An Unsteady Truce

Vikas reached out to lunge at her again, but Revarian shot between them, his arms out wide. "Cease this ridiculous bickering! We have a situation to address and your petty war is the least of our priorities. The Hyinac responded to the hatred between you both. The forest can feel it and it is thriving from it! I may be blind, but I believe I'm the only one who can see the solution."

Vikas and Shyana didn't stop leering at each other, though neither interrupted the forest walker. "I'm neutral in your war. I don't care who started it or how many hurts you have, but if we want to make it through this cursed forest, we're going to have to do it together. Let's travel the rest of the way as one."

Shyana scoffed. "That's ludicrous! I'd have better cooperation from a dog. At least it would smell better."

Vikas pointed at her, his long hair falling over his shoulder. "Work with a primped up Xhaian? I'd rather die."

Revarian rolled his milky eyes. "If you don't, then we all will do just that. A child could understand that we stand a much greater chance of survival if we go through the forest with more warriors. Either we work together or we die…your choice."

Both leaders stared each other down. The very notion that either of them could be in the same space without slitting the other's throat was impossible.

Shyana tilted her head. "Or I could just kill them now. The forest may have an explosion of evil, but at least I'd be rid of the one in front of me."

Vikas glared at the seething woman, flexing his whip in his hand. His eyes flicked over her impressive blade and he could sense the blood of his kin dripping from it. "You haven't killed me in battle yet. What makes you think you could do it without an army behind you?"

Shyana glanced behind her. It's true what he said. Vikas was the only warrior she knew of, who'd killed almost as many as herself. If it were just the two of them in a duel, it would be anyone's guess who would win.

Thurucalns didn't fight honorably, so there was nothing to say they wouldn't all attack her while Akiem was injured and Revarian unable to respond in time.

She contemplated for a moment, trying to see through her options. If they were evenly matched as is, she'd stand no chance if he had the Blood Song. There was no way she could allow him to even get close to it.

Vikas shifted his footing. He longed to have a chance to fight the Crimson Blade. Not only would he avenge every one of his men she had killed, but he hadn't faced a worthy opponent like her in forever. He knew she'd dominate him if she had the Blood Song in her grasp.

Revarian turned his attention to Vikas. "Wait, how have you made it this far into the forest without being killed yet?"

Vikas scoffed. "Please, like this is enough to kill me. I entered this cursed place with twenty of my best men. Four were killed within the first ten minutes and the rest were separated from us during our last encounter. Something that looked like a boar."

Shyana chuckled. "You couldn't even kill a pig, Vikas?"

"Not one twice my height with six heads."

His attention went back to Revarian. "They're probably waiting for me at the meet up point we established."

"So you haven't made it any closer to the Blood Song in all your wandering?"

"What's your point?"

Revarian brought his hand to his chin and pondered. "A truce may work in your favor, then. You won't be able to make it through this place without us. Both myself and Akiem have senses you do not possess. You'll die miles from your goal."

Shyana smiled. "So, my killing of them now will be a mercy?"

Revarian chided her. "Don't be so quick to violence, General. If he has at least fifteen men waiting for him, do you really think you can battle through that many and with a forest that will feed off your energy and rain darkness down upon you? You'll succumb to it. That is a fact. No matter how strong you believe you are."

Shyana refused to break eye contact with Vikas, though she knew in her heart the forest walker spoke truth. She couldn't fight off that many, especially with Akiem in his present condition.

Revarian set his arms down and spoke to both of them. "A truce we will make, but only until we have come close enough for both to having a fighting chance. Prince Vikas, we will lead you to your men and I will point you in the direction of the Blood Song."

Shyana's jaw dropped. "You can't be serio…!"

He quickly interrupted. "But in exchange, you will vow not to attack General Makea or her advisor until one of you has the Blood Song in your hand. You won't make it through without my guidance. Shyana can't make it without your protection. And none of us will make it if you both are at each other's throats the entire journey. So, do we have a deal?"

Neither answered right away. As much as she hated to admit it, the plan made sense. They couldn't survive this forest without one another. But the thought of Vikas standing with the Blood Song in his hand sent a panic through her. "We'll make it on our own. Better to brave the forest than allow the opportunity for a Thurucaln swine to cut out throats in our sleep. I'll take on an entire army if it means keeping his slimy hands off the Blood Song."

Vikas sneered at her. "Yes, because it's so like a Xhaian to stay true to their word. You'd kill our babes in their cradles if we gave you the chance."

"You want to talk about taking children from their rooms, do you?"

Shyana raised her sword, as Vikas readied his whip again, both of them apt to end the other's existence.

But as they were about to engage in battle once more, another haunting wail echoed through the forest, sounding closer than any before it. They stared into each other's eyes, not daring to look away and praying the other didn't see the terror pulsating through from such an inhuman sound.

The wailing came to a sharp pitch and disappeared as quickly as it came.

Shyana gulped shallowly, while the tanned skin on the prince's arm erupted into goose-bumps.

Still neither budged. It wasn't until one of his remaining men gasped. "That's not a noise anything holy would make. Maybe there's wisdom to the forest walker's idea, my Prince?"

Shyana felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise, when Akiem limped up to her and placed a hand on her stiff shoulder. "I know it goes against everything we believe in, but Revarian may be correct."

She snarled. "What are you thinking, Akiem? They're Thurucalns and not any lowly soldiers, but the Prince and his best men. Why can't we sneak past their men and just kill him now?"

Akiem smirked, staring down the Thurucaln men. "You aren't thinking ahead. We could always use them as bait."

Shyana's head turned ever so slightly, as an invitation for him to whisper to her. Akiem's lips came to her ear. "We'll never allow him to get close enough to use his men against us. Once we're near his camp, we'll kill his two guards and use him as a hostage to appease his men. Then when the Blood Song is in your hand, we'll end him."

Shyana wanted to smile, but wasn't ready to drop her guard in front of the dangerous man before her.

Vikas kept her stare, though his own men were attempting to plead with his reasoning as well.

"Please my Lord, let's travel on in a larger group."

Vikas stroked the handle of his whip. "And what about when we reach the Blood Song? Do you want the Xhaians to get anywhere close to it?"

Shyana couldn't help the smile which played at the corner of her mouth. "What's wrong Vikas? Afraid you won't be able to defeat me for it? Are you really that much of a coward?"

He bared his teeth at her accusation and was tempted to cut her down there, but the nagging of his logic pulled at his mind. Cracking his whip in frustration, the prince growled. "Fine, we'll allow you to tag along, princess. But mark me, any Xhaian trickery and I will end you where you stand."

Shyana flipped back her scarlet mane. "As if you could. We would have killed you in time anyway. Maybe I'll receive the pleasure of watching this forest cut you to bits first."

Revarian rolled his eyes while Reuk shifted on his shoulder. "So, we have a temporary truce?"

Both leaders stared each other down not liking the idea one bit, but nodding all the same.

Akiem cleared his throat. "Then that means you have to lower your weapons."

Shyana gripped her sword tighter while Vikas shifted his footing. After a long moment of glaring the Prince scoffed. "Fine, I'll be the mature one."

He curled his whip back into its harness while Shyana sheathed her weapon. This felt so wrong for both of them, though the rest of their men gave an audible sigh. Their chances of survival just doubled. Though this was still a suicide mission, there was a possibility that at least a few of them might see the light of day once more.

Revarian nodded. "Good, now that this foolishness is over. Let us continue. It's not wise to stay in a place where an attack just occurred. It will bring other creatures scavenging for remains."