The Tiger Within 385 Suitable Canidate

"I WILL NOT LOSE HER AGAIN. Do you understand? I let her father use her mother because the shadow king liked her, and in the end we lost the children for so long." THe Matriarch's anger was growing but there was a tone of desperation in her words. There was the soft sound of coughing again.

" We never even saw the boys grow up for crying out loud. Kyera is already married and we weren't even invited to see it. All because we have never treated her as family." Bryson pointed out, finishing the old woman's thoughts as Kyera walked into the room, with Clovis on her arm.

She was unsurprised to see Bryson standing beside the Matriarch, his hand on her shoulder. She looked paler and less healthy than Kyera had ever seen before. Reever stood tall and tense as he growled in frustration. It was only the three of them in the room. She could tell by the way Bryson's body seemed to tremble he was close to changing.

"Kyera, darling, come sit. Clovis goodmorning." The Crystalsa greeted her dear great grandchild. Her smile was weak and a little uncomfortable, unsure of how much she had heard. Kyera offered a sweet smile to her grandmother, walking over and bowing. Her grandmother nodded, but Kyera wasn't done yet. She kissed the old woman's soft forehead.

"I love you too, Grandest Mother." Kyera whispered before standing up tall and hugging Bryson with one arm. "Thank you both for defending me, however may I address my Great Uncle?"

"Yes, you may." Crystalsa offered honestly annoyed that Kyera had been drug into this.

"What are you wanting of me,uncle?" Kyera asked meeting his eyes.  Black.eyes stared back at her, the heart of a bear in his eyes.

"You are the best suited Candidate for the sacrifice this year." He replied without hesitation. Kyera nodded, that was what she had expected. No one wanted to send their children to the shadow realm to face the Shadow Guard or their Master.

"That is out of the discussion. Akira paid her children's tolls in this. She entered that realm twelve years in a row. Kyera…" Bryson pointed out, but Kyera interrupted him shamelessly.

"Kyera has the best chance to survive. I have more ties to that world than the rest of the family." she pointed out as if finishing her uncles sentence. Though she knew it was the opposite of what he wanted to say. The room grew quiet enough that they could hear snowflakes drifting to the ground beyond the window.

The royals stared at her as she walked to the window and looked out. "It is no secret that my father is from the land of Shadows. Logically, I will have the best chance to return. My mother didn't do what she did for us, it was selfishness disguised as a favor. I won't let my own contribution be tainted by her will. I want to prove my sincerity to the family on my own terms." Kyera replied, staring at the delicate white crystals as they fluttered to the ground. The wind blew the flurries in chaotic swirls as they fell.

"Kyera you have nothing to prove." Bryson tried to argue but his niece smiled at him gently.

"No, she doesn't, but I do. I will go in Kyera's stead." Clovis finally spoke up and Kyera turned to him.

"You are not going into that realm." Kyera replied ignoring her family at this point.

"The boy said he would go, so he will go. Stop your arguing, Kyera." Reever replied smugly. This was better than he had hoped. Getting rid of Kyera would have been treat enough. However being rid of the fourth Prince was a much more tasty matter, after all he was less likely to return.

"All due respect, Uncle, he is my husband. This decision is between us. Clovis I can't let you." Kyera told him clearly distraught. Clovis hugged her close to sooth her but she resisted instantly. "No this isn't a argument you can put off with a hug."

"Kyera, if I do this it will be easier to get her support. I am doing this for us." Clovis replied and Kyera shook her head.

"You don't understand what happens in there.  This isn't a game. I won't be responsible for Raina losing her father. No." Kyera growled shaking her head refusing to listen to a word he said now.

"So instead you will watch the mother of a nation die?" Demanded Reever and Kyera growled deeper her body is starting to shiver. Her body is starting to shift colors as it prepared to explode into leopard form.

"No, but I will not watch a child lose her father and one of the few people who love her." Kyera replies squaring off yo glare at him in anger.

"You need to calm down. If you beast I don't want to be responsible for your blood staining the earth, niece." Reever's words themselves were good advice as though he was concerned. However their tone twisted those innocent suggestions into a dare, meant to force a change. Kyera recognized this, but so did Bryson.

Chapter end