ELORA
What?
How did this happen to her?
She was always so extra careful not to step on anyone’s toes. The image before me triggered a lot of memories from Alkarod. Then I was weak and couldn’t fight back but now I felt my body buzz. I couldn’t help it.
There was a spiky ring on the Lycan devil’s finger and as she slapped Lucy the spikes dug into her soft skin and ripped it. I could imagine the pain she was going through.
“You piece of shit! You’re too dumb to follow simple instructions! What did I say about raisins in my dinner? I only eat raisins during breakfast!” She gave Lucy a slap at each word.
I ran as fast as I could toward them and pushed Lucy out of the way.
“I’m sorry, Your highness. She is dumb as you said! I’m sorry about anything she has done. She is clumsy and innocent!” I cried.
I felt it wiser to beg the Lycan than to defend my friend by fighting. I didn’t want to harm a Lycan thereby threatening my stay at the castle. That would ruin everything.
“You don’t want to stoop so low to hurt her. In your grace and mercy, please forgive her!” I continued and hoped the princess would reason with me.
Instead, she dug her nails into my hair and pulled it hard. Thankfully, I was used to that so I endured the pain. She then dragged me and flung me off. I landed flat on the ground. I was lightheaded. The next hit landed on my face. My face burned and I was blinded with pain.
The ring!
It was silver!
Another also followed and this time she made sure the spike on her ring dug deep into my skin.
She knew I was a werewolf.
She kicked me in the stomach and punched me over and over. There was no point in defending myself. I let her beat me into a pulp. As I did back at Alkarod, I detached myself from my body. It was just like I was watching myself getting beat up.
My eyes met Lucy’s. She struggled to keep them open as she was in severe pain. She was muttering something as blood dropped from her lips and face. Lucy did not deserve this one bit.
The Lycan continued to disfigure my body. She derived pleasure in doing so.
“Don’t, in your life, interfere when I’m punishing a slave. You’re a fucking lowlife, you have no right to interfere or even speak to me!”
She pushed me aside and went back to Lucy’s body. The Lycan was going to kill her so I gathered all the energy I could and stood in front of Lucy again. The Lycan could hurt me all she could, I had more experience but Lucy was indeed too innocent and she was going to die if the beating continued.
I expected the sting on my face that followed so I winced and waited while shutting my eyes. Warm blood streamed down my face blurring my vision. The next slap followed. As I waited for the next one, a grunt followed. The Lycan devil grunted. My eyes flung open to see her in a headlock. She flailed her arms and groaned. Her face was as red as her hair.
“Skye.” She managed to say.
It was Lady Skye in all her glory.
Her eyes bore no emotions as she gripped the Lycan’s neck.
“Where are your manners?” Skye growled.
“I’m sorry. Your… Your Grace,” She sputtered.
Skye released her then, dropping the bitch like a sack of potatoes and placing a foot on her head.
“You’ve been warned before, Princess. You are not to harm another member of the Royal staff.” She increased the pressure on her foot thereby making her half-sister grunt again. “I’m not as nice as our darling brother, the King so if I catch you repeating what I saw today, I will fucking break your skull. You hear me?”
The princess grunted.
“You hear me?” Lady Skye asked again.
The Lycan scoffed and managed to roll her eyes. She had no remorse.
Such a devil.
Skye finally released her and she limped away still confident despite the humiliation she faced.
I would make sure to avoid her just in case she chose to get revenge.
I looked up at my savior, in total awe of her.
She wielded power like no one I’d ever seen before except perhaps her half-brother, the King, and she walked as if she knew herself. If I were to become a woman like that, I would be able to get revenge for my family.
Skye crouched down to our level and stretched out a hand even though she frowned as if she’d rather be anywhere than there. I placed my hand in hers trusting that despite her frown, we were safe with her. Lucy was too weak to respond as she had lost a lot of blood.
“Hey, you!” Skye called out to someone running towards us. “Take the girl to the infirmary.”
The person carried Lucy in his arms. “Oh, poor Lucy.” It was Kano, his face furrowed with worry.
Skye turned to me. “You will follow me to get yourself cleaned.” She put a hand on my waist to support me as she walked towards the royal living quarters.
As we got closer to the quarters, someone took me from Skye and carried me bride-style into the quarters. My face still hurt so I couldn’t admire the beauty of the castle as much as I wanted.
“She’ll be fine soon… Yes, she can make it to the council meeting… Just a drink of the medicine and that’s all.” The voice muttered.
Skye sighed.
We entered a room. It looked like a physician’s. There were many bottles filled with various colors of liquids. Medicine. I was dropped carefully onto a bed and then the person cleaned my cut. He dipped a washcloth into a basin and then wiped my face. I could literally feel the cuts close up. My head felt less light headed.
“Sit up. You will drink this and in some minutes you’ll regain your strength.” He helped me sit up and put a cup in my hands.
I took a sip and it burned my throat. I winced.
“Come on. It’ll help you recover fast.”
I poured the liquid down my throat and ignored the burn. My body buzzed and tingled.
The physician tapped my head. “You’ll be fine soon.” Then he walked out of the room.
I turned to Skye. “Thank you for your help.”
“It’s okay.” In her hand was a white dress. How did that get there? She held out a hand and pulled me up. Just like the physician had said, I was better. Lycan medicine was different.
“You will wear this dress. Yours seems a bit rumpled.”
A bit?
I almost laughed.
“Yes, your highness,” I said taking the dress from her.
She also left the room, giving me privacy and I took the time to admire the feel of the material before wearing it.
The dress was soft and silky in a fabric of a startling white I was afraid my fingers would stain. It was pleated from the waist, flowing down to pool around my feet. I fingered the transparent beads sewn onto the waist, and the glittering gem randomly attached. It had a plunging neckline so my pale skin was exposed a bit more than I was used to. There had to be another reason for me to be wearing a dress like this. It was much too extravagant for a slave like me.
I discarded my uniform and wore the dress immediately feeling like royalty. This was different.
Someone knocked. “Elora, we need to leave.”
I opened the door, it was Skye.
“Leave? Where are we going? Why am I dressed in this fancy dress? Is something wrong?”
“Oh, nothing is wrong. We’re just heading to the council meeting,” Skye said casually.
What?
The council meeting was one where important decisions about Hanaerum was taken. What did I have to do in a place like that, I was a lowly slave. I’m I in trouble?
“Council meeting?”
“Yes, Elora.”