Chapter 15 — Ethan
From a distance, I watch as they bring Jayme into the dungeons. The cold stone walls were the first thing I saw in Kortan, but I still can’t imagine what it must be like for somebody like him.
Outside, the night is warm and quiet, despite all the commotion from earlier.
Thankfully, there’s no one out here to watch Rhiannon as she drags a member of her own guard through the courtyard in shackles.
The look on her face says it all. Her brow is drawn tight with worry.
Her mouth is pulled down, caught between sadness and anger, and her eyes hold nothing but regret and apology.
I can’t wrap my head around how Haron survived an attack from Jayme.
She’s delicate and ethereal. That strange Shaman energy practically glows through her thin skin.
She’s unique, sure — but not built for combat.
And although Jayme might not be the biggest wolf in the pack, I’ve seen what he can do in training.
One swipe from those claws would tear through skin like wet paper.
It’s hard to believe Haron didn’t end up shattered into a million pieces like a glass vase.
None of this is adding up.
Outside of training, I’ve seen how some of the other wolves treat him — the sidelong glances, the distance they create when he approaches.
. .They won’t even look him in the eyes half the time.
Despite all that, he keeps showing up, keeps trying to earn the respect of all of them, especially Rhiannon.
Every time she gives him the slightest nod of approval, his entire demeanor changes.
He’s not just following orders; he’s desperate to belong, to prove himself worthy of wearing that uniform. Now, he’s being marched to a cell for something that doesn’t make sense. If he really wanted to kill Haron, she wouldn’t have lived to tell anyone.
That’s why it’s so confusing. Why would he do something like this?
The only one who knows what happened other than him is Haron, and she’s unconscious at the moment, so Rhiannon can’t question her further.
When she does, I want to be there for that too.
I need to know exactly what she’s lying about, assuming that she is lying.
Rhiannon and Jayme disappear behind the doors, and I wait by myself, listening to the distant sounds of the woods surrounding Kortan.
I’ve yet to venture outside of this place, and I’m curious about what the rest of Clarion actually looks like.
Maybe when all this is over — and if I’m allowed to live — I’ll get to find out.
The door opens again, and Rhiannon motions me over with a nod.
As I approach, she says, “Let me do all the talking. I don’t want to agitate him any more than necessary.
” I scoff, and she gives me a sour look.
“I’m serious, Ethan. This isn’t his first time being arrested.
He’s not likely to say anything at all if he senses a threat. ”
“Me? A threat? That’s funny.”
This earns me nothing but a glare.
“What? He’s been tossing me all over the training field for weeks now. I’m no threat to him, and he knows it.”
“He knows why you’re here, Ethan. He’s going to be wary of speaking with you around. You do realize that?”
I sigh. “Yes, of course I realize that. I’ll behave. Promise.”
“Just do as I say, all right?”
“Yes, Commander.”
She fixes me with a look that needs no words as we step inside the dungeons. The awful, familiar smell of mildew and damp earth hangs in the air, reminding me to be grateful that I’m not the one behind bars this time.
Rhiannon leads me down a short row of cells to Jayme. He’s pacing back and forth like a caged lion. His dark hair is now slick with sweat. His right bicep is covered with what looks to me like a first- or second-degree burn. Its shiny blotches catch the yellow lantern light with every movement.
“Jayme,” Rhiannon says, and he stops and looks up at her. Then his eyes drift over to me. He scoffs but says nothing, going back to his pacing.
“Please,” she says. “We need to know what happened tonight.”
He looks up at me, his green eyes sharp with accusation. “This all must be very entertaining for you, human,” he says. “Our places should be reversed, and yet you are the one who sits at the Alpha’s beck and call.”
“Do not address him,” Rhiannon says, pulling his focus back to her. “I’m the only one you need to speak to right now, and for your benefit, I suggest you keep your temper in check.”
He turns away, his frantic movements quickening. “I did not harm the Elder’s daughter, Commander. You, out of everyone, should know that I would never do such a thing.”
Rage fills the air around us. He’s like a bomb that might go off at any second. Rhiannon makes no attempt to match his aggression. “Please, stop pacing, Jayme, and talk to me.”
His steps slow as he looks back at her, and then the rage drains from his face. He stops and stands before the bars, arms at his sides. “I didn’t do this.”
“Just tell me what happened.”
He holds her stare. Then, his eyes turn back to me, and I have the brief thought that he might be trying to decide what to say in this silence. But as he drops his gaze and turns to sit in the chair closest to the bars, I realize that’s not what’s happening.
“Do you really see the truth in others?” he asks me directly.
I pause, Rhiannon’s command to stay silent echoing in my mind. “Yeah,” I say.
A look of distrust flickers from him toward me. “That’s a very strange talent for a mere human.”
“He has nothing to prove to you,” Rhiannon says, “and besides, it’s me you have to convince, isn’t it?”
He averts her eyes, staring down at the floor in contemplation. “After dinner,” he says, finally, “I followed your orders. I escorted Haron to the Luna’s garden. We walked down the first lane of roses, she commented on how beautiful they were, and then I woke up in my quarters alone.”
Rhiannon frowns, and I expect her to turn to me to see if what he just said was true, but she doesn’t. Instead, she asks, “What happened after she commented on the roses?”
