Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
PRINCE BLACKFIRE, HEIR OF THE CRONE PACK.
Every inch of this pack feels empty without her, but I know she’s safe.
I can feel she’s safe, like a part of me ticking away in my chest that won’t go quiet, and I’m so fucking glad it won’t.
I lift her top that I stole from her room to my face and breathe in her sweet cinnamon scent to calm my wolf.
Our wife is delicious and I can’t wait for the moment she lets me in.
It’s been two days since I’ve seen her, and it’s too long.
This fucked-up world of gods and goddesses keeps taking my wife from me, and I’m done with it.
I need to just put my eyes on her and check, irrationally, that she’s still breathing.
I’ve fought in wars, seen the life slip out of a thousand eyes, and yet just the fear of her dying has my knees wanting to collapse.
Some fucker from my court tried to kill her.
When I get my hands on him…fuck it, my claws, I will rip him to shreds and burn what is left when I’m done.
I pace up and down on my balcony, hating the pollen air of this court. It makes my nose itch. Makes me want to pull the mask off and scratch my face, but I don’t take it off. I haven’t since I was five. No one can see what is behind the mask, not even her.
Two sharp knocks have me jolting from my thoughts, and I turn back to see a soldier from the Crone Pack step in.
He takes off his red helmet and bows low.
I don’t know his name. One of my father’s, my uncle’s many, many soldiers that can’t be trusted.
He isn’t one of mine that hide as spies throughout the Crone court.
They are all currently watching my little cousin, Lunara, and making sure she is cared for.
Crone goddess only knows her parents aren’t going to check in. “Who are you?”
“My name’s Bane. I requested to come and deliver the message to you myself.” He nods. “None of the other messengers returned; therefore, no one was happy about coming to see you.”
He is either a brave bastard or a stupid one.
He has dark hair and red eyes, and he is just under my height.
I hold my hand out, and he quickly passes me a letter from his cloak pocket.
Bane stays by the door as I read the letter—which is more of a demand that I return to the pack immediately with Meredith and introduce her as my wife to the court.
My uncle also moans about the fact I didn’t make any time to speak to my evil bastard of a cousin.
What a fucking shame. I throw it straight over the balcony, letting it catch fire until it’s nothing but black ash.
“You can go back and, with respect, tell them to go to hell.” I don’t look at him. It would be simpler and kinder to kill Bane myself. That message would make my uncle kill him on the spot when he returns.
“I would prefer to stay here if I can be of any use to you.” Bane clears his throat. “I’ll beg if you want. I’ll do anything, but I risked much to come here.”
“Why?” I turn, curiosity getting the better of me.
I let flames trickle across my fingers, the cool darkness of them soothing against the warm heat of this court.
If he lies to me, he is dead. The chances are Bane is a spy for my uncle, and I’m not in the mood to deal with him.
He doesn’t so much as flinch at the idea of me burning him.
He lifts his chin. I somewhat respect the man for that.
My wolf also doesn’t outright hate him. Interesting.
“I’ve been trapped in your uncle’s court for months and bound not to leave.
He pulled soldiers from their homes to the palace and made it clear we could not leave.
There was a human I cared deeply about, and I’ve not been able to visit her.
I tried to reach her the best I could. I thought perhaps she might have moved to another court, so when the offer came for me to accompany the message here, I took it—so that perhaps I could search for her while serving you.
She is mine…and she has to know it.” He lowers his head in submission. “Please.”
“Do you love this human?” I ask, my thoughts not on Bane and his human, but the human who stole my heart and became my wife.
If she were here, she would give him mercy.
Fuck, she might even be happy with me if I tell her I helped this stranger wolf.
I need all the extra points I can get, with how mad she is that I made her my wife without her knowledge. Though I still have no regrets.
“With everything I have.” He touches his chest with his hand. “I won’t stop until I get to see her, your majesty. I know she is human and there are laws I am breaking by wanting her without a rune, but I love her. I have always loved her, and I will risk it all to see her just once.”
