47. The Inner Circle
forty-seven
The Inner Circle
*SHAYAN*
P enelope paces up in front of me. “He is hard to break,” she muses. “I didn’t expect that.”
I don’t answer her, but personally, I’m not surprised. Royan was inexperienced as an undercover agent, but he has the rank of a gamma for a reason. His only mistake was trusting his mate, and who can truly blame him for that?
Talking of the devil in disguise, Rona enters the meeting room. Before she can even utter a word, Penelope has approached her and slaps her so hard, Rona drops to the ground. She clasps her cheek in shock and looks at Penelope through teary eyes. “What did I do!?”
“Do you think I’m stupid?” Penelope huffs. “Do you think I wouldn’t know if you secretly visited the dungeons?”
“What… no… but…” Rona looks to the ground and gets back up on her feet. “He is my mate,” she whispers.
“No, you are his mate,” Penelope corrects her. “Witches don’t have mates. They make choices.”
“But he-” Rona’s face flushes a bit.
“Oh, by Cerridwen,” Penelope groans. “You fell for the werewolf dunce.”
“Cerridwen?” I hear myself ask before I can stop myself. When Penelope turns to look at me, I bow my head in fake submission. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“It’s our goddess,” she explains before turning back to her sister. “Really, Rona, are you that pathetic?”
“But he is so… nice… and…”
“Do you truly think your heroic and honorable werewolf mate will accept you now that he knows whose sister you are?” she asks. “Do you think he will sweep in here and save you like some hero? Wake up, Rona. You betrayed him, and he knows it.”
“No! He still trusts me,” she blurts out. “He still wants me.”
Penelope raises her eyebrows. “He still wants his mediocre little witch, with her mediocre looks, despite her having ridden his dick just to get information from him.”
“You used me!” she exclaims.
“Wake up, Rona,” she snorts. “You took advantage of him, not me.”
“He does still want me,” she yells. “He told me…”
“Told you what?” Penelope asks sharply.
“Nothing,” Rona mutters.
My god, she is unbelievable. I can’t tell if she is really that stupid or if she truly has her morals twisted all over.
“Oh Rona,” Penelope steps closer. Rona flinches away when she reaches out, but instead of hitting her, she takes her face between her hands and makes her look at her. “Wasn’t it always the both of us? The two cursed and shunned sisters? Didn’t I protect you from all the evil? Didn’t I let our father beat me so you would be safe? Didn’t I sacrifice everything to prolong our lives and receive so much power, so that we could get our revenge?”
“You did,” Rona whispers. “I’m so sorry, sister.”
My heart sinks at her words. She is still using Royan. Now, to an extent, I can sympathize with her wanting to be loyal to her sister if what Penelope just said is true, but that doesn’t excuse her proceeding with hurting her own mate. She is making poor decisions over and over.
“What did he tell you?”
“He told me about his pack, or rather his informant,” she says.
My heart sinks even further at her words.
“He is from a secret one in the north… in the Silent Forest. He even gave me a name I should seek
out.”
What? I hide my confusion, but meanwhile my mind goes in all kinds of directions. A secret pack in the north? Never heard of it. Royan grew up in the royal pack. His father was a warrior there. He is now retired. I even met him once.
Where is he sending them to?
My lips tug, but I suppress the smirk. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Good thing Royan didn’t let himself get fooled a second time.
“Very well, Rona,” Penelope coos. “Go and gather a few warriors and tell them what to look for.”
“Are you teaching me about dark magic later?” Rona asks hopefully.
“Yes, dear,” Penelope says.
Rona smiles and hurries away. Once she is gone, Penelope turns to me. “Shay,” she says. “You have proven yourself to be loyal to me. So, how about you have lunch with me, and then we’ll wait for Rona.”
I tilt my head in her direction. “It’s an honor to have lunch with you, Madame.”
“Always so formal,” she smirks. “But, I like this about you. One day you must tell me how you lost your eye and arm.”
“I like to fight for what I deem worth a fight,” I say shortly.
