The occasional crackle from the fire was the only sound in the night air as the heat spread throughout the camp, thawing our frozen bodies. The typically jovial group of men was made solemn by the loss of three of their own. The air hung thick around us, filled with their silent grief.
I glanced over to Kode from across the fire as the others began making their way toward tents for the night. “What happens now?”
“We wait. Ry knows the drill. He has one full day, then we must keep moving back toward the château.” Kode looked over at me, the firelight casting dark shadows across his face.
I stayed silent for a moment, mulling over my thoughts. “Is it always like this?”
“The journey across the Rise? Yes. Life in Verastarr? No.” Kode sighed.
“Why would any one of these men volunteer to go into the Barree Rise if they knew this is what they would encounter?” Sadness coated my voice as I looked at Kode, my heart breaking for the lives lost all over a stupid pendant. It felt like their deaths were my fault, and I once again wished I’d never accepted the pendant all those years ago. The lives lost, the sacrifices that had been made and would have to be made, didn’t seem worth a singular piece of jewelry.
“That necklace you’re wearing.” He gestured toward my neck. “To everyone here tonight, it represents hope. A promise of a future where they don’t have to be filled with worry for their family and friends. A future without the looming threats of attacks and ambushes from the Nordak. These men here would sacrifice everything for a chance at a future of peace.”
* * *
I fell asleep beside the fire that night, my sadness and sorrow building within me at the loss of Sébastien and the two wolvyn. The guilt that I survived was an ever-present weight. When I awoke, the campsite was still asleep, snores filled the air, and an occasional bird sang its morning song. I looked forward to returning to the château, tired of waking up on rough surfaces, with new aches in my bones. I would kill for a warm, home-cooked meal, a shower, or an actual bathroom.
I rose quietly, padding across the camp toward the trees. Out of earshot from the camp, I stretched, changing into traveling leathers, the fresher onyx-colored pants growing on me as I strapped my dagger on my upper thigh. I glanced at the side of my arm, studying the lingering injury intently. My fingers trailed along the healing stitches that I knew would be ready to come out in a few days. An event that I was dreading.
A twig cracked to my left, my body tensed at the intruding noise as my hand flew to my side, gripping the handle of the blade. My back flattened against the rough bark of the pine tree as I looked through the morning light, praying there was no danger lurking close by.
Another snap had my head twisting to the side, dagger drawn and at the ready as I waited for the intruder to show themselves.
“Wandering away from camp, once again, hmmm, princesse?” A velvety-soft voice whispered from behind me.
My heart stopped in my chest, my pulse racing as I spun around in disbelief.
“Your—You—I—” Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision as I struggled to speak. My dagger slipped from my grasp as it hit the grass with a thud. “I watched you fall!”
“And yet you look shocked to see me. Almost as if you were afraid I died. As if you missed me.” He said in a teasing voice, contradictory to every emotion welling inside me.
“I don’t understand,” I stuttered as I took in his appearance. Dirt-stained cheeks, small cuts in his clothing, and that one swoop of hair that hung over his right eye slightly. “How did you survive?” I questioned, still in denial that he was truly standing inches from me.
“Well, my saving you from throwing yourself off the ledge triggered another phase of the bond. It suspended me mid-fall as I shifted back and the bond inked itself across my skin, miraculously giving Ry enough time to show up and interrupt my plunge to a sudden and painful death,” he casually replied as though his encounter with death was a daily occurrence.
I stared at him briefly, wondering how he could speak so easily about falling off a mountain. “I’m sorry, suspended you in the air?”
He leaned against a thin tree trunk nearby, his eyes devouring me in the early morning light as he answered, a calm voice to the stark pitch mine had taken. “Wolvyn bonds involve magic, as I’m sure you have come to realize by now. When the bond inks, it’s as though a pause happens. Only momentarily, but it happens, nonetheless.”
I approached him slowly, as though any sudden movement would cause the image of him to vanish like he had on the edge of the mountain. Once my initial shock melted away, a slight anger boiled up within me, tipping against my lips. “I can’t believe you!” I snapped. “Are you insane? You practically threw yourself off the edge of a mountain.”
“One that you were more than willing to walk off, if I remember correctly,” he said with a slight glint in his eye. “I was simply doing you a favor by saving your life.”
“While appreciated, I don’t recall ever asking for your help,” I retorted. “What am I supposed to do about this now? We were supposed to get rid of it, not add another inking.” I waved my newly marked wrist in front of his face.
His hand whipped out, grabbing my arm mid-wave as he gave a tug, yanking me toward his body. The pressure remained on my arm, sending tingles down my body as his eyes took on a dark glint. “I wouldn’t count on those disappearing anytime soon, princesse. I’m nowhere near done with you yet.”
