“You know, if you want to have fun in the cellar, you could have at least put out some sign or something,” I tell Thane, looking around. It’s quite scattered with crates of wine all over the place, except for the spot where Thane was having fun with some blondie. Judging by the red dress that had been shredded to pieces, she was a whore.
“First, you’re a drunk. Now you’re a cockblocker. You just keep surprising me every damn time,” Thane said as he rolled off the blondie. She kind of reminded me of Sarai. The letter T was engraved inside her palm and I figure that’s some kind of branding to indicate possession.
“So do you. You never told me you were into blondes,” I say as I hand him his shorts. At least they could be found. The blondie, realizing that she was no longer wanted, left. Yep. She definitely reminds me of Sarai.
“I am a blond. My daughter is a blond,” Thane said, pulling on his shorts. “So yeah, I’m into blonds, not redheads, sorry.”
I glared at him. He laughs. “So, what’s with the crates? Are you into them as well?”
He chuckled. “You could say that. I’m supposed to supply them to local markets, distribute a few among the noble Icelanders, supply to the upper and lower council, then do giveaway for the poor Icelanders.”
“That’s a lot. Now I see why you took a break.”
He smiled. “Can we pretend that didn’t happen please?”
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
“Thanks.”
“Will there be any left? You know, after your generous donation?”
“It has to finish, Crinka. That’s the only way there will be room for more wine. For new wine. It’s horrendous to bring old things into the new year, thus we’ve got to get rid of all this year’s wine. Any wine bottle that doesn’t turn up empty before the last day of the month would simply be broken at the end of the year party. It’s a ritual. Just like the hunt.”
“What happens then? After the wine has been finished?”
“I put the vineyard to work. Import a few bottles and export some of ours.”
“You are a really busy man, Thane, which makes me wonder if you’ll be able to help me,” I say, twiddling my thumbs.
“What do you want?”
“There’s this old journal I found in the library.”
“Hold up, you went to the library?” Thane asked, eyes wide.
“Yeah. Is that a bad thing?”
“Yes. It’s bad enough that you went there and even worse that you took a book out of it. Look, Crinka, you need to return it before someone gets to know about it,” Thane said hurriedly.
“Wait, so you’re saying wolves are not allowed in the library?”
“Yes! I thought that was pretty obvious,” Thane shouted.
“Well, Waxlyn, Elijah, and Sia didn’t think it important to inform me,” I explained.
“Waxlyn? You saw Waxlyn?”
“Yes. We were in the library together,” I answered. “Why?”
“She’s been avoiding me all day. She does that whenever she’s upset, and I’m sick of it. Why can’t she just come to me and talk about whatever it is that’s making her upset?” he asked, frustration lacing his tone.
I raised a brow. “You really want her to come here?”
“Yes!”
“Thane, she would have seen you getting down with that blondie girl.”
He eyed me. “You don’t really like blondes, do you?”
“Depends on who’s asking. I guess I can deal with you and your daughter.”
He sighed and handed me his phone. I stared at it, surprised. “What? Stop acting like you haven’t seen a phone before!”
“I have. I just… I am just wondering why you’re giving me your phone.”
“So that you could call me when you see her.”
“You really trust me that much?”
“I can trust anybody once it comes to Waxlyn. That’s how much I love that little witch. I’ve got to get back to work. Will be waiting for that call.”
“I wouldn’t count on it!” I said before exiting the cellar. I would return the journal, only after I’ve had it photocopied. I wonder if there’s such a place to photocopy documents around here. I would have asked Thane, but the blondie has slipped back in, and I don’t want to be termed a cockblocker.
…
Truly the frozen lands (as Mila likes to call it) is a harsh and unforgiving place, where the bitter cold seeped into every crevice and the wind howled like a pack of wolves. Despite the harsh conditions, life went on in the various settlements across the land. The streets were bustling with activity. Servants were moving trees, garlands, and I had to dodge a few.
I long to see how the markets are like. Mila told me that in the noble markets, wealthy merchants and aristocrats haggled over exotic goods from far-off lands while in the local markets, the common folk bought and sold the necessities of everyday life.
I’d love to take a tour of the Icelands, but with everyone preparing for the Christmas festival tomorrow, I doubt anyone would want to be my tour guide.
“I could be your tour guide.”
Startled, I turned to the speaker. “Who are you?”
“Pharix.”
My eyes widened. She’s… How come she’s alive? “You’re supposed to be dead. He told me you were dead.”
“Honesty is not one of the prince’s strongest suits, especially when it comes to werewolves,” she said, her tone clipped.
I can’t believe this. I can’t believe Sia lied to me. “So, he knows. He knows that you’re alive?”