Something in her eyes glints. “That’s good to know. I hope I’m worth your fighting spirit, too.”
“You should know the answer by now, Madame,” I say.
“Good.” She gestures at me to follow her. “After lunch, I will show you around.”
“I assume you won’t just show me the building again?” I ask.
She smirks. “You assumed correctly. I will show you… more than before.”
Her words leave me curious, and for the first time since we were stranded here, I’m hoping that our stay here will lead us somewhere. Royan’s life is at risk, and I don’t know how much longer we can stay here. I’m trying to find a way to get us out of here, but it’s getting harder every day.
I follow Penelope to her private chambers to have lunch with her, but it takes all my willpower to focus on our talk. Fortunately, Rona returns sooner than later, and while I don’t want to see her treacherous face, I’m glad she provides some distraction.
“It’s time,” Penelope stands up abruptly after we’ve had coffee.
Finally! I stand up as well, wordlessly following her.
Meanwhile, Rona tries to chat with me. “You do not talk much, do you?”
“Clearly, he does not,” Penelope mutters.
“But, you are talking with Penelope,” Rona pushes. “All the time.”
I decide this is the perfect time to further push my agenda, and kiss up to the dark witch. “That’s clearly something else,” I say shortly.
Penelope turns her head and shoots me a gaze, then nods her approval.
This time it’s really difficult to stay in my role though and not ask too many questions, because Penelope leads me down to the cellar–not where the dungeons are located, but the other side of the building–stopping in front of a huge wall of stone. She chants something, opening a secret door for us.
Both Rona and Penelope grab a torch. “Allow me,” I offer Penelope my help.
She nods and hands me the torch before leading us through a huge tunnel, deeper and deeper into the ground. The blood in my veins seems to both boil and freeze at the same time. This is it. This is where they do… whatever they do…
Before we can enter another door, Penelope stops. “Are you ready to become one of us?”
“A member of the cult?” I ask.
She nods. “The eye is our symbol.”
“Because it sees everything,” I say. “Like you do.”
“You are smart,” she cackles. “That’s why I was testing you before I let you in.”
I don’t know what it was that led to Royan keeping my identity a secret. I assume it was his instincts kicking in, but I’m eternally thankful for that fact now. Finally, we are getting somewhere. “What do I need to do?”
“Serve me,” Penelope says. “Like all my children do.”
“There is no spell involved,” Rona says. “Penelope believes in the power of our community.”
No, she doesn’t. But she knows that a spell would just scare people away. It’s not real loyalty. She rather promises her people power and wealth. Her methods are as old as time, and they have always worked, unfortunately.
Yet, I doubt she didn’t take any precautions, for anyone who might betray her.
“In return for your loyalty, you will be allowed into the innermost circle of our group,” Penelope explains. “So, Shay, will you join me?”
“Yes,” I say.
“Then, reach out your hand to carry our symbol.”
Rona said that there is no spell involved, and clearly here is the proof. Whatever this is, it’s going to bind me to them. Nevertheless, I reach out my arm. For the greater good. I hope this won’t be a mistake. Rona brings forward a little ink set and a needle before Penelope crafts a tattoo into my wrist. The symbol with the eye.
“Now come,” Penelope says.
I nod, following her further through the door and into yet another tunnel. The surroundings are changing, though. Where there were cold stonewalls before, there are tapestries and carpets now. It’s warm all of a sudden.
I’m rendered speechless when she leads me into a huge hall. It’s built in a circle with chairs all around it, and a tribune in the middle. There are statues of creatures I haven’t heard about. “This is where we hold our ceremonies,” she says.
“But, not where you work?” I ask.
“Again, your mind amazes me,” she says. “No, we do our work in another room.” She gestures towards me to follow her. This time, she leads me to a room that reminds me of a dungeon. There is a platform in the middle of it and a roar echoes through the room.
I look around, taking a fighting stance instantly.
“Relax, my brave bodyguard,” Penelope says. “It’s no danger to us.” She points at the platform. “Here is where I do the spells and bind them.”
“Bind them?”