Who am I to tell a man not to love a human?
I’ve been exactly in his same shoes. For Meredith, I’ll try to be a better person.
It’s a disgusting feeling, really. Burning him to death would be more satisfying.
“Fine. There is a job you could do to serve me. Follow.” I pause mid-step at his side.
“Betray me, and I’ll find your human myself and kill her in front of you. ”
He gulps. “You have my loyalty, Heir Blackfire.”
“I best fucking do.” I walk around him, straight back through my room and into the corridor. I can sense the guards here—their breaths beneath the earth, the smell of their wolves ready to lunge. They don’t smell right. Too much earth and not enough fire.
Bane stays behind me, head bowed, helmet back on, as we traverse down through the earth court.
I tell him a bit about this court’s abilities, the alpha female, and the guards’ tactics since he’s never been here.
Eventually, we get to the dungeons. The guards open their mouths to protest, and I just give them a look.
I would very much enjoy dragging their backsides outside and beating them to a pulp, even if I am supposed to be behaving while I’m not in my own court.
Frankly, they’re smart enough to move aside, and the earth wall drops away.
I follow the green light down to the dungeons, to where Elizabeth is sitting on her bed, legs crossed, staring blankly at a wall. She looks over when I clear my throat, her eyes tightening when she sees me. “Where’s Meredith?”
“Visiting her home for a few days on urgent business.” Meredith asked me to check in on Elizabeth, and I will do what she asks.
Bane is a loophole. I don’t have anything against Elizabeth, but she is a royal killer, someone who murdered her own father.
I’ve always wanted to ask how she managed it.
Her father was alpha, with all the power of the earth at his disposal, and yet she managed to rip him apart.
“I have brought you a guard. This is Bane. He will stand here, just in case the alpha decides not to wait for the trial.” I turn to her new guard.
“If anything happens, you are to defend her with your life and then find me immediately. Send word through smoke or ash. Is that understood?”
“Yes,” he answers swiftly.
I look at Elizabeth for a moment. My wife’s guardian.
I know little about her, other than her murderous past, but Meredith is on her side.
She won’t die and upset my wife. I have enough on my plate just trying to get my wife to smile at me again and finding a loophole to kill my uncle without ending my little cousin.
Fury burns through my veins as I think of Vargoth, the smug look on his face as he revealed the new bond he placed on Lunara.
He’d be dead already if he hadn’t done it.
The sly, annoying bastard only just saved his life, using a little girl to sway my instinct.
He knew full well that I’d come out of the Folkland and that my first act would be to kill him.
He wronged Meredith just as much as he abused me.
Now the bastard’s alive, still alpha, and there’s nothing I can do about it right now.
Being powerless is not something I’m used to.
Elizabeth’s quiet voice echoes. “I need you to get Orion to come here and let me tell him the truth. He needs to know, and I vowed to my wolf, the Mother goddess herself, that I would only explain it to my brother.”
I sigh. Orion is the most stubborn fucker I know.
I remember the day the alpha was found dead, and I came to help, along with Reed.
Orion broke an entire building in his anger, before he screamed to the Mother goddess to undo what was done.
He loved both his father and Elizabeth…and in the same breath, he lost them in different ways.
He lost his brothers, and then he was just left with Gaia, who hates him.
I might not have much family left myself, but I have Lunara, and it’s enough to anchor me to the family.
Orion is an outsider, born wrong, just like me.
It’s the one thing we all have in common.
“You want to see me hurt, don’t you, Elizabeth? ”
She winces. “Better you than Meredith. He might fight you, but he will accidentally hurt her with words when he is angry. She is trying to get him here…but I don’t think she can. You’ve known him longer. We both know he needs the truth before Gaia kills me.”
“I’ll speak to him.” It is all I can offer her.
