In Danger

Luna's Pov

It has been a week! A week since my master has awakened. A week since I have had to endure his endless bullying as well as the sharp tongue of his, what is she again? His sidekick? Friend? Bootlicker? Sheesh! They all fit perfectly and she is just as evil as he is. You know what? Scratch that! She is much more evil. While he was still behind bars, I had thought she was bad, but now that he is free, I was finding out that back then was her being nice.

Today, Indrik had sent me on an errand to go get, what did he call it again? "Wolf spit?"

"Wolf spurt!" Jamil corrected with a grunt as he dropped a bale of hay in a brown horse's feeding trough. The smile he had on his face as he answered my question made me scowl at him. This wasn't a joke! He was wearing a sleeveless whitewashed vest that might have once been yellow above short trousers. His long hair was held in place with a clip allowing him to work without it getting in the way. His body glistened with sweat as he checked on the horses, walking back and forth between the rows. One of the things I had found out during my stay here was that Jamil took it upon himself to check on the horses, every now and then. Even choosing to take them for a ride sometimes. With someone like him, the stable boy would be very glad to have his job. I wished my master could be like that. But then again, I knew why he was always so moody and I wasn't about to help him.

"Why does Indrik need that?" He continued, still focused on the horses.

"To further frustrate my life, I guess?" I muttered. "He said he needed it to help him feel better. Apparently, his wounds still itch." My voice was bitter as I kicked a lone straw that had fallen by my feet.

He had been rubbing the mane of a beautiful white mare when he turned toward me. "Another fight, huh?" He questioned to which I huffed.

"More like bullying. Did I ever tell you that your friend is a jerk?"

"Only about a million and a half times." He replied, his lips curling.

Being the only one person who seemed to not hate my guts in this entire pack, I had grown closer to Jamil over the course of the past few days, partly because I always needed his help in finding the strange things that I was being asked to find all the time and partly because I needed him to show me the path that could take me out of this pack. I had no luck with the second because no matter how friendly Jamil might be, he wasn't going to expose his pack's secrets to me. The other though, had been working out pretty well. Like today for instance. Indrik had spent most of the day sleeping like he always did which meant I had had a moment's respite. Tired from not being allowed to sleep because the breeze from the window had not been enough so I had had to create more air, with my arms. I had made my way to my room and drifted off without any delay.

The next time I awakened was to Indrik standing over me, glaring at me with his arms folded. Somehow, he suddenly lost his strength as he stumbled back to his room. Next thing I knew, he was asking me to get him some wolf spurt so he could feel better while reminding him that I was the reason for his weakness. "What kind of maid left her poor, weak master and went to sleep instead?" I had been about to remind him with the worst choice of words that he was neither poor, nor weak but I thought better of it.

With that, I had been forced out, with the sun starting to sink behind the horizon. No description, no explanation of what this strange name represented, just an order to be carried out without any complaint. I had been stranded until I remembered Jamil and here I was.

"Remember the plant I showed you the other day? The one that no pack member other than the doctor is allowed to touch?" I nodded, starting to hate Indrik even more. "That's it." He confirmed my fear, his eyes lighting up with a mischievous gleam.

"So, I have to see the doctor if I want to get it? Great!" I really wanted to tear my master apart this instant.

"On the bright side, the leaf does indeed cure a lot of ailments so, it is not a wild goose chase." He winked.

"Has he always been this bothersome?" I blurted.

"Well, no! Indrik is and can be sweet most of the time."

I glared at him. "I'm sure he is. Just like Blaire is!" I shot back.

He chuckled. "Indrik just happens to be going through a tough time right now but hey, he brought you here. He wouldn't have done that if he hated you. Perhaps, I should tell you a little story that might help you understand him more?"

I arched my brows but did not say anything which he took as a yes.

"Great! Now, how about we move along as we talk? You still have a long way to go if you are going to complete your quest. How would you like a ride?" He asked as he opened a stable door and led Lea out.

"Lea!" I called excitedly, then ran over to her and rubbed her mane. He fitted her and brought her along as we picked our way out of the stables.

We walked in silence for a little while before he finally cleared his throat. "So, Indrik..."

"Indrik!" I gasped, my eyes widening as I stared at what was happening before me.