By midday, Henry found himself on a stroll through the streets with King Philip, Eldon, and their escort—Lord Udolf.
They roamed parts of the city they hadn't seen on their way through, which Henry assumed would be as astonishingly beautiful and lively as the main square. And yet, the further back they went, the grittier the scenes became.
A few people were aligned along the beige mud-brick walls, huddled in dirty, old raggedy blankets that failed to conceal their devastatingly frail frames. Their heads were hung, evidently avoiding locking eyes with anyone in the group.
Udolf sauntered past these people like they weren't even there. And Henry slowed his steps, tempted to speak his mind about how insensitive that was. But he was gently nudged onward by Eldon, who looked at him as if to say, "Don't."
Henry had heard of people like this back in Caelum. Those who were starving, homeless, and turned away at any opportunity for work. Although he'd never actually seen them, he knew that when his mother had been queen, she'd occasionally sent out supplies to keep them comfortable, especially during the colder months. Despite being cold and stern, her heart wasn't entirely made of stone. Victor, on the other hand, hadn't made such efforts yet. Henry doubted he ever would.
As they reached the end of the soiled path, Henry could no longer keep silent. Firmly, he demanded to know where they were being taken.
Without looking back at him, Udolf said, "I wanted to introduce you to a dear friend of mine. Though I should warn you, she doesn't take too kindly to strangers."
"Are you taking us to see a beast?" questioned King Philip, chuckling lightheartedly. Udolf laughed along.
Henry found nothing humorous about this. He remembered what Ivy had told him about the dragon she'd supposedly heard.
No, he wasn't going to be fooled into believing that nonsense now. It simply wasn't plausible for Udolf to be harboring an enormous beast out here. They would've all seen and heard it already. Still, Henry couldn't help shuddering at the possibility.
After finally turning a corner and exiting the road of the poor souls, Henry halted as the sounds of snarls reached his ears.
"What is that?" King Philip asked, glaring at Udolf like they hadn't just been laughing with each other.
Udolf opted for silence as he strode ahead to the tall wooden gate with a rusted metal latch. He placed his hand over it. Then he turned to face the group. The growl intensified, followed by scraping nails, and Henry slid behind Eldon.
"Her name is Beauty," Udolf informed, unlatching the gate and pushing it open. A wide and round training ground covered by stone walls came into view.
There were no soldiers practicing here.
In the center, held back with chain and leather restraints by a rugged guard, was a black wolf.
Her hauntingly glowing yellow eyes were intently focused on the slab of raw meat dangling by a rope. She bared her sharp white teeth, and her claws were scuffing the barren ground, furious that she was being denied what she most desired.
While Henry only dared to take a single step closer for a better look, Udolf confidently headed to the animal's side. At his touch, Beauty visibly relaxed and stared up at him, her tail wagging slowly. He waved his hand at the meat, and it was pulled up and out of sight.
"She's improved," the guard said to Udolf. "I haven't needed to yank her back once yet."
"Good. You may release her now."
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A Guardian's Fate (Book #2)
Fantasy(BOOK #2 in the Secrets of Aristol series.) It's almost been three months since Elouise's birthday. Although she's kept herself distracted by Beatrice's past, she's left with more questions. Perhaps she isn't concentrating hard enough. After all, sh...
