Kharon’s voice in her mind is the only warning she has that something is wrong. She had heard the disturbance of the dragon landing, but at this distance she had not heard the cruel intent or the challenge in him when he overthrew Tiphon. Could not see how the beast took their lead in his jaws and crushed him like broken prey. There were forests between them, fortunately, else she suspected it would have drawn Dustov’s attention immediately. But Kharon warned her to keep them away, so she herds them back to their secret den, whispering at Merry to keep their little family safe. She would be back soon.
With a kiss on each of their beautiful little foreheads, she turns back towards that distant sound at a run, bending the light and shadow around her so that one starry boy in particular has no way to track the direction she’s gone in and get himself in trouble.
She bursts through the clearing, still invisible as she comes to stand beside the others who have gathered, catching words and accusations, stances and body language that help her fill in the gaps of what she must have missed. Pulling the light magic back inside her so that she becomes visible again, she joins the semi-circle of those she realizes must be the family Kharon has told her so much about. His mother and his father, certainly, but where is he? Her jaw tenses, a long hollow racing across her cheek at the sudden bite of worry that needles in her belly. Surely he must be fine though, just further than the others had been, he’d been well enough to send a warning, after-all.
Her eyes survey everything once more, and she is startled when she notices the familiar shape of her older brother taking his place quietly at Wallace’s shoulder, an odd look of near-relief on those stony features. In any other situation she might’ve caught his eye and raised a brow, but there were more important things to be addressing now.
Her attention returns to the pair of intruders, noticing for the first time the blood smeared around the mouth of the man. In any other world, at any other time, this would have been a clear indication of something more sinister, but this is a plague-world now, and sights like these weren’t so uncommon anymore. Still, she finds a quiet suspicion lurking in the deeping dark at the backs of her cooling eyes. She had never entirely trusted Tiphon, never had a chance to speak with him and discover the kind of man he truly was. It is disappointing now to find her doubt had been so rightly placed, that he could believe so little in the people of his sanctuary.
Of course they would resist this.
She is silent now, though, wordless as she stands with the others who have come. There is nothing more to say, nothing that hasn’t already been said by this colorful family of Kharon’s. Instead she stands firm, resolute, a sharpness in her gaze that has only ever been present once before and for the sake of a man she had loved fiercely. It is a shade of her that only exists when those she loves are threatened, a wild wickedness she keeps stowed deeply. Light flares beneath her skin, bright and pulsing, a quiet promise, a louder threat. Phoenix wings erupt from her shoulders, and she is careful to maintain the illusion perfectly, shape the light so that it looks as solid as she is, so that it flickers like white hot flame.
hi i'm bad at group threads, luster is just here to kick some dragon butt :|