Heat built within me, even as defiance flared across my face. “And if I don’t agree with that, Your Highness?” I prompted, annoyed that he thought he controlled the narrative.
“You just said it yourself. After all, I am a prince,” he drawled, pulling my arm so I was flush against his chest as he leaned down, his breath spreading across my bare skin. “You certainly weren’t complaining the other night now, were you?”
Yanking my arm back away from him, I turned on my heel and headed back toward the makeshift campsite. Fire ran through my veins as I thought about what he said. My mind went back to that night, to the feel of his hands on me and his lips hungrily claiming mine as a seed of doubt sprouted up when I realized he was right. I hadn’t had a problem with anything the other night. In fact, all I had wanted was to taste every part of him, to drown in his touch.
* * *
We traveled for three straight days. The attitude as we traveled switched from joking laughter to sorrow for the lost men, to high alert, depending on the time of day. My muscles had begun to grow used to riding, although I still envied those in our party who could take to the air and avoid the constant cantering of the horses.
I spent most of the journey processing the news from the Elder as I still struggled to accept the path I had to choose. Because how does one choose between themself and their sibling?
Even though I knew deep down that when we returned to the city, I would choose my sister over myself without a second of doubt, a heavy blanket of sadness cloaked me. I would be sacrificing my career, my family, the friendships I had built, my entire life. And all for what? An ancient prophecy? A desperate last effort founded in the past. It just didn’t feel fair, although what in life is fair to begin with?
Near the end of the third day, I started to recognize where we were heading. The large, looming gates of Château Comptal de Capetian came into view. “Sébastien.” My voice faltered as I spoke, confused as to why we were not heading back to Ny Palais. “Why haven’t we returned to Ny Palais? Kateya is still there. I—Well, I just assumed we would return for her…”
His grip around the reins tightened as a low rumble came from behind me in response. “We can’t go back yet.”
“Why not?” I persisted.
A disgruntled sigh filled the dusk air. “There’s been unrest in a few areas surrounding the château following the ambush at the village that must be dealt with. There’s also the matter of your necklace.”
My head twisted to meet his gaze. “What about my necklace?” I questioned, unsure why it was a matter to be dealt with.
“Releasing the power within the necklace is the easy part,” he responded with a low chuckle. “Controlling the magic that’s released. That’s another story.” A long pause filled the air before he spoke again. His tone tainted with a hardened bite. “You were, and still are, an easy target with that necklace around your neck.” The stitched injury twinged at the reminder of how easy a target I had been, as his deep voice rumbled on. “Those who sought to control the power in your necklace through force will still seek that power even once it’s been released. If they can control you, then they control the magic that will be tied to you.”
“Then I won’t let them control me,” I retorted with determination.
“Controlling magic isn’t easy,” he responded with a loaded sigh. “Those who receive powers and magic train for years to understand the force flowing through their veins. To be one with the power rather than enduring the continual fight within. We don’t have that time. As soon as the magic is released, you will be both safer and more in danger than before.”
My eyes met Sébastien’s with a fierce determination. “Well, Your Highness,” I replied sarcastically. “I don’t plan on dying or getting captured anytime soon.”
A harsh chuckle slipped from those freckled lips as he held my gaze. “Come now. Don’t get too cocky, princesse. Let’s just see if you survive training first.”
* * *
I was so exhausted that I hardly processed being assisted off the horse or being escorted to a room on one of the higher stories in the château when we arrived. A slight smile reached the corners of my mouth as Rosalie hurried into the room, and for once, I was grateful for her help as she assisted me in removing the grime-covered leathers I had plastered to my legs the past few days and getting into fresh clean clothes. Sleep pulled me under immediately, my body beyond exhausted from what I endured in the past weeks.
I woke to the soft sounds of trickling water and a lavender scent wafting across the room. I noticed Rosalie drawing a bath, and again, a slight smile spread across my lips at the normality, yet luxury, of a bath. Noticing I was awake, she assisted me in getting in, then after some convincing on my part, she left me to myself. I sunk deeper into the marbled tub, letting the water rise higher, surrounding me in a liquid cocoon as steam billowed through the room. After scrubbing my hair with lemon-scented shampoo until my scalp burned, I leaned back into the bubbles as the sweet smell permeated the air.
