Chapter 11 No Safe Heaven
Sharon
What was this strange feeling in my heart? How come I never felt this way before? Actually, it wasn't just one feeling surging through my veins,but two- a mix of relief and fear. Relieved to have left the practical definition of a living hell, and fear of the unknown I was about to come face to face with.
Mere looking at the face of the stranger who calls himself the Alpha's most trusted courtier made my heart lighter, which was the reason why I accepted his extended arms when he offered words of assurance.
Although, despite his words of certainty, I refused to believe nothing precarious awaited me in the new land I was about to step foot into. It didn't matter anyway. I wasn't any different from the dead.
"I committed a heinous crime in my past life. That's why the goddess condemned me to suffer in this life" I proclaimed.
"What?!" He spat.
"You really think you're cursed?" He added.
"Everyone knows I'm cursed. You can ask around" I advised, clutching my ragged bag tightly to my chest.
"Cursed is a strong word to use" He cautioned me.
"You can't just say you're cursed without a solid reason" He added.
I had a feeling he was trying to pry but I had nothing to hide.
"I can't shift" I revealed curtly, letting out a deep sigh.
I could feel the strange man's scrutinizing gaze on me. I tried to avoid his gaze by looking out the carriage.
"You couldn't shift under the full moon?" He questioned, probably taken aback by my words.
"I can't" I affirmed.
"My nineteenth birthday was just two days ago" I added.
Surprisingly,the man didn't comment further as we continued the ride in silence. I suddenly felt I needed to know his name. His enchanting presence was a bit suffocating but also alluring. Maybe because he held no hostile feeling towards me like he did to my sister. Yes,I saw everything. His body movement when Vienna tried her tricks out on him.
I instantly remembered the name she had called him.
"Pardon me,sire. You're Mikel, right?" I asked, hoping he answers positively.
He nodded. "Yes, I am."
Rever
Cursed? She calls herself cursed? My years ruling had made me understand one thing - people are prone to believing what others around them tell them is true, especially if signs of what they're being told manifests in their lives.
That was the case for Sharon. Those two witches she called family must have made her believe she's cursed. Although, not being able to shift was a phenomenon I knew nothing about,they had broken her psychologically and physically.
If that wasn't the case, standing up and fighting for herself shouldn't have been a problem. Her mental view of life was undoubtedly terrible and needed to be changed. I was going to help her with that,but in an unfathomable manner.
"Pardon me,sire. You're Mikel, right?" She questioned, catching me off guard,but I was quick to regain my composure.
I nodded slowly,my eyes on the road ahead of us. "Yes,I am."
"Don't panic. We're almost home" I added.
"Home" I heard her mutter.
As we rode on the bumpy road in silence,I heard a large thud from the back,and the old carriage almost tumbled,thanks to my swift action in pulling the slack towards me to keep us on the ground.
"What was that?" Sharon asked,her eyes filled with fear,her voice trembling and her hands shaking.
No harm will come to you my dear. I just need you to trust me. I assured her silently.
"I'll go check it out. Wait for me and don't move" I warned sternly, before jumping down from the carriage.
As I walked to the back,I had a feeling someone had hit the carriage. It couldn't possibly be a wild boar or was it?
I was right,but it wasn't an animal. It was a finely carved carriage,which from my deduction,must be owned by a wealthy family. An old man jumped down from the horse with bloodshot eyes, obviously furious.
"You fool! How can a huge man like you not know how to properly ride a carriage? He cursed, his hands balled in a fist.
"You ruined our carriage,and you going to have to pay for it" He added with a voice of conviction that got a light chuckle from me.
I thought his words were funny. Infact,he was funny.
I had been riding perfectly on my own,but the horses of the idiot's carriage had probably been running which led it to hitting my own carriage. Now, he had the temerity to push the blame to me instead of offering an apology.
No one dared go against me. Even as the Alpha's most trusted courtier. I planned on letting him know that.
"I didn't ruin your carriage,old man. You ruined mine" I shot back.
"Your horses were clearly over speeding. You are the one to pay for the damage" I added, sparing my carriage a glance. Good. Sharon hadn't moved yet.
"Are you calling me a liar?" The old man snapped,his veins popping out.
"Pay for the damage you caused,and my Lord might consider letting you go" He snorted in disgust.
"Your lord?" I questioned, my eyebrows raised.
I had asked a stupid question. Of course, a mentally deranged old man could not possibly be permitted to drive a carriage like that, unless he was riding someone. The person must most certainly by his lord.
"You heard me right" He snarled, breaking my train of thoughts.
"If you don't pay, there's another carriage behind my lord's specially prepared for men like you" He revealed.
"Pay up or get yourself beaten into a pulp" He threatened.
I chuckled amusingly, recalling the last time I received a threat before now,which was decades ago. I looked behind the old man and confirmed his words. What piqued my interest was the lord inside that carriage.
To bring him out, I had to elaborate the matter at hand.
"You're the one to pay me,old man or you won't leave this place with your limbs intact" I warned, intending to dominate the whole area.
The man bursted into laughter,clutched his stomach as he bent over.
"Young man, you have a great sense of humor" He mocked.
"You're outnumbered,you know that,right? Two hundred silver seals and we'll let you go" He added.
Shaven be damned. I scowled silently. That money could buy a two brand new carriage.
"You're not getting that amount from me" I declared.
"Let me speak to your lord. I believe he should have a higher IQ compared to you deranged mind" I added.