CHAPTER TENThe truth was that Zena would've preferred being beheaded as opposed to serving Knox and his family. To her, the humiliation that would stem from that was far worse than death. Dying by your enemy's sword was one thing, being their possession was a whole other thing. A worse one. That was all she thought about as she felt the hardened grips of the palace guards around her arm, hoisting her up from the ground and leading her away from the center. The verdict had been passed and there was nothing he could do about it. Fucking Aster, the bastard was the cause of all of this. He was greedy, that was how Zena had concluded on the situation. And now, his greediness had made him to lose his life and the life of other's as well. Not to mention loosing her too; was she even worth adding to the things Aster had lost? Now that she reflected on it, Aster never really actually loved her. He was more of a friend than a lover—a forced friend, if you will. It seemed that everything
The sounds of footsteps knocked Zena out of her thoughts and her gaze slowly lifted to meet the young woman. Her gaze was fixated on her cheek and she pointed at it, "Your cheek. It's bleeding." She stated. Zena blinked in surprise and then her fingers trailed along the path, picking up a stain of blood. She hadn't noticed, she must've scratched her skin from the way the guards had roughly pushed her into the room. Closing her eyes for a moment, she concentrated and allowed her ability to flow. As her fingers laid upon the injury, the small cut sealed itself and left a faint scar. Zena opened her eyes again, her expression remaining stoic and the woman still in front of her. She looked her age—nineteen, twenty and at most twenty–two. But she seemed quite malnourished, sje must've been in their custody for quite sometime as she had already emaciated a lot. She had dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes that had lost their sparkle and oh, a nasty injury on her leg. It was an old injury that
The grand doors to the palace's main corridor burst open. Two guards with their tight grips against Zena's arms came through as they dragged the woman down the hallway.She was arrested and on her way to Alpha Knox for questioning. From the fact that she was suddenly missing earlier that morning and the piece of servant cloth that was found near Knox's three year old's bed, Zena was off course the first suspect on the list.She had tried to protest but it all fell on deaf ears, no one would believe that the one who was capable of killing the King's luna—pregnant Luna, to be precise—wouldn't be able to kill his son. It was reported that the boy was supposedly poisoned.As there was no use for futile resisting, Zena succumbed to arrest and was ready to take her chances with Knox. The truth was that she hadn't killed the man's son – if she had wanted to, she would've done it in a way that wouldn't have her arrested less than an hour later.Her gaze caught the passing figure of Jane, w
Knox's face contorted in confusion as he started to ponder what these mysterious occurrences might mean. His brows furrowed, and he furled his hands into fists at his sides.Slowly, he turned his gaze towards Zena, who was still firmly held in the grip of the guards. His narrowed eyes revealed a flicker of doubt—with this revelation, she was definitely not the one who killed his son.From the look of things, it seemed like a disease outbreak, but why? Perhaps it was the weather or someone had traveled to another territory and brought back the infectious disease. Whatever it was, he had to get to the bottom of the matter quickly before things spiraled out of hand.Knox's gaze then left Zena, returning back to the guarda who had just delivered the unsettling message."Summon the sorcerers and diviners immediately. Tell them to investigate this matter with utmost urgency. I want a report on my desk by the end of the day." He commanded and the two guards shared a confused look.One of the
Kylian went closer to his father's bed, deciding to gently prop him up in his grand bed. He observed a thin sheen of sweat on his brow. He decided to open up the windows to take away the heat and afterwards, he sauntered back to the bedside.He stood there for a moment, simply watching the rise and fall of his father's shallow breaths. But suddenly, the Alpha began to cough, a deep, rasping sound that racked his weakened body.Without a second thought, Kylian hurried to the small table by the bedside where a pitcher of water and a cup were placed. He poured a cup of water and returned swiftly to his father's side.Gently, Kylian helped his father lean forward a bit, his arm providing support. The Alpha's trembling hand reached for the cup, and he sipped the water, his coughs gradually subsiding as he drank.Once the fit had passed, Kylian dropped the cup and watched his father closely, concern etched into his features.Alpha Winston cleared his and turned his tired gaze toward him, a
“Fucking Zena again?” Knox seethed through gritted teeth as his fists clenched in sheer anger. Zena did this—Zena caused that—every freaking day.The bitch was a fucking pain in the flesh and honestly, he wished he could just get rid of her bt thatwas the easy way out—for both of them. She had to suffer immeasurably and he won't be granted the satisfaction of an exacted revenge if he just simply killed her off.He groaned, turning away from the sorcerers as his fists clenched tighter, biting into the skin of his palms. His furious steps echoed in the vast throne room.“Of course, the gods care now, now that Zena was finally getting what she deserved. When she and her rogues were butchering his people, they remained silent, indifferent to their suffering. But now, they chose to intervene, to punish them for seeking justice?Madness. The gods were mad. Utter nonsense!A sharp clearing of the sorcerer's throat pierced the heavy silence in the room. He cautiously took a step forward, a bi
