The Wolf Queen (The Queen's Slave, Book 2)

Fifteen: Sinister

"Nations, like stars, are entitled to eclipse. All is well, provided the light returns and the eclipse does not become endless night. Dawn and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of the light is the same as the survival of the soul."

-Victor Hugo

Falling By: Harry Styles

I huffed, blowing a piece of my hair out of my face as I crouched on the oak's wide limb, drawing the string of my bow back. Releasing a low breath, I prepared to hit the doe just behind her left shoulder. Just as I loosed the arrow a trill of laughter rang out, startling me and sending the shot sailing over the doe's head while the frightened animal bounded away. I narrowed my gaze onto the red haired demon that was Elizabeth's sister. It had been a little over two weeks since we'd parted, and I had just earned enough trust from my father to go hunting alone. Jacob and Owen had been furious, while Emilee was all but glued to my side ninety nine percent of the time. This was the most alone time I'd had in days and judging by the lowering sun, I didn't have long before my guard came looking for me. Swinging down from my branch, I landed deftly on my feet in front of Camille. I refrained from wincing, although the healing bite wound on my thigh was tender and badly bruised.

The witch arched a red brow in amusement. "You should be a little more aware of your surroundings. Wolves live in these woods, you know...." She mock-whispered, chuckling when I didn't budge. A muscle in my jaw ticked as I stuck the end of my long bow into the soil, pinning her with a glare.

"Did Elizabeth send you?" I had no interest in playing games with her. I would see what she wanted and then be on my way, unless it was worth staying for. I flinched away when her hand barely brushed my lower back, steering me away from the camp. "Walk with me." She murmured, a clear warning in her eyes.

Once I was confident we were a good few miles from the camp, I shook her hand off and bared my teeth. "Touch me again and you will have one less hand. Get to the point Camille. I don't have all day." Her eyes flashed dangerously, the iridescent color deepening to liquid silver. When she spoke again, her voice was cold and biting, which unexpectedly hurt.

"Very well. I was instructed to inform you that in a few hours Ezekiel will be accompanying his hunting party further north. Orders of Ravenna." Her face soured as she spit out her mother and brother's names. "I came to deliver this message from and on behalf of my sister, I also had intended to offer you a solution to this dilemma. However since we are being honest, I admit I am only here to ensure that you also follow through with our deal." A warm awareness filled my mind and I knew instinctively that it was Elizabeth. She was too far to speak to me but nonetheless trying to express her trust in her sister, despite her aloof and sarcastic personality. Scrubbing a hand down my face, I tried to ignore the ache in my chest and the cold sweats attacking my body, a side effect of our separation. My heart bucked in my panic as she turned to leave, spurring my legs forward while I scrambled to catch hold of her dark clothing.

"I apologize. These withdrawals are taking more out of me than I realized. Forgive me." My cheeks warmed in shame. I was never one to be outright rude, but the reminder of Camille also brought the reminder of Elijah, and that was still too raw a wound. The youngest prince avoided me like the plague as his wounds healed, receiving nothing more than a clap on the back from my father for bringing his heir back safely. The wolves all thought the worst. They thought my master, the heir to the throne of vampires, had come back to claim me, torture me, and inevitably make me pay for escaping. Luckily we were able to dissuade their rumors with a well crafted story of how I had gone too far west, running into a raiding party, forced to hide until they passed.

Not that they were wrong. Camille's voice shattered my thoughts as she spoke, her expression softening ever so slightly. "I understand." I felt even worse then. I had been away from Elizabeth for two weeks and she had been kept from her Michael for decades. The agony she must be in. I gave myself a mental tongue lashing at my thoughtlessness and inclined my head, indicating for her to follow. "So, how are we going to avoid this?" I worried my lip as I realized I wouldn't be able to tell my father about this meet. He would be livid that a vampire was so close to our borders and even more so that I chose not to kill her. I pondered this as she explained her plan to me. Admittedly, it grew much more appealing the further she explained.

"Essentially I would "cloak" your pack and the surrounding area you inhabit. The space itself would be visible to all who have entered it....but to outsiders it will look untouched and appear as if no one had ever lived there." I frowned as I tied up my mess of hair, my mind running a mile a minute as I checked off every possibility that this could be a bad idea on my mental checklist. A few questions stuck out to me and I found I couldn't risk not asking them.

"Is there a way to cloak an area without the current inhabitants knowing?" She paused and tilted her head as she mulled over the question, the light of the lowering sun turning her crimson hair a brilliant gold. "The barrier is not physically visible, however you may feel it when you cross back through tonight. To answer your question: I cannot make it unknown without meddling in the minds of those who live there. If you would like me to-," she paused and searched my face.

"No." I blurted quickly, huffing out a nervous laugh. "No, that won't be necessary. My aunt messed with my mind once, against my will. Never in my life would I subject my people to such a violation of privacy. I will simply deal with the chaos as it comes." Her lips pursed as I blabbed on.

"Ah yes. Vienna. I do believe I've heard of her. What she did is a form of rape and certainly distasteful to the witches. Myself or the others would've never condoned such behavior-,"

"There are more?!" I cut her off and abruptly stopped, shocked to learn that there were more. I hadn't given it much thought, but I figured that the "witch gene" or whatever, was rare. It was startling to know that there was more out there. Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she laughed, flashing straight white teeth.

"Yes, little one. There are more. But don't worry, they mainly stick to themselves. It is rare to stumble across one witch, let alone a whole nest of them. However, it is quite interesting to me how your aunt has witch blood and you do not. She is your mother's twin, is she not? With such a powerful blood relation...I would think that you would share her power as well." Her gaze darkened as she mulled over her observations, but my attention was elsewhere. My skin instinctively tightened as she stepped from the shadows, her white hair piled above her head.

"That monster is no twin of mine."

🥴 welp, mama wolf is back lmao. Enjoy!!