Chapter 4 Ch 4
NARNIA'S POV
The moment he stepped closer, the air around me went stiff.
“I asked you a question,” he said, voice low, dangerous. “Who are you?”
I tried to speak, but my throat burned with fear.
“I am..."
The words barely came out. “I’m Lysandra. Alpha Corvin’s daughter.”
“Then tell me, why did the Archon look at you like a ghost?”
I couldn’t answer. My fingers twisted in the hem of my torn dress, trembling.
“I don’t know,” I said softly. “I don’t know why he—”
“Don’t lie to me.”
The words hit like a lash. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him. His hand was warm, but his grip was merciless. "Your eyes and your look are unusual. Tell the truth."
He was so close to me. I could hear his heartbeat. There was nowhere else to hide now, his piercing eyes already sliced through me.
"It's Lysandra," I confessed, my lips trembling. "She asked me to lie. She didn't want to die."
His face went ashen, and he heaved a deep sigh.
"What did Lysandra ask you to do?"
"Uhm. When your men swooped in on our caravan in the woods, she told me to lie that I was the one they were looking for. She promised to tell her father, the Alpha, what I had done. She told me they would come and save me. I believed her, but my uncle is yet to arrive."
"Your uncle? I thought you were an ordinary servant."
I shook my head. "Alpha Corvin is my uncle." I fell on my face and grabbed his legs. "My uncle will show up, you don't have to take my life."
Elias went silent for a long time. I couldn't see his face in the dark, but I could hear his ragged, labored breathing.
"You were a waste of time." He growled, stomping his foot so hard the entire dungeon rattled to the ground.
"I can't believe that man had me fooled. It's been two weeks now. My attention was diverted, my time wasted"
"You need to stop hunting us." I managed to say. "Moon Wolves are not evil. We are just unique creatures, just like you..."
Elias paused and threw a look at me. A gasp escaped my throat and I cowered. His eyes remained on mine, angry, inquisitive but they suddenly went soft. Then he slowly started walking towards me. I scrambled backwards, but the chain around my legs only snapped me back in place. There was no place to run.
Just then, he reached out and touched me. His large hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing dangerously near my lower lip. The dungeon air vanished, replaced by the scent of leather, and steel. He peered deep into my eyes, and in that instant, I thought of first time, that weird feeling of connection, waxing even stronger now.
It was impossible. This man was an enemy. Associations with his kind are regarded as abominable.
"Funny how you say wolves are not evil," he whispered, his breath warm on my neck, minty and soft. "Even when your kind, your own family left you here to die."
After those words, his hands lingered on my face, his cold hands surprisingly turning warm. My wolf purred, longing for his touch, but I clenched my teeth to suppress the beating of my heart.
"Stop haunting us. The moon goddess loves us all as one."
I tried to move his hand off my face, but I could feel his reluctance, his strong body pressed against mine.
"I have an assignment, Narnia," he breathed against my neck. "Moon wolves must not be allowed to remain."
Then he turned around and walked out of the cell.
News of my true identity spread around the entire fortress, and it caused a huge uproar. Many claim that I was in on the plot to delude and distract the king. While others simply doubted that I was not Lysandra. Either way, I could feel hatred in the guards eyes as they looked at me.
The citizens called for my execution but Elias refused them. I was not to be sentenced to death at least not until they had conquered my pack. Then he did something I could never have expected. He ordered that I be left alone. No soldier or anyone was permitted to come near me. I took this as an act of mercy, but Elias never came back to the dungeon.
In fact, I didn't hear anything about him until one stormy night in the following week. I was in the dungeon, trying to massage the chained part of my leg when I suddenly heard a ruckus in the hallway.
"Gather all the soldiers in the fortress." A voice screamed. "The King has been shot!"
"What!" I sprang to my feet immediately, and went to lean on the railings. I saw Lady Vaera and Nyrand, the palace physician speaking to the dungeon soldiers.
"King Elias was shot multiple times with a sniper rifle loaded with silver bullets." Vaera said. "They got the perfect aim this time. They've been waiting for him to show up."
A cold chill ran down my spine, my heart exploding. Moon wolves would survive silver bullets if they were extracted on time. But not a shadow wolf. Elias was going to die! The clock was already ticking.
I leaned against the railing and made to call the priest, but a sudden thought stopped me..
This man was an enemy, I thought aloud. What if his death would stop this war and bring us peace? What if my distraction had truly given our soldiers the chance to prepare for victory. With a disapproving nod, I turned and headed back to the corner of my cell. But my heart and the unexplainable burning in my soul wouldn't allow it.
With as much as a thought, I dashed back to the entrance and banged my hand on the railings.
"Let me out!" I shouted. "I can help the king."