Elias's Loyalty

Elias's Loyalty

POV: Seth

My first instinct was to deny everything. To laugh it off. To tell Elias he was crazy and seeing things that weren't there. But the words wouldn't come.
I stood in the stable, staring at him, watching his expression. There was no anger there. No disgust or judgment. Just concern. Worry. The genuine care of someone who actually gave a damn about what happened to me.
The fight drained out of me like water through a broken dam.
"How long have you known?" I asked quietly, my voice barely carrying over the soft sounds of horses shifting in their stalls.
"About five minutes." Elias grinned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm good, but not that good. Just figured it out this afternoon when I was snooping through your things."
"You went through my trunk?"
"In my defense, I was worried about you." He held up his hands. "You've been falling apart and nobody could figure out why. I thought maybe there'd be a clue. A letter or something." He shrugged. "Found more than I expected."
I should have been angry. Should have felt violated. But I was just tired. Too tired to maintain the anger, the walls, the constant vigilance.
"So now what?" I asked. "Are you going to turn me in?"
"What? No." Elias looked genuinely offended. "Why would you even think that?"
"Because it's the smart thing to do. The safe thing. If they find out you knew and didn't report it, you'll be court-martialed."
"Then I guess we'd better make sure they don't find out." He walked over and sat down in the hay beside the stall, patting the ground next to him. "Come on. Sit. We need to talk properly."
I hesitated. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to get away, to protect myself. But I was so tired of running. So tired of being alone.
I sat.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. Frost nickered softly, her warm breath ruffling my hair. Outside, I could hear soldiers moving around the fort. Normal sounds. Normal life continuing while my world fell apart.
"So," Elias said carefully. "Magnus Blackclaw, huh? Did you actually flee a betrothal or is that just his story?"
The question was so direct, so matter of fact, that it surprised me. No dancing around it. No careful probing. Just straight to the heart of things. Something about his honesty made mine easier.
"It's true," I said quietly. "I was betrothed to him. Our fathers arranged it when I was fifteen. A political alliance to unite our territories." My hands clenched in my lap. "I signed the contract because I had no choice. My father said it was my duty. That it would protect our family."
"But it didn't."
"No." The word came out bitter. "Three months ago, a week before the wedding, Magnus came to Thornfield Manor for a pre-marriage negotiation. Some dispute about dowry terms. My father refused to back down on something. I don't even remember what. It seemed so small."
Elias was quiet, letting me tell it at my own pace.
"Magnus killed him right there in the council room." The memory was vivid, sharp as broken glass. "Just drew his sword and ran my father through. My mother screamed. Magnus slit her throat to shut her up. Then he started on the servants. Anyone who witnessed it. Anyone who might tell."
"God," Elias breathed.
"My little brother tried to fight back. He was twelve. Brave and stupid and loyal." Tears burned behind my eyes. "Magnus threw him off the tower like he was garbage. Then he turned to me and smiled. Called me 'little bird' and said I belonged to him now. That we'd still have our wedding, but it would be in his castle, on his terms."
"You ran."
"I ran." I wiped at my eyes angrily. "My old nurse helped me. Got me out through the servants' passages while Magnus was consolidating his takeover. She gave me her son's clothes, cut my hair, taught me how to bind my chest. Then she sent me away and told me never to come back."
"Is she...?"
"Dead." The word was flat. "Magnus found out she helped me. He had her executed publicly. Made sure word spread so I'd know what happened to people who protected me."
Elias was quiet for a long moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was tight with controlled anger. "Well. That's absolutely horrible. And I'm going to help you."
I turned to stare at him. "What?"
"You heard me. I'm going to help you." He met my eyes steadily. "Whatever that takes. Whatever we need to do. You're my friend and I'm not letting some murdering bastard drag you back to face whatever sick plans he has."
"Elias, you don't understand.."
"No arguments." His tone was firm. "Friends don't let friends get dragged back to murderous bastards. That's like, friendship rule number one."
"There are no friendship rules about that."
"Well there should be." He shifted to face me fully. "Look, I know this is dangerous. I know Magnus is powerful and connected and probably has a hundred soldiers at his command. But you can't face this alone. You've been alone for three months and it's killing you."
The certainty in his voice, the absolute conviction, made something crack open in my chest. When was the last time someone had offered to stand by me? To fight for me? Not since my family died.
"What can you possibly do?" I whispered. "Magnus is coming in three days. He'll tear this fort apart looking for me."
"I don't know yet." Elias admitted. "But we'll figure it out. Together. You, me, Kieran if he's smart enough to help instead of turning all noble and stupid about pack law."
"Kieran knows?"
"Does he?" Elias leaned back against the stall wall. "I was guessing, but your face just confirmed it. What did you tell him?"
"Everything. Well, most of everything. He saw me almost shift during the battle. Saw my eyes change color and the white fur starting to come through before I forced it back."
Elias's eyes went wide. "Oh man. That explains so much."
"What do you mean?"
"The way he's been circling you like a lovesick wolf for the past month. I thought he just had a weird hero complex or something. But if he saw your wolf trying to break free..." Elias grinned. "Oh, that poor bastard is completely gone for you."
Heat flooded my face. "Don't be ridiculous."
"I'm not being ridiculous. I'm being observant." He nudged my shoulder. "He looks at you like you're the only person in the room. Gets all protective and growly when other soldiers come near you. And don't even get me started on the way he positioned himself during that battle. The man was ready to die keeping you safe."
"That's just his nature. He's protective of everyone."
"Keep telling yourself that." Elias's grin softened into something gentler. "But seriously. If Kieran knows and I know, you've got allies. That's more than you had yesterday."
"Allies who'll get killed if Magnus finds out."
"Maybe. Or maybe we're smarter and more stubborn than Magnus expects." He stood, brushing hay off his trousers. "Either way, you're not alone anymore. So stop trying to push everyone away and let us help."
I wanted to argue. Wanted to tell him it was hopeless, that helping me was suicide. But the words stuck in my throat. Because part of me, a small desperate part, wanted to believe him. Wanted to believe I didn't have to face this alone.
"Does anyone else know?" Elias asked.
"Talon suspects. Maybe Aelis too. I'm not sure."
"Well, that's a decent sized conspiracy then." He offered me his hand, pulling me to my feet. "We should probably.."
Shouts erupted from somewhere in the fort. Urgent. Alarmed.
We looked at each other, then ran.
The courtyard was filling with soldiers when we burst out of the stable. People were pointing at the gates, talking over each other. The alarm bell started ringing, sharp and insistent.
"What's happening?" Elias grabbed a passing soldier.
"Another message. From Magnus Blackclaw."
My blood turned to ice.
We pushed through the crowd until we could see the main gate. A rider sat on a black horse just outside the walls. He wore Magnus's colors. In his hand, he held a white flag of parley.
And a sealed letter.
Captain Brannor appeared on the wall above the gate. "State your business."
The rider's voice carried across the courtyard, clear and cold. "A message from Lord Magnus Blackclaw for the captain of Fort Velmoor. He wishes to remind you that the full moon rises in three days. And when it does, he will come for what belongs to him."
The rider threw the letter. It arced through the air and landed at the base of the gate.
"Three days," the rider repeated. "Choose wisely, Captain."
Then he wheeled his horse and rode back into the forest, disappearing like smoke.
The courtyard was silent except for the ringing bell and m
y thundering heart. Three days. The full moon. And Magnus was coming.