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THE ROYALTY OF WOLFES 48
I think about my sister. The one who is with the wolves, and unlike me, is certainly making predictions for them. About what?- Did you see her? Do you know her name?Miguel is so distracted by his own thoughts that it takes him a while to realize that I'm talking to him. After all, he denies it with his face.— And the guards you sent to look for this information?Another negative.—No one ever saw her. It's just a rumor, but it seems like a pretty solid rumor, doesn't it? If we even know the rare color of her hair and about her gifts of foresight.In fact.Something else occurs to me and I bite my lip, my heart pounding in my chest.- What? — the wolf asks, noticing the devastated expression on my face.— We were forbidden to make predictions for men — I say quietly, and I realize that I am pressing a hand over my heart, fearful. — If my Sister is really making predictions for these wolves... They must... — I choke, imagining the worst.When I look up, Miguel's red eye is locked on
THE ROYALTY OF WOLFES 49
You have to leave the Tarus fortress and go around it to get to the stables. The route is long and silent. The wolf in front of me marches as if his life depended on it, his steps hard and steady and much longer than mine, so I almost have to run to keep him in my sights. When we finally walk out a door that looks familiar and the cold night air hits me in the face I take a long breath and look at my bare feet that are now freezing in the cold.Maybe choosing to be barefoot was a bad idea after all.I notice that the Prince is also looking at my feet, but he doesn't say anything. He keeps going forward, straight ahead, around the property, almost glued to the stone wall, his boots crunching on the neatly trimmed grass.I follow him, breathing heavily through my nose to ward off the cold that stings my skin.I'm so distracted from freezing that I bump into his huge body as he stops abruptly in front of me.I lean on the wall so I don't fall.— What are you-... — I start irritated, but
THE ROYALTY OF WOLFES 50
I think I sleep a little before I feel the horse slow down and finally stop again.It's dark around us, but I can see that we're still in the forest and there's snow everywhere now.I don't have time to ask any questions.Miguel moves away the arm that holds me, and I see this as a cue to move away.“House Belven is ahead,” he says.I look over my shoulder.We're close to some kind of small town below, and from here you can see that they, like the Tarus, have a fortress right in the center, and everything is lit up with torches and lanterns. I can even see guards patrolling the walls here, but they don't see us. We are inside the forest and both we and the horse are just dark figures mixed in with the shadows.Miguel helps me get off the horse, and I start to feel cold again as soon as I move away from him, but I don't say anything. I'm already mortified enough to have come all the way here clinging to his body like a puppy.Even in the dark I can see him looking at me, that intense r
THE ROYALTY OF WOLFES 51
Haevir Tarr is like Pontis Maari, I imagine.It's late and there is street lighting, but it's sparse and we don't see any residents as we head towards the Belven fortress in the center.There are guards patrolling the streets in pairs, talking quietly, holding torches.We avoided them by going down one alley or another.We avoid the lights. We blend into the shadows.Miguel always goes ahead, but he forced me to hold the edge of his cape to make sure I was right behind. Yes, I'm right behind, almost stepping on your boots.Here in the city it's not as cold as it is out in the forest, but it's also not at all warm or welcoming, at least for me.I notice that in some streets there are braziers burning, and I notice that the houses are more beautiful and colorful. Near the poorest and simplest houses there are no braziers, nor much light, so we chose to go this way. The guards are also there a little. We only see one pair. This is how we identify the rich and poor parts of Haevir Tarr, a
THE ROYALTY OF WOLFES 52
— You must have made a big impression on Azerai — the wolf indicates the cape on my shoulders.—Actually, I thought he was quite... — I swallow the harsh word that threatens to escape me. — rude — complete with disgust.Miguel shakes his face with the ghost of a smile around his mouth.— My brother doesn't trust anyone, and even less a woman.- Why? — I ask reflexively when we arrive at a staircase that goes up and another that goes down.The wolf turns towards me a little.Hesitates.— He thinks you have too much power — he says enigmatically and points to the stairs going up. —The fen are down there. Let's go up.— Has a woman broken his heart? — I insist, based entirely on the romance books I’ve been reading.Miguel gives me a strange look over his shoulder as we climb, but responds anyway.— He doesn't let any of them get close enough to do that.The tone is dry enough to let me know the conversation is over.We went up very little before reaching another corridor.The wolf hesita
THE ROYALTY OF WOLFES 53
Settis gets us a carriage. From what I understand, he and Azerai followed us on horseback, but there is no possibility that Arina would face a trip to the Tarus stronghold under these conditions. The Belven fens bring us a carriage and a coachman, but Settis dismisses him. He will take us. Azerai and Miguel will take care of the horses. In less than fifteen minutes we are ready to go. The Princes help Arina and I get into the spacious and comfortable carriage, and I ask her to lie down on my legs so I can assess her injuries and hold her if necessary. Nobody objects to this. I look up before the door closes and see Miguel standing there. We exchanged one last look. “Thank you,” I gesture. The wolf understands, but says nothing. A nod is his only response. He closes the door and the journey begins. There is a lantern hanging inside the carriage, and because of it I can get a good look at Arina. She is pale, with knotted hair and dry lips. I don't have water here, or anythi
THE ROYALTY OF WOLFES 54
It is with regret and concern that I leave Arina in Reeina's care and ask the guards to take me to her Wolf King, but I reassure myself that I will be brief.I like Reeina, of course, although after recent events I find it difficult to trust any wolf.The guards take me to the throne room, where Michael is meeting with his Council and some members of the other Great Houses.They say I can't come in and that I must wait in the hallway, so one of them comes in to announce me.I wait for at least half an hour standing there, pacing back and forth, my mind filled with anger and resentment, until the door opens and Miguel comes out.He's wearing the heavy crown of fangs over his braided hair, the stiff dark clothes making him appear taller, almost swallowing me like a shadow.I have a strange, warm feeling in my chest seeing him after the last few days, and I convince myself that it's just gratitude, and that I couldn't thank him for rescuing my Sister, but I push it to the back of my mind
THE ROYALTY OF WOLFES 55
Arina wakes up on the sixth day.She's still pale and haggard, and the first sign I get that she's awake is a startled scream. It's night and it's late, but like every day before, I lay down next to her on the spacious bed, so I wake up quickly.I, Reeina and the mekrai, were feeding her with teas and broths while she was unconscious, and I think that's why she resisted and will resist. She will just need some time to fully recover.There's a lit candle next to me, resting on a stand, and I bring it to the bed to light up the darkness a little.Arina looks at me.Her hair is soft and clean again and hangs down from her shoulders to her hips in soft waves. A silly detail I thought about; that she would be happy when she woke up and her hair was like before, like when we lived on Goddess Island.— Kim? — he almost stutters, blinking many times as if he can't believe I'm right here.I notice her next move before she makes it, but I'm petrified and can't stop her.Arina tries to use both
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