CHAPTER SIXTEENThe night was yet to awake from its slumber, not even a cock had crowed signaling the break of dawn when Kylian and five of the palace guards set out on their mission up North.His quest to find the witch doctor believed to have the cure for his father was not going to be an easy one owing to the fact that the journey was quite a distance ahead and also to the fact that the witch doctor was famous for her absurd demands in exchange for her service.The gaze of fright that lingered on the faces of the palace physician upon revealing his mission caused quite a concern for Kylian."But Alpha, this sorceress you speak of is well known for her extreme dark magic and rebuntious demands in exchange for her work." The grey haired physician expressed his reservations, his eyes a testament to the nervousness in his tone."There could be repercussions my Alpha." Another added, the others hummed in unison."I understand your concerns but my mind is made up. I'll have some guards g
CHAPTER SEVENTEENFor the umpteenth time, Zena was fed up by Knox's insistence at blaming her for everything going wrong in his kingdom. Even a toddler knew the simple solution to this whole mess - letting her go. But no, not Knox, not that brute of a man who was he'll bent on exerting his power over her for this short time he is holding her captive.Her escape plan was definitely already being concocted in her head and there was no backing down. If she was lucky, she would make it out alive or she dies trying. The place guards were just as mannerless as the man who had summoned her. How stupid must they be toward her that they pushed and shoved how about however they pleased.But that was the least of her concerns at the moment. Zena's mind drifted to the execution night again and back to the mysterious plague that claimed the lives of young children. Has her presence in the palace actually led to this?Why are the gods invested in helping her who didn't have second thoughts before c
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWOJane's attempt to break Zena's resolve on the plan was useless and it bothered her that she had no idea how Kylian would react to it. He had gone out of his way to devise such a brilliant plan to help a servant of low status as them, and Zena's insistent refusal just might make him furious and resolve not to help them ever again.Cathleen observed closely from a distance, trying to figure out what the two were up to. They had ventured far into the fields and any attempt of hers to go after them could get her caught. The grasses were dry and her steps would easily be detected.It infuriated her that she had no werewolf abilities of her own to tap into. Yes, she was born to a werewolf mother, but her father was human, the only human who had survived even after being exposed to the supernatural realm of werewolves.Apparently, relationships between werewolves and humans were a huge taboo in the kingdom, and anyone caught in such a web was punished by the people and the
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE“Did you enjoy your little nap, Zena?” Knox’s voice was laced with a cruel amusement that infuriated Zena. He strolled casually into the room, his gaze fixated on her with unsettling intensity. Zena refused to display any hint of fear. She glared back at him, her eyes filled with defiance.“I wouldn’t dare come close to me if I were you.” She sprung to her feet and retrieved the weapon she had hidden in her waistband, brandishing it at him. Knox chuckled, enjoying the exchange of hostility. “You underestimate me, Zena. I’ve got plans for you, grand plans that will make you regret ever crossing my path.”Zena knew beyond reasonable doubt that Knox was not one to make empty threats. The only way to be free from his wrath was by escaping or the death of either one of them. She observed as Knox’s expression darkened, his amusement replaced by anger. His eyes darted to the ruined portrait, and she knew what was coming next. Kylian’s call had intercepted whatever action h
CHAPTER THIRTYKylian paced restlessly in his chambers, the situation at hand was getting more complicated than he had thought it would be. Precisely speaking, his brother’s obsession with Zena was getting out of hand, and he feared the repercussions it could have on the kingdom. Whatever this was was not just about them alone, but Knox would not see past his strong-headedness.He recalled his secret promise to himself to help Zena escape before he embarked on his journey up North, now seemed like the right time to fulfill that promise but he needed to be discreet about it. There should be no loopholes in his plan for Knox to connect the dots to him.As he considered his plan, he realized that involving Jane, who had shown genuine concern for Zena, could be key to executing the escape plan. Her loyalty to Zena might prove instrumental to a successful escape plan. However a doubt lingered in his mind, he had responded coldly toward her when she first approached him, he worried that she
