~ Amira ~After the luxurious bath and eating breakfast, Amira was dressed in the finest suit, ready to go to the meeting with the elders. She stared at herself in the mirror and rolled her eyes at Rhys’ good looks. He also seemed to have a permanent line between his brows from where he most likely scowled so much. Whenever she wasn’t paying attention and was staring at his shoes that cost almost two weeks' worth of food for a household, she caught her reflection of his furrowed brow. If Rhys continues to look in such a way, he will start to get wrinkles. Amira snorted and shook her head. Rhys was never going to live that long.Turning away from the mirror, Amira dismissed the maids and left through the double doors to Rhys’ bed chambers. The guards stationed on either side of the doors straightened their backs more once she walked through. “Mornin’,” she greeted with a nod.“Uh.. Um…”“Good morning, Alpha,” the guard on the right cover for the stuttering guard on the left of the do
~ Amira ~The flickering torches that lined the passageway cast eerie shadows that danced along the walls, creating an illusion of moving phantoms. The smell of decay and misery lingered in the air, a constant reminder of the suffering endured by those unfortunate souls imprisoned in the darkness.Finally, they arrived at the interrogation chamber, where the smell of blood was already wafting in the air. This was where secrets were to be extracted through any means necessary. The sound of metal against stone echoed from within, hinting at the instruments used to persuade unwilling tongues.Amira was proud of the two prisoners who seemed to be in sorry states. How they were still alive was beyond her. But that was why a skilled torturer was inside the cell with them. “What have you learnt so far?” Amira asked, glancing at the two men whose shirts had been ripped apart, revealing the wounds the interrogator had already made. A bespectacled man with slender features and a pallid comple
~ Amira ~Sitting in the meeting room, Amira watched the elders talk down to their king. It was highly irritating, and she could see why the men spoke of them so lowly. Anything she suggested that would help the kingdom was shut down and voted on. Amira couldn’t understand it. She was the king! How did Rhys have no authority? This wasn’t how it should work within werewolf society. Who were these men that believed themselves superior to the Alpha King?Did they have a death wish?“Your majesty,” Baltir whispered from behind her. The knuckles on her tightened fist had gone white. She clasped her hands together as she listened to the elders discuss issues regarding the vampires.Now that was something Amira was interested in, and her annoyance faded as she listened to the reports that came in. The towns on the borders had been attacked again, but they were rogue vampires and swiftly dealt with by the packs there. The Alphas have pleaded for more support as the vampires always leave a me
~ Amira ~Amira leaned back in her chair and sighed, unaware that Sebastian remained behind. She opened her eyes after the silence felt strange, discovering Sebastian standing beside her, waiting to speak, and Baltir slumped in the seat beside her, watching him. “Lord Harrington has been leaking information for coin. I believe this helped with both attempts on your life,” Sebastian said in a hushed tone. There was nobody besides the three of them in the gloomy meeting room now, but the topic of discussion needed the utmost prudence.“How do you know? Who is your source?” Amira asked, instantly intrigued and sitting upright. This was interesting because Amira didn’t know much about their sources which were so little anyway. But the information for the coin was incorrect. The rebels didn’t need to pay for information. There were too many that wanted to see them succeed in an uprising against the throne, against Rhys.Sebastian smirked. “Lord Harrington’s maid is a vengeful lover. He c
~ Amira ~Amira leaned back in the chair again, her unladylike and rogue-like demeanour showing as her legs remained wide and comfortable, her back slumping as she pinched her nose. This was the issue with acting as the king. What Sebastian was suggesting would be helpful for the king, and it was a good idea to try and find the rebels. But Amira was not the king. She had to lead them astray. Still, acknowledging the sensibility of Sebastian's suggestion was unavoidable for Amira. What alternative could she propose in this situation?“The problem with that is the possibility of Harrington escaping,” Amira said, hoping to dissuade them.Baltir nodded along, so at least some of her thoughts might align with something Rhys would say or do. Amira glanced at her wide legs and cleared her throat, crossing her ankle over her knee. Sebastian stepped closer, leaning his hand onto the table. “Didn’t you just give a mini-speech to those old crones about at least trying and failing rather than
~ Amira ~Sighing after facing Eden, Amira raked her fingers through her hair. What the hell was up with this chick? Who randomly turns up in the king's wardrobe?“I’m fine. Now go back. I want to rest,” Amira ordered, feeling irritated and wanting to be left alone. Once she was in her room back at the guild, her privacy remained undisturbed.Amira didn’t care if they knocked on her door when she was in her study because she was always plotting and scheming or throwing her daggers at random objects. Once she was in her room, only her cousin or lover could interrupt her. Even that was too much. Amira was used to time to herself. Having servants and now this she-wolf trying to win Rhys’ attention was annoying. Why seek him out? Surely, it was better to chill and enjoy the time she had away from the king until he called for her? If Amira was in her shoes, which thankfully she wasn’t, that was exactly what she would do. Eden pouted, her hands sliding up Amira’s muscular chest, pushing h
~ Rhys ~Dropping the cypher on the latest note, Rhys looked at the parchment he had been writing out the letters he decoded and turned into words. With a sigh, he tapped his finger on the desk whilst reading the notes. Many were now outdated and of past notes that would have helped him but not anymore.The last of what he discovered was interesting, though with the conversation one-sided, he couldn’t quite grasp the meaning. But the last few notes he knew to be a trail between the same people due to their cursive writing were beginning to make sense. He sighed upon reading the words and digesting the news. Rhys didn’t have all the details, but it had something to do with the mission in Willowbrook- Amira’s plan. The one he had no idea about. After exposing his ‘amnesia’ to Zayyan, he was sure Amira’s cousin would tell him the rest. But half of the contents were on this paper.Elixora, the apothecary responsible for crafting the Blight's remedy, harboured an operative within its rank
~ Rhys~The carriage jolted and provided an uncomfortable seating experience. Rhys even felt a little nauseous. He was beginning to realise just how much he didn’t like being poor. He was also overly aware of how much his luxurious lifestyle may have made him a little soft.Sure, he had a temper and was a tyrant, but the simplest of things about Amira’s life had been dampening his mood. Well, dampening it more than it already was. This was not his life! Why did he have to suffer like this?! Rhys sighed, glancing to the skies as though the Moon Goddess might hear his frustrations. Could she help with whatever this was? His gaze then shifted to the wolves stationed on either side of the carriages and the carts loaded with food. Other rogues were mounted on horses, remaining vigilant and watchful.“Keep staring outside like that, and you will feel unwell,” Zayyan advised him. Rhys leaned his head back and sighed. “How much longer?”Zayyan shook his head. “I swear, you're becoming more