"No. There is no way. He was in love with you. He had been since we were children there is no way he attacked you. Maybe he was aiming for someone else." Mally tried to reason as she gripped Kyera's hands for dear life. There was something wild, pained in her eyes as she tried to bore into Kyera's soul.
"Mally, he has turned on us. He is one of the Dark Ones now." Kyera reminded her, trying to be gentle as she broke the truth to her. The desperation in her best friend's eyes was enough to stab needles deep into her heart.
"He may be one of them, but he wouldn't forget you, us. You two were always my rock.. I always dreamed of coming back to my clan to my friends. There's no way he would turn his back on you…" Mally's tears began to glaze her eyes as Kyera's pain was clear in her eyes. It was ironic really, like looking into a mirror. The look of broken hearted betrayal was one that Kyera had worn most of her life.
"Mally, he tried to kill Princess Raina. I got in the way and he attacked me. I fought him to protect her. I'm sorry Mally, but he isn't the tiger either of us knew. I know it hurts. I am sorry." Kyera whispered as she pulled away. Mally was forced to believe it and her pain turned to anger.
"How could he do this?" Mally demanded her eyes aiming at the sky.
"I don't know, Mal. What I do know is if he comes after my family again, Raina, Me, Clovis, you, or Talis and I will personally put him in the ground. I hope it doesn't come to that, but Mally if it does… don't get in my way." Kyera warned her gently. Her heart was already hardening against the love of her past. She forced herself not to think about what happened that night since it happened. The truth was, she knew what the outcome was and her heart was still bleeding but no longer controlled her.
"Ky… There has to be something we are missing. We have to try and figure this out. There has to be something.." She whispered struggling to deny her own anger.
"Mally, I don't care. You didn't see the disgrace they made of the bazaar. You didn't see the bodies they left in the Ash forest, or hear the Ashen Spirit cry for their souls. I did. I had to burn my own people. I had to hear that spirit's cry of pain. I watched as they destroyed everything our people had fought to build since the days of the war. He and those roughians slaughtered our own kind. They broke the law of the Forest that he swore to protect. No matter what we are missing, no matter what made him do it he should have died than betray the Forest. He should have taken his own life before allowing himself to be used to destroy innocents. I trained with him, hell I trained him. Those lives rest on my hand. That blood mars my soul. Come to terms with it Mally. I love you. You will forever be my sister but, do not forget he betrayed us. Not I him." Kyera replied her voice soft and shaking with anger. Clovis slid his arm around her waist and welcomed her back into his arms.
"Kyera, when that war comes to our door… I will fight at your side. I will not turn on you, I just… I can't…" Mally tried to be reassuring and express her heart's desires. "I'm sorry." Kyera turned back and gave her a soft, sad smile.
"Betrayal is the hardest thing to accept. Trust me. I should know. When you are ready to take place at my side again, my door is always open. For now, I have a baby to take care of." Kyera turned and led her husband inside.