Follow Your Heart

Part 2

Lyla turned on the spot to face the woman who had spoken. She was taller than all the others, quite clearly the alpha, with white and black hair that was opposite her two-toned eyes. The woman was garbed in mahogany clothes from her shirt, pants, and boots, to the flowing cloak clasped at the left shoulder with the dark gold fur. She was a regal thing, every step powerful and effortless, despite the limp in her gait from her right leg.

Lyla didn't move as the woman got closer to her and took her face in her hands. The woman inspected her face closely, before she stepped away. "After all this time, you've finally come home."

Lyla tilted her head in confusion, "What do you mean, I've come home? Who are you?"

"The Protectors. The ancient pack of Werewolves meant to guard this place, waiting for the Lady of Balance. You," The Alpha wolf smiled, her gold-banded ivory teeth glinting. "I am Aliya, the Wolf Mother, leader of the pack since my own mother stepped down. I am the one tasked with helping you come into your own and to answer any questions you may have."

Lyla thought about it for a while, as she looked around at the other wolves. Some had turned into mortal beings on two legs, others had stayed as wolves that towered over the two-legged members. They had been waiting for her? For what reason could they think that she was this Lady of Balance? She was no one yet, no more than a girl who had broken the rules out of fear.

"What is the Lady of Balance and what is this place?" Lyla ventured quietly, starting toward the castle for a few steps.

"The Lady of Balance, in the myth handed down to us, is said to be the first woman in a long line of lost souls to choose to accept both parts of herself. But, this will come in time. The more important answer is what this place is," Aliya waved to the castle.

"This place is both our home and was built to be the home to any who wished to accept the truth. It is a place of new beginnings and of learning. All it needs, is someone to give it a chance," Aliya offered Lyla her hand and when she took it, began walking. "You want to help them? Then you must make this place worthy of being a home for all. This castle was built in the last days of the War by one of the most powerful magick users in hopes that one day, all the peoples could come together again."

Lyla's brain began to hurt. This felt like too much for her to process, let alone to continue to have happen. But she didn't have much choice as Aliya led her forward through the gate and the beautiful Gothic architecture of the castle. The place had been maintained well over the centuries, with the entryway wide open with a lit chandelier hanging above all the golden walls and the stair cases that stretched around and above the main hall.

It was gorgeous, too beautiful to take in. They walked up on side of the stairs, and Lyla noticed that they continued upward, spiraling around each other for a few floors, but Aliya only took her as far as the seventh. Two halls stretched to either side with many rooms, though it was the double doors in front of them that they went through into a library that seemed to go on forever. The scent of so many books filled Lyla with peace and made her feel like she was home in a way.

Because of how big it was, taking up a fair amount of space with three-tier levels, different sections, and a reading area, Lyla guessed that the castle was bigger than she'd glimpsed. She ran for the first shelf that was closest and pulled a green and gold leather bound book off, flipping through the worn pages just to smell the scent of security and knowledge.

Sudden light burst into the gigantic library thanks to the wolves tying the ends of the curtains on the windows or lighting the sconces with a flick of their hands. It was beautiful- all dark wood with enchanting gold and silver highlights, with curtains of ruby red and carpets, and tapestries and portraits where there was space available. Rows upon rows crawled all around her, possibly the largest library she'd ever seen as a cavern large enough to house a forty-foot-tall dragon. Not that those existed anymore...