The Arrow of Midnight

Chapter 16

The late morning sun was hot on my face, and I smiled up at the heat beating down as I strolled after Maddox towards the warg barracks on the far side of the walled city. Nyx was padding alongside us, her claws scraping against the cobblestone pathways, and she flashed her fangs at people who dared to wander too close to us. I asked her to keep herself in check when we started our walk here, but the constant urge to protect wandered into my mind ever so often through the bond, so I let her do what she needed to keep herself contained. A small child, who I guessed was no more than 9 years old, came over to bring me a small flower that he had picked along the way. Nyx nearly ran him down, but I shot her a warning glare. She immediately sat down beside me, eyeing the child as he handed me the flower with a blooming smile on his face. I'm getting used to the constant stares and smiles as I pass by the commoners and warriors scattered throughout the city. I'm their princess now, and I have to do my part to show them that I'll be as good to them as my mother was. I tucked the flower behind my pointed ear and hugged the small child before they dashed off to their mother, whispering about meeting the princess.

"If I knew it would take this long for us to get there, I would have suggested flying," Maddox complained from the wall he was leaning against a few paces ahead, and I gave him an apologetic smile.

"It's not my fault I'm so special," I smirked, and he rolled his eyes before smiling.

As we continued down the pathway, a large stone building came into view. A few wargs lounged outside in the sun within a caged clearing, perking up their heads at our approach. Nyx lowered her head slightly, and I could feel the guilt drifting from her. I gave her head a pat, and she shifted closer to my side. I told her she could stay behind, but she simply gave me a determined look and joined us anyway. Maddox greeted the guard at the gate, and she let us in, giving me a small bow as I passed. The building was surprisingly clean for a place that housed wargs, with cages lining both walls beside us. One cage contained a mother nursing a few pups. They all stopped suckling at their mother to rush to the gate and sniff at Nyx. Their snouts touched hers through the metal bars. I felt a low purr through the bond and smiled at the interaction. The mother seemed comfortable with Nyx so close to her pups. More wargs rushed to the gates of their cages, yipping and barking at Nyx's appearance. I took a deep breath as a few images rushed over the bond, causing me to stop as the memories appeared. I was looking through Nyx's eyes. Love and admiration colored the memories of her pack. She supported and cared for them as their alpha, protecting them countless times during battles and even while they were out hunting. Maddox mentioned that they were released into the woods once a month to sharpen their hunting skills, and the alpha would guide the pack back to the barracks before the next morning. The memory of pups jumping and play fighting on Nyx made me smile; they were like a family once. The memories faded as Nyx rejoined my side, and we fell in step with Maddox, but something was troubling me.

"Hey, Maddox. How did Nyx get kicked out of the pack?" My voice was no more than a whisper, and I felt him shift his gaze to me from where he held my pace at my side.

"I wasn't there, sadly. I only heard it from the usual guards stationed here. It happened shortly after they returned from their monthly hunt. She left as an alpha and returned covered in blood, trailing a few paces behind the others. I noticed Dakota at the front. She was a younger female who had always started trouble with Nyx in the past and challenged her ever so often." He explained, and I glanced over at Nyx, who had her head low to the ground with her ears pinned back, when a growl erupted from outside, bouncing off the stone walls. "And that is Dakota. I assume she smelled Nyx with us."

I couldn't stop the rage boiling in my blood at the guilt wafting down the bond again. I balled my hands into fists as a grey warg appeared in the doorway that led to the caged clearing at the back.