Chapter 19 A MISSIVE AND A CONFIRMATION (2)
WILLA'S POV
Below the dark insignia were words written in black ink, curling and swirling on the pages in slightly slanted but still eligible cursive. It read:
To the honorable Greggory Alfiero, former Alpha of Wolverham, Headmaster of the Elfyre Institute for Gifted Beings.
I, Gallahan Wick, heir of the Alpha King and the General of the Culling Army, hereby propose a ceasefire between the Culling Army and the League of the Moon. However, I demand for a parley in which certain conditions and proviso would be comprehensively discussed by the two parties.
For this parley to push through, I require all of these conditions to be met and/or agreed upon:
1\. The Culling Army shall have the discretion to decide the time and place for the parley.
2\. The League of the Moon will only bring a total of five people to the parley, and in return, the Culling Army shall also do the same.
3\. The commander and the second-in-command of the Peacemakers should be present to accompany Greggory Alfiero, Overseer of the League of the Moon.
4\. The League of the Moon, along with its subgroup, the Peacemakers, and the Culling Army shall cease and desist all of their respective planned movements and activities, starting from the moment Greggory Alfiero agrees to the parley. This condition shall apply until three negotiating attempts have been made and failed, and until all possible means for a compromise between two parties have been exhausted.
Hence, I, Gallahan Wick, hereby solemnly swear that the contents of this letter is true and free of any deception. In the case it shall be proven that I have been duplicitous in this letter in any way or form, I will willingly bear the curse of the Blood Moon for the rest of my life. So mote it be.
I shall be expecting a reply within a week, lest, the offer for a ceasefire will be rescinded. May the moon goddess enlighten the League of the Moon in whatever decision it will make.
Cordial regards,
Gallahan Wick
By the time I finished reading, my ears were ringing, and my heart thumped wildly against my ribcage, demanding freedom. My tongue felt heavy and dry in my mouth, and I seemed to have lost the ability to make logical sense of my own reeling thoughts.
“Do you think he’s truly being truthful, Grandpa?” William asked, returning the missive back to our Grandpa.
“There is a possibility that he is indeed being truthful. That he is really extending an olive branch to us. But I believe there is an ulterior motive to this, and that is what we must discuss among the council members of the League.”
William nodded, his shoulders slumping down heavily. “I see.”
“You may not be the commander of the Peacemakers anymore, but you are still your father’s son. Feel free to bother him for information once our meeting has adjourned.”
William and Grandpa exchanged subtle mischievous grins, but I wasn’t really in the right state to pay full attention to them anymore.
My breaths had become shallow and quick, as apprehension flared bigger and bigger in my chest.
William’s words—of how Gallahan might launch a continent-wide search for me with the hopes to use me as a pawn or a bargaining chip to his agenda—surged to the forefront of my mind, ringing repeatedly. It was further amplified by Gallahan’s third condition that he demanded in the letter.
My thoughts swirled ceaselessly until I was sure I was slowly losing grip on reality. Black spots danced around my vision, while my hands and feet had gone so incredibly cold that I could hardly feel them.
Suddenly, the blurry form of my brother’s face was within my line of sight, and I could barely make out the shape of his brows that seemed to be furrowed in concern. Then there was his voice as he called my name over and over again. It oddly sounded warped and so far away.
The last thing I thought before I finally succumbed to the darkness that had wrapped its tendrils tightly all over my mind was how I deeply wished I wasn’t pregnant.
But when I regained consciousness after who knows how long, the first thing I heard—even before I got the chance to open my eyes—was Grandpa's gruff murmur of, “So she is indeed pregnant.”