Xander was walking fast through the familiar corridors. I understood he was taking me back to his floor. My breathing had increased as the pain in my hand became more and more intense. The adrenaline was most likely leaving my body, allowing entrance to the complete agony of my injury.
I examined my bent fingers. They were disgusting to look at.
Bile rose in my mouth, and I had to swallow it back down. I didn’t know how to fix this; however, I knew going to his room wouldn’t help. I needed this fixed now before the damage became irreparable.
“Go to the kitchens. I know someone who fixes injured workers.”
“The physician works in the kitchens?” Xander asked, surprised.
“No, but the butcher does.”
He gritted his teeth at my answer, clearly unhappy with the proposal, but took a left to the stairs and hurried into the kitchens.
After the dinner service had ended, most of the cooks had already left, and only the kitchen maids remained to clean and prepare the area for the following day’s service. As I looked around, I hoped that Saul was still there. He was a skilled butcher who worked in the kitchen, and he usually stayed a bit later than everyone else to sharpen the blades of his knives and cleavers.
Saul was the go-to guy for fixing open wounds and rearranging bones. He had a deep understanding of the human anatomy, which he believed wasn’t so different from that of animals. His expertise was highly valued in the kitchen, and he was even better than a physician when it came to patching people up.
With Xander’s help, I made my way to the butcher’s block, wincing with every step due to the burning pain in my hand. The maids in the kitchen looked at us suspiciously, but I recognized one of them as Josette, who was often kind to the other maids, sneaking biscuits or pieces of bread to them.
“Ida?” she said, as if unsure it was really me.
I nodded, grateful for her recognition. “Have you seen Saul?”
“Faiths! I didn’t recognize you without your bonnet. We thought you had left us for another household,” she exclaimed, clearly relieved to see me. “Let me check if Saul is still around.”
Josette quickly ushered the other maids out of the kitchen for privacy before leaving to search for Saul. Meanwhile, I waited anxiously, hoping that he was still there and could help me with my injuries.
Xander was nervously pacing near one of the wood stoves, his eyes darting back and forth as if searching for something. He felt responsible for what had happened, and his behaviour showed it. He kept running his hand through his hair, and his forehead was creased with worry lines.
A few minutes later, a big, burly man came into the kitchens. Saul still had his bloody apron on, and a small knife tucked in the string around his enormous belly, holding the cloth in place. His eyes lit up as he saw me, and a wide grin spread across his face. However, his expression changed when he noticed Xander brooding beside me. It was highly unusual for lords to come into the kitchens, and Saul’s reaction confirmed it. He quickly wiped the smile off his face and straightened his posture, trying to look more professional.
“Ida! It’s good to see ya, lass. When Josette told me you were ‘ere, I thought she was pullin’ my leg! Ain’t seen you in weeks.”
I had always hit it off with Saul. He was a good man and always helped me out with my lash wounds, which were sometimes deep.
I unfolded my injured hand and showed it to him. The butcher’s face contorted in a grimace.
“I need you to fix me up, Saul.”
“Arg, what ‘appened!” he replied in his thick country accent. He had brought his hand to his mouth and examined my three broken fingers. He was about to take my hand when Xander growled at him in a warning. I snapped my head at him and glared. This wasn’t the time to go all Alpha on the poor man.
“It’s a long story, but can you reset them?”
Saul scrutinized them and rubbed his thick finger under his nose. “I can, but the healin’ will be ugly,” he replied while feeling my finger bones.
I winced at his touch but tried to keep a collected face in front of Xander.
“I don’t think you’ll be able to flex yer fingers correctly once everythin’s mended. They’ll most likely be stiff and awkward because of ‘ow yer ligaments will set. Maybe even lose some sensitivity to touch in em three fingers. Yer metacarpals look good, at least. It’s really just em upper parts.”
“I can live with that. Just do what you can.”
“I’ll need to open em up to put em back. Lemme go get my things, and I’ll be right back.”
Xander paled considerably at the thought of me being butchered under his eyes. The anxiousness and fear seeping through our bond almost made me want to gag again.
“If you need to say something, say it. Otherwise, stop making me feel your tornado of emotions. It’s making me dizzy,” I told Xander dryly.
His face curled, and he quickly placed a knee to the ground, lowering himself to eye level with me.
