Chapter 9 His scent calls her
Celine's POV
I had been looking outside through the window.
I couldn't say for sure what had called my attention, but I knew the scent of rust piqued my interest, and was one of the reasons I had my face pressed against the net of the window as I couldn't get enough of it.
It sent a certain calmness I didn't know of. It was more like putting me in a dreamy state so my problems stayed on vacation.
Well, to be real with myself, I had doubts about that.
Or I wasn't supposed to call them problems after all. It made more sense to call them my reality.
It was just me in the room. Lila was out.
I left the window, pulled open the door. And then I realized no one was outside the door, guarding me from running out of the room. The gammas had left. They must have left on orders, or Lila made them leave?
She did that the day she subtly urged me to escape, but she wouldn't do that at this point, not when the stakes were higher against me and more eyes were open.
I decided the gammas always left at a particular time—a time when the sun was almost setting down.
“Celine.” A passerby maid called when I stepped outside the room to the hallway.
I almost peed on myself. Not again.
But she smiled instead. “Hi, if you’ve decided to have a meal, I can get that for you.”
I shook my head.
She pouted her lips, acting all friendly and taking on a childlike voice. “But you haven't eaten.”
What was this all about?
Didn't she notice I was not supposed to leave the room? That I was under room arrest?
She took my hand in hers. “See, come, the chef made special dishes and wanted to see how a human like you would find them. You know… we are all werewolves, and another tongue to help taste our dishes would help.” She stepped back, staring at my skin. “A human like you.”
Wait. I was still inside the room, dreaming? This shouldn't be real, right?
“What about Lila?”
“Lila… She's out.”
Before I could settle my mind with this strange event, she was already taking me along with her, expanding the smile on her face.
I just had to go without stopping her. Although I felt it could be a trap, what more was there to fear than my current situation?
I decided there was nothing.
“By the way.” She stopped at the entrance to a hall. “I'm Mira.”
“Oh, okay.” I forced a smile on my lips, but she would notice it was awkward.
If I put Mira's presence aside, that smell of sweet rust was slowly coming strong to my nose. And if Mira wasn't keeping occupied with this creepiness, I would have lost focus on my thoughts to be running towards it by now.
We arrived at another part of the building.
“Here's the kitchen.” Mira announced.
It was warm in here, and the scent of the food came to me. My stomach growled. That was when I realized I’d been hungry. My gaze rose to be on a woman who wore a white apron on top of her black gown. She must be one of the chefs in this kitchen.
She waved at me, then put up the same gesture Mira did with me.
“Hi,” she said. “You will have an evening meal.”
I did not nod, just looked at her, suddenly realizing none of these were acceptable. I wasn't such a person to be lousy to such an extent. I knew I shouldn't be accepted by werewolves, and I'd seen all the proof that nothing good could come to me from them.
Nothing. Not even something as trivial as food.
All these people I could see in this palace—gammas, maids, a chef, and Lila—were all werewolves.
I was in their camp. It wasn't safe.
What else would have made Colt keep my identity a secret?
“Celine,” Mira called, looking directly into my eyes with her smile still alive. “You need something extra?”
I shook my head.
She held a tray containing different kinds of food—stocked fish, dried red meat, dried white meat, lobsters, a plate of rice, and a pepper soup meal.
“You see.” She winked. “You would love these.”
A few steps from the kitchen was the dining room.
Mira placed the tray on the table, and gestured to me to have a seat.
“No,” I blurted out. “I shouldn't.”
A slight frown appeared on her face. “Why?”
I stepped back from the table, ignoring my body's urges. Just a spoonful, just a sip, and just a bite. Of course I couldn't obey.
“I didn't want to.”
Mira took a full spoon of the soup into her mouth, a full spoon from the plate of rice, and a bite from the white meat.
“No poison in them.”
“That wouldn't make me eat.”
She nodded. “I’m just a maid. I can't force you to do what you don't want to.”
I started walking away from her to a destination I didn't know of, but not towards my room.
“We could talk some other time.” Mira's voice was loud enough for me to hear.
I didn't turn to look at her, just heading forward with my feet. My empty belly would have drawn me back to the dining table, but I wasn't going to submit. As of this insane point in my life, food barely brought any appeal to me.
When I turned to look back, I realized I'd walked far from the kitchen, and had lost the smell of food.
But I still perceived that sweet scent… the same scent that led me outside my roof.
“What's this about?” I muttered to myself, looking at my palms, and walking forward.
My legs still moved when I thought it was good I stopped, like I was losing control over myself?
I wouldn't believe that, but not until I heard my name. First it was so faint that I doubted I heard anything.
“Celine…”
That voice….
I got to a door, and my hand craved to turn the knob open.
And I did.
“Tristan…” I muttered, almost losing my breath.
That scent was his, and I didn't remember. It seemed he called me with his scent, to meet him in this room that was far apart from mine.
“Celine.” He sat up, gesturing I come to sit beside him.