Chapter 4

BRYN We arrived at the Landons' mansion in less than an hour and I went straight to Eiryn’s father’s office. At this hour, he was supposed to be there already. “Daddy!” I stormed in just as his true daughter always did. I pretended to be her maid for a month before my first task to learn everything there was to know about her. And after a few years, I became a master. “Ryn?” Lord Landon looked surprised when he saw me, yet stayed behind his chair. “What happened?!” “I just received your latest order, Daddy!” I pouted my lips. “Why did you order me to leave today?! Are you that tired of me?!” “You know why!” he growled unexpectedly, and I flinched. That wasn’t how he usually spoke to his daughter. And Eiryn never mentioned any serious quarrel between them. Although maybe I was overthinking it. She didn’t want to get married to the guy that he chose and maybe that was the problem. “I am sorry, sweetheart.” He came up to me and gave me a fatherly hug. “You know it’s for the best. Everything that I do, I do for you.” That was true. In the five years that I’d worked for Eiryn, this man had proven himself a perfect father. Eiryn, as with any spoilt child, of course, did not understand how lucky she was. But I loved these fatherly moments. I knew that they weren’t for me, but it still felt nice to be taken care of, given advice, and get spoilt. That was the closest I got to being a part of a family. And I was enjoying it while I could. “Ryn.” Daniel Landon lifted up my chin and I thanked all the gods and goddesses that it sounded almost like Bryn. It was making my life so much easier that our names could be shortened to almost the same sounds. “Yes, Daddy.” I smiled at the silver-haired man with a moustache. “When you are there, behave appropriately. And… look at him with your heart, not your eyes,” he said, and I tensed a bit. Behaving appropriately wasn’t in the plans… “I’ll do my best,” I lied, slightly sad about the fact that I would have to fail this great man. “By the way.” Lord Landon stepped away from me. “I think you will need at least one more personal guard with you, so I hired a true professional for you.” His eyes became empty for a moment, and I knew that he was using his mind linking abilities. Something that was the hardest for me to fake. Luckily, Eiryn’s wolf was somewhat of a diva and could easily refuse to connect. I was using that excuse often. The door opened and in came Len. No surprises there, of course. I already knew that he was going on the task with us again. Len was a real werewolf and a perfect candidate for such a mission. “Meet Glen, my dear,” Lord Landon introduced us. “He’s proved himself to be a great warrior and I decided that a man like him would be perfect to escort you to Phevran and make sure you are protected there.” Of course he proved himself. In a fake assassination attempt a few days ago that Amira helped him to stage. As far as I was aware, she attacked one of Landon’s closest friends and Len saved both of them. Like the hero he was. In the meantime, Eiryn fired one of her constant guards. How convenient. “But Daddy, isn’t Rafael enough?” I pulled his hand just as a brat like Eiryn would do. “Two is better than one, child.” The man kissed the top of my head and pushed me towards the exit. “Go, you need to make sure that the maids prepared everything that you need.” I obeyed him and ignored Len completely on my way out. In just a few hours, I was in the carriage with Amira and Filin, whom we had to keep in a cage for the journey. For which he avenged himself by singing very inappropriate demon songs. The damn bird had no voice as well, and after a while, even I got tired. “Either you shut up or I throw you in the luggage cart that’s right behind us!” I warned him. “I am making this boring journey better!” He snorted. “A knife in your throat will make this journey better,” Amira retorted. We all knew that she had plenty hidden in her maid’s dress. ~***~ We were about to have a full-blown fight when a wolf’s howl emerged from somewhere nearby, signalling that we were already deep in the wolf kingdom. “Do you think that they’re watching us?” I asked the assassin in front of me. “Of course they are,” she sneered. “They are possessive animals and we just strolled into