“It’s just that, when I sensed you, your pain, your shock, I just… went wild. I couldn’t find you anywhere. Then I followed your fading scent to my father’s meeting room, and my blood just curdled when I heard you scream. I broke the damn door and saw you there, writhing in pain. I–I couldn’t control myself anymore. Now, you’re asking me to see you suffer one more time. Can’t we call a surgeon or a bonesetter? Wouldn’t they be able to do a better job? Or better yet, can’t you use your powers to heal this up?”
Placing my good hand on his, I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes for a moment.
It was frustrating that I didn’t have the gift of healing. I knew that some wielders had this gift, but unfortunately, I had failed the aptitude test when Otis examined me. So, I couldn’t use my magic to fix my injured hand. Instead, I had to rely on the help of others and the natural healing process of my body.
“I can’t. I don’t have that ability—it’s quite rare. I just need you to stay with me and hold me. Everything will be all right after.” Xander was clearly uneasy about this whole process, and I didn’t blame him. It was a painful and scary situation. However, I needed him to trust and support me. I knew that I couldn’t do this alone, and I needed all the help I could get.
“Before Saul returns, do you mind opening that cabinet door and bringing me one of the bottles?” I tried to say a little more cheerfully.
Xander graciously opened it for me. As he smelled its contents, his nose wrinkled. “Faiths, what’s that?” he asked with a hint of disgust in his voice.
I chuckled at his reaction. The bottle contained a homemade whisky, crafted by one of the skilled cooks in the kitchen. It was known to be potent, but its taste was highly desirable, especially once the alcohol evaporated from the sauces.
I raised the bottle to my lips, anticipating the first sip. As the liquid entered my mouth, the strong aroma filled my nostrils. I took a few big gulps, feeling the warmth of the whisky travel all the way down my throat. My face contorted with the initial burning sensation, but I knew it was necessary to have a considerable amount of it in my system if I was going to endure the upcoming surgery.
“I’ll need your belt as well.” I pointed to his midsection.
Saul returned with a collection of tiny and fragile knives. Additionally, he brought more alcohol, clean water, bandages, and a sewing kit. I consumed two more gulps of whiskey and attempted to prepare myself mentally for the upcoming situation.
Saul looked me up and took a deep breath. “You ready, darlin’? Better take a couple more shots before I start.”
I happily obliged, and once I had a pleasant buzz going, I placed Xander’s belt between my teeth and gave my broken hand to Saul.
He cleaned the small blades with alcohol, then made vertical incisions the length of each finger to reset the bones and tissues. After, he tried to stitch back the ligaments and tendons which had ripped from the force of the break.
At one point, the pain was so sharp, and the powerful odour of blood and alcohol made me lose the content of my stomach in a basin that Xander had given to me just in time.
I must have passed out because as I regained consciousness, I noticed that Saul was wrapping my injured hand and fingers with improvised splints. I was slumped against Xander’s comforting torso, feeling his warm hands support me gently. Though Xander spoke to Saul in hushed tones, I couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. Gradually, I began to stir awake, and Xander tenderly planted a soft kiss on my forehead.
“I’ll ask Dee to come see ya in the morn. She’s good with healin’ and herbs and such. Just try and get some rest, lass.”
As Xander held me tightly in his arms, we slowly made our way to his quarters. It dawned on me that I would have to ask him later if I should start referring to them as “our” quarters. The idea of having a private apartment again was so foreign to me that I couldn’t shake it off my mind.
Once we arrived, Xander gently placed me on the bed and started helping me remove my dress. My hair had become damp from the sweat of the day, and it was sticking to my neck. He carefully pulled out the pins from my hair, and they cascaded down like a waterfall.
I slipped under the covers, and Xander closed the drapes in front of the window and crawled into bed beside me.
Xander’s strong arms encircled me, wrapping me in a warm embrace. I could feel his breath on my skin as he leaned in to inhale my scent.
His presence was all-encompassing, and I basked in the sense of security that came with it. My mind began to feel sluggish and dull from all the whisky I had drank. I sought comfort in Xander’s steady heartbeat, and he held me close as I drifted off to sleep. As I slept, my mind conjured up vivid and unsettling dreams of butchers, bones, and blood.
