Heart Over Sword
Chapter 223: White Sabres

Chapter 223: White Sabres

Evanna jumped back, facing this four-legged beast properly. Garrett spun around, keeping his back aligned with Evanna’s, facing another of this creature’s kind. Arawn and Fiza were already fighting ahead, and it was the same for Axel and Ger. Bright blue, animalist eyes shone back at them, scattered around in the darkness revealing just how surrounded the group was.

Weapons were drawn and swiping out, and the sounds of growling, hissing and roaring echoed through the cave. Evanna watched, weapons raised, ready as she stared back at the beast standing proudly on a rock above her, its claws causing stones to drop over the edge and land by her feet. The blue lighting of Fiza’s magic hovered, slowly glowing bright and growing big, providing better sight for the elves and humans unable to see in the dark. Fiza, though remained in the dark.

Already, the fae had taken down one of the beasts. Fiza yanked out her throwing stars and the long dagger from its gut. Blood gushed out, sinking into the beast’s white, spotted fur.

Evanna inhaled deeply as she looked at what had taken Ronan so swiftly.

"Is this a.."

"Yes," Garrett replied through gritted teeth. "They are white sabres." His comment was followed by a string of curses. "Evanna... DO something."

Evanna wanted to snap back at him for putting so much pressure on her. She wasn’t the only one who had gifts. But before she could reply, the white sabre that had been stalking towards her from above, growling the whole time, stopped mere inches from her face, ignoring the blades at its neck.

It was an overly large cat, similar to what her mother had shown her in books to be snow leopards. The princess only knew what they were from her book of creatures, but it didn’t entirely reveal just how menacing or big they were. Maybe that was why it wasn’t threatened by her blades.

The white sabre on all four legs stood almost to Evanna’s shoulders. Its head is large, with two sharp teeth elongated like tusks out of its mouth. The rest of its fluffy white fur was covered in spots. They were known to hunt in harsh winter landscapes like Lyvaria. If they weren’t trying to eat them, she’d be admiring their feral beauty.

In these moments of staring back at this beast, her comrades had been fighting them off. Their grunts and the smell of fresh coppery blood started to fill the air. Yet, here Evanna had had a stare-off with what she assumed may have been the leader.

Evanna hadn’t even blinked, consumed by the beast’s blue eyes, its wide jaw slack, growling near her face, its warm breath coating her masked nose and mouth.

-Remove the mask, and reveal yourself. Or death to all.-

Evanna tilted her head to the side slightly, her hand slowly reaching up to her mask in response to a silent command by this white sabre. Somehow, she knew this overgrown cat told her to remove the mask or her friends really would die. The growling stopped the moment her mask was removed, making the other white sabres pause, the last of their roars echoing through the cave.

"*Come on!*" Garrett grabbed Evanna’s arm and pulled her away from the white sabre, darting through the cave and towards the other end. The group running ahead stopped to defend themselves against any of the beasts pouncing on them. Arawn blasted them with ice or flicked his hand, sending the others against the cave walls, rattling them.

With the elven prince and his powers, they were quite safe. But Evanna wouldn’t take advantage of that. She knew how much using their gifts was draining. Arawn was older and had been training his powers longer, but there had to be a point where he, too, was exhausted.

Evanna sheathed her sword, tossing the other one from the arm Garrett held, dragging her forward to her free hand. She looked behind them, lips slightly ajar as she watched all those eyes, all those white sabres merely watching them. Were they satisfied because they already had Ronan?

Ronan..

"Ronan.. What about Ronan?!" Evanna screamed. She’d kept her emotions at bay, her thoughts about her friend locked away the moment he had been dragged away. It was some innate survival instinct to remain focused and not be overthrown by emotions. But now that they were almost out of the cave, those emotions and thoughts came crashing into her.

"Leave him," Garrett grunted. "He’s dead."

"No. No, do not say that. He’s not dead. He’s not dead!" Evanna ripped her arm out of Garrett’s hold just before the cave opened up to the snowy terrain and where the others waited ahead.

"Evanna.." She took a step back, closer to the darkness. "Evanna!"

She spun around, facing those beasts, not knowing what she would accomplish in trying to get to Ronan. But as foolish as it might be, she had to try. Ronan couldn’t die. No, he wasn’t dead. He’d slain plenty of monsters before.

-Remove the mask, and reveal yourself or death to all.- That wasn’t just in her head. She followed through, removing her mask, and most of the beasts stopped fighting them. The white sabres LET them go. There was no way it was that easy.

"Evanna!" Arawn called her now, and his quick steps started to catch up to her. Followed by another set of heavy footsteps, Evanna was becoming accustomed to being Garretts.

"You said death to all if I did not reveal myself.." Evanna ignored the men, stepping slowly, further into the darkness, eyes scanning the crowds of feral snow beasts. A tail flicked in the corner of her eyes here, and blue eyes gleamed over there. Then a white sabre jumped down right in front of her.

Arawn’s hand clasped her shoulder, stopping her from going any further. "Evanna.." he hissed. But the white sabre hissed at him in return, and the others by their sides started to pace, aggravated. Evanna shook his hand off. Arawn didn’t place it there again, watching these beasts that had stopped hissing and pacing. They were watching him like a threat, an enemy to them and to Evanna.

Evanna sheathed her sword and automatically raised her hand, spread her fingers, and touched her thumb and little finger together in a gesture. The beast’s growl turned into a purr, and its head which she thought might bite her hand off, rubbed its face into her hand. Evanna’s hand trembled as her fingers slid into the thick fur of this wild beast.

Then the beast stepped back, looking at her expectantly. "My friend.." Evanna swallowed and calmed her trembling voice. "Return him. That was our agreement."

Was it? She didn’t know. All she had heard earlier was a voice in her head.

-No deal has been struck, child. But as a gesture of goodwill..-

Evanna’s eyes drew away from the snowcat and to the limping man behind it. Ronan was bloodied, his neck with two large holes pierced into, similar to a vampire’s bite but larger, and more blood trickling down it. His eyes scanned his surroundings like one of the beasts might pounce on him any moment. His nervousness spread to her as she cast glances at the white sabres.

"Thank you." Evanna reached out to Ronan, pulling him towards her like they might snatch him back. She held his gaze a moment, confirming quietly if he was okay, then shoved him behind her towards Arawn and Garrett.

-Hmmm, do not thank me. Thank your luck for being a child of Lyvarian blood. It is those we serve.-

"What?" Evanna’s jaw went slack, but still, she followed procedure, her hand raising, thumb and little finger touching each other in farewell, and to remain in peace. How she knew this, she did not know!

"Evanna," Arawn hissed in warning from behind her, but he did not touch her like before.

The beast rubbed its large head against her body, almost rocking her over onto the ground from its weight. But Evanna stood still, bracing herself against it. Its fluffy tail trailed behind it, tickling under her chin before the leader turned and strutted away from her. Evanna had been staring in awe, horror and confusion, but she snapped out of it and followed behind the others. All of them walked backwards, watching for any sign of attack by these beasts.

But it never came. The moment they were out of the cave and into the brutal weather of the north, Evanna sagged in relief, her eyes still on the large rock that seemed to hold a pack of white sabres. Were they guarding the border or there to eat? Possibly both?

That didn’t matter to her right now, though. She was in a slight daze from the white sabre’s words.

"A child of Lyvarian blood?" Evanna whispered, her hand gripping the necklace on her chest.

"*Evanna.." She slowly turned around, face pale, eyes wide as she looked back at Arawn and Garrett, who shared a glance and looked at her guiltily. Arawn spoke again, "we need to talk.*"