ELORA
My heart beat a frantic rhythm in my chest and a lump formed at the back of my throat as tears sprang behind my eyes.
Could it really be true?
Was I really not alone anymore?
It felt so strange to hear someone so ardently profess the desire to protect me after so long. To know that there was someone other than my family that knew the truth of everything that had happened.
For the first time in a long time, I felt the stirrings of hope in my blood.
“Oh, Gael. It wasn’t your fault those bastards ruined us…”
“It wasn’t. But I have made it my mission to bring those bastards to justice.” He professed moving so fast I had barely even seen him move to stand before me. Grabbing my hands in one large calloused hand, he placed the other under my chin and pushed my head up to look at him. “And I plan to do it by your side. I will protect you, my Lady. I promise you that.”
I met his gaze with renewed determination burning in my blood, nodding even with my chin still in his hands. I suddenly felt like there was nothing I couldn’t accomplish now.
“We’ll make them pay eventually.” I promised, “They will feel pain a thousand times more than everything they made us feel.”
My voice broke as the lump thickened in my throat. A lone tear escaped my eyelid and made a path down the side of my face to his hand, bonding us with pain that had bored painfully into our bones, branding itself on our souls.
He nodded grimly and swallowed. The expression on my face mirrored the grim determination I found on his.
“I don’t trust the Lycans too. Even though they claim to be on our side, a lot of their kind bought and killed many of us as slaves.” He growled, folding his arms against his body, stepping away from me. “Before the raid, I had given up hope that we would be saved but when I saw you at the front of the army, I was proud of you. It was my joy to see that you still have the fire your father carried.”
My eyes welled up with tears again at his words. Hearing that I had made some difference during the raid that had freed so many, especially from a slave like me, made me feel in some way that I had started down the path of bringing retribution to those monsters.
“Your father would be proud of you wherever he is. I promise you that.”
I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand but it was hard to stem the flow now that he had mentioned my father. It had been easy to ignore the fact that he was well and truly gone when my focus had been on keeping my siblings safe but now that there was relative peace, I felt his absence weigh dearly on my soul.
I had always relied on his wisdom and sense of justice and now that I didn’t have him to run to, I felt lost and alone, forced to make decisions I had not seen coming.
Would he really be proud of how I’d handled things so far?
“I truly hope you didn’t refuse your freedom based on the hope that I could be strong enough to bring those monsters to justice?” I asked biting my lip as nervousness filled me. I had barely enough strength to keep my siblings safe. Having another person relying on me would only weigh on me and make me feel worse than I already do.
He shook his head.
“Most men run to the southern border but there is a stigma attached to staying there. The Blackfoot’s are still treated like outsiders. I don’t want that for myself.” He stated proudly. “Alkarod is the home of my father and his father before him. My place is there. But I also promised you I will be anywhere you want to be because you’re the daughter of a man I truly admired. If you decide to head over to the southern border, I will follow you.”
He looked so certain that I couldn’t bring myself to refuse his loyalty.
“Thank you,” I answered, pouring as much honesty as I could into my words.
“It’s my pleasure to serve you, Lady Elora.” He answered with a bow.
As a companionable silence settled over us, I remembered the plans I had for the day. Plus, I needed respite from the emotional hills and valleys I had just scaled.
“You must be hungry. Why don’t you go for breakfast while I freshen up?” I suggested, standing up. “I want to visit my siblings later today.”
He nodded and bowed before walking out of my chambers, closing the door with a soft click.
I replayed the conversation we’d had in my head as I soaked in the warm bath, feeling the tension the emotions had left behind seep into the lavender scented water. Even though it was wise to be cautious, I felt somewhat glad to have him around me.
After my bath, I donned a simple light pink day dress, leaving my makeup and jewelry light. I looked myself in the mirror, giving myself an appreciative nod at how the playfully low neckline enhanced my bosom, the pale pink of the material adding a healthy flush to my skin. The love bites I had seen earlier had all but faded due to my werewolf healing.
I suddenly wondered if Gael had noticed them earlier.
A hot blush coated my cheeks as the embarrassment.
My eyes spied a pretty ivory ring and I decided to give it to Olivia as a gift. I would arrange for Kano to get fishing hooks for the boys later. They needed all the distraction they could get now after the ordeal they’d been through.
I nearly fainted from shock when I stepped out of my room to see Gael standing so close to the door. I placed a hand on my chest to calm my rapidly beating heart.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, glaring at him playfully. “I thought you left to get breakfast?”