Xander POVAs soon as I opened my eyes, I realized that something was wrong. Ida was sleeping next to me, but she was shivering and sweating profusely. The sheets around her were sticking to her damp skin, and I could feel the heat radiating off her body. The smell emanating from her was strange, and it made me worry.I gently touched her cheeks and found that they were red and hot to the touch. She was running a fever. I knew I had to act fast to help her.Yesterday, the butcher had promised to send someone over in the morning. I just hoped that the help would arrive in time before anything else went wrong.Ida’s bandaged hand was resting near the edge of the bed. Her three fingers stuck out, held by splinters and dressings. Saul had said she’d have to keep it for at least three to four weeks, with regular bandage changes, until which time someone would re-examine and adapt the splint to how her healing was advancing.Last night’s events had left me anxious about Ida’s safety. My fath
The journey to Xander’s country house was quite arduous, as we did not take any breaks during the nights. Instead, we relied on the coachmen to switch shifts so that they could rest between driving. We were traveling in two carriages: one for Xander, Leo, and me, and the other for the staff that accompanied us. The latter carriage was larger than ours, which allowed for their comfort and the rotation of coachmen.Along the way, we occasionally stopped for Diana, the head maid, to tend to my injured hand and change my bandages. I was taken aback when I saw her in Xander’s room on the day after my fingers were broken, carefully tending to my wounds. I had always thought that Diana disliked me when I was a maid, as she was often severe with my work. She was probably stricter than the housekeeper, to whom she reported.Lucia had been a constant presence by my side as well, offering her support and care. She sat beside my bed and would alternate with Diana, taking turns to replace the cold
In my dream, I found myself gazing up at the sky, and that’s when I saw it—a cardinal bird, with its plumage a striking shade of red, soaring gracefully through the air. The sun shone down on it, making each feather shimmer and gleam, as if it were a precious jewel. The bird then landed on top of an old tree, with its branches stretching out in all directions. From there, it surveyed the forest below, as if keeping a watchful eye over everything.Suddenly, a bolt of lightning lit up the atmosphere, and before I knew it, the old tree had caught fire. Flames quickly consumed the tree, burning the cardinal with it. For a moment, I thought it was all over, but the bird flapped its wings with all its might, defying gravity, and rising up into the air once again. As the fire scorched its feathers, they grew back stronger and brighter than before. The fire disappeared as quickly as it started, and the cardinal took to the sky once more, leaving a trail of blackened smoke behind it.As I watch
Gideon suddenly dropped to his knees and grabbed the front of my dress. He looked deep into my eyes and exclaimed again, “Princess Cressida!”My face turned pale as I tried to push Gideon away. The two other men present also looked at Gideon and then at me before bowing down on one knee and lowering their heads.Xander, who was also present, had taken a few steps back, obviously shocked at what was happening. I began to hyperventilate, and Diana quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me back inside the house.She guided me to the loveseat in the main room and helped me remove the layers of winter clothes I had on. After that, she put a kettle on the fire to boil some water. I attempted to unbutton my dress, but my left hand wasn’t cooperating. My fingers were shaking, and I couldn’t feel them.“Come on, hand! Why can’t you just do what I want?” I half-screamed in frustration, my eyes brimming with tears.As I listened to the shouting beyond the front door, my heart raced with fear. I could
“I’m a magic wielder,” I stated with certainty. Xander looked perplexed. He knew that in our world, there were only three types of beings: shifters, wielders, and humans. I was a wielder, plain and simple.Despite his confusion, Xander went to the bathroom to examine the bite mark on his shoulder once again. “We need to investigate this further. I’ve never heard of anything like this happening,” he said, his voice serious. “Was your mother a wielder as well?” “My father had no marks on his body, so she couldn’t have been a shifter. And she didn’t show any magical abilities, so I always assumed she was human,” I replied, feeling uncertain and confused about my identity. “Hmm. Let’s keep this to ourselves until we understand what it all means.”I smiled weakly at him. He was right to keep this between us. None of it made sense.Xander put on a fresh shirt. He had to go to the salt mines for an inspection, a task that he clearly wasn’t looking forward to. Judging by his expression, he
Diana sat on a small stool beside me. She was focused on making sure I repeated the movements she had instructed me to do. The exercises were repetitive, but I could feel the difference in my hand’s mobility in the days after we started. Diana was patient, and she helped flex my fingers when needed, massaging the scarring to promote healing. She encouraged me to keep bending my fingers, even though it often hurt.She had removed the splints from my hand, but I still needed to keep my three fingers bandaged for a couple more days to ensure they healed correctly. The splints had made me itch terribly, so I was relieved when they were removed. Xander’s healing ability had been a significant factor in speeding up the healing process.The last few days had been quiet as we waited for Xander and Gideon to plan our trip to Perch. One of Gideon’s men had sent word to their headquarters that we would make way for them, but we didn’t know if they had mentioned me. I figured the risk was too sign