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINEJane, unable to contain her fear any longer, rushed to Kylian for help. He had always helped Zena get out of trouble, it is possible that he would this time too. He was her only hope. Despite her low status, she slipped through the shadows, making her way to Kylian’s chamber with hopes of finding him there.She was halted by the men that stood guard at the entrance. She could not afford to tell them the purpose of her visit, but her appearance was a reflection of how worried and distraught she was. The guards immediately sent her away but she lurked in the premises, keeping watch at the door. For several hours, there was still no sign of Kylian. Jane could not help but imagine what troubles Zena must be faced with at the moment.As the night deepened, Kylian finally emerged from his chamber. Jane wasted no time to seize the opportunity. She approached him with an urgency that could not be ignored. The guards tried to stop her from getting too close but Kylian signa
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTThe bellowing afternoon sun cast its warm glow over the Blue Moon Kingdom. Knox found himself nursing a nagging headache from the night’s excessive drinking. His eyes were heavy and his mind clouded with the haunting images of his deceased wife and child. The weight of grief and guilt pressed on him, and he struggled to overcome the emotional distress that gripped his soul.His mind was vague of anything else that had happened the morning of it; he had no recollection of his meltdown in the presence of his brother Kylian, but his oath of vengeance tarried in his mind. It was all he could think of. The festival preparations continued outside a stranger to the internal struggle that plagued the palace walls.Knox tried to pull himself together, but his limbs were still too weak to carry him, his vision blurred, and each step he tried to take was even harder than the last. Kylian walked in with a maid carrying a tray of silverware in her hands, her head lowered as sh
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN"Well, since we are in the middle of asking trivia, do you mind explaining to me why you had her released from the dungeon without my knowledge? Or why you concealed the identity of the one who had attacked you in the woods, that had sent you to the brink of death?" Knox asked, trying to contain his rising fury.Nothing prepared Knox for the response Kylian would disclose to his question. Never in a million years would he have thought the person behind his brothers' attack was a member of the Black Moon Kingdom.How were they able to penetrate through the defenses of the Blue Moon Kingdom? Why did he not pick up any unfamiliar scent in the woods where they had found Kylian's unconscious body? It was possible that the attacker had masked his scent, which was a well-known werewolf thing to do when advancing into enemy territory.Still, nothing about his claim made any sense and it bothered Knox greatly. Knox housed an eerie feeling that he couldn't quite place his f
CHAPTER TWENTY SIXJane kept all of Zena's instructions in mind. She tailed the woman closely like a leech that could not be gotten rid of but there was nothing suspicious she could find about her.It was almost evening and nothing new that could help Zena's case had been found. Worried lines plastered on her face as she observed the woman from behind the barrels of wine in the wine press. She bit her nails nervously, trying to think of something that would push the lady to move recklessly while under her watch but no idea formed in her head.On the brink of time, when all hope seemed to be lost, luck seemed to shine on her. A strange face that Jane had never before seen on the palace grounds appeared from the back door. He had a crooked look and limped as he walked, his clothes looked pretty decent but nothing about him gave her a good feeling.She observed closely the transaction that ensued between them. As he approached with an air of suspicion, the woman's discomfort deepened, fe
Zena did not know what to make of the revelation she had just heard. Her heart ached for Marilyn and her unborn child. She and her boyfriend only tried to do what any other parent would, something she totally resonated with. Not beacsue she is or was a parent but because watching over the Skull Rogues, she had kind of assumed that role to the point where she was more than ready to lay her life down for them. It wasn’t any much different from what Marilyn and her boyfriend were in.Her heart skipped as it dawned on her that she Marilyn and her boyfreund were in possible danger. Knox was still investigating the matter relentlessly and if he were to figure out that Marilyn and her boyfriend were also in the area and were attempting to flee, there was no telling what he would do to them and their unborn child. Her protective instincts kicked in and she felt the need to protcetd them at all costs from Knox’s fury.Zena’s steps were slow, at a deliberate pace, her mind obviously deep in tho
CHAPTER TWENTY FOURThe full moon festival was coming up in a week; it was a very big celebration for the Blue Moon Kingdom. Anticipation of the upcoming event hung in the air like the buzzing sound of bees. Everyone hummed with excitement as they busied themselves, eagerly preparing for the event. The work at the servant quarters tripled, each one joggling different tasks, as they could handle.Zena was in the middle of the whole thing. Her tasks were way more than that of the other servants if they were to be compared. She shuffled between going to the market to pick up groceries to pulling down, washing, and fixing up new draping on the palace grounds. Her countless attempts to shift some of the responsibilities to others who weren’t as busy as her proved futile. The only person willing to offer a hand was Jane but she had been moved to a different section of the palace for other work.She was halfway done with the draping when one of her superiors, a woman assumed to be in her thi