Chapter 9 #2
“Hey, who are you?” I asked, but the man didn’t spare me a glance.
I swung my legs over the bed and stood. He had left my door ajar. My hand flew to the golden bracelet, and I was about to will it when the stranger looked at me, making a clicking sound with his tongue.
“My Queen, I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said in a deep, cold voice.
The second guard seemed to have heard him as he slightly opened the door and then strode in.
Their upright posture, confident demeanor, deliberate, calm movements, and intense scrutiny of my room indicated that these men were highly skilled and dangerous warriors.
“I’m not your Queen,” I said with a clenched jaw.
The first man who’d entered my room smirked. “Soon you will be.”
I gaped at him. “What?”
I was the werewolf Queen—well, with no power and imprisoned, but still.
My empty stomach started to ache.
“Please don’t make us use force,” the second stranger said. “There’s nowhere for you to go.”
Not true—the fairy realm was an option. I didn’t know what awaited me except danger and dark magic, but it’d still be better than a prison.
I clenched my hands into fists, keeping them tight to my sides, instead of throwing punches at my wardens because I worried about what would happen to my parents and friends if I were gone.
“I want to see Hayden,” I said, unclenching my hands.
I had to make them believe I was harmless. And even if I fought these men, there must be more of them out in the kingdom. What had Hayden done?
The guards gave a slight bow.
The one who’d brought the food said, “Our King said that if you asked for him, to let you know that he’ll come to you when he’s ready.”
The loud click of the lock after the men left me alone in the room muffled my groan. I flopped on the mattress.
Wasn’t Dad worried about me? No doubt Hayden had weaved a web of deceit in the kingdom, buying himself time while I wasted away here, unable to retrieve the athame or meet my biological mother. But why wasn’t anyone searching for me?
Then it hit me so hard that the realization knocked the air out of my lungs. What if Hayden had done something to my parents? Hayden had been submissive to Dad all these years, following his orders and assisting him, but now…he was no longer the same person.
I placed my hand over my heart, taking deep breaths.
On the fourth day, I boycotted their offerings entirely, drinking only water to sustain myself. Exhaustion washed over me in waves, my energy diminishing with each passing moment.
With my confinement and isolation, the feeling of claustrophobia crept into my mind, clouding my thoughts. I feared that if I somehow got out of my room, Hayden might harm my parents.
I spent most of the day mentally praying for the safety of my loved ones, doing deep breathing, or staring at the white ceiling. I would lose my sanity soon.
Two more days crawled by, and then the week was gone. I grew restless counting the days—there were about two weeks left to retrieve the athame to keep my wolf spirit.
Torin drifted to my mind most of the day, but I kept pushing the thoughts about him away. He had just gained his freedom from his sire and should enjoy it by staying away from my issues.
Instead, Torin had met me secretly to share his recovered memories, asked for forgiveness, and helped me gain my wolf spirit.
I let out a heavy sigh but couldn’t stop my lips from curving up.
I hoped Hayden hadn’t captured Torin and thrown him in the dungeon—
The door creaked open, and my body jolted as I sat up in bed. Greyson walked in, his emerald eyes wide with concern, but the rest of him looked sunken. His face was pale, and his lips pursed in a tense line. He quietly closed the door behind him.
"I thought something was suspicious when Hayden said you had to leave out of town for an emergency in another pack. Your parents watched him with suspicion, and the former King questioned why you hadn't come to see him," he said, strolling toward me.
I sprang out of bed and closed the distance between us with two large strides.
“I’m so happy to see you,” I said. “Tell me. How are my parents?”
Greyson’s grimaced face sent my heart to my stomach.
“I only saw them four days ago when Hayden talked to them, but I haven’t seen them since then.”
A pinch of stabbing pain passed through my chest.
"Oh, Gods, I hope they’re unharmed. I have to get out of here,” I mumbled. "What's happening out there?"
Greyson rubbed his temples. "Torin isn't allowed on our territory, but he sought me out and asked me to find you.
He's especially suspicious because new men are walking the kingdom—Hayden's men.
" Greyson looked around the luxurious prison, disgust etching lines across his face. "We do have to get you out of here."
