Chapter 79
POV: Arlan
He and the two mysterious women took an unfamiliar path to the foggy and darkest part of the house’s far western wing. He didn’t even know whether he was still on the South Side or not.
But Tamika confirmed that they were still on the South Side. Apparently, it was the deepest part of the South Side that no one had ever discovered before. He didn’t know how long they had been walking on the dark path and he didn’t know how many times he had almost tripped on the twigs around him, but all that he felt was the painful wound behind him.
His exhaustion was almost eating him up, but his strong will was keeping him going fueling his inner desire to go on and fulfill his duty as the King’s loyal servant.
Tamika gave him a wooden crutch to aid him in walking. It was better, though for he didn’t want any of them to help him with walking. It was hard for him especially that his arms were forcing his back to move, making his wound ache more.
However, his determination to go back to the castle was much more important to him than that he could do everything endure anything just to help the King and Queen.
His eyes almost glistened with joy, the moment he saw the old bricks of the castle.
“We’re almost there.” He lowly whispered as he followed Tamika, who was walking in front of him, while Shanaia was walking behind them.
“Yeah. Now, shut the f*ck up.” Shanaia whispered back.
She seemed annoyed at something, but he mentally shrugged it all off. He was more focused on the fact that they were almost there.
The moment, their feet landed in front of the huge metal gate, the sentinels instantly growled stopping them.
“Who the heck are you?!” One of them furiously asked.
The two women didn’t even flinch and just looked at him while raising their left brow and crossing their arms.
“I am Arlan, the King’s second in command. Open the gates.” He loudly ordered them.
The sentinel wolves looked at each other before their eyes widened as they realized what he had just said.
“Sir A-Arlan…” One of the sentinels probably, the highest ranked of all of them, based on his different uniform called him.
“Tsk!” He rolled his tongue inside his mouth because of his pure impatience and irritation.
The sentinels instantly opened the gates for them.
Tamika and Shanaia followed behind him as he exhaustedly let out a deep sigh. Despite his painful wounds, he managed to walk towards the staircase leading inside the castle.
“A-Arlan…” Dillion and Shimuel were both shocked as they called his name.
“What the heck happened to you?” Shimuel worriedly asked.
While Dillion just stared at him perplexed and stunned.
“Just call the King, Shimuel. I need to talk to him.” He seriously ordered his colleague.
“At this hour?” His forehead furrowed at his strange request.
“Even at this hour, yes. Just tell the King that I’m back. I am sure he won’t punish you. This is urgent.” His serious voice didn’t falter.
Even though Shimuel was still unsure of his orders, he still followed them because of the urgency in his voice.
“What happened to you? We have been looking for you for the past few days.” Dillion worriedly asked him.
Arlan let out a deep sigh.
“I… The King… Well, I need to talk to the King first, Dillion.” He hesitantly replied, for he didn’t want to tell anything to him.
The King had assigned him to this secret mission, and he had to tell him everything – and only him.
“What is all the commotion about?” Prince Raven’s cold voice resonated in the hallway.
All of their eyes moved towards him. He was with the salutary wolf from the Lunar Pack.
‘Who is it again? Oh right, it’s Kage Esmeray.’ He mentally thought.
“You!” Kage shouted as he pointed his index finger to Tamika who was just wearing an unreadable expression on her face.
Now, that he saw them he felt like the hair at the back of his nape stood up, for they weren’t just reflecting a mysterious aura, but a darker, colder, and ominous one.
***
POV: Kage Esmeray
He was talking about something with Prince Raven when they heard the voice of the King’s second in command.
“Arlan is back.” Prince Raven commented and instantly walked out of the room.
He was puzzled by his reaction, but he still followed him out.
“What is all the commotion about?” Prince Raven’s cold voice resonated in the hallway.
He was shocked to see Arlan on a wooden crutch, and he looked like he was hurt or something. The third in command, Dillion was also present at the scene. But his eyes moved towards the man wearing a mask and a hoody, then to the woman beside her with an unreadable expression on her face.
His eyes widened in surprise when he saw that familiar woman dressed in a turtleneck long flowy gown that reached her feet and had sleeves that reached her elbows. Her braided jet-black hair was revealed as she removed the hood of her black overall hoodie.
“You!” Kage shouted as he pointed his index finger at the woman.
Her lifeless eyes met his and he silently gasped.
“I think you don’t need a lot of people to talk to the King, Mr. Arlan.” She conceitedly stated ignoring him.
Her arrogance made Kage irritably grit his teeth and he could feel that his inner wolf felt the same way.
“And what do you mean by that?” He angrily snapped at her, but she didn’t seem like she cared about his sudden fury.
Instead, she mockingly smirked at him.
“Depends on how you understand it, then, that’s it.” She icily replied.
He clenched his jaw.
“Stop talking nonsense here. Great thing that you’re here now, Arlan.” They didn’t even feel the King’s presence around them.
He just appeared in front of the crowd.
“Arlan, Raven, and Kage, follow me.” The King authoritatively commanded.
“With all due respect, My King, Tamika, and Shanaia also need to be with us to explain themselves.” Arlan suddenly interjected.
His forehead creased, and so as Raven’s, and the King’s too.
“They need to tell you something.” Arlan seriously continued.
“Tamika will be with you. I will just be bored there.” The person wearing a mask who was, surprisingly, a woman spoke seriously.
‘So, her name is Tamika. What a weirdo.’ He mentally commented.
Arlan shot her a glare, but she seemed unbothered by it.
“If you still don’t trust me, you can call the sentinels and guard me. My katana won’t leave its sheath.” She coldly stated like she was holding a higher authority than the King.
The woman named Tamika slightly chuckled.
“Forgive her insolence, Your Majesty. She isn’t just used to large crowds like this.” Tamika seemed to turn into a more polite woman which made him more furious, and he had no idea why.
“Just let her be. For now, I need to talk to you pronto. Besides, it isn’t as if she could do something around here.” The King’s aura darkened as he spoke those words.
And he turned his back and proceeded to the Throne Room. Raven and the woman who seemed like she was going into a ball, followed him. Arlan looked at the woman first and gave her a threatening look before he followed them.
Kage let out a deep sigh. He didn’t know why he needed to go inside. He didn’t even want to be in the same room as that woman nor breath the same air as hers.
It was making his blood boil because of annoyance.