The Last Daughter

Chapter Twenty-two: you have a problem

Xyra's viewpoint

   They continued telling me stories, funny stories that made me laugh so hard my stomach started to hurt. Francis was the one doing all the talking, so I guess he knew Carswell more. Carswell barged into the room, making us all freeze. His frown was directed at Francis, knowing fully well he had been telling stories about him he didn't want me to hear.

Action time!

   I shrink down into the chair with fake fear. I had the power to give off the scent I wanted to project, so I projected fear. The power of the fear was so much it made them all look at me with worry. Carswell was the first to come close to me. I reacted by diving under the table as I pretended to sob.

   "Xyra, what the hell is wrong with you!" He shouted, already knowing what I was planning on doing. I crawled over to Francis and let him pull me up and cradle me into his arms, protectively.

   "Carswell, control your anger, you are scaring the young girl," Elder Swan scolded. I sobbed as I clung to Francis' shirt. "What have you done to her?"

   "I haven't done anything," Carswell growled, "she's pretending,"

   "How can such a sweet girl pretend? Have you seen how thin she is? Did you perceive her fear?" Elder Moses asked.

   "Well, you did something to her," Francis insisted.

   "I didn't!" Carswell yelled with distress. I yelped like I was afraid. "Come here," I heard his legs walk closer to me before I was ripped out of Francis' arms. "You little troublemaker," he said angrily, "is this your own way of payback? This is barbaric!"

Wow, he is strong.

   My feet weren't touching the ground as he held me up like a baby. I looked down at his shoes, as if too afraid to look into his eyes. More sobs left my mouth. He didn't even know he was making my lie more realistic. He started shaking me, demanding I tell the truth. I felt like my brain was going to fall off.

   "Carswell! Put her down!" Francis shouted. He growled angrily, his lycan that is.

   "She is my erasthasis, not yours,"

   "She might not be, but I can't let you treat her like a toy. Just look at how you are holding her up now," it was then Carswell paid attention and knew what he was doing was a confirmation. He immediately put me down… By put, I mean dropped me. I scrambled to my feet and ran out of the dining like a scared little girl.

   "Xyra! Come back here!" I heard him thunder. I Laughed quietly as I ran back to our bedroom. I slam the door shut, ran to the bed and threw myself on it. Carswell barged into the room, throwing the door out of it hinges.

   I looked at him and smiled, "oh look, we won't be able to use this room for the night,"

   "What the hell did you do that for?!"

   "To teach you a lesson, that's what. I'm sure you don't feel bad that your trusted council elders now look upon you as incapable," I said with an innocent smile. Lycans took their mates seriously, very seriously. Any who couldn't take care of their erasthasis wasn't seen as fit enough to control anything.

   Erasthasis were rare, sacred, a gift. They worshipped goddess given mates so when they see one who have been given, they respect that one a lot. But if a lycan should maltreat his sacred gift, he is in no way fit to rule over any other. Especially a king. I knew that very well, and that was the plan.

   "Do you know what you just did!"

   "I do," I sang, "I do, I do, I do," he glared at me, his body shaking with rage. He knew he couldn't touch me, or yell further or it would add more confirmation. Him rejecting me in the first place was already a big news that many lycans were raging over. Now if they were to hear that he was maltreating me, a protest would rise.