My mind drifted over everything, from the pendant scalding my skin back at the airport to being kidnapped and attacked, to discovering that both Kateya and I couldn’t return home together. It felt like my worst nightmare. Giving up everything, losing my sister to the future, never getting to embrace my parents, or party with my best friend. A small part of me wondered about the life I could have here, though. Whether I would be happy. If I could get used to this life. Choosing not to subject Kateya to this fate meant choosing this destiny for myself, and I couldn’t help hearing Aerilyn’s voice in the back of my head.
A smile crept across my face as I thought of her discussing the options with me. I already knew my man-crazed best friend would be screaming at me. So what, you have to stay here? Have you not seen him?? You have a towering, possessive alpha male, who is a literal prince, bonded to you. Also, did I mention the magic? And the men here? Why not stay? Groaning at myself and my imaginary conversation, I pushed myself out of the tub, realizing I desperately needed some socialization.
Getting out of the bath, I reached for a plush towel draped on the counter, the thick material soaking up the droplets of water cascading down my body. I dressed and wandered down the staircase toward the château courtyard.
Not necessarily sure if I was allowed to leave my room, I took the risk, figuring that the garden was still part of the castle, so I should be alright. I desperately wished for the company of Kateya or Emalyee. I wanted to be able to laugh and make jokes with them, anything to help to forget the numbing heartache I felt.
I wandered the gardens, walking on the soft dirt, as dried leaves crunched beneath my feet, arched trees making a canopy above me. It was peaceful here and calming, with a slight chilled breeze blowing gently through my hair. I hadn’t heard the footsteps approaching behind me until they fell in line with mine, matching my pace. Yet I didn’t need to look over to know who was intruding on my walk. The chill in the air that made you wish to disappear mixed with pine and spice gave him away.
“I don’t recall granting you permission to wander the castle grounds, seeing as the Nordak attacks have increased. However, I will let it slip for now.” His deep voice sounded from the side.
Scoffing, I took a good look at Sébastien, his dark, wavy hair flowing down in curls framing his face. “So, we're back to that then, are we?”
I could see the tense set of his jaw and the rigid way he walked—upright and carrying a heavy weight due to the latest attacks. He gave orders, and he certainly didn’t like taking orders, I knew that. But the Nordak attacks were growing closer to us. To me. The concern was etched into his face.
We walked along in a comfortable silence, taking in the fresh air, the way the birds chirped softly as we continued. Looking over, I could notice him relaxing, his muscles less clenched, his lips not drawn as tight. “I had no idea,” I started, pausing to see if he would stop me. When he didn’t, I continued. “About the ambush, I mean. I wouldn’t have wanted you to go had I known there would be an attack. And I am truly grateful for your help. I may not always show it or act like it, but I do appreciate both you and your father’s assistance in finding the pendant. And I’m sorry your men were injured because of it.”
He looked over at me, regarding me with those deep blue eyes that spoke volumes before saying, “I know you didn’t have any idea.” His usually authoritative voice was somewhat softer, smoother than when he usually spoke to me. “If you had, you wouldn’t have snuck along on the journey.”
“Did you know?” I questioned. “About the rules linked to the pendant, I mean.”
“That only one of you would be able to go back? No,” he responded, his voice colder than before. “It wouldn’t have mattered. You were never going back. From the moment you mentioned that pendant, your life was in our hands. Your fate was ours to control.”
I stopped and met his hardened gaze with one of my own. A snarky reply was on the tip of my tongue, but the words froze as I realized it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter what his plans had been, or his father’s. I wasn’t going back. I couldn’t go back. But that didn’t mean I would let someone else control the rest of my life. “I want to learn to fight against those with magic,” I voiced. “You said it yourself, that I will have an even larger target on my back once I shatter this pendant.”
Sébastien looked down at me, a smile curling upward across his mouth, making my stomach flutter. “It’s about time, princesse. We will begin training tomorrow.”
“We?” I prompted.
A low chuckle surrounded me, and I felt fingers tilting my chin up to meet his strong gaze. “But of course, princesse. Who else did you think would train you?”
My mind flashed to a multitude of men I would have chosen to help me train before I would have asked Sébastien.
“Come now. You aren’t afraid of the big, bad wolf, are you now?” He taunted in my ear, a shiver coursing through me, fear clashing with determination.
“Not at all,” I replied, not one to back down from a challenge. “Just wasn’t aware you thought so highly of yourself,” I jabbed back.
A chuckle emerged from his lips, those icy orbs darkening into slits as his face inched closer to mine than I wanted, the murderous look in those eyes sending a pang of heat straight through me. “Don’t tempt me.” He breathed into the remaining space between our lips. “I bite back.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but the words never came. His lips crashed down on mine, firm and commanding as they pried mine apart, forcing entry into my mouth and taking what he wanted. I fell into him, lost in the moment, my hands tangling in his wavy hair. His arm wrapped around my waist, pinning me up against his solid mass. The outline of his corded muscles against my body, his fingers snaking their way through my hair before giving a sharp tug. My head snapped back from the hold on my hair, my throat exposed as his lips moved on from mine, leaving them longing for another taste.
