Chapter 15

The next morning Kellan sent Foley and a handful of others to the temple. They would confer with Edward and comb through the scrolls.

Luckily, it was a short distance to Sanctus Femina. He didn’t like the idea of his Second being gone for long.

Kellan wasn’t confident they would find anything, especially after talking themselves in circles the previous night. They had no idea what they were really searching for.

Prophecies were often like riddles. Nothing would be obvious. At least Nora’s father and sisters were there and could assist Foley.

Kellan spent the afternoon with Nora in their chamber. Nora suspected he was trying to distract her while also keeping her safely locked away. But today she did not mind. Kellan taught her much about the Burghards and patiently answered her questions.

When he no longer wanted to talk, he slowly undressed her. With every touch, every kiss, every soft-spoken word, Nora began to believe that Kellan was growing to care for her, and she for him.

As they laid in each other’s arms, in the afterglow of their lovemaking, Nora was happy. Kellan could smell it and his heart was full. This was how he imagined their life. Someday, perhaps sooner than he thought, he would ask her to blood-mate.

His daydreaming was interrupted by a loud banging on the chamber door. Kellan leapt up into a crouched position overtop Nora. It was an instinctive maneuver, to keep himself between her and any potential threat. A warm hand settled on his thigh.

“Husband, I suspect if someone was here to kill me, they wouldn’t have knocked.”

Kellan slowly turned to his mate and saw her smiling face. Was she laughing at her king? He snorted at her impishness, but didn’t move.

“Cheeky girl. You don’t know the cleverness of wolves.”

Nora swatted his backside and Kellan’s eyebrows shot to his hairline in surprise. His mate had just spanked him. Never had she been playful like this. He wanted to explore it further, but whomever was on the other side of the door pounded again.

“My lord!” shouted a muffled voice.

Kellan jumped off the bed and slipped on his robe. The guard would pay no attention to Kellan’s nudity, but Nora still found it odd for him to be nude around others.

Kellan unlocked the door and opened it only a fraction. It was one of his messengers, not the guard he had stationed outside the door all night.

“What is it?”

“Sir, there is news. They’ve caught a demon roaming the forest. They’ve chained him in one of the cells.”

Nora gasped as Kellan’s claws unsheathed. Slowly, he forced them to retract.

“I will be down in a minute.”

When the door shut, Kellan began searching for his trousers and shirt. He was tempted to shift and sprint down to the lower levels, but if his wolf was in control, he would likely kill the demon instead of questioning him.

Nora got out of bed and started dressing, as well. Kellan stopped buttoning his shirt.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“What does it look like I’m doing?”

“It looks like you think you’re leaving this chamber.”

Nora stiffened. The past couple of days had been wonderful, blissful even. Kellan had managed to effortlessly burrow into her heart.

How could he so easily revert to the overbearing brute he’d been before? She moved to stand in front of her husband, ensuring she had his full attention.

“I am leaving this chamber. I will not hide in fear, Kellan. To ask me to hide is to ask me to pretend to be a coward. And I am not a coward.”

“It has nothing to do with cowardice, Nora. Demons are tricky. They can do things to your mind. Think of what was done to Isla. It isn’t safe.”

Nora leaned towards him, hand on hip. “Then, based on that argument, you shouldn’t go, either. It would be terrible for the Great Wolf King to succumb to the mind tricks of a lowly demon.”

Kellan scowled. She had a point, but he would not admit it. He wanted her to stay put. He wanted her to do as he asked. Kellan knew she would do neither.

Nora saw the internal struggle Kellan was having. She recognized this wasn’t easy for him. He’d explained how all wolves deferred to the alpha’s authority. But Nora was not wolf, and Kellan needed to learn to treat her as his partner in life, not order her about like one of his men.

As she finished lacing her boots, she reached for her thick, metal bracelet. The dark tint sparked a memory, something Nora had learned from her father years ago.

“Iron!”

“What?”

