Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
ELIZABETH
Idig the pencil into the wall, scratching another drawing next to the many I have already done to pass the time.
I’ve always loved to draw and paint, but the best I have down here is a broken pencil and clay walls.
So far, I’ve drawn the forest to the south of here that I loved to visit and run around in, in wolf form.
Next to that are the goddesses I’ve seen in the Folkland and the beautiful swords of the earth goddess.
I draw a flower this time, one with a dozen thorns spiked around the beautiful petals, and I soon realise it is how I feel about everything at the moment.
I look up when I hear a noise. There aren’t many sounds down here in my prison, not this far beneath the earth, and my powers do nothing here.
The prison keeps my powers locked away. I focus on the sound, realising it is the gentle side of the wall disappearing and guards murmuring.
Hopefully, it is not another visit from the alpha, who never says a word to me and just stares.
I refuse to speak to her, anyway. She has an evil heart.
The footsteps are heavy ones, stomping towards me and definitely male.
My new guard stands straighter in his red, shiny armour, readying himself to defend me.
I keep watching until Reed comes into view, and my shoulders drop in relief.
Reed is a good person, well, as good as an heir can get.
His white hair catches the green light from the lamps on the wall and he smiles brightly at me like I’m not locked behind bars, waiting for a trial that is going to find me guilty no matter what.
I’m going to die, I’ve accepted it, and there is nothing anyone can do.
All I want is for Orion to know the truth before I die. He deserves to know.
My wolf grumbles in my chest as my new guard steps aside, bowing his head. “Heir Reed.”
“You can leave us alone for a bit, guard,” he tells my guard, only glancing at him for a moment. He turns away and heads down the corridor until neither of us can see him any longer.
Reed has two things in his hands and he comes up to the bars before he pushes through a dark box, leaving it on the floor, and then a thicker blanket next to it.
“Hey, Elizabeth. It’s not much, but I thought maybe some food from the kitchens here might raise your spirits.
I asked around and these were apparently your favourites.
The cooks were very keen to make food for you when I asked and all of them pleaded that I return to tell them how you are.
” He arches an eyebrow. “Seems like you’re popular around here.
I doubt Orion would have anyone ask. Oh, and I brought a blanket, because I know it gets cold down here at night.
Well, I don’t know exactly, but my parents locked me up often enough that I think all prisons are cold. ”
“Thank you,” I murmur.
I miss the cooks, the friends I made in the kitchens and over the palace.
There aren’t many humans without runes, but the ones I met, I grew to love.
All the shifter nobles treated me like a bastard, but the humans?
The staff? They were kind and never made me feel like anything less because of how I was born.
Just like Meredith, who saw me on the ground at the choosing ceremony and picked me anyway.
She doesn’t even know what happened and she is still fighting for me here.
“We’re working on fixing this fuck-up of Orion’s. I will never understand how he put his sister in here.” Reed shakes his head.
I understand it. He loved our father. Looked up to him and was loyal to him because he was one of the few people in his life that was nice to him. I grew up seeing how everyone judged Orion for his birth and for his brothers, and they were cruel, judgy bastards. Even his own mother.
Reed smiles warmly, like always. I think he smiles to hide his pain.
“I know we’ve known each other for a while, even before the Folkland, but we haven’t exactly been friends.
But I have to sympathise with wanting to murder your parents.
I’m highly surprised one of my siblings or myself haven’t gone there in the Maiden pack. ”
I clear my throat.
“How’s Meredith?”
“She’s okay.” He pauses. “Still mad at me, but I’m never giving up. Mere is due back from her court this morning. We’re touring her around more of the Mother Court with Orion. I think she likes it here.”
“You shouldn’t let her stay here long. This pack isn’t safe.” I look right at him. “Maybe you should steal her away like Orion did. She can’t save me from my fate, no one can. I don’t want her to be pulled into the dirt trying to save me.”
I walk over and pick the box and the blanket up and I put them on my bed for later.
“Thank you for these.”
“Meredith is never going to give up on you. She is stubborn and loyal, and most of all, she only wants what is best for her friends. We both know it’s not best you die here.
” He claps his hands and I nearly jump. “No more moping and giving up. What are your plans when you’re free?
Tell me about what you want for your future. ”
He leans against the wall to get to the bars and waits. I think this is the longest conversation I’ve had with Reed and I’m not sure what to make of it.
“Plans?” I realise I don’t have any. I never have.
Even as a child, there was nothing I really wanted to do.
I always just focused on every day surviving, knowing the chances were I was going to be married off to some random noble.
Truth was, when I took my father’s life, I gave up a future. Gave up any kind of future.
“It would be sad to tell you I have absolutely no plans, except for helping Meredith now. She saved my life and I’m hoping to repay her at some point.”
“I guarantee she would not expect that of you.” His voice is soft. “And if you don’t make plans, I’ll make some crazy ones up for you. Like travelling on the pirate ships to the north and getting so drunk you can’t tell if it’s a whale in the sea or just a rock.”
“That happened to you, didn’t it?” I chuckle.
“Maybe.” He smiles and blows out a breath. “Your brother... I’ve known him years. More than you, I guess, but… your family. Can I trust him with her?”
The words feel weighted, like he absolutely needs the answer.
“He looks at the rest of the world with nothing but hate in his eyes, until they fall on her and soften. That’s how I know he loves her.”
I don’t know if my answer soothes him, but he thinks on it. His face is hard to read, but eventually he nods once.