“Of course, he does. I mean, if I were to be dead, which I’m not, he can’t take me with him to mass tomorrow.”
Wait a minute, he’s taking her? That means I have wasted my time asking Mila to get me a dress. Why the fuck would Sia do this to me? We had a little misunderstanding, but that doesn’t mean he should replace me with his whore.
“You’re lying,” I grit out.
She laughed. I hate her laugh. “Why would I lie, Crinka? If you don’t believe me, you can go ask the prince. I hear he’s in his room, thinking of me!”
Goddess, I hope not. Forgetting about the tour, I headed on to the palace. The guards are reluctant to let me in, but that’s their problem, not mine. I run to the South wing, only to bump into Ruarc. He glared at me.
“Watch where you’re going, woman.”
“Where’s your brother?”
“I have eleven, so you’ve got to be specific.”
“Ruarc, I don’t even know if you know, but when you’re angry with a guy, you’re not supposed to say his name.”
“Hmmm. So that’s what Emrys was doing last night. Anyways. Your boyfriend’s asleep in his room. I wouldn’t wake him up if I were you.”
“Well, you’re not me, so piss off,” I reply haughtily before running to Sia’s room. He looks at peace on the mattress, and it would be a shame to disturb his precious sleep. I march into the bathroom, fill up a bucket of water before emptying it on him.
He jumped, startled, wrapping his arms around my neck, eyes a bright purple. I am breathing heavily, glaring at him.
Breathing deeply, he released me before sitting up. “You know there are other ways to get a man wet, Crinka.”
Like I give two fucks. “We need to talk,” I tell him, dropping the bucket.
“And this talk could not wait after dinner?” he asked, eyeing me.
“No, it couldn’t. Why didn’t you tell me that Pharix is alive? Why the fuck did you lie?”
He squinted his eyes at me. “I pledged honesty to no one, Crinka, and her being dead or alive is truly none of your concern, so drop it.”
“You want me to drop it? You want me to drop the fact that you’ll be taking Pharix and not me to the church tomorrow?”
“Yes. I thought I made that very clear the first time.”
“You’ve got to be joking. You just have to be.”
“I haven’t laughed in six hours, Crinka, so no, I am not joking. Plus, I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal out of this. The cathedral is not open to wolves, and the rest of the kingdom haven’t taken quite well with your presence on their lands. So stop sulking, and get ready for dinner.”
“I can’t believe you would do this to me. Today’s Christmas eve, Sia. You’re supposed to be nice to me.”
“Trust me, it’s better this way.”
“How?” I cry out, my eyes unbridled with tears. “How is any of this better? How is making me cry every single time any better? Huh? Answer me!”
He just stared at me.
“Answer me, Sia. Your silence is killing me. Talk to me!”
“I’ve got nothing to say to you, Crinka,” he says, getting to his feet. “Dinner starts in an hour. You’ll probably want to change out of those,” he says, referring to my snow-soaked clothes.
“How about you help me change?” I ask, wiping tears away from him. I’ve got no hidden intentions. I just don’t want him anywhere near Pharix.
“Whatever you’re trying to do, stop it. I won’t sleep with you.”
I’m taken aback. “You… you think that I want you to sleep with me? Is that all you take me for? A whore? You know what just get out.”
He just stared.
“Get out, Sia! I don’t want to see you, neither do I want to talk to you. Now get out!”
“Dinner is in an hour. Be there.”
And with that, he was gone. Sitting on the bed, I don’t hold them back, tears falling freely from my eyes. Mila walks in, holding a black bag.
“Oh my lady, the dress for tomorrow is ready. All that’s left is for you to try it on.”
“There will be no need for that, Mila,” I say, wiping away my tears, so she wouldn’t see them. “I’m not going to the church tomorrow.”
“Why? What happened?”
“The prince is not taking me. Plus, I’m neither an Icelander nor a Christian, so I don’t belong there, Mila.”
“But… but I worked so hard on this dress, my lady.”
“And I said no! What part of ‘I’m not wearing it’ don’t you understand?”
“All of it, my lady. Just because you’re not one of us doesn’t mean you can’t partake in the celebrations, my lady. The season of Christmas is for everyone, my lady. The young, the old, the weak, the strong, the sick, the healthy, the pure and impure. Christmas is for everybody, my lady. My Lord Jesus Christ made sure of that.”
“None of that matters, Mila. I’m not going to the cathedral tomorrow, and that’s final.”
“Okay. I’ll… I’ll just leave this here in case you change your mind.”
Well, I did change my mind, and it wasn’t because of Sia or Mila.