“I am your guard now so I need to guard you.” He teased and sketched a mock bow. “Which way, my Lady?”
I laughed at his antics and started a slow pace down the corridor to the Royal Staff Quarter’s.
“I’m going to see my siblings now. I’ll be having breakfast with them the I’ll head to the library.”
“Very well.”
******
We walked over to the staff quarters making small talk about the Darwin pack and what we had loved about it before it had all been ruined. It seemed he had a love of nature and the outdoors just like I did even though he didn’t get to spend much time outside because of his studies.
He was especially good with my siblings, bonding instantly with the boys over a game he had played when he was young. They invited him to their next fishing exercise which he excitedly accepted. Olivia, the shyest of us, blushed but still participated in the conversation. She loved the ivory ring and I was joyous. They seemed to be as happy as usual as if nothing had happened even though I knew better. I was glad that at least they found things to amuse them here.
After a lovely time with them, we headed over to the general library. This library was not as glamorous or as exciting as the royal library but it was grand in its own right.
I needed to borrow more books to read to the palace staff that I had been tutoring. The library staff were especially friendly which I was grateful for. I went to the poetry section with Gael trailing behind me as I let my hand run over the leather spines of especially old volumes.
The scent of ink and paper was a heady combination that had me giggling euphorically.
“Look who we have here.” A feminine voice sneered halting me mid spin.
I turned to see Teriel’s sister looking down at me with disdain. She was even more beautiful than she had been at the dinner party in a day dress of crimson satin embroidered with gold along the hem and sleeves. Her brown hair was in loose waterfall like curls and a pretty gold satin scarf adorned her neck tied into a pretty bow. She looked the kind of woman that was aware of how beautiful she was and made no attempt in hiding it.
“Good day, Riley.” I greeted, curtsying even though everything in me warned me to run the other way.
She looked momentarily surprised that I remembered her name but schooled her looks back to one of superiority. As if I could forget her.
Who would?
With the way she was all over the king, one could have mistaken her for the king’s mistress.
“Good day, Elora. What brings you here?” She asked with a mischievous lopsided smile.
She was holding a dainty straw basket tied up with a blue ribbon.
“I–”
“Never mind.” She interrupted, dragging me to a nearby corner. One that smelled of dust and mold. My nose twitched and I fought back a sneeze.
“You know what this is?” She asked holding the basket up to my face still smiling.
I frowned in confusion at the odd question
“Hangover soup.” She answered with a self-satisfied smirk.
I stared on, confused as to why she thought it necessary to inform me.
She had a smug smile on her face meaning she thought whatever she said was supposed to be of some importance to me and probably elicit a less than graceful reaction from me.
I was almost sorry to disappoint her.
“Okay.” I told her, “I hope you feel better soon.”
She rolled her and tutted like she was conversing with a simpleton.
“It’s not for me silly.” She giggled, slapping my shoulder like we were old pals. “It’s for the king. This is my mother’s special hangover soup. One that he loves the most.”
Oh.
No wonder she looked so smug.
She was trying to make me jealous.
“I can see through you, you know.” She continued, “I know what you’re doing. Acting naive… no wait, dumb. Acting dumb isn’t going to get you anywhere.”
I took a step back as she jabbed her index finger in my direction.
“I’m sorry I…”
“Know your place.” She spat menacingly, lowering her voice as she took a step toward me. “You’re just a mere slave.”
Deep down, I wanted to walk away from this unnecessary conversation and resume my activities for the day but I knew if I didn’t let her fully express her dislike for me now, I would never hear the end of it.
There was no need to remind me of my status as a slave. I was more than aware of it.
“You’re just here to bear children for the king. Children that may not be heirs if the King finally finds his Queen.” She spat, eyeing me. “You’re just a whore with a fancy title. Eventually he’ll find his perfect woman and toss scum like you where you truly belong.”
I stumbled back when she took another step closer, bumping into the hard planes of someone’s body. I looked up, surprised to see Gael behind me.
Had he been there all along?
He bared his teeth and pushed me behind him as if he wanted to face down the other woman but I stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“Stop, Gael,” I ordered him.
Riley looked between both of us with a smirk and brushed past.
“Glad to see you’re not proving me wrong.” She whispered as she moved past us. “Good day!” I heard her chirpily greet the Library staff like she hadn’t been spewing acid a minute ago.
I didn’t know I had been holding my breath till I heard the double doors of the Library shut.
What the hell had I gotten myself into?