Dionne
The Lycan Kingdom.
The place we only ever whispered about around dying fires, like children telling ghost stories. Only… they weren't stories. They were warnings. Legends carved into the bones of every pack. Mothers used it to frighten disobedient pups. It was the land beyond the mountains where no mercy lived.
It was said that no werewolf crossed into the Lycan Kingdom and came back. The lands were cursed. That the air itself twisted your mind if you stayed too long. That the wolves there had claws like blades and drank blood like wine. It was where the mad King lived, the beast with a crown.
A man born of war and raised on the howls of his enemies.
My pulse roared in my ears. I tried to breathe, but every inhale burned. My arms clutched tighter around Nora.
Everything in me wanted to turn and run. But where would I go? Back to the men from the auction house? Back to the BloodMoon pack?
I had to guard my secret even more here, one mistake, one wrong breath and that would be the end for us.
I tried to bow, but Nora made a tired noise and Silas waved a hand.
"No need for that," he said gently. "You're both exhausted."
Then his gaze settled on Nora, she blinked up at him and his features softened.
He turned to a smaller figure beside him, a girl around my age, with short curls and a warm smile.
"This is Violet. She'll help you settle in. She came from the same place as you."
Did this mean she came from the auction house? Or she came from a pack? I couldn't tell, but I didn't ask.
I wasn't sure I could get my voice to work if I tried.
Violet stepped forward. "You'll be safe here," she said. Her voice was quiet, "Come. Let's get you cleaned up."
Maybe if she had survived here, then I could too.
The room Violet led us to wasn't grand, but it was clean and warm. There was even a small bath, already steaming in the bathroom. I set Nora down carefully, while my eyes raked over her body.
"Mummy." She called out slowly. Her eyes were swollen and dried tears cling to her cheeks, but she continued. "I'm… tired."
"I know, baby." I whispered back, cupping her face in my hands. "I'm sorry."
Her lips trembled, but she didn't cry. She hadn't cried much since the auction, and I wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing.
Gently, I peeled her clothes from her body, before leading her into the bathroom and scrubbing her down under the hot water. It had been so long since we'd taken a hot bath.
"Warm mommy." Nora whispered, smiling happily as she fisted the soapy water in her tiny hands.
The smile on her lips almost made me cry. It was so rare and I hated it so much. My baby deserved to smile and giggle loudly like kids her age. Instead she cried almost all the time and little things such as a warm bath made her smile.
Once Nora was clean, I wrapped a towel around her and led her out of the bathroom.
Violet was sitting at the edge of the bed when I came out, she had laid out some clothes for us and although the clothes she brought for Nora were a bit oversized, they were clean and I murmured my thanks, dressing Nora up, while I tried to ignore her burning stare.
"I meant what I said," she said. "As long as you're here you'll be safe from those men at the auction house. Trust me, they'll try to hunt you and get you back, but inside these walls, you and your baby will be safe."
I didn't believe her, I couldn't yet. Still, for the first time in days, I was able to breathe easier. The overwhelming fear that I had felt trying to survive the wilderness, and the one from when I had been captured by those men were slowly fading. But I knew I still had to keep my guard up.
"Do you know why we were brought here?" I finally asked, speaking for the first time.
She blinked, before shaking her head. She helped me tuck Nora into bed before urging me to take a bath too. She turned to leave the room, but paused at the door and turned back towards me. Her eyes flicked toward me, and for the first time, something shifted in her face.
Fear.
"Wait in this room," she said softly, but it did nothing to clear the doubt and fear wrapped in her voice. "Until His Grace summons you. Do not roam the halls alone for any reason, or worse step outside the walls of this room. Don't wander and don't even think about running away." The warning in her voice was absolute.
I gulped visibly, as her words echoed loudly in my ears. I made a move to ask one last question, but Violet was gone before I could blink.
The image of the man with the gun metal grey eyes flashed through my mind and I barely contained the shiver that ran up my spine.
Had I come face to face with the Mad King and I hadn't realized? What could he possibly want with us, to bring us over to the Lycan Kingdom?