“Thank you... she is every sea, river and brush of rain to me. I needed to know how he feels about her too, because he doesn’t say it and his actions are... chaos for her.” He straightens up. “I’ll bring some food back tomorrow and every day after until we get you out. Any requests?”
I shake my head.
“Well, have a think about it or I’ll just keep bringing random things. I’m coming back often, it’s good to scare the guards and remind them that we’re watching.”
“Thank you again. I know you’re only here for Meredith, but I appreciate it,” I murmur.
“I think any of us that managed to survive the Folkland should be considered friends at the very least. We went through some fucked up shit, Lizzy. We’re family and family should stick together, don’t you think? Even if Orion’s being a bit of an idiot right now.”
He winks at me before he turns and walks away.
Soon my guard comes back and he goes straight back to his position of standing silently at my bars. He only leaves for six hours at night, or what I assume is night because I can’t see much down here. One of Orion’s trusted guards replaces him, but he doesn’t speak either.
I go over to my bed and open the box of food. There are small cakes, slices of baked cheese and tomato bread that I love and usually had made for me when I was younger. I walk over to the bars with the box and clear my throat.
“Would you like to share some food with me? This is a lot of food and it’ll go out of date quick, especially if Reed is bringing back more tomorrow.
I know you never eat much when you’re down here and you’re a wolf, so you need to eat.
It’s not poisoned, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m not in here for poisoning someone.”
I’m rambling and because of the red helmet, I can’t even see my guard’s reaction.
He laughs — a deep, throaty laugh — before he takes off his helmet.
He has the lightest brown hair I’ve seen, that almost looks red in the light, and his eyes are the usual glowing red, marking what pack he is from.
He has high cheekbones and a classically handsome face that doesn’t match his bulky, big body under his armour.
“My name’s Bane. You’re Elizabeth, right?” He bows. “Princess.”
“I don’t think anyone counts me as a princess in this court anymore.” I laugh low. It’s better to laugh about it. I never cared much about the title anyway. “Bane, from the Crone pack. How did you end up here of all places? Got any family missing back home?”
He grunts. “Not sure it ever counted as a home to me, darling. I grew up in the castle as a bastard runt, smaller than most wolves and kicked around for being so. My mother is a maid, still is, and did her best to protect me, but all bastards are trained at age five to be potential guards, or die. I worked hard to make sure I beat every mean bastard in my path and didn’t die.
My wolf grew with me and I had a growth spurt at twelve which helped me get along. I got lucky when not many others did.”
“And how on earth did you end up here?” I question.
For guards here, they are volunteers and paid very well.
It’s a competitive job role, and more so to be a royal guard like Bane.
Bane sits down outside the bars and leans against the wall.
I do the same, stretching my legs out like he does, and I pass through half of the food, which he balances on his legs. He eats the fancy cakes first.
“It’s quite sad. It’s a tale of love and desperation,” he admits.
“Oh, so you have a lover,” I ask, curious.
He snorts. “Yes... no. I’m not sure what we are to each other at this point because she likely hates me.”
“Why?” I question.
“She’s human and I fell in love with her from the first moment I met her. She’s wild and free and reminds me of my own fire powers. She never let being human and the world she was in dampen her spirits.”
Reminds me of Meredith. He’d best not be in love with her too. I’m pretty sure one of the heirs will murder Bane.
“When the Folkland happened, everyone was pulled to the castle. We were told very simply we could not leave. We had to be on patrols constantly and to make sure it was safe. From what? None of us knew, but questioning the alpha was unacceptable. We did exactly as we were commanded and I was never able to get word to her. She must have thought I got what I wanted and ditched her. I tried to send letters, anything, but everything was blocked. No one else could get word out to their families either because the alpha said it wasn’t safe.
It wasn’t just me, and really I didn’t want to attract too much attention in the palace.
People that do, they usually end up dead. The Crone alpha has a temper.”
He holds his hand up, making a ball of flames in his hand. “I’m searching all the packs for my human. I’ve given my alliance to the prince and hoped for the best. I’ve still not found her yet, but I’m not giving up.”
“Why would you think she’d come here?” I don’t get it. If she is human, she’d be in the human district, surely.
“A rumour... and I can feel her in here.” He taps his chest. “I can’t explain the connection I have to her, it’s not just love, it’s more. I know she was here.”
“Well, I hope you find her,” I offer, “and if I ever get out, maybe I can help you look.”
His red eyes meet mine. “Deal. I’m going to hold you to that. And now, how about you? Any great loves to tell me about to pass the time?”
I shake my head. “One or two lovers but nothing serious. Anyone that looked at me saw only a chance of getting close to the alpha and now anyone that looks at me just sees a murderer.”
“I don’t see that,” he replies, and I know he is trying to make me feel better, but it won’t work.
“Before you say that I don’t know you, I do in a way.
I’ve watched every interaction and seen how much you are cared for.
I think you’re a good person and I don’t think you would have killed him unless there was a really good reason.
In my opinion, the alphas, they’re cruel bastards, the lot of them. ”
“Yes, they are,” I offer. “I could do with a friend while I’m down here.”
“Now you have one.” He winks. “I’m not used to things like this. What would you call these?”
He holds up one little cake covered in icing with a cream-hidden tip.
“They’re called fancies. Though I have no idea why anyone calls them fancies at all. Probably because they’re delicious, and I could eat like twenty of them.”
“It’s far better than the grub they feed us guards at the palace and here.”
He pops it into his mouth and groans, making me laugh. I realise it’s the first time I’ve laughed with a shifter— a friend. I make a plan for my future right here and now: that I’m going to help him find his human and get his happy ending.