For three days, we had been travelling on the road toward Maple. However, our journey took an unexpected turn when a sudden snowstorm hit us. The path we were on slowly became impractical, and we knew that we had to find shelter soon to avoid being stuck in the carriage, completely snowed in.The storm was relentless, pounding the path for nearly a day. We were worried about the horses, who were pulling our carriage, as the snow was getting deeper and deeper. We were afraid that they might get stuck or, even worse, break their legs since they couldn’t see where they were stepping.“I know a place where we can go until the storm lessens. It’s a small inn, maybe a half-hour ride from here. It will suit our party, and I think we can make it!” shouted Gideon from outside the carriage.“Are the horses too deep in snow?” Xander asked.“Not yet, but if we continue waiting for the storm to pass, they might be, and we won’t be able to get there.”Xander nodded and closed the carriage door. Leo
After being delayed by the snowstorm, we finally resumed our journey two days behind schedule. During the storm, I decided to change the colour of my hair to avoid being easily recognized. When I came down for supper that day, Gideon was taken aback by my new appearance and did a double-take. I teased him, reminding him that he had said my hair was a dead giveaway and that I had found a better way to conceal it without cutting it all off.Gideon’s face turned beet red as I recounted what had happened. Xander looked at us questioningly, and I explained how Gideon’s impulsive decision to cut all my fiery red hair ultimately saved my life.Looking back on that event, I realized that Gideon had been right. If he hadn’t taken action to alter my appearance, I would have been discovered within a few days, maybe a week.The inn we had stayed in was called the “Wayward Dog.” It was a place of refuge for many shifters who were on the road, and I was surprised when Gideon revealed that he and th
The whip cracked in the air. I felt the leather strings touch my lower back, and as Shrike pulled, I could feel my skin lift and tear. Once the hooks were out, I was flung back near the post. I stopped breathing and tried to control the pain. I had not expected that. “The show is for my personal amusement, as well as to install fear in your mind. Fear in the body is no fun, but fear in the mind, now that is entertaining. Regarding the reasons why I am doing this… let’s just say it’s simply to pass the time until the king arrives, and then we get down to the nitty-gritty.” I felt the leather touch the inside of my ribs. Again, the skin pulled as the hooks receded. Shrike inflicted four more hits, but those had been higher on my back, where my skin was thicker. It pained me less than the previous ones, but I still had to muffle a cry. I started sweating from the pain and noticed that my feet and knees were slipping in the small pool of blood that was accumulating under me. At this rat
Xander POVAs Ida and Diana left the house, I felt a sudden urge to warn them again against attending the meeting. My Lycan and I had a bad feeling about the whole thing, especially since Ida’s scent was different. Although Diana had reassured us that everything was fine, something felt off about her. Over the past few weeks, we had noticed a significant change in her, and even Gideon had mentioned it to me. But we were both at a loss as to what it could be. I couldn’t believe that two prime shifters, like us, couldn’t tell what was wrong with Ida.Leo walked out of the house and looked at me with pleading eyes, hoping to join us. I ruffled his hair and smiled, but had to disappoint him and leave him behind.“Keep Nimu in the house and ensure everything is ready when we return. The horses must be fed properly if we are to leave in the evening.”Leo’s face turned bitter as he realized he wouldn’t join us. He was still young and had a lot to learn. I couldn’t take the risk of putting him
I closed my eyes and allowed my thoughts to focus on unlocking the memory orb. I sensed the magical energy emanating from the glass sphere and let my own energy flow into it, absorbing some of its power. I slowed my breathing, listening to the vibrations passing through my fingers and into my body. I imagined the orb as a small, delicate package, tied with multiple taut strings that protected its contents from being revealed.I whispered an unlocking incantation, trying to tug at the invisible strings within the orb. I felt my magic tugging at the strings, but they refused to budge. I tried again, chanting the incantation with more intent. I sensed the energy within the orb vibrating in response to my magic, but the strings still held fast.I decided to try a different approach. I would force the strings and break them. I summoned all the energy I could muster, feeling my body heat up and the orb becoming warm as well. I focused my power on the strings, envisioning them snapping under
