn spoke urgently. He remembered the orders for no survivors and realized that Honey would be one of them. “Please,” he said more urgently.

  Honey pushed him away, “You are unbelievable, do not pretend to care about me now!” She picked up a small brownie that had been laying on the ground unconscious. She walked back to Marwynn and shoved the brownie into his arms. “Look at him!” she screamed. “Does he look threatening to you?”

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  Marwynn looked down at the creature in his arms. The creature began to stir and opened its large eyes and looked into Marwynn’s. Marwynn couldn’t blink, the sadness in this creatures eyes reminded him of himself. He dropped the creature and turned away, he did not want to be reminded of his own pain. Honey’s eyes filled with tears and she leaned down on the ground to comfort the brownie. Her eyes bore into Marwynn’s and she spat at him. “You monster,” she shook furiously.

  Marwynn grabbed Honey’s arm and lifted her up. Looking at her seriously he said, “It does not matter how you feel about me, you need to flee, the order is no survivors. I will make sure that you escape.” “I don’t want your help” she shook him off of her. “Whatever happens to me is your fault, as is the rest of this.” She waved her arms around motioning to the homes ablaze and the creatures that were being chained. “Open your eyes Marwynn, this,” she pointed, “ is your choice.”

  Marwynn was ignoring the growing feeling within him that Honey was right. He did not want her to be right. He wanted revenge.

  A shadow grabbed Honey and forced her up. Marwynn hissed at the shadow “no, she is mine.”

  He sat her down on a log thinking of ways he could smuggle her out of this situation, he could not bear the thought of any harm coming to her because of him. Honey refused to look at Marwynn and silent tears rolled down her cheeks. The brownie that was at her feet was thrown into a carriage with the others. She cried out “Duster!” her silent tears turned into sobs of mourning.

  A shadow came over to Marwynn and said “Sir, the job is finished, I need your orders for the survivors.” Marwynn knew that Honey was listening and did not want her to hear him give the orders. “Walk with me Falcon.” Marwynn commanded. They walked out of earshot of Honey and Marwynn said “Administer the poison to all but Honey.”

  “Yes sir.” Falcon answered and walked to the other side of Roseglen.

  Marwynn walked back towards Honey and noticed the small cup next to her on the log. He sprinted over to it and snatched it up. It was already empty.

  “No, no, no.” Marwynn began to shiver, “Did you drink this?” he asked her.

  “Yes, why? What was it?” Honey answered. Her eyes grew wide and she shrieked out in pain as the poison began to spread in her body. She writhed and thrashed on the ground. The poison would not fully set for another hour and Marwynn was well aware of how much pain she was about to feel. Awareness dawned on Marwynn and the pain he had been avoiding flooded over him. She was right, she was always right. Marwynn sat down at Honey’s feet and apologized over and over again.

  Marwynn heard someone calling his name in the distance “Marwynn?” He heard it again but did not want to let go of Honey. Duster called out again, “Marwynn, wake up, its morning.”

  Opening his eyes Marwynn saw the silhouettes of Duster and Oaklyn above him. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. This was not the first time he dreamed of that night. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up.

  “Only a few hours left” Marwynn yawned.

  “I have been talking with Oaklyn and she has some concerns.” Duster said

  “What are her concerns?” Marwynn asked.

  “She believes we are being followed.” Duster answered.

  “She is more than likely correct, that is why we are going to split up today. You and Oaklynn will continue on to Roseglen and I will lead them in another direction.” he said.

  Duster fidgeted nervously and said “Oaklynn would like to continue to travel with you.”

  “With me? Why?” Marwynn said surprised.

  “She said that she can help you.” Duster said.

  “Help me how exactly?” Marwynn questioned.

  “She did not say, but she insists.” Duster answered.

  Marwynn eyed Oaklynn who was still conveniently staring at him. He could not understand why on earth she would want to stay with him. She clearly did not like him. “How will I understand what she is saying?” Marwynn asked.

  Duster began to fidget again and looked quite nervous. “She has asked to give you the gift of understanding. Right now.”

  Marwynn did not know what this meant so he agreed to accept her offer. “Ok Oaklyn help me to understand.”

  Oaklynn walked towards Marwynn and stared into his eyes. Her gaze was unblinking and Marwynn thought maybe he should not have agreed so readily since he did not know what she was about to do. Oaklynn was an inch from Marwynn’s face and placed her hand on the top of his head. She began speaking in sprite speech chanting “alndoirstond, alndoirstond, alndoirstand..” All the while not diverting her gaze. Marwynn could feel some kind of power flowing through her hand into his head. A small pain began to emerge behind his eyes. The pain grew larger until it felt as though his whole head was about to burst and he cried out in pain. As soon as Oaklynn released him, the pain ceased and his eyes cleared.

  “Are you alright?” Oaklynn asked.

  Shaking he said “yes.” Marwynn understood her for the first time.