A smirk curls her lips. “Are you ready to see it?”
“Yes.”
She leads me to the second part of the room, and there, held by chains, is a majestic creature. One I haven’t seen before, and I have difficulties believing it’s from our world. It looks like a mixture of a dog and lion, but its fur shimmers white in the light, and its tail is braided. Another growl leaves its mouth, and this is when I realize that it’s not just a terrifying one to threaten us, it’s also heart-wrenching.
“This is Cù Sìth,” Penelope explains. “Otherwise known as the Harbinger of Death. A mythic creature.”
“How come it’s here?” I ask.
“Oh, because I lured it here,” she laughs, her crazy laugh echoing from the walls. “Like I do with all creatures I can get my hands on. I bring them from their own realm to our world, lock them in here, and use them for my cause.”
“And, what cause?” I ask.
“To burn down this world and build it again. There won’t be any shifters anymore, unless they follow me,” she smirks. “No peace. No love. Just insanity. I love a good bloodbath.”
Penelope moves away a bit, and twirls around. For a moment I think she has lost her mind, but when she turns to me again, she has changed her appearance. Instead of her usual wax-like face, there are hollow cheeks now and almost grayish skin. Her hair seems even darker, and her eyes sparkle in red.
“Are you shocked?” she asks.
There is no way she will believe a lie now, so I nod. “I… am surprised.”
“I’m old, Shay,” she says. “And bored.”
Wait, she is doing this because she is bored? I turn to look at Rona. “Do you have a second form, too?”
“No, I’m not strong enough,” she admits. “Penelope is a master at black magic. She says it makes its user dependent, and drains them of their life force, if they aren’t strong enough like her.”
I almost want to argue with her because I doubt this woman here is still sane. She is binding creatures that are as old as this world, deities probably. I assume she is also using the werebears for her cause. And all of that because she is bored?
“The first one I bound was Cailleach,” she says dreamily. “It was so easy. I did have to use a little trick, though and use a mourning woman. But, once I merged their spirits, there was no going back. Now Cailleach is locked into this woman with no free will of her own.” She snickers. “And then I chose Artio, an actual deity. A lesser one, but still a deity.” She opens her arms. “This is how I will raise my army.”
She is stripping them of their free will. This is insane. She is playing with powers she believes she controls, but it’s eating her up, and at the same time she won’t know what she is awakening.
“We still need the dragons, though,” Rona states.
Penelope turns around, her fiery red eyes glare at her when she slaps her. “Do you think I don’t know that, impertinent fool!?”
I hate Rona with a passion, but I can’t help but feel pity for her at that moment. She looks up at her sister and follows her like a little pup, and she is easy to manipulate. It doesn’t take away what she did, but her chances in life were limited.
“There are still dragons?” I ask to take Penelope’s attention away from her sister.
It seems to work because she shifts her attention back to me. “Yes, a few of them… hidden somewhere. Most of them went into hiding, but they aren’t of interest to me.” She frowns. “Just one I need. The dragon prince, the golden dragon, the heir to the throne. Only he has the power to gift shifter spirits. Imagine how powerful it would make us to have him follow me. He just needs to wake up, and I will put a spell on his mind.” She balls her hands into fists. “It will only work if he wakes up, though. I can’t put a spell on him while he is asleep. I tried it already. I need him with his mind fully capable and not broken. Cailleach is trying to invade his mind daily, to corner him, to make him wake up, but that little shit slips through our fingers all the time.”
By now, I have put two and two together. This young dragon she is talking about is probably the one Azadeh meets in her dreams.
“I’m sure you will be successful,” I tell her. “You have clearly put a lot of work and patience into this.”
“You are right,” she says, calming down a bit. “I’ve waited so long, I will just need to wait a bit longer.” She smiles dreamily. “Just imagine what I will do with all this power. I will rule this world, and the beautiful wolf princes will be mine. I will make them my slaves. Them, and the little princess they invited into their lands. She is truly special. Her beauty is one of a kind.”
