Head Wolf

Chapter 20

I’m lost again.

The floodlights shone in Blenda’s eyes as she emerged again into the courtyard. She shaded her face with her hand and squinted at the rows of identical pillars. The main gate was the only indicator of direction. But it was of no help to navigate the labyrinth of corridors.

I remember it to be close to the courtyard. Where is it? Maybe I should ask Arthur. She crossed her arms. No.

It was the mate bond that led her through the fort that afternoon. How was she supposed to find her way now?

The fort itself looked different from this morning—tired. The lights emphasised the cracks in the walls, like deep wrinkles, ageing it beyond its years.

Two of the blue-cloaked knights emerged from the darkness. Their footsteps were exactly like Blenda remembered them—nonexistent. They moved like shadows, and their sudden appearance sent chills down Blenda’s spine. No wonder she had a constant feeling of being watched since she left the command room.

The secret army must have taken over the fort. No guards or judges were in sight. Blenda smiled at the thought of Alonso in a dirty cell, stripped of his uniform and pride.

I’d better ask for directions.

If they revealed themselves, it was because they wanted her to see them. “How do I get to the infirmary?”

“This way. Can you keep up?” His words opened a portal in her chest.

“Can you keep up, pup?” Hans dared her to race as the wooden roofs of her pack appeared from behind the trees. Before she could protest, he sprinted on the path that people’s feet made. Behind him ran Thomas, Stephen, Gerhard, Peter, and Karl. She never could keep up with their massive strides and cheating ways until she finally could.

Should she just go home?

Somewhere in the middle of her reverie, one knight left. The other one was claimed by the dark corridor she’d come from. She rushed behind him. Her walking turned into jogging, then sprinting. It was like chasing a mirage. Every time she got closer, he went far. In the end, she lost him. But she found the infirmary.

Panting, she shouted her thanks. The weight in her chest pressed harder, preventing her breathing from slowing down. Maybe I should leave before I get consumed in a war that isn’t mine. Why would I care if the crown ends up with Lucius or Lucifer?

She opened the door and entered the familiar lobby. The cool air against her burning cheeks and the smell of chemicals brought back recent memories. The reception area was empty but full of images of this morning. No moaning, but the broken bodies were there, scattered on every surface. She blinked, they disappeared; she blinked, they were there. Blenda held her breath. She couldn’t move. Everything she did that day seemed wrong, impulsive, and now she had to face the consequences of her actions.

Outside this building, life swept her into a cyclone. She never stopped to think. But here, life didn’t gain normalcy by a fresh coat of paint. Wounds didn’t heal with a quick cleanup.

A sob broke her out of her trance. She followed the sound to the last door on her left. The voice was Zuri’s; the pain was out of this world, the same pain that turned her father into a cold statue. Blenda tightened her fists. She never contested destiny, but now she couldn’t loosen the grip of guilt on her chest. Why have I left them behind?