I took out one of my fancier dresses to wear for my outing, and Xander’s voice echoed in my mind, reminding me of the potential dangers that lay ahead. “You both could walk into a trap,” he had warned me. I knew that leaving the house was a risk, but I needed to get out and find out the truth.As I slipped into the dress, I thought about how Xander had always been so protective of me. It was both comforting and frustrating at the same time. But I knew that in this case, he was right. I needed to be careful if I was going to venture out into the world.My hands were on the poster from the bed, and Diana was cinching up my corset. Each time she tightened a lacing, it constricted my chest and made me take a laboured breath.Why did they have to make those things so tight?Diana pulled on another set of strings, and I almost fainted from the tightness.“Oh, might have overdone it. Sorry, Ida. Let me loosen this a bit,” Diana mumbled as she saw my face pale.Xander, visibly frustrated, sat
After several days had passed without any response from Denis, we came to the conclusion that he had no intention of assisting us, and so we began to prepare to leave the city. Diana was extremely upset after learning that her brother was still alive but had not replied to her note. She was on the edge of a breakdown, and I could see the turmoil in her eyes.“Did he read the message you gave him?” Diana asked me repeatedly.We had already discussed this subject multiple times, and I had given her the same answer each time.“I’m not sure. All I know is that Denis took the note and put it in his front pocket. Can you please tell me what was on that piece of paper I gave him?”Diana continued folding our clothes, appearing deep in thought and keeping the note a secret from us. Her behaviour had caused quite a stir with Xander, who was afraid that Diana might betray us and sell us out to her brother. I understood Xander’s concerns, but I also understood why Diana was being secretive. The C
After Diana’s name left Denis’s lips, he rapidly collected himself and cleared his throat. “I’m so sorry. I mistook you for someone I knew long ago. Please forgive my misobservation. Allow me to help you. That was quite a tumble you almost had.” Denis gingerly got up and made his way to help Diana with the mess the fallen tray had left.“Please, let me take care of it, sir,” I interjected, stepping before Diana.Whatever had happened, Diana still seemed a little shaken by the event. She straightened and mumbled, “It’s fine,” then quickly gathered the broken porcelain.I didn’t think my friend almost fell; her path was clear, and Diana was an experienced maid with a steady footing. I thought she let the tray slip by sheer shock. Although the man and Diana appeared to recognize each other, they both acted as strangers. I thought it would be best to separate them before the guards became suspicious.I looked at Xander, who understood my hint and started asking the curator about the chest’
We had been stuck in the house for three long days without anyone coming to get us. Xander, who was usually patient, had become irritable from waiting for so long. Being Unnaturals, we were all too afraid to venture outside, except for Diana, who left to fetch food and supplies. She made sure to return as quickly as possible each time, not wanting to leave us alone for too long. The rest of us, Gideon, Nimu, Leo, Xander, and I, had chosen to stay inside the house, watching the world outside through the windows.The city we were in had strict laws against the colour red, so I dyed my hair brown to avoid drawing any unwanted attention to myself. It was especially important since we needed to go to the Arcane Library and didn’t want to risk being caught. I had brought some of my own clothes, but we had limited space, so I was grateful that Lady Lucia had left some of her dresses and petticoats during her last visit.I wanted to look presentable as the fiancée of a lord, so I wore my nicer
The day had dawned early, and we had eaten our breakfast quickly, eager to set out for Cardinal City. We had enough food packed to last us the rest of our journey, and we knew it was less than a day’s ride away. Our plan was to go directly to the Kestrel’s house, which they owned and used when summoned to court.As we set out, I felt a sense of foreboding as we approached my old home. The memories of Cardinal City, once beautiful and happy, were now tainted by the events of the uprising.Cardinal City sat atop a mountain. The steep rocky mountainsides protected it, and the only way in or out was through the thick, dark forest that lined it from the south. It reminded me of a peninsula, except air surrounded it, and the city was high above the clouds.It was technically a stronghold. The northern, eastern, and western sides of the city were fortified with walls that blended with the jagged rocks of the mountain. The natural rock walls descended toward the ocean, while the ramparts above
On the morning we left Starling Castle, we encountered Gideon and Leo on horseback while we reached the outskirts of Perch. Xander had predicted that we would meet them on our way out, and he was proven right. Gideon seemed anxious to see us so early in the morning, and his demeanour was tense. However, after Diana and Xander explained what had happened, Gideon’s mood also became sour.Despite the tension, I was thrilled to see little Leo again. He was a sweet and lively child, and his presence was a welcome distraction from the others’ brooding mood. He sat between Gideon’s legs, holding the horse’s mane. When he saw me, his eyes lit up, and I moved my horse closer to Gideon’s, inviting Leo to come and sit on my horse for a while. He happily obliged, and we rode together for a bit, chatting and laughing as we went.I wasn’t sure if they had used the forest path to leave the city of Maple, but I knew their horse must have been exhausted. Gideon had even brought back a small chest conta