My blood runs cold, and I have to battle my instincts not to lunge at her. No one will lay hands on Azadeh! I push my feelings down, though. If I attack her now, clearly I won’t stand any chance.
To my surprise, Penelope turns her head slightly. “Oh, they are back already.”
“They?” I ask.
“The men Rona sent to Roy’s secret little pack,” she smirks. “This will be interesting. Come with me, the both of you.”
Rona looks almost fearful, but follows her sister. Stripped of any other option, I follow the two women, too. I toss one last gaze towards the creature, trying to convey with my eyes that I will try everything to save it.
Cù Sìth tilts its head and looks at me curiously.
Back in the huge mansion, we are greeted by a few men who look completely roughed up. Penelope doesn’t seem to be surprised.
“There was no pack, but a blizzard,” one of them stutters. “And, a wild bear. We failed you, Madame Penelope.”
“No, you did everything right,” she smirks. “Go and have something to eat.”
“Really?” They look up at her, relief in her eyes.
When they hurry away, she frowns. “Fools. They won’t see another day.”
“Do you want me to poison their drinks, as usual?” Rona asks carefully.
“No, I need you to follow me.” She nods towards a guard. “He will do what he needs to do.”
The guard follows the few men who just returned. How can she be so cruel without even showing an ounce of remorse? A life doesn’t mean anything to her.
I’m soon getting distracted again, though, as Penelope leads us to the dungeons. To… to… Royan! My heart stops beating for a moment when I see him, and I’m glad I’m standing behind Penelope at that moment, so she can’t see my face. He looks… horrible. He is bleeding out of several wounds, his back is drenched in blood, his hand seems to be broken, and his leg, too.
“The guards just returned him from a second round of questioning,” Penelope says sweetly. “So?” She turns towards Rona. “A pack in the north in the Silent Forest?”
Royan laughs silently, though there is not much strength in his voice. It sounds more like he is gurgling. “Do you think that’s funny?” Penelope asks sharply.
“Yes,” he says.
“I do, too,” she answers, to my surprise.
“You really thought I was stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice?” Royan sneers.
“No,” she says shortly. “I think you are stupid, but not that stupid.”
She turns her head to Rona again, before reaching out her hand, and like a knife, moving her fingernails over Rona’s face, cutting a long gash from her eyebrow down to her chin.
Rona screams in pain, clasping her bleeding face.
“You fool,” Penelope screams. “He tested you. He knew you would betray him. You thought you could have it all, didn’t you? Your hot mate, love, power. But the world doesn’t work like that, sister dearest.”
Fuck this psychopath, but I hate that she is right.
“Get out of my sight,” she hisses, before she turns towards two of her guards. “Bring the items.”
They hurry away and soon return with… I frown… a piece of metal with a rune on it. She snaps her fingers, the iron heating up instantly until it’s glowing. “It’s silver,” she says. “To make sure it sticks.” She nods towards one of the guards. “Do it.”
They don’t hesitate and open his cell. Despite him being in such a bad condition, he still puts up a fight. I’m horrified at the fact I’m not able to do something. For a short moment, our gaze meets. He lowers his head and shakes it slightly.
Fuck.
I know I can’t do anything, and he knows it, too. He is ready to die here. And, his goddess alone knows how long he can keep up with their torture in this ice cold dungeon.
One of the men grabs the tool and presses it against Royan’s chest. His head shoots up, and his mouth drops open as he screams without a sound leaving his lips.
“I branded you a traitor now,” Penelope says cooly. “With a rune that will stick for eternity. Not that you will live for long.”
She brings forward a doll from her pocket, smirking when she looks at it. Without further warning, she twists the doll’s arm, making Royan scream for the first time, as he drops to his back, his arm in a weird position now.
Penelope smiles. “I will see you tomorrow, Roy,” she says. “That is, if you make it through the night.”
That night when I retire to my room, I feel weak with desperation. I have no idea how to help Royan or how to save him. “I need to do something,” I mutter to myself. “I need to get out of here.”
“Hm,” a voice suddenly hums behind me. “This is certainly a new development.”