Chapter 41 Chapter 40
Amaris.
I swallowed, breathing out shakily. "Yes, I am. Your majesty."
"Well, time is not in his side any longer." He stated and my stomach sunk at the revelation. The chair scraped as he stood to his feet, placing his hands behind him as he paced around, his back turned to me, his enigmatic aura filling the room.
"You see, Amaris. It is of utmost importance for Royalties and werewolves of noble blood to find and bond with their mates early." He began slowly as he gazed out the window of his study. "Doing so will help reduce the strain of being in such a position of authority and help the share the burden that comes with the title to our significant other. It is why we hope for a strong mate from the moon goddess." He said, and I stood there, letting the weight of his words sink in.
Slowly, he turned to me, fixing me with a somber look. My breath caught in my throat as I gazed into his eyes before I hurriedly turned away, feeling foolish for looking at him. "Although it may not appear so, I am also suffering the effects of my mates death."
I stared down at my hands, wondering how a man as powerful will probably be reeling from the effects of losing his mate. For a moment, I felt pity for him but I realized that he has stopped speaking so I gave him my full attention. My eyes widening in shock and concern as I asked hesitantly. "Has something bad happened to Duke Ethan?"
"Not yet. But it will if you continue to refuse him and he doesn't break the curse in record time." He revealed, his voice grave. A wave of guilt washed over me, and I realized the weight of my decision. Ethan's life hung in the balance, and I held the power to save him. Despite the hurt and rejection, I couldn't bear the thought of him meeting a tragic fate.
He went back to his seat, picking up a new set of parchment paper as he resumed his work. "You may not realize it, but his life is in your hands now. If you still harbor any feelings for him, I implore you to do what is necessary." He said, his voice filled with finality.
"You may go now." He said, finally dismissing me, leaving me stunned and overwhelmed. I hastily made a bow before exiting his chambers before standing in the corridors in shock. Duke Ethan could die. His life is in my hands. What's going on? I stood there for a moment, grappling with the enormity of the situation. Ethan's life depended on my decision, and I couldn't afford to make a hasty choice.
Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed Evelyn's presence as she approached me. Concern etched her features as she asked, "Amaris, what happened? what did the Alpha king say?"
I took a deep breath, my voice barely above a whisper. "He told me that Ethan's life is in danger if I don't accept him and break the curse. I didn't realize it had gotten this bad Evelyn, I don't know what to do." Yes, I might loathe Ethan for what he did to me, but I'm not wishing death upon him yet.
Evelyn placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, her eyes filled with empathy. "Amaris, this is a decision only you can make, and it looks like you'll need time to think it through. I'll take my leave now as I'm heading to the mines. Stay behind and really think on what he said. Remember, your heart knows the truth." She muttered and I shivered.
She then reached for my hands, squeezing them softly as she smiled at me. "When you've made a decision, you can let me know." She whispered as she gazed affectionately at me.
"Thank you." I whispered back, grateful for her presence in my life.
"You're welcome." She muttered, leaving promptly but I still stood there, grappling the reality of the revelation that I've just heard. Evelyn is right, I really need to think it through.
Evelyn.
After giving Amaris a piece of my mind, I immediately started on my way to the mines. Sore or not, I still had to continue my duties to avoid being punished since Kieran hasn't let me off the hook yet. I arrived there and immediately set to work, grabbing a pick axe and a box where I would be putting all the precious stones that I've dug out from the earth.
Dust and grit clung to my sweat-soaked skin as the cavern echoed with the sound of countless workers laboring beside me. My hands were calloused and ky back ached, but I kept my focus on the task at hand. I had to appear as ordinary as any other slave in the mines, concealing my true purpose beneath layers of grime and sweat.
After hours of monotonous digging, my pick axe struck something worthy indeed. My gaze shifted to the glimmering veins of precious stones embedded within and a smile hit my lips. My heart rate quickened as I quickly brushed off the dirt that coated the outer layers, revealing the magnificent piece of gem. I'm sure other miners would be jealous about my discovery but now is not the time to worry about them.
I quickly out in the box I had beside me and continued to dig. But it seemed favor was on my side today. My pickaxe struck a particularly stubborn rock, revealing not only the expected gems but something far more valuable—a thread of silver, shining like a whisper of moonlight amidst the darkness of the mine. A gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it. That seemed to attract the attention of a nearby guard as he walked towards me, his eyes narrowing as he peered at me.
His gaze bore into me, as if daring me to reveal my true intentions. I fought to keep my composure, hiding the silver thread within the folds of my rough clothing hastily. "Find something valuable, slave?" the guard grumbled, crossing his arms.
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in her chest. I nodded, feigning a humble demeanor. "Yes, sir. More precious stones, sir."
The mine guard's scrutiny intensified, and I prayed he wouldn't demand to inspect my findings. With a final, searching look, he turned away, dismissing me with a wave of his hand.
Relief washed over me as I hurried to the designated area where workers submitted their discoveries. I knew I had to act normal, to blend in and not arouse suspicion.
After more time of working, I decided it was time for me to go and submit my stones and get the hell out of here. Once my stones were cataloged, I wasted no time. I made my way to my secret cache, a hidden corner where I stored my most precious finds. There, amidst the rocks and ore, I revealed the silver thread and added it to my growing collection.