Chapter 11 This is your future.
CATHERINE
The next morning, I woke to the sound of soft knocking on my door. The nightmare from last night still clung to my mind, but I pushed it aside as Zelda entered my room with a bright smile.
“Good morning, darling,” she said warmly, gesturing for me to rise. “It’s time I show you around the castle. You should get familiar with your new home.”
I forced a smile and nodded, though the thought of calling this place “home” unsettled me. There was something off here, something I couldn’t quite place.
Zelda led me through the long, ornate hallways, pointing out rooms, introducing me to the staff. The castle was larger than I’d imagined. The workers and maids she introduced me to bowed low, their faces carefully neutral.
“This is your future Queen Luna,” Zelda announced proudly at every introduction, her hand resting lightly on my back. “You’ll show her the respect she deserves.”
Some nodded, others mumbled greetings under their breath, but many simply averted their eyes, too afraid or unwilling to meet my gaze.
“Don’t mind them,” Zelda said lightly, waiving it off as we moved through the halls. “They’ll warm up to you soon enough.”
I wasn’t so sure. The looks of fear and pity sent chills down my spine. It was as if they knew something I didn’t.
Eventually, we reached a quieter part of the castle, where the corridors were less crowded. Zelda paused by a set of grand double doors, turning to me with a smile.
“I’ll leave you here for a moment,” she said gently. “I need to check on a few things. Take a look around, get familiar. I won’t be long.”
Before I could respond, she swept down the hall, her dress billowing behind her. I stood there, awkward and alone, not sure what to do with myself.
I turned to inspect the room Zelda had left me by when I heard a voice behind me, low and hurried.
“Luna.”
I spun around to see a young maid standing in the shadows of the hallway. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide with fear as she glanced around nervously, making sure we were alone.
“W-what is it?” I asked, stepping toward her, my voice quiet.
“You need to leave,” she whispered, her words rushed. “Run, while you still can.”
I blinked, taken aback. “What? Why would I—”
“They’ll deny it, but you’re not the first,” she cut me off. “There were others before you. They all thought they could survive but they didn’t.”
I felt a chill run down my spine.
“Others? What are you talking about?”
The maid swallowed hard, her eyes darting to the corridor where Zelda had disappeared.
“You’re going to end up just like them if you stay. Dead.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could ask more, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. The maid’s eyes widened in panic.
“Please, Luna,” she whispered frantically. “Run.”
With that, she turned and fled down a side passage just as Zelda rounded the corner, smiling at me.
“There you are, darling!” Zelda called out. “Shall we continue the tour?”
I gave a stiff nod, trying to ignore the pounding of my heart as the maid’s warning echoed in my mind.
Run.
Thinking about it, I still didn't seem to understand what she meant. I couldn't keep it in any longer.
"Zelda," I began cautiously as we walked down the hall.
“What is it, darling?”
"One of the maids approached me earlier. She told me I should run. That there were others before me. What did she mean by that?"
Zelda halted mid-step and turned to face me, her smile never faltering.
"Oh, darling, don't let that nonsense get to you." She waved a hand dismissively like what I was told was nothing. "There are always whispers in places like this. People who love to spread rumors, especially when they see someone like you on the verge of greatness."
I frowned. "But she seemed so scared."
"Jealousy, that’s all it is," Zelda replied smoothly, her hand resting on my arm as she led me toward the garden.
"You’re going to be Queen, Catherine. A Lycan Queen at that. Do you know how rare that is? Most of those women would give anything to be in your shoes. And Kane... well, he's the only Lycan of pure blood left. You're about to be married to a man of immense power."
I shook my head, still unsettled. "I don't understand why that's so important. Why all this talk about pure blood?"
Zelda chuckled softly, as if I were a child asking an innocent question.
"It’s about the legacy, dear. Kane has to produce an heir to continue the bloodline, and it must be with someone strong enough to carry it. His power, it's unmatched. And he holds within him the strength of generations, power that most Lycans could only dream of possessing. And now, that will pass on to his offspring. To your children."
I swallowed hard. Children. The word sent a shiver through me.
"But that power terrifies me," I admitted quietly. "When I’m around him, it feels like I’m standing too close to something dangerous, something I can’t control."
Zelda scoffed lightly, shaking her head. "Nonsense. You’ll get used to it. Kane's power is what makes him who he is. And once you’re properly mated, that power will protect you, strengthen you. Trust me, darling, you’ve nothing to fear."
"Now," she continued as she looped her arm through mine, "we have a ceremony to plan. The invitations, the flowers, there’s so much to do."
I barely had time to process what she'd said before she was dragging me through the doors that led to the garden.
"Come, we need to pick the designs for the invitations. They have to be absolutely perfect!"