Chapter 4 Dangerous verdict
Byron
I strode through the dark corridors of the dungeons, passing by several cells, most of which held Hollowborns we captured. Hollowborns were the second plague of our time. Capturing supernaturals and stealing their magic. I always enjoy torturing them. But today, I'd come for a different reason.
I stopped before the cell that held the werewolf. The gates had been laced with wolfsbane, making it impossible for her to try to escape.
It didn't seem like she was planning on it, judging by how she curled against the wall, hugging her knees tightly. She didn't seem to notice my presence, or maybe she just didn't care enough.
I drew my sword from the sheath and tapped it loudly against the cell doors. The clattering sound made her flinch. She raised her head and stared at me, her eyes filled with sadness.
“Are you here to kill me?” she asked in a low tone.
I blinked, her question taking me by surprise. It only lasted for a second before I decided to use her fears to get answers.
“That very much depends on how you answer my questions.” I said, but she simply stared at me.
“What's your name?” I asked.
She went silent, as if contemplating whether to tell me or not. Just when I thought she wouldn't reply, she said,
“Eloise.”
Eloise. The name sparked some primal feeling inside me, the same one I had the first night she approached me.
“What were you running from that night?” I asked.
“I don't know.” she whispered. I didn't know why but I believed her. Maybe because she sounds so scared saying it.
I wanted to ask her the question that had bothered me since I first laid eyes on her. How she managed to find me when I was invisible. I could have just shrugged it off as paranoia. Maybe she'd just been running and stopped right in front of me without knowing I was there. But I knew that wasn't the case.
She had looked straight into my eyes that night before falling out of consciousness. I was the strongest shadow wielder in the entire Keep, second only to my father, the High Lord. The idea that anyone could see through my shadows was impossible, almost laughable.
I pushed back the doubts and focused on the reason I was sent down here.
“How did you learn about your healing powers and why can't you wield it again?”
She stood up from her curled position and strode towards me, her legs shaky. She gripped the iron rods tightly, her teeth clattered, probably because of the wolfsbane burning her. She didn't remove her hand from the rods, instead she clenched harder.
“Wolfsbane doesn't burn you?” I asked in both confusion and shock.
“Take me to my sister.” she said, ignoring my question.
“Who is your sister?”
She simply stared at me. I was starting to get frustrated by her vague words. I needed to get answers from her before the Lords meeting.
“Why don't you just tell me everything that happened that night? Why did you leave Thornwood and how did you end up in the woods?” I asked.
She nodded and took a few steps back.
“They were going to take me to Christopher. Mae and…” she trailed off, her eyes fixed on the wall like she was relieving memory.
I was trying to hide my surprise at her revelation. Every Dragon knew who Christopher was and hated him. The Alpha of the Moon Wolves, the strongest Alpha in the whole of Thornwood.
Or rather, a coward who hides his cowardice behind his cruel acts. I knew firsthand how much of a coward he and his father were.
“Why were they taking you to him?” I asked.
Eloise backed further away as if suddenly realizing she's revealed too much. But I wasn't going to let her back away now. I wanted every information she had on Christopher.
But just as I was about to ask her about it, heavy footsteps pounded on the stone ground. A guard emerged from the darkness and bowed slightly,
“The High Lord requests your presence, My Lord.”
I pulled away from the cell and began walking out of the dungeon without saying a word. Several thoughts ran through my mind as I made my way to the throne room.
What if she was sent by Christopher to act as a spy?
The more I asked myself the question, the less possible it seemed. She looked too weak to be a spy, and she wouldn't have saved Aeron.
I entered the throne room and bowed in front of the High Lords. Aidas, Carden, and a few dignitaries were the only ones present. They probably didn't want much of an audience as they decided the fate of Dragon Kind.
“Have you questioned the prisoner like I asked?” my father asked.
“Yes, Your Grace. She's certainly untrained and has no knowledge about her powers. It seems her healing powers only manifested for the first time last night to save the prince.” I replied, keeping my gaze firmly on the ground.
Neither of the three High Lords gave me a response. I raised my head slightly to see their lips moving. They definitely had a sound shield up and didn't care if they kept the whole room in suspense. Bunch of egoistic bastards, they were.
“What other information did you get from her, regarding why she was outside their borders? We don't want to be harboring a rogue wolf.” Kalias said, and the two other High Lords nodded in agreement.
I tried not to scoff. Of course, they cared about how accommodating the Wolf would affect their reputation, and not what we could gain from her. Considering the power she displayed last night, we've essentially found a way to end the plague for good.
That single thought stopped me from telling them her relationship to Christopher. Not like I knew what the relationship was anyway. My plan to use her against the Wolves would have to wait.
“No, Your Graces. If I may suggest, I think it would greatly benefit us if she becomes a trained healer. She could help us cure the plague for good, and also help us in the fight against the Hollowborns. She would be a great weapon on the battlefield, healing our soldiers of their stolen magic.”
The three of them glanced at each other in understanding. Then Rigel pointed to the Captain of the Guards.
“Bring the girl.”
The guards rushed out to fulfill the High Lords command. I stood there, my hands clasped behind me and wondered if I didn't just make a grave mistake by choosing to hide that piece of information.
A few minutes later, the guards arrived, dragging the girl between them, her clothes torn and dirty, her hands and legs clasped in wolfsbane coated chains.
But just like earlier, she didn't flinch at the contact. It was almost like the wolfsbane had no effect on her. It was the first time I ever saw a wolf not affected by it.
“The High Lords have made a decision on your case.” My father started.
Everyone went silent and turned to them. The girl had gone completely still on the floor. She probably still believed she was going to die.
“Despite that you are an enemy of our kind, you've demonstrated your alliance by saving a member of the royal family. For that, your life is going to be spared.” he said.
Her body visibly relaxed at the words. I found myself releasing a breath. I couldn't explain my relief regarding the judgement, but I didn't think much of it.
“But since you've displayed your tremendous power, you're not going to be allowed to leave our lands. Instead, you would be sent to Drakmor College, where you will learn to wield your magic to save more dragons.” he paused, a smirk tilted on his lips as he stared directly at me.
I clenched my fist tightly at my back and tried to keep my face void of emotions. When I asked her to train, I meant in the royal infirmary with the physicians and other healers, my father knew I didn't mean Drakmor College.
Sending her to Drakmor was like giving her a death sentence. The place was like a forge for warriors. The Wolf would clearly break in a few days.
I knew my father only passed that verdict because of the suggestion I made. He suspected I wanted to save her. So he made sure he fucked me up royally.
“If you decide not to go to Drakmor, you will be executed immediately regardless of your powers. You're no use to us untrained.” he added, that smug expression still in place.
The girl nodded, oblivious of the danger she just agreed to.
“Forgive me, Your Graces.” I started. “But sending her to Drakmor doesn't seem like a great choice. She is way too fragile and clearly has no skills in combat. She would break in a few days. She's no use to us dead.”
“Then it is your job, Lord Byron, to make sure she doesn't wound up dead.” Father said.
“The Heirs should personally train her and equip her with all the knowledge she would need to save our kind. Failure to do so would be considered treason.” Kalias added.
Aidas tried to mask his displeasure, while Carden didn't bother to. The Fireborn Heir glared at his father, who didn't spare him a single glance.
Against our wishes, we took a bow and agreed to be personal tutors of a Wolf, and also protect her in a college full of people who hated her.