Ileus: The Dark Prince

The demon who was standing with the entrance open started shivering. "I think the king's men are here. Please hurry up!" The heavy footfalls were so near that icy panic seized all of them. 

Kaizan looked at Caleb with a crease between his forehead as dread gripped him like a dark shadow in the back of his mind. He turned his head over his shoulders to give one last look at the darkness inside the tunnel, hoping against hope that Rolfe and the fae soldiers were coming back. A shudder passed through his body when there was no one. 

Caleb's magic had weakened to the level that if he delayed even a little bit, it would shatter and they all would be exposed. 

"We must leave…" Caleb said, his voice barely audible. 

Kaizan nodded. He looked at the demon who was holding Caleb up and then with a slight push against the ground, he leapt in the air. When he landed, he had shifted. But what happened next was unbelievable. Kaizan stumbled back, shocked as General Yion emerged from the entrance, flared his wings, grabbed Caleb from the waist and with powerful strokes shot ahead in the air shouting, "Hurry the hell up!" Kaizan's heart thudded at the heavy footfalls coming from inside the tunnel. One by one the faes came out and shot in the air as Kaizan and the demon standing on the entrance, watched them with wide eyes. He wanted to laugh, but a yelp came out. In the end Rolfe came out. He looked at the brown wolf who was standing there, waiting for him. 

"That heavy pounding—was it you people, m'lord?" asked the demon. 

"Yes Jas!" Rolfe nodded vehemently, feeling relieved as hell. He had given up all hope that they would come. He was about to go to them and then surrender in front of the king after helping them get out of the village, when he saw General Yion dashing out of the tunnel. He couldn't believe how excited and relieved he was. Such conflicting emotions. He let out a small laughter. There was appreciation in the Yion's eyes. No words were exchanged, but they all rushed towards the entrance. 

Rolfe mounted the wolf and Kaizan leapt in the air with him. However, when he landed, he saw a white wolf beside him who had joined them in their race against time. 

"Iona!" Rolfe exclaimed. She yelped in response and then the shock of white fur darted in front of them. He laughed when he saw her. The girl was impossible. She hadn't left him behind. She was waiting for him. Clearly, Kaizan growled in anger. 

As soon as they reached the borders of the village, the air around them became chillier and strong gusts of wind buffeted them. 

"The king is suspecting a breach," said Rolfe. Kaizan increased his speed and so did Iona. Only a few meters and they would reach the gates of the village. They saw that the sentries were now standing in a position to attack, but they faced the opposite side. Caleb's magic had nearly exhausted. It was a matter of seconds that he would soon burn off. The silk fiber that bound all with him was so weak that it could snap anytime. 

General Yion was hovering near the entrance with Caleb held strongly in his arms. He was fiercely watching the three, ready to drag them out. 

The three of them were very close to the entrance, and in their desperate attempt, the werewolves leapt very high in the air and dashed out of the gates towards General Yion. 

Caleb's magic shattered and he became unconscious. The mask fell and it was apparent that the sentries would mark their presence and alert the king. 

Rolfe took over. As soon as he saw Caleb passing off, he waved his hands in the air to make them invisible. The sentries still looked puzzled as they swirled on their heels to understand what was going on. The heavy gale had mellowed down to a soft balmy breeze. 

When they reached the fortress, Anastasia camouflaged it with her magic. Caleb was taken to his room where he was immediately soaked in ice cold water. He was shivering with high fever. His eyes had rolled in his head and the healers amongst the demons were too anxious. Ileus had removed his clothes and led him to the bathtub. Ignoring his grumbling and curses, he made him sit in the tub, which was filled with ice and water. He knelt beside him with a cloth that was dipped in water and gently wrung the chilled water over his skin. Caleb hurled more curses. He was in such a delirious state that Ileus felt bad for his cousin. He was sure that the pain he experienced must be agonizing.

"Wh— where's Elize?" he asked gruffly. 

"She is doing fine. Waiting for you," Ileus replied as he handed him a potion that the healer had made in his waterskin. Thinking that it was brew Caleb chugged it in one gulp. 

"She isn't hurt, is she?" he asked, reclining in the tub, now feeling better.

"No, who can hurt her?" said Ileus as he gave him more potion. "She is a strong vampire." 

"Aye, that she is," Caleb chuckled through his pain. He had sought her out in Ireland and wanted to protect her. And all these months, he was picking up some Irish too just so he could understand what she spoke often with others. 

It took an hour for his fever to come down and as soon as that happened, Caleb drifted off to deep sleep because the healers had given him a sleep draft. Being an immortal, they knew that he would recover physically, but they were keeping an eye on his mental health as well. His magic was so strong that if it had been any regular sorcerer, he or she would have been killed by now. Matching the magic of a demon king who was more than three thousand years old, whose magic was ancient and dark, was no joke. 

Now the main problem in front of them was when would he recover and if he recovered, would he even go back to help them. 

Ileus left him only after settling him in his room and having two healers watch him constantly. 

Everyone was tired and retired to their rooms. When they emerged, they were hungry like bulls. They went to the kitchen in order to make food despite being extremely tired, but they were pleasantly surprised to see that Anastasia and the few faes who were left behind had prepared food for all of them. 

Ileus was so proud of his wife that he continued to sit in the kitchen with her in his lap until the last one of the soldiers finished eating. Once they were all gone and it was quiet, Anastasia served food for both of them on a plate. Roasted meat, cheese and freshly baked oat bread were shoved down his mouth. "This reminds me of the time when you had kidnapped me," she said, teasingly. 

He swallowed his food down and said, "Thank god I kidnapped you. How else would I remember this pathetic oat bread!"