SWNOVELS Chapter Of Blood and Ashes
Conaan's lips parted in a small gasp, his chest heaving with an unspoken fear. Before he could think rationally, he pushed his way through the crowd, making his way to the now broken entrance. A burning bar that might have been holding the door fell and burst into a cloud of flames as he pushed through, an edge brushing his shoulder and going up in a sizzle as it came in contact with his still wet robe.
He didn't seem to motive as he pushed his way in. A few lycans were starting to pour water on it, but the fire was a bit too big, and if they waited, the children would be dead.
He made his way through the blinding smoke, his feet curling against the heat of the floor.
Crying children were crowded behind large boxes that had started to catch fire too.
He immediately pulled his robe off his shoulder, leaving him shirtless as he grabbed as many as he could in the robe, wrapping it around them.
There were still a few inside, and he scooped as many as he could in his arms, then ran to the nearest window.
It was ablaze, and he moved back. He turned to the door. It was hard to see in the smoke, and all the noise, the blood rushing to his ears.
He looked down into his hands. Most of them had faces stained with soot from the fire, and he swallowed.
With one last determined push, he made his way through the burning door. The parents ran to him immediately, but he did not have the time. He let the children go, then grabbing the robe again, he started to run back in.
"Conaan!" Eleanor said, holding his arm back.
She was haggard, her hair still wet, her eyes wide. He turned to her, , but slowly removed his arm from hers.
"A few are still in there," he said simply.
"You are hurt. The entire kingdom..."
"Stop it," he said, glancing back at her. "I am fine."
She couldn't get any more words out before he pushed back in. Eleanor watched, her eyes filling up with tears. The fire only got bigger and bigger even with the attempts from outside to quench it.
She swallowed hard, bringing her hands to her hair, her body trembling with fear. Conaan was yet to emerge, and through the big cloud of smoke, she couldn't even make out a silhouette of his.
She felt her body go weak, her lips quivering hard. Finally giving into the immense fear and pushing rationality aside, she pulled her robe tighter around her, then pushed her way in.
"What are you doing?" A woman yelled at her, but she didn't even turn to look.
She made her way through the door, her robe coming in contact with the burning bars. It set the robe on fire immediately.
She dumped the robe, then continued in only the dress, and made her way quickly inside.
She couldn't hear the cries anymore, just the loud cackle of fire and the people yelling from outside. She turned to a small whimpering sound and noticed a small boy, tucked behind a wooden box, his hair rough, and his clothes tattered.
Slowly, she made her way to him, then gently picked him up, shielding his face from the heat with her hand. She slowly made her way out, cradling the boy, the heat scorching her skin. She managed to get him out through a far window, into the arms of a man who was standing there, trying to quench the fire.
She heard a loud bang and she turned to the place it had come from. Conaan had the remaining children wrapped up in the robe again, his hair falling on one shoulder.
He was damp from sweat, his body stained, his shoulder sporting a large burn. It was hard to even see him, and Eleanor waved her hands in front of her as she coughed violently.
He seemed to have heard it, as his eyes searched the place.
"Conaan?" She called, her voice a little choked.
She swallowed, starting to make her way through the door. Conaan was walking briskly through the blaze, the children safely tucked into him.
"Eleanor?"
She only coughed as an answer, and he muttered a small cuss under his breath. He managed to get them out of the only entrance that remained passable, then made his way back in for Eleanor.
She had lost her way in all of the smoke, her untrained feet taking her farther and farther away from the entrance she couldn't even see anymore.
"Eleanor!"
She turned to the direction of his voice, but suddenly, a part of the roof fell in front of her, exploding in flames at her feet. She gave a small yelp as she moved backward, not realizing there was a burning structure right behind her.
Before her back could hit it however, she felt a strong hand wrap arroud her waist, pulling her forward, her hands instinctively going to his shoulder.
She looked up, and through the tears and smoke, she could make out Conaan's features. One hand was behind her, his palm flattened against the burning surface.
He closed his eyes in pain, but didn't take his hand off. If he did, they would both fall back, and Eleanor would be more hurt than anyone else.
"Are you okay?" He managed to say through the searing pain in his shoulder and hand, his chest heaving with breathlessness.
She stopped, her eyes meeting his. The smoke seemd to clear up as she looked up to him, her chest heaving lightly.
"Conaan..."
"I will take you out."
He pulled her slowly away, his hand finally leaving the burning surface.
"You are hurt," she said, her eyes tearing up.
He didn't reply, but wrapped the now burnt robe to cover her up. He leaned a little, then brought his hand under her knees and scooped her up bridal style.
"Close your eyes."
She nodded, her eyes coming to a slow close. He walked briskly, risking the fire and ashes, and barely made it through the door before the roof finally crashed and exploded in flames.
Eleanor immediately opened her eyes, her hand coming up to his cheek.
"Conaan..."
He gently let her down, wincing a little, then heaved a small sigh. He was vaguely aware of the lycans now around them, clapping, thankful mothers crying their gratitude out.
He finally stood up, and Eleanor gasped at his shoulder. "You are wounded."
He shrugged, like it was some kind of badge for him.
"I will dress it, let's go."
He didn't object, and she had just started to make her way through the applauding crowd, when a shrill yell pierced through.
"I saw who did it!"
Conaan turned, his eyes thin. "What did you say?"
The middle aged, bulky man pushed his way through the still crying children , his eyes sharp with accusation. "I know who set the fire. I saw her as she did it. I didn't think she was suspicious until the place suddenly started to burn."
Conaan turned fully, his eyes thin. "A woman?"
"Yes. It was a woman."
By now, the entire place was quiet, everyone waiting with baited breath. Why would anyone want to set a place of children on fire? It was absurd. But it was also absurd that a place with no source of fire at all had suddenly caught fire. It was just as strange.
"Who was it?" A woman yelled in anger, marching forward, her toddler in her arms. "Tell us who it is!"
The man slowly raised a finger, and without a word, pointed straight at Eleanor.
Conaan's brows furrowed, as all eyes fell on her.
"What are you saying?" Eleanor asked, her brows furrowing in confusion, her chest heaving.
"I saw you! The red hair and everything. Red haired lycans are very rare and look! No one else has the same red hair! It was most definitely you!"
Before Eleanor could even get a word of defense out, the angry mob started to advance towards her, clamoring for her blood.
Conaan grabbed the sword of a city guard standing near him, unsheathing it immediately and bringing it to a slow focus in front of them. No one dared move, and he pushed her behind him.
"If anyone so much as touches a strand of hair on her head, then I swear, the only thing I will leave of this village is blood," he said, his teeth clenched.
It seemed to restore a bit of calm as they slowly backed off, but their anger was still obviously unsubsided.
Conaan gritted his teeth hard, and the next words he said, they were so low that only Eleanor could hear it, but it was a promise so solemn she knew it would happen.
"And of Esmeralda, ashes."