I blinked repeatedly, putting my hands up. “Wait. How did Torin avoid Hayden’s guards? And how did you get past the guards?" I asked, eyeing him as he stood in my prison, shuffling his feet and fidgeting his arms.
With a sheepish grin, he reached into his pants pocket and then pulled out the crystal.
"I used my illusion powers to call off the guards downstairs, pretending to be him. My voice didn’t sound exactly like Hayden’s, but it was enough to make the guards leave your door,” he said.
“I’ve helped Torin stay undetected in the kingdom territory. ”
"Greyson, that's risky," I said, my chest tightening. "You have to be careful not to show any of your powers around Hayden. I saw him kill another fairy assassin. Granted, the man wanted to kill me, but still…"
And where had Hayden’s men come from? Had they been around this entire time, or had he brought them from the fairy realm? I still didn’t have confirmation that Hayden was a fairy, though.
"First, we need a plan," I said, forcing myself to think clearly despite my fatigue. "Hayden must be stopped, but we can't rush this. He's more dangerous than ever."
"Agreed." Greyson's gaze met mine, and then he looked at the door. “I only have minutes before the guards return.”
Hayden, who I’d known for a long time, had become an unrecognizable tyrant while Greyson, who I’d met not long ago, had become a fast friend, even though he was helping me for personal reasons—to get him to the fairy realm.
I sighed, running a hand through my tangled hair, feeling the weight of days spent locked away. "I need your help, Greyson. I need you to bring me the ancient witch book so I can summon the three witches. I can't meet Torin in my dream realm, but the witches might be able to help us."
"Are you sure about this?" Greyson asked, his brows furrowing.
"Hayden may be plotting something bigger, and I have to do whatever it takes to stop him, but first, I need to regain my freedom."
Once I escaped, I had to find my parents. The thought of walking out of my prison with Greyson crossed my mind for a moment, but I shook my head slightly. It wasn’t a wise choice right now. I would be caught in no time and risk Greyson’s freedom, too.
I needed allies and more power. Against a cunning tyrant, I had to adapt and become cautious and crafty.
"All right, Breanna," he said, giving me a nod and a small smile. "I'll find a way to get the book for you, and I'll be back as soon as I can."
I gave my friend short instructions on where to look in my bedroom for the witch book. I was more than ever grateful for finding the Lunarimar.
"Thank you," I said in a low voice. "And please, be careful."
As Greyson slipped out of the room, I paced the chamber, my thoughts racing with plans and possibilities.
I just hoped that summoning the witches would be the key to unlocking my figurative chains and restoring balance to our kingdom.
Although the witches had given us information about the Lunarimar, they wouldn’t fight.
Greyson was gone only for a short moment. When he returned, he handed me the book, nodded, and left immediately. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone with the old witch book he had sneaked in for me.
I stared at the worn leather binding and traced my fingers over the intricate designs etched into its cover. This was it—this was my chance to escape the prison Hayden had trapped me in.
The clomping of footsteps echoed outside the room, and I held my breath. When the lock clicked, my heart did a weird jump behind my rib cage. I hid the book under my pillow, and when I turned to face the door, it swung wide open. The two guards dashed inside, searching every corner of my room.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked.
When one of the men grabbed a throw pillow from the fabric bench near the window, goose bumps broke over my neck. I immediately lay on my bed, head on the same pillow where I’d hidden the book.
Feeling awkward, I placed my hands on my stomach and took deep breaths. When they seemed satisfied and didn’t find anything or anyone in my room, they sent me a scowl, exchanged weird looks, and left.
With a sigh, I pulled out the book. Clutching it to my chest, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to slip into my dream realm, praying that Hayden wouldn't show up. I had no trouble drifting into my dream world now, having practiced it for some time.
After jumping into the rabbit hole, darkness enclosed me, but I was no longer afraid. Landing on my feet, I found myself standing in the heart of my enchanted forest, the comforting scent of moss and damp earth surrounding me.
The meadow of daisies swayed in a cool breeze nearby. I took a deep breath, grateful for the serenity of this place, and opened the witch book that had traveled with me to my dream realm.
When I touched the lines, the squiggles vibrated into words. I whispered the words, reading the spell for summoning the witches while picturing their hidden cottage deep within the woods.
"Show me the path,” I said, closing the book.