Mine to Claim

Chapter 46

"The diamonds or pearls?" I ask, confused now at Fenris's choice of description. That man said that these were pearls.

"They are sparkling, so I thought they are diamonds. Let me look at them closely," asks Fenris and I raise my palm higher for my brother to see them closely.

Fenris looks at them, and then at me. "Where did you get these from?" he asks while looking at me.

"I was in the cavern, beside the wall," I try to remember the man. "There was this man, I saw. He was ancient. He said he was friends with our grandpa."

"What?" Fenris's eyes widen as he takes in my words. "How is that possible? Who can manage to stay alive for so long?" he wonders out loud but even I know that he's not speaking to me. He's busy thinking and connecting the dots. But I am not sure if there are any dots left to connect.

I am exhausted.

"Who can this person be?"

While Fenris tries to think out loud, I slowly recall the words the man spoke. "The Queen of Wolves gave you the same advice, didn't she?"

Queen of Wolves?

Sierra knows him.

"I want to meet Sierra. Now."

Fenris jerks up in his seat when I speak the words a little too loudly. I look at him expectantly however, he doesn't look me in the eyes. I frown at him, not really knowing what's going on.

"Sierra's not here," says Fenris while looking down at his hands. He then looks up at me, closes his eyes once and then opens them to look at me with black eyes.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, I don't know."

"What do you not know?"

Fenris just shrugs and then looks around before getting up from beside me.

"Fenris..."

"You seem to be fine. I will speak to you later. Take care," Fenris speaks monotonously and then walks out of my room without answering my question.

What was that?

And where's Sierra?

Before I can dive deep into my thoughts, the door to my room flies open, startling me. And I forget all about the pearls in my fist.

Dominic!

I sit up straighter in my bed as awareness shoots through my spine. A rock settles in my stomach as my throat clogs up with emotions.

Dominic stands at the threshold of the room as he stares at me. His face is straight, but his eyes speak volumes. He stands there for a full minute, his eyes roaming over me, from head to toe. His eyes linger on my hands and then on my face.

And then all those memories wash over me. Me trapped in the dungeon, then me being held by mom and then me being born. And then before that, something ancient.

Me speaking to my mom but I am not myself. I am someone else–

"You look lovely," he whispers, breaking my thoughts and I focus on Dominic once again. Now, he is walking closer and closer, taking tentative steps toward me as if he's unsure of my reaction. He sits on the edge of my bed, tentatively at first and then settles on it, when I don't react to his closeness.

"Are you feeling fine?" He asks while staring into my eyes, but I break our eye contact, his intense stare making me aware of my own body. Moving my gaze to his hands, I find that he has entwined his fingers, tightly.