I turn and shift into my wolf—so I don’t have to communicate with anyone—and it doesn’t take me long to search the pack in wolf form.
People jump out of the way. My big black wolf bangs into things and knocks over a few people on his way.
He’s grumpy about Meredith not being here, and so am I.
I find the Mother heir in a forest just beyond the palace walls, sparring with soldiers.
Shirtless, with one long sword in his hand, and dripping with sweat.
I would bet he has been here all morning.
The poor soldier he’s facing looks like he’s ready to pass out as he’s knocked flat on his ass, and Orion’s sword stops at his chest. I shift back once Orion looks over and lifts his sword up.
“Want to spar against someone who is actually a challenge, friend?” Orion laughs and curls his hand. The soldier is crawling away to the treeline, leaving a trail of blood and sweat in his wake. I click my neck as I step into the clearing. “Wolf form or not?”
“Not,” he answers swiftly.
I pick up the sword from a fallen soldier, who is very visibly relieved that he’s not going to be beaten to a pulp today.
Orion swings his sword and lunges for me before I’ve even turned back in his direction.
Sneaky fucker. I’ve trained with him for years—enough to know most of his moves and how he plays dirty as hell.
I avoid his lunges, the pattern of how he moves, and it’s only the small quakes of the earth making me stumble that throws me.
I lunge a sword at him and he spins away.
“Stop using your powers, you absolute arsehole.”
He laughs, swinging his sword and clipping my arm. “We used to spar for whoever drew blood first. Technically, I would have won now.”
I look at the tiny cut. “Cut deeper if you want to win.” We spar for hours until both of us are breathless, staring at each other—no real clear winner. Never is when it’s Orion and me fighting. “Feeling better?” I ask him as we both grab a glass of water and lie back against the trees.
“No,” he exhales. “You?”
“No. I gather we both have the same reason to be in a foul mood.” He doesn’t answer, but he doesn’t need to. “Where the fuck is Reed?”
“Fuck knows.” Orion’s answer is real useful.
I might as well piss him off now that I’ve worn him out.
“You need to speak to your sister. I mean it.” He looks at me.
“Whatever she’s done, she clearly only wants to speak to you about it.
Go and talk to her before it’s too late.
We all live long lives, Orion, and regret stays in your blood.
You will regret not talking to her, even if it isn’t something you want to hear. ”
“Are you giving me family advice now? You, of all people?” he scoffs, immediately defensive. “I may be thankful to you for many things, including being my friend. Don’t push your luck by trying to make me see her. I won’t.”
“Orion—”
“She killed my father.” His voice is firm, but there is a shake, a little of the truth in it.
“You don’t get it. My father. The one who would come to me after my mother had beaten me all night long for something that wasn’t even my fault.
My father, who read stories to me and held me when I screamed from nightmares.
Who took me on hunting trips to get me away from my mother and brothers.
Who actually gave a damn about me. He was a kind man, loved by the entire court.
And Elizabeth—he brought her in. Her mother died in childbirth, and he could have just ignored her.
Many royals do—there are bastards everywhere.
But he didn’t do that. He brought her in, knowing full well how my mother would react, and how she did react.
He suffered for years for Elizabeth. And what does she do to repay him?
” I stay silent because I know he doesn’t really want an answer.
“She kills him. So no. Don’t ask me to go and see her.
I can’t stand there and listen to the reason why she killed him.
Just don’t ask it of me. No one can ask that of me. ”
He stands up, but I warn him, “Meredith is going to ask…” I watch him storm away from me before shifting into his brown wolf and disappearing into the forest. I know he is going to change his mind…
or I will step in. I will make sure Meredith asks me before I drag Orion to his sister by the scruff of his neck and make him listen.
He might not want to hear what Elizabeth has to say, but he’ll never have that choice when she’s dead, which might be soon if the Mother alpha has her way.
I wish I’d had one more conversation with my father, mother, or brother before they were taken from me.