Shadows Play

Rykers POV.

I watched as Ivy and Eldric parted ways while I was concealed in the shadows. I was thinking about everything I had just heard. I did not want to act carelessly. I knew I had to be cautious so Ivy wouldn't realize I had listened to everything. She was dangerous when she was cornered and I would be falling into her trap if she thought I was on her. 

I waited for an additional moment as the elder left his head held high and his steps slow and methodical. With her shoulders stiff and a purpose behind each stride Ivy was moving in the opposite direction. The air around her was heavy with intent and I could feel it. 

I was determined to stop her from getting away with her scheme and planning. The corridor was silent and motionless with the stone walls being shadowed by the flickering torches. I was aware that I needed to initiate contact and I needed to do so immediately. I moved forward a step at a time. 

Even though the faint creak of the stone beneath my boots reverberated throughout the hallway I deliberately moved my heart steady and my mind clear. I couldn't allow Ivy to leave so quickly. Especially in light of what I had just heard she was too dangerous to leave my sight. A part of me was still unable to see the picture clearly even though the puzzle pieces were starting to fit together. 

Ivy was already on her way out when I turned the corner. A moment of surprise flashed across her face as she froze her eyes meeting mine. Although it was brief it was sufficient. She didn't anticipate me. And I had the advantage because of that. 

With a smile tugging at the corner of my lips, I said, “Well, well.”There was no doubt in my mind that it would make her uncomfortable. “I didn't anticipate seeing you here.” 

The astonishment on Ivy's face was soon replaced by a rehearsed smile. Ivy said smoothly, her voice sweet with a hint of edge. “Why are you here?” 

I did not respond right away. Instead, with my wolf instincts tingling in the air around us, I moved closer. There was something wrong. I could sense the fear that was churning inside of her, something she was trying not to show. 

The slightest hint of her pulse quickening was enough for my wolf to react but it was barely noticeable to me. She felt uneasy. And that provided me with all the information I required. Despite portraying herself as the ideal self-assured woman Ivy secretly feared being revealed. 

Something was concealed by her. I said nonchalantly as I walked closer to her “I was just curious. You appear a bit tense. Are things alright Ivy?”

Her gaze briefly flitted to the floor before she swiftly recovered her poise. With that smile that seemed too good to be true, she answered, “Yes, everything is fine. Eldric and I just had a conversation. Not very important.”

With my wolf pressing against my restraint, eager to reveal the truth, I slightly narrowed my gaze. I didn't press her too hard though. Not yet. Ivy had a way of manipulating events and making you question your assumptions. Just yet I wasn't going to give her the thrill of losing her balance.

I said, pretending to be unconcerned. “I see. It just seems like you're not telling the whole truth. It doesn't appear that you're fine.”

As I watched her intently I allowed my words to linger. Her cool mask was momentarily exposed by something in her eyes but she didn't flinch. For a split second, I noticed the flaws in her façade. 

She briefly displayed feelings of fear, anxiety, and a deep-seated rage before covering them up with the same calculating smile. 

With a slightly sharper tone, she said,, “Wel, l, Ryker, I have things to do. I have no time to engage in pointless chatter.”

With a knot in my stomach, I continued to watch her. Without a doubt, she was concealing something. And her anxiety wasn't limited to the discussion with Eldric. She talked about Emerald as though she posed a threat to everything Ivy desired in the deeper exchange I overheard. 

I grinned and remarked “You always seem to be in a hurry. You know you'll have to slow down eventually. Ivy, not all things are about race.”

Her smile never wavered even though her eyes narrowed a little. She had complete control over her emotions and kept them firmly suppressed. However, I could sense the tension between us right now, and I knew she did too. 

She felt anxious. Ivy's words pierced our mutual silence like a knife: Not when I have a goal in mind. 

She turned on her heel and started to walk away, her cloak circling her. “Ryker, I'm sure you realize that. Your goals have undoubtedly always existed.”

I remained motionless for a moment observing her as she left. She was in a rush based on her posture and the force with which she moved. But not because she needed to be somewhere significant. She was fleeing from something. 

My gaze never left her back as I waited for her to take a few more steps before whispering to myself, “What in the Moon Goddess's name are you planning, Ivy?”

I couldn't stop the words from leaving my mouth and the weight of them hit me right away. I was genuinely interested in them, not just using them rhetorically. I had heard enough to conclude that Ivy was planning something much darker than she had revealed. 

She wanted more than just power and the Luna title. No, I had to learn the rules before it was too late because she was playing a risky game. As she rounded the corner, Ivy didn't stop and didn't even turn around, but I could still feel her presence. 

She had experienced a brief spike in fear and I wasn't going to ignore it as a clue. Whatever it was that she was concealing, it wasn't good. I stood there for a long time processing everything I had just seen my mind racing. 

I had to exercise caution and maintain my distance but I couldn't ignore this. I needed to be prepared for anything dangerous that Ivy might be planning. I kept my eyes on her as I turned and started walking in the other direction. Now it was more than just Caden and the pack. It was about something more significant, something I was still unable to fully comprehend. 

However, I was determined to find out what it was. I would do whatever it took to find out what Ivy was up to.