He looks up at her, exhausted. “I just told you. I woke up in my room with no memory of how I got there, or even where this burn on my arm came from. I only know that I was escorting the Elder’s daughter one minute, and the next, I’m in my bed. Moments later, you came to arrest me.”
Her frown deepens. “Did you pass out? Were you feeling ill?”
“No.” He doesn’t blink. “I don’t think so, anyway. I felt fine after dinner, Commander.”
“Did she say anything to you that might’ve angered you? Or perhaps she threatened you with a weapon?”
He shakes his head.
“Did she cast a spell?” I offer, not even sure if the Shaman can do that.
“I don’t know. I don’t remember.”
Rhiannon rolls her eyes in frustration, and I can’t say that I blame her. Nothing he’s said absolves him of his guilt. In fact, he’s confirming that Haron didn’t provoke him.
“Jayme.” She steps closer to the bars. “You need to tell me everything that happened. Don’t you understand that I can’t help you—”
“I am telling you everything!” His voice drops to a snarl.
He runs a hand over his face in exasperation, then stands up and faces her, leaning against the bars.
“I want nothing more than to be proven innocent. You know how much effort I’ve put into earning my place in this pack.
I would never risk that for some Shaman girl. ”
He pauses and glances at me. “Do you have any idea what I— we suffered in the Gorg pack? We were beaten daily for the smallest of offenses from the time we were whelps. By the time we were grown and fighting for the Shaman, Branson and I had become the animals they treated us as. We had to kill to survive. We neither knew nor cared for anything outside of war. Since I’ve been with this pack, I have learned that I am so much more than just a beast. Why would I ruin that? ”
I don’t respond, as Rhiannon instructed. His words aren’t really for me anyway.
The grief on Rhiannon’s face is plain, impossible to hide. “I know,” she says with conviction. “I know how hard you’ve been working. I don’t believe you’d throw that away.”
“Then believe me when I say that I wouldn’t do this. I know what it could cost.”
She just stares at him. Her expression gives nothing away, but she reaches out and touches his hand, which is clasped around the bar.
“I’m sorry, Jayme. You will have to stay here for now.
Elder Stasio won’t stand for you to be freed while his daughter lies in the infirmary, and our Alpha can’t risk losing Stasio’s trust at the moment. You understand that, don’t you?”
Instead of answering, Jayme just stares at her, pleading with his eyes. “Promise you’ll fight for me, Commander.”
She nods. “That much I can promise. I will allow Branson to visit you unaccompanied in the meantime, but no one else. Please be patient. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
And with that, she turns to me, signaling our departure. As we walk away, he calls after me, “Uphold your duty, Truth Seer! Our lives depend on it.”
I don’t know how to respond to that. I barely even know what a seer is. I stay quiet as I follow Rhiannon out of the dungeons.
The moment the door closes behind me, Rhiannon’s light brown eyes lock onto mine. “Do you think he’s telling the truth?”
I sigh, sorting through the mess of signals I just witnessed. “For the most part, yes.”
She narrows her eyes. “What does that mean?”
“I mean, as far as he knows, it’s the truth.”
She squares up to me. “You’re speaking in riddles. Was he being truthful or not?”
“Mostly.” When she rolls her eyes, I throw up my hands. “It’s not that simple, okay? Not this time. Body language gets muddled when people carry baggage like his.”
“Baggage?”
“His complicated past.”
“It isn’t that complicated.” Her voice rises. “Can you tell if he’s trying to deceive us or not?”
“Look, when you’ve sustained that much trauma in your life, you tend to always be a little deceptive. It’s like an involuntary defense mechanism.” I tap my temple. “It’s probably hardwired into him by now.”
Much like how my “gift” is hardwired into me now.
Rhiannon sighs. “Fine. Let me be more specific, then. Haron. Is he being truthful about what happened to Haron?”
I nod. “Absolutely. He thoroughly believes that he was not the one who hurt Haron and that he would never hurt her without provocation.” I glance at her. “Do you believe him?” I ask, though I know the answer.
“Of course I do.” She doesn’t hesitate.
I pause, recalling a thought I had when Jayme spoke about the Gorg Pack. “I have to admit, though, his past does make him look even more guilty. One could argue that attacking Haron was an act of revenge against the Shaman for turning him into a monster.”
Dammit, her face seems to say. Her mouth presses into a thin line as she looks away.
“What happens to him if we can’t prove his innocence?” I ask.
“He’ll be executed,” she says, her voice soft. “With all that’s at stake . . . banishment wouldn’t be enough. Xander would have no other option.”
“Shit.”
Rhiannon nods and starts to say something in response, but we’re interrupted by the sound of footsteps running toward us. We both turn to see Akila sprinting through the darkness, her eyes shining in the moonlight.
“Commander.” Akila catches her breath. “Olcan wants you to know that Haron is awake.”
“Good,” Rhiannon says. “How does she look?”
Akila shakes her head, and we both understand at once. I don’t want to think about what will happen if Haron dies.
“Thank you, Akila,” Rhiannon says, then turns to me as she leaves. “Come on. We’re going to see what else Haron has to say.”