Chapter 8 #2
I looked back across the table, my chest tightening as I noticed he’d disappeared. Another blurred courtier stood in the space he’d left.
As much as my skin crawled when he was near, I needed a Deviant. Another supposed blessed who knew how to balance my gifts. And another Deviant meant we were stronger. We could beat the empress.
We could get my husband back.
‘Do you not think he’s… odd. I mean, what’s his name, Asher?’ I raised a brow. ‘Just tell me his name?’
His mouth floundered. ‘I don’t remember. But we need every ally we can muster right now, Sorrow. And your wolf adores him. He can’t be that bad.’
Asher straightened, laughing low at my scowl. I turned back as Enfys sighed at another failed attempt to bring some sort of organisation to the meeting.
I glanced towards the door, heaving out a shuddering breath. That man might be the key to unlocking my gifts’ true potential because, without guidance, I still remained a danger to those I loved.
Finally, Enfys stood, straightening her spine before these simpering fools.
‘I’d like to thank you—’
My sister groaned as they shouted over her once more.
‘I have several Anomalies, Your Highness. They are yours till we—’
‘I have a number of personal guards I’m willing to spare. My daughter is the same age as the prince. If you’d recall my sacrifice when they come of age—’
Suddenly, every fucker in the room had a relative they wanted to bind in matrimony to either Enfys or Oskar. And every second I sat here, the Deviant got further away.
My legs twitched as the meeting dragged on. My eyes darted to the door, breath catching every time someone entered.
Fuck this. I needed to speak to that Deviant more than I needed to sit in this meeting.
Enfys’s voice died as I stood, clutching the wolf and heading to the door. ‘Excuse me,’ I lied, ‘I’m… unwell.’
I think Enfys’s brows furrowed, but I was far too intent on finding…
whoever that man was. I shook my head as Asher moved to join me, ignoring his frustrated huff, recalling how the mariner quickly extinguished the glowing orb he’d conjured.
If this Deviant was intent on hiding his gifts, I’d have no chance to get him to admit to his blessings with an audience.
The sun was setting beyond the lead windows as I left with my wolf, and I cursed under my breath. Where had the blessed mariner gone?
‘Find him, Pab.’ The wolf whined. By Vyrus’s balls. What was it with that man and the wolf? ‘I bloody mean it. Find him.’
Pablo lurched towards a servants’ hallway.
We padded along, heading for the fork in the path I knew lay yards ahead of us.
One route led to the kitchens, the other to the grounds.
I readied myself to veer left, convinced the man needed some food to soak up the alcohol, but Pablo dragged me right, towards the gardens supplying the kitchens.
‘Are you sure?’ I asked him. He snapped his jaws, and I groaned. ‘Fine, but you’re hunting your own food if you’re wrong.’
Stumbling, I fell through the door, grunting at the dark step outside and cursing. Pablo licked my fingers, his way of saying sorry.
‘It’s fine,’ I said, shivering as the chill of the early evening bit my cheeks.
Staring around, I tried to spot something familiar to gain my bearings.
I glanced towards the path that led to the orchard and the bower beyond.
My heart twisted slightly as I recalled the vision of Matthias haunting my dreams. I peered into the gloom, huffing at a low mist clinging to our legs.
Perfect. I couldn’t wait to trip over whatever lurked beneath the swirling clouds.
A domed building glinted in the weak dusk: a greenhouse.
One a young Matthias had broken during a rock-throwing competition.
A weak smile tugged the corner of my mouth.
He’d laughed so hard when I told him I’d let him win that one.
Dragging in a tattered breath, I blinked away the tears. I had to focus. Find the damned—
‘On your own again, sweetheart?’ Even though I’d been searching for him, I leapt as the mariner’s gravely tone shattered the peace.
I glowered as a nightingale trilled in the distance. You must be polite, I reminded myself, attempting to shift my features into something more… pleasant. Pablo padded over, nuzzling the man.
‘I was looking for you. You need to explain your reason for… for sniffing me.’ I crossed my arms. ‘And I want the truth.’
‘You married an idiot.’
‘I know that.’
He rubbed the back of his neck, let out a long breath. ‘You deserve an apology, though. You know.’ He raised his palm, waved it in my general direction. ‘I’m sorry. You just reminded me.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Someone important.’
My arms loosened as his voice broke on those final words. The pain that echoed my own.
‘You still had no right to do that.’ At least he was seeking forgiveness. Perhaps I could pry some of his secrets from him?
‘And I don’t even know your name.’ I held out my hand. Above, a bird of prey let out a sharp cry. The man looked up, a swirling smile lighting up his face.
‘Hawk.’
‘Hawk?’ He set his gaze on me. Did he take me for a fool? I inhaled slowly, reminded myself I had to remain calm. ‘And if a duck was flying above us?’
He chuckled. ‘Drake, then.’
Rage spilled across my cheeks. ‘Your name, man.’
He laughed. ‘And who are you to demand that of me, Miss Villente? Hmm?’ He threw his arms out, a warning swirling in his eyes. Perhaps he needed to remember who he was talking to.
‘A queen. A queen who—’
His laugh cut me off. ‘Oh, pardon me while I bow to the queen.’ He bent low at the waist, all the while his eyes burned into me. ‘You lot. Always thinking you’re better than each other simply down to which vagina you managed to slip out of.’
My brows flew up. ‘Sorry?’
‘So you should be.’ He crossed his arms, his jaw clenched. I exhaled sharply. Why had I bothered following this man? I should just leave and forget him. But I couldn’t. There were secrets thrumming through his veins, secrets that could help me balance my gifts. Help me win Matthias back.
‘Fine… Hawk.’ I steeled my spine, tried my hardest to put a winning smile on my face. ‘You’re an Anomaly then?’
His brows rose, a wry grin on his mouth. ‘No, my queen. I’m certainly not blessed by Evella.’
‘But you had a light, in the library? You—’
‘Candle,’ he interrupted, digging the toe of his boot into the sodden grass. He turned as though he would go, and my heart jolted.
‘I haven’t thanked you. I apologise for that. Thank… you. For your help… Hawk.’
Gods, how I despised simpering at the creature.
He merely chuckled, saluted the wolf and turned from me.
I blinked and he’d vanished once more. I shook my head, clenched my fists.
My sight may fail me, but men didn’t vanish from existence like that.
There was no question of him being a mere Anomaly then.
I swore, staring around at the mist-covered lawns. I’d stumble if I followed now. But if I simply allowed him to leave? ‘Find him.’
The wolf turned his amber eyes on me, his head cocked. ‘Please. Just follow him. I’ll wait here.’
Pablo tilted his head even further, as though I’d lost whatever sliver of sanity remained in my head. ‘Go,’ I urged him. ‘There’s an extra steak or two in it for you.’
He snorted before racing after the man – Hawk – on silent paws.
Shivering, I rubbed the goosebumps on my arm before spotting a low wall and crossed over on tentative feet. It didn’t look particularly warm or comfortable, but it was somewhere to wait till Pablo came back.
Fidgeting against the sting of cold, I snorted. What would I do when Pablo returned? As close as we were, he wasn’t exactly equipped with the ability to talk.
A twig snapped and I spun around, peering into the near gloom.
‘Pab?’ Was the wolf back already? My heart stilled at the crunch of a boot. Not my wolf then.
I reached towards my magic, ready to call my gifts, when the world went dark. My fingers grasped rough material as I stood, trying to drag whatever had been placed over my head off, but a sharp force slammed into the side of my head with a dull thud. Pulse thundering, I sank to the frozen ground.