His lips feathered their way down the column of my neck before I felt his teeth sink in. A sharp burst of pain mixed with the scent of iron flooded my senses as I realized he broke the skin. His tongue soothed over the abused area in a circle, causing a heated moan to escape my lips as he licked up my neck before he pulled away, leaving me gasping for air as I met his darkened gaze.
“You bit me,” I forced out as my common sense decided to return to my body.
Sébastien smirked at me before turning away. He left me there, still staring at him in shock. He’d just about rounded the wall of the garden when I finally processed that he’d left me there, gaping at him like a fish out of water.
“Sébastien!” I called, running after him. “Sébastien Capetian.” I said again when I stopped right in front of him, blocking his escape. “What the fuck! You bit me. You don’t just do that to someone and then leave.” His eyes narrowed as I yelled at him, but I didn’t realize until I felt my arm being yanked and I found myself pinned up against the stone wall of the garden, Sébastien’s form looming over mine.
“I can do whatever I please, Cassandra. I am, after all, Sébastien Capetian, second son of Adrastan Capetian, King of Verastarr.” He growled as he held me against the wall, his body pressing into mine. “And you certainly didn’t seem to mind a moment ago as you were moaning with my tongue on your neck, now did you, princesse?”
I matched his venomous gaze, a fire raging inside me at his retort, as my skin bristled with annoyance.
“Capetian.” A stiff voice broke our standoff from the entrance of the garden.
Sébastien pulled away from me slightly, “Oui, qu’est-ce que c’est, Geoffroi?” I recognized the name as he rounded the corner of the garden toward us. It belonged to his third-in-command, the soldier who had tossed me into the tree and journeyed with us following my rescue. I felt Sébastien shift, his body shielding mine slightly as Geoffroi approached, speaking in rapid French. When I felt every muscle in Sébastien’s body tense, concern swept over me. I hadn’t been paying close attention to what had transpired in the conversation, but when Geoffroi turned to take his leave, Sébastien focused his attention back toward me. I could feel something was off.
“Sébastien? Why was Geoffroi concerned?” I questioned.
“Rien, Cassandra. It’s nothing you need to concern yourself over.” I opened my mouth to speak, but his stern voice emphasized, “I mean it, Cassandra. I can see the curiosity laced in your eyes, and right now is not the time. So, leave it be, before I have to make you. Understood?”
I groaned. This man really needed to get it together. One minute he was opening up and being somewhat tolerable, the next he was back to typical alpha male status. I didn’t say anything, just half glared at him as he took my hand and led me back toward the entrance of the garden.
There was a sense of urgency bustling around the courtyard this time. Soldiers and wolvyn rushed all over the place, and when I glanced at Sébastien, I noticed his eyes scanning the surroundings like a hawk watching its prey. He led me into the château, his feet moving swiftly as I was half dragged along behind him. We rounded a turn, went up three flights of stairs, and two more turns later, he was pushing a large wooden door open swiftly. “Cassandra. You will remain ici. Under no circumstances will you leave this room. And I mean no circumstances. There is an opening here,” he said, gesturing toward the window. “Stay away from it for your own safety and the safety of those under my watch as well. I will be back shortly. Comprendre?”
Nodding, I replied, “Oui, je comprends. I will stay here away from the window. I won’t break my word.” With a steeled look into my eyes, he left, locking the door from the outside, trapping me in while leaving me to wonder how he thought I would leave if he was locking me in.
I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but I knew it wasn’t good from the number of soldiers I had seen in the courtyard. I assumed there would be some sort of fight if that many soldiers were getting ready.
Looking around, I could tell that this room was larger than the one I was staying in. There was a bed centered against one wall, and two iron swords and a shield hung above it. To my side was a table with a few books stacked on it. Unsure of what I should do, I wandered over to the desk, looking over the titles of the books. The titles were foreign to me, and certainly not my taste, as I typically preferred romance novels to war tactics and history. However, I settled on a book that appeared to cover the history of Vanaiyer.
Picking up the book, I softly turned the pages. Walking over to the bed in the center, I propped myself up and began to read, not entirely sure what else there was to do while I waited for the door to be unlocked.
I’m not sure how long I read for. The sunlight began fading, and I had lit the bedside candle, reading into the evening as dusk settled over the château.