Phaeryl inwardly prayed that her legs would give out as she slowly made her way to her father's study. She already knew the reason he had called for her; the selection. She twisted the ring on her index finger before pushing the door open. The worried expression on her mother explained all she needed to know. A sigh escaped her mouth as she pulled out a chair next to her mother.
"The selection is coming up soon ." Her mother's hands slowly crept over her thigh and held hers' tightly in a manner she couldn't discern if it was comfort or persuasion.
"Your bond mark has not appeared. You can use this opportunity to bring honor to our pack by going for the selection." Her father's voice seemed more unwavering than ever. It was already decided she is going to the selection. She could feel her toes curl up while trying to hold back her tears.
"Mine hasn't come in yet. I'm just a late bloomer like Avena; she got her mark really late" She hoped this would somehow convince her parents to change their minds.
"Aery you've passed the age when Avena got her mark. I know you can do this." Her mother's soft voice sure had a coercing side to it.
"But I heard that multiple female wolves from last year's selection died. Yara told me that an Erastian wolf she knew from last year's selection died –"
"Stop believing stupid rumors flying around the kingdom. Phaeryl, you're twenty and all your friends have gotten their bond marks; even awaiting marriage with mates like Yara" Her had succeeded in bringing up her underlying insecurity. She stared firmly into her father's eyes, which undoubtedly had the color of jade. A part of her started hating the fact that her eyes were the same color as her father's. She had mixed feelings when she found out Yara would be getting married; she had gone through phases of life with her best friend, and now she felt she was being left behind. Nevertheless, she was really happy for Yara.
"Why ask for my consent when you've already decided." She quietly stood up, the door felt oddly harder to open at that moment.
"Get out of my room, Espen"
The sight of her younger brother laying on her bed seemed more annoying at the moment.
"What did Father say? Are you going?" The ruffling sounds the sheet made as he sat up boiled up her anger.
Espen hastingly got up from her bed after she stared into his eyes piercingly.
She exhaled loudly after she fell on her bed. "They've decided"
"Wait so you're going? You can just escape to another pack. You don't have to go"
"Father is right. Since I don't have a bond mark, I can use this as an opportunity to serve the revered one and bring honor to our pack"
Espen's expression turned sour quickly. "That's dumb." His voice sounded louder than before. Espen was two years younger than her but had a lot more grit than her.
"I'm going to Venzor tonight to meet Yara, just they ask of me"
This wasn't the first time Phaeryl was going to the capital. After Yara met her mate, she'd spend most of her time at the Venzor. They would meet up at either Venzor or Lanstar.
She closed her eyes to fall asleep; maybe when she woke up, she'd be more accepting of her fate.
Phaeryl could feel the cold breeze brush past her hand. At least one thing went as she wished. Venzor was normally hot during that time of the year. Cromer tavern was booming as usual; She heard from Yara that about two thousand people walked through the doors of the tavern every day. Cromer also contained several special rooms for private meetings.
She walked down the hall to the room, where she often met with Yara.
"I've been waiting for quite some time now"
Yara tucked a few locs of her curly brown hair behind her ear. The two bottles of wine on the table seemed untouched next to goblets.
"I slept for some time before coming,"
"What did your parents say?"
The words rushed out of Yara's mouth as she shoved closer to Phaeryl. She could Yara's eyes on her as she poured out wine in a goblet.
"They said it was best if I went for it" Yara's mouth parted, breath catching on the inhale.
To Phaeryl, Yara's reaction was very reasonable.
Among the six packs of Ustia: Lanster, Luton, Erast, Venzor, and Carlisle. Ardegard had always been the most powerful, mostly because during the appearance of the golden moon every hundred years; a child with immense powers is born. According to the myths, the other packs grew tired of the Ardegards' misuse of power and sealed the territorial border of the Ardegards' using their blood.
Phaeryl had always been curious about how the land looked, but she'd known enough about the nature of the Ardegards to avoid thinking about how their land would look. Until this morning, when it had been decided that she would be among the selection party.
"What are you planning to do?" Yara queried.
"I'll just strategize a plan to survive through the two weeks"
With every moment passing, Phaeryl slowly realized that everything about the selection was becoming real to her. She reached for her goblet and gulped down its entire content.
It was stupid. 'The golden moon born' 'The revered one'
Everything sounded stupid to her. The kingdom set aside acres of land in Venzor and built a palace to seal golden moon borns for years with different quarters to keep selection participants.
"Talking of planning, I researched just like you asked me to. I found out from some people that survived the last selection that the golden moon born, Xhanes Ardegard, is extremely cruel and plays sick games with the wolves sent"
"Well that helped me alot" Phaeryl hoped that her sarcasm would staunch the fear Yara had just created in her mind.
"That's not what I mean. If you're able to survive to end and escape the seal or even get some of his blood, it might just trigger the formation of your bond mark. I heard that the Ardegards' blood strengthens one's powers and reflexes even more that of Xhanes Ardegard Phaeryl's eyes widened.
"I need to think about surviving first. His blood is not worth my life. I need more wine" Maybe enough to drown in.
An abrupt squeak escaped Phaeryl's throat; she felt a hot tingling sensation in her eyes. Was it because of her growing hatred for her father's eyes?
"What is it?" Yara cupped her face, inspecting her eyes for any abnormality. Yara's brows furrowed as she shifted closer towards Phaeryl.
"Wait, I think there's something in your eyes"
"Probably the curses my father would be casting on me right now. I need to get going"
"Are you sober enough?" Yara asked as she helped Phaeryl to get up.
"I think so"
Phaeryl could walk a reasonable distance before a little stagger. She walked for a while through the hallway of the tavern before stopping at a door.
I think this is my third time passing by.
She turned back to leave and bumped into a wall. But this wall was wearing a long black cloak.
It took her while before she realized she had bumped into a man. Her eyes slowly looked up at the person. Hair as dark as obsidian with light brown eyes resembling that of caramel.
The tingling sensation in her eyes relapsed. It seemed that the wine she had taken was getting to her head.
"I'm so sorry"
She felt her legs grow weak as staggered out of the hallway.