Byures stood in the center of the room, his long claws and teeth dripping red with blood. His chest heaved with each labored breath. His victims were dead, or spending their final agonizing moments wishing darkness would come sooner. One gnome torn clean in half whispered a prayer as his life expired. Byures was pleased with his work.

But it had come at a heavy cost. The poison in his system burned, and the pounding of his heart only expedited the spread through his body. His muscles spasmed. His sharp eyesight was failing him rapidly, and he believed that he was beginning to hallucinate. His mind had convinced him a skeleton had just walked into the room. He drew a deep, cold breath as his lungs screamed in protest. Another convulsion shot through his body.

Roger studied the large reptilian man before him. "Well, you don't look to be in particularly good shape." The statement was perhaps a bit obvious, though Roger couldn't be certain that the dying man was aware of how poorly he seemed. Sometimes those destined for death denied their fate so hard that it surprised them in the end.

Hunter smiled at the being his mind had conjured. It made sense that in his final moments he would speak with a skeleton. "I am not, but I still have a good hour in me, I would say. They can't take me down that fast. I need to get up to the chambers to help Caleb before my sight fades completely, so you will need to excuse me, Mister Death. My hearing is still fine for the time being, and I can go hunting in the dark. Please wait while I finish this off."

Roger couldn't say he was surprised that he had been mistaken as a reaper of sorts. "Then we had best make this quick. I will do what I can for you after we have taken care of Caleb." He hated to admit it, but if they were able to get Byures back home, there was a possibility that Hazel would be more successful in saving his life than Roger could be. But for now, his focus needed to be on Caleb. "I'll lead the way." With that he charged forward, his grip tightening around his sword. He could hear explosions in the council chambers and occasionally the wall would shake with the force of a spell blasting against it. If Caleb and Rainbow were both successfully dodging everything being thrown at them, it would be a mirical.

~~~~

As if by unspoken agreement, the two women separated in an attempt to shelter the child from the truth of what was happening. Hazel tucked her bleeding arm behind her back, a serene smile on her face. Sara slid her bloodied dagger back into the sleeve of her shirt so the little one would not see it. "Thank you, Kayden." Sara answered politely, "I will be out in a moment. Would you please tell Edward I will come speak with him?"

Kayden nodded and smiled brightly at the woman. "Alright, grandma. Do you want me to get down Uncle Roger's bandage kit first?"

Sara's eyes flicked towards Hazel, a wave of disgust and disappointment flooding over her. She was better than this. She should never have let her emotions flood her logical mind. "Yes, please. Thank you dear." She strode across the floor with confidence. Hazel would patch herself up, take one of her barely-legal concoctions, and move on. And so would Sara. "Once you have fetched it, place it on the kitchen table, then please tell your Aunt Mary to take you and Skyla to your uncle's house." Clearly having the children at home was turning into a dangerous idea.

Outside, an exhausted Edward caught Sara up on the events he was aware of. Namely, "Jake's been captured and they might kill him!"

Sara needed to hear no more. "Stay with Mary and Marrathew." she ordered sharply. "I'll get him back." With that she took off, silently cursing her oldest son under her breath. Somehow all of this was his fault, and she was not going to forgive him for it.

~~~~

Ribbon licked Jake's face again, her tail thumping happily. She was curled around the child, tucked out of the way near the roots of the great tree. She wanted to be inside helping, but her boy needed her more. He still shook and trembled in fear, and his hands often flew to his throat as if to make sure there were no blades biting into his flesh. She licked away the fresh tears on his cheek and wagged her tail again. Nuzzling at his hands, she laid her head on his lap and looked up at him with pure love and affection. Jake was her boy and she loved him. He was a good boy.