Es returned to the front of the building, and her gaze settled on Donovan, who stood near the entrance. Just beyond him, on the opposite side, were Lady Arabella, and her daughter, Marissa. Lady Arabella greeted Es with a faint smile, a strange warmth flickering in her blue eyes.
But Marissa’s expression was unusually somber– a stark contrast to her usual deanor.
Donovan shifted his weight off the doorfra, and he spoke first. "She ca to , wanting to see you before you leave for the palace," he said, his tone neutral, but carrying an undertone of observation. "I need to go over everything again to make sure there are no complications along the way. That should give you more than enough ti to speak with them."
Es gave a small nod in response. As Donovan passed her, he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "If anything goes wrong, you know where to find , okay?" His words carried both reassurance and expectation, whilst Es acknowledged his words with a brief but appreciative glance in his direction.
Without another word, he turned and left, leaving Es alone with Lady Arabella and her daughter.
Looking at Marissa, Es extended her arms in an open invitation, silently urging Marissa forward. The girl hesitated, her uncertainty evident as she glanced at her mother. Lady Arabella offered no protest and gently nodded her head in encouragent, but there was a stern look in her eyes that was fleeting, and that prompted Marissa to finally step toward Es.
Lowering her head in a polite bow, she finally placed her hands in Es’s.
"Is sothing wrong?" Es asked softly, her voice laced with concern. "Is there sothing you want to say?"
At that, Marissa lifted her gaze, eting Es’s eyes for a fleeting mont before quickly looking away, her silence speaking louder than words. Es’s brows knitted together, sensing the hesitation in the girl’s deanor, and it was a familiarity that made Es’s heart ache slightly.
Before she pressed further, Lady Arabella suddenly stepped in, cutting the mont short.
"The thing is," she began with practiced politeness, her voice asured yet carrying an undertone of concern. "My daughter has grown quite fond of Finn and his good friends. Their absence has left her feeling rather lonely, so... I made the decision that we will return to our ho and see the developnts being carried out."
Lady Arabella paused, gauging Es’s reaction before continuing. "You will be away for the next few days, and I thought it best to inform you before my daughter and I depart tomorrow. Also..."
For a mont, Lady Arabella hesitated before she could even get the words out. Her usual confidence wavered as she carefully chose her next words. When she finally spoke again, her voice had softened into sothing almost regretful.
"I know I had no right to ask you to sacrifice your own happiness for the sake of Illyria. If you can, please forgive my conduct yesterday. I was out of line. And to truly express my remorse for my behavior, I will tell you everything I know about the rare wolf blood. The things I can rember."
Es frowned at her words. "The what?"
Lady Arabella inhaled deeply, as if fortifying herself. "Do you rember the day after your training? You asked if I knew anything about fire— if there was a history of it in our bloodline. I told you I didn’t." She paused. Then, her voice beca quieter. "That wasn’t entirely true."
Es simply straightened, her pulse quickening as she looked at lady Arabella intently.
"In our lineage, there exists one destined to inherit a werewolf blood," she continued. "Only few knew of its existence, and Alpha Thadius was one of them. When we assud your father had to be the one who would get it, he was forced at so point to summon his wolf using fire, but he could not do it. There were many failed attempts, so we all agreed that we must have misinterpreted the prophecy."
Es’s brows knitted together. "What are you saying?"
"A wolf’s blood is more than life— it is power. And in the prophecy, it was said that one of us would inherit this unique trait. It is said to be the only force capable of bringing down the true bearer. At first, neither of us understood the aning of it, because Alpha Zephyr could still be affected by a normal weapon. We had no clue that the prophecy was only hinting at the fact that Alpha Zephyr wasn’t the true bearer. He was just another pawn. Clearly, the true bearer is more of an entity now than a man. No sword, no weapon forged by us can defeat him. Even our wolf form would be useless against him, considering the amount of wolves he’s deceitfully stolen."
Lady Arabella’s face contorted into one of disgust, and Es swallowed, absorbing the gravity of her words.
"I know I should have told you sooner," Lady Arabella admitted, regret laced in her tone. "I’ll also admit that perhaps the reason no one ever shared these secrets in our family with you was because we never thought you’d be capable of solving it. We can’t even call ourselves your family, but there is no more ti for hesitation."
From the folds of her scarf, she pulled out a small, worn book, its cover bound in a material that shimred faintly. Wrapping it back, she extended it toward Es.
"This should help you," she said. "It contains magical components, including the prophecy. I don’t know why I kept it all this ti, but now I can understand the reason behind it. Only open it when you’re alone."
Staring at the book, Es hesitated before taking it. She felt its unexpected weight in her palms. "And when I do... what will happen?"
Lady Arabella’s lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. "You’ll see."
She then took a step back, inclining her head. "Send my regards to the King and Queen when you see them. I wish you a safe journey, Es."
As Lady Arabella turned and disappeared into the house, Es instinctively took a step forward, intending to follow her. However, before she could act, Atticus and Orion appeared behind her, their deanor resolute.
"Luna, it’s ti to leave. If we wish to reach the palace on schedule, we mustn’t delay any further," Orion inford her, and Es exhaled softly, nodding her head in acknowledgent before joining them.
She wasn’t making this journey alone, as Revana had willingly agreed to accompany her at Donovan’s request. A small crowd had gathered to see her off, their presence a quiet yet aningful display of support to Es and her goals.
Before departing, Es turned to Donovan, pulling him closer, and she whispered. "I need you to handle Dahr’s report in my absence. We still don’t have answers about his death, and you’re the only one I trust to ensure we get the actual results. You know what you have to do, right?"
Donovan nodded reassuringly before responding in a soft tone. "I’ve already spoken to the healer. I’ll collect the results myself once they’re ready. You just focus on your journey, and always be conscious of your environnt. Orion, Atticus and Revana are by your side, which give so peace of mind. Be safe, Es."
A small smile played on Es’s lips. Without hesitation, she cupped his face gently, her touch lingering for a mont before she stood on her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, in front of everyone. Donovan stilled at the unexpected warmth of the gesture. When she pulled away, a faint pink flush dusted his cheek, one even he didn’t notice, and Es, who was already turning toward the carriage, didn’t seem to notice it either. She stepped inside the carriage, and monts later, the carriage rolled forward, carrying her away.
As the crowd disperesed, returning to their daily routines, Donovan couldn’t bring his heart to still itself. The mory of Es’s touch still lingered, and now that she was gone, he realized he wouldn’t be able to stop worrying about her since he isn’t there with her.
"She’ll be fine," he uttered to himself, knowing that she had improved better and should be able to handle any situation she finds herself in. When she returns, he’ll finally give her the ring he bought. He had been hesitant at first, but now, he didn’t need to be. He should have given it to her sooner, but he wasn’t going to delay it any further. He’ll set up sothing romantic for her, and then—
"Don!"
Donovan’s thoughts ca to a halt when he heard Althea call after him. He turned around to see her heading his way.
"Althea?" he questioned, surprised by her sudden appearance.
"Co with , please," she said simply, grasping his wrist without warning. "There’s sothing important I need you to see." And with that, she led him away, her urgency leaving no room for hesitation.
Reviews
All reviews (0)