Chapter 8
THALRIC
Firelight dances across the courtyard, casting flickering shadows against the towering ruins. I’m perched on a rough log beside Aurora, wings tucked close. Woodsmoke, damp earth, and the sugary sweetness of honeyed mead curl through the cool night air, stirring something restless in my gut.
Aurora is drinking her mead. Thankfully, she’s only taking small sips. Father always drilled into me that alcohol dulls the senses, makes you vulnerable. I’ve never touched it. Never will.
I’ll simply watch her closely and ensure she doesn’t consume too much. Gods help us if she were to become drunk. There’s no way we’d be able to explain that to her guardians without getting in serious trouble.
Aurora lifts the goblet again, eyes sparkling as she laughs at something Raina says. Watching her relaxed, smiling, and happy eases something inside me.
Across from us, Reid gestures dramatically, weaving some tale about the ruins. “This castle,” he says, “is haunted by the tragic spirits of a princess and her knight.”
Aurora leans forward, captivated, and I suppress a growl.
Reid continues, pacing theatrically. “Princess Evelyne fell deeply in love with her knight—sworn to protect her but forbidden to touch her.” He pauses for effect. “But she chose love, running away with him the night before her marriage to a cruel prince.”
A murmur rises from our small audience.
Reid’s voice drops lower. “In a rage, the prince stormed the castle, burning it down. The lovers fought together until their last breath.”
“I thought you said they ran away,” someone points out.
“Yeah,” another says. “So, why would they still have been here when the prince came?”
“Ummm,” Reid scratches the back of his head. “Maybe I got a few of the details wrong.”
“You’ve definitely got the story all mixed up.” Someone else scoffs. “It was a mad king who ruled here. He burned the place himself after hearing whispers in his head.”
A few others offer different stories about why the ruins are haunted, each of them vastly different.
Aurora’s eyes shimmer with fascination. “Which one is true?”
Reid grins and shrugs. “It seems no one knows.”
The group soon loses interest and people go back to their individual conversations. Aurora turns to Raina and a few of the others gathered around, eager to discuss the different versions of the stories. Auri has always loved haunted tales.
I grit my fangs as Reid and three more males join their conversation. It doesn’t escape my notice how their gazes are locked upon Auri.
I know I shouldn’t look at her like this. Shouldn’t watch the way her smile enchants every male that is near her.
She doesn’t know what she does to me. Every laugh, every glance… it ruins me a little more. I’m supposed to be her friend and look out for her, not crave her. But I’ve never known an obsession so deep it feels like worship.
“Thalric!” Geralt calls, motioning me over to him. “I’m so glad you came to see me off. Hey, you’re headed to the capital for training to be a royal guard, right?”
“Yes.”
“My uncle’s a captain in the royal guard,” he says. “I’ll be staying with him and my aunt while I’m in the city. I could put in a good word for you, if you’d like.”
“Thank you,” I reply, touched by his offer.
“I don’t really think you’ll need a good word, though.” He grins. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”
A faint smile curves my mouth. “Thank you, my friend.”
“Maybe we could all meet up for lunch or something when we’re there,” he adds.
I nod. “I’d like that.”
I glance back to where Aurora was sitting, and she’s gone. “Excuse me,” I call over my shoulder as I scan the group, searching for Auri.
Sera is still nearby, chatting with another boy, but Aurora and Raina are nowhere in sight.
Panic tightens my chest as I walk over, interrupting their conversation. “Do you know where Aurora went?”
Sera gestures to the ruins. “She went off with Raina, Reid, and the others. I think they’re playing seek and find in the castle.”
My heart races as my gaze snaps toward the dark, looming structure, and I immediately head toward the entrance. I’ve heard rumors about Reid using the game of seek and find to steal kisses from other maidens.
Besides that, the castle is old and crumbling. It’s not safe to wander around inside. There have also been reports of a few thieves and bandits that tried to make camp here before the Wolf Shifter pack chased them off.
As I stalk through the ancient ruins, searching for Aurora, faint whispers and voices echo through the corridors. Shadows move in the hallways, but through the fog and darkness, I catch her scent. Honeysuckle and lavender—sweet and uniquely Aurora.
A snarl curls my lips as I hear Reid speak her name.
Something hot and possessive burns deep inside me. He’s had his eye on Auri for at least a few months now, and I’ll not stand by and allow her to fall victim to his attempts to woo her.