Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
The good news was I could activate the bracelet. The bad news was I’d run out of time to open the witch book.
Torin and I sprinted from the dungeon to the back of the royal manor. The marble hall was the last large room at the opposite end. The panicky people around us ran around like hamsters on wheels. They had no clear direction and no clear expectation of who was coming with Cordelia.
My best guess was that her deadly army would consist of strange and deadly creatures like the one that showed up at Torin’s pack last week.
If my suspicions were right, the kingdom would be lit up by the fire-breathing monsters created by the dark witch. I feared for the kingdom’s people, but I had a plan I needed to discuss with the Alphas and the King.
Breathless, I made my legs go faster while following Torin.
We climbed the small stairs and halted at the large window opening of the hall.
The room had a door connecting it to the rest of the manor.
But the floor-to-ceiling windows opened like doors, and there were many.
Dad or the Alphas must have opened them as wide as possible to invite the enemy inside.
It was a worthy attempt to contain the enemy within a room that was not too flammable, but if the creatures ventured out on our territory, a fire would spread everywhere.
I drew a deep breath, trying to slow down my pulse, and looked around. The marble hall was the most beautiful ballroom in the royal manor, as beautiful as the enchanted forest in my dream realm. The King usually used this hall for large rituals.
But today the space was cleared of tables and chairs, making it easy to marvel at the magnificent marble floor. It was a light-brown shade with green and red painted patterns.
Tall, thick columns that stood proudly around the outer sides complemented the room’s circular shape. In the middle, a large, heavy chandelier hung low. Too bad it wouldn’t survive the battle with the witch.
I imagined a scene of gaping cracks in the marble, columns that had fallen apart, and marble pieces scattered everywhere.
I didn’t want to think about the destruction the dark witch would bring to my second favorite room in the kingdom. And it was all because of me.
I touched the golden bracelet, feeling its pulse, and shook my head.
Because I had something the witch wanted.
But I had to survive and keep the bracelet away from that woman.
The hall’s chandelier and the kingdom could be rebuilt but not the people. I had to protect myself and them.
Torin’s gentle brush over my hand jolted me out of my thoughts.
“Anna,” he whispered, “you’re still holding the book.”
I sucked in more air. I was just standing here with the book in my hand. I searched for Dad and the Alphas. They were on the other side of the hall, standing in a circle, immersed in their conversation.
I handed Torin the book, which he tucked next to the magic sword he’d stolen from Dad’s safety vault. Right now, my mind was too focused on the upcoming battle, and I refused to think about the consequences of Dad finding out about the missing book and sword.
“I’ll leave the book next to Alice in Wonderland on your shelf. I’ll be back in five minutes,” he said in the softest voice.
I had to keep The Book of Banished Souls safe and away from Cordelia’s grasp.
I nodded at Torin, and when our gazes met, I couldn’t look away from his face. His amber eyes were intense, glimmering, and held a thousand desires. I thought I saw a flicker of something else in his eyes, something that made my heart flutter in my chest. Words were unnecessary in that moment.
My heart would forever be entwined with this man’s existence, whether he fully reciprocated my feelings or not.
As if Torin knew where my thoughts took me, he smiled softly and nodded in the direction of my father.
I shook my head slightly, regained my composure, and watched Torin walk away from me.
After Torin disappeared, I headed toward the King and the Alphas, but when Dad saw me, he dashed toward me. Mom and Hayden appeared from another part of the hall and sprinted toward me. They were about to crush me with their supernatural bodies.
“Anna, where have you been?” Dad asked when he got to me.
“Just outside, Dad. I’m okay,” I said.
He opened his mouth, probably to ask more questions, but Mom hugged me.
“Happy birthday, honey,” she said. “Your dad and I prepared calligraphy supplies as a gift for your birthday, but it wasn’t fitting to bring them here. Later,”—she released me—“when this is all over and we’re celebrating the win over Cordelia and your birthday, we’ll give you your present.”
Dad smiled next to Mom, and I couldn’t help but return their smiles. I nodded.
“Happy birthday, Anna,” Dad said. “I wish we were celebrating now.”
The King embraced me and then quickly released me. Hayden stepped in, his face beaming, and he held a velvet black box.
I stifled the gasp that threatened to escape my throat. I didn’t reach for the box and only stared at it as if it would burn me.
I hope it wasn’t a promise ring or worse—an engagement ring. Hayden didn’t strike me as a supernatural who would follow human traditions. Werewolves didn’t wear a lot of jewelry because of their transformations.
Please, don’t let it be a ring.
I didn’t want to hurt Hayden more than I had so far.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” he said.
His blue eyes showed so much intensity and hope that I had to look away.
I wasn’t ready to accept any token of commitment from him, and I couldn’t fully reciprocate. He and I had to have a conversation later.
“Anna, open the box,” Dad said, and I swallowed hard.
I took the square object and opened it. Hayden was gifting me a golden daisy necklace, the pendant as big as a quarter. The fanning petals were made of white shiny material, but the middle disc was golden.
“Thank you, Hayden.”
My bodyguard took the box from my hands and pulled out the delicate necklace. He walked behind me and brushed my hair to the side, his fingers touching the skin on my neck, leaving hot traces behind.
Once he clasped the chain, he moved to stand in front of me. “You have a lot on your mind, don’t you?”
I nodded only because I was afraid my voice would break. My hand flew to the flower of the necklace and traced the petals.
I only accepted his gift because I couldn’t give him anything in return.
He’d been by my side for so long, becoming a permanent fixture for me.
Regardless of whether he was my fated or chosen mate, he’d done so much for me that I had a duty and obligation to him now, but with Hayden, I lacked that fiery passion I felt toward Torin.
“Dad, I need to discuss something with you and the Alphas. Can you gather them around?”
“Of course.” Dad gave me his knowing smile.
I sighed. He probably thought I was taking the lead to become the next Queen. But I wasn’t completely ready for the crown yet. I only wanted to protect our people.
Mom pulled me by my hand. “I just need two words with Anna.”
Dad and Hayden walked to the other high-ranking werewolves. Mom watched them as if she wanted to make sure they were out of super-sensitive hearing distance.
“Mom, is everything okay?”
Was she too worried about me? Was she going to ask me to hide away with her and our people? The wrinkles at the edges of her eyes were deeper.
“Use your bracelet, dear,” she said.
My eyebrows rose to my hairline.
“I feel that it was given to you to protect yourself. I don’t know how it works, but I urge you to figure it out. That’ll be your way of protecting yourself from Cordelia. She’s a witch, and your bracelet is a witch weapon.”
Mom hadn’t asked me to sit this fight out. She asked me to wield a witch weapon. Didn’t she realize how suspicious it sounded?
“So…Mom, do we have any witches in the family? Why am I given a bunch of witch clues and now a weapon? It makes no sense to me.”
“Your head must be in the fight, honey. You have to keep yourself safe,” she said and smiled.
She didn’t answer my question, and we had no time to discuss my heritage, but she knew something about it.
I pressed my lips together and bit the inside of my cheek. Mom had been strange since I returned to the kingdom. She’d given me the vault passcode, and her words hung in the air with more meaning than she divulged.
“We’ll talk about it, Mom, but after.”
She nodded, her smile not faltering. She wanted me to know something, and I would find out what it was.
“Now listen, honey. Keep yourself safe, but I also need you to keep your Dad safe.” She paused after studying my face. I was unsure what she saw there, but she said, “You’ll be much stronger than your dad, honey. But right now, you must believe you can stand up to the witch.”
“I won’t let her hurt anyone else, Mom. I’ll do what I can,” I said, tears stinging behind my hot eyelids.
I had no idea how to protect the supernaturals against an even more powerful supernatural witch when I was a human, but I wanted to.
“I promise, Mom.”
“Your dad’s shoulder is bringing him down.” Her gaze traveled to the high-ranking men nearby. “He doesn’t show it, but physically, he’s not the same. I’m afraid…” Mom’s voice shook, and she swallowed hard.
I hugged her and then released her. “I promise to keep my eye on Dad, but Cordelia is really after me, Mom. I hope to get her to focus on me. If the witch is distracted with me, the others can strike her.”
Mom took a deep breath. “Gods, I don’t like the sound of that.”
But it might come down to a team effort. Cordelia was too powerful to be brought down by one other supernatural.
“Come with me, Mom. I need to talk to the Alphas. Will you help me evacuate the people?”
“To the secret passages?”
I nodded.
“Your dad told me it was your idea,” she said, smiling. “You’ll be a strong Queen, honey.”