“My father said that demons could be subdued with iron. It weakens their abilities somehow. Almost as if they are allergic to it.”

Kellan had never heard this. Of course, he had never held a demon prisoner and the last time his people fought against the demons was seven or eight hundred years before his birth.

“How would he know that, Nora?”

“I don’t know exactly, but we are elementals, Kellan. We control the elements. They speak to us, almost in the literal sense. Iron is one of many elements. It probably … communicated this knowledge with an elemental who controlled the earth.”

Kellan’s mouth hung open, disbelieving his wife had shared this information. All of Imperium believed the elementals had control over the main environmental elements, like fire, water, earth, and air. Not substances or metals, such as iron.

This revelation was one King Edward would not want shared. Perhaps Nora trusted Kellan more than she realized.

Though, in a way, her disclosure made sense. Iron was formed deep in the earth. It was a part of it. But Kellan was sure no wolf knew elementals controlled earth in a way that allowed them to “communicate” with substances.

Each of the four peoples of Imperium kept secrets, especially ones that were advantageous from a defensive standpoint. It was the ruling family’s duty to protect their people and many secrets were justified. It was one of the reasons Burghards didn’t walk around talking about being able to hear their mates’ thoughts.

Kellan wondered what other abilities the Gwydions had of which few were aware. As if hearing his thoughts, Nora narrowed her eyes.

“I trust you not to betray that little secret, Kellan.”

“Of course, Nora. I just,” he paused, scratching the scruff on his chin, “what else don’t I know?”

Nora blinked, trying to think of a reply that wasn’t a lie. Luckily, Kellan spared her.

“I do not want you to feel like you are betraying your people, Nora. But know that I would never do anything to make you or Gwydion feel exposed. I would never put them, or your family, in harm’s way. Eventually, I believe you will trust me enough to confide in me.”

Nora smiled, relieved Kellan wasn’t going to pressure her. She believed she would indeed confide in Kellan. Someday. They just needed time to get there. Nora kissed his cheek and led him out the door.

Kellan hid his reaction over Nora’s attempt to be the dominant. She was first out the door only because he allowed it, deciding it was better than the fight that would ensue if he continued to demand she remain behind.

Unable to follow her further, he pulled her close to his body and they fell in step together.

As they were about to descend to the lower levels, Mara stepped in front of them. Nora recoiled, recovering quickly.

Mara was a mess. Her salt and pepper hair was unkempt, with large tufts hanging free from her normally severe bun. Her bloodshot eyes darted from Kellan to Nora, while bony hands wrung nervously against her long skirt.

The Wolf King’s intuition nagged him to protect his mate. Mara was no more than a nuisance, but he would not be taking chances today. He surreptitiously slid his arm from behind Nora’s waist, ready to shift if necessary.

He must have looked as aggressive as he felt because the woman came no closer.

“I heard they caught a demon. Out in the woods? I was just walking around there earlier. I cannot believe one would come so close after all this. Is it—is it the one responsible? Has he confessed?” Mara stammered.

Kellan crossed his arms, sizing up the small governess. Her knowledge was problematic. How had she come across this information when he’d only just been informed? His stoic presence gave nothing away.

Mara turned to Nora, as if she would answer differently. Nora frowned.

“I have no answers, Mara. But do not worry. You seem to have been given a fright from the looks of you. Maybe next time take a guard out with you.”

Nora patted Mara’s arm and was hit with a vision. Mara’s body, lying at the bottom of a ravine. The vision lasted only a second, but Nora was sure of what she saw.

“On second thought, maybe don’t leave the castle yet, until we know what’s going on. Okay?” Nora hoped her voice did not betray her panic. She would need to tell Kellan about her vision. Mara nodded and walked away.

Kellan sniffed the air. Mara had given off a small amount of magic when Nora touched her. It was a scent he had never come across. It lingered on Nora.

Something niggled the back of his mind. Something was off. He chalked it up to his unease over Nora being around the demon, but made note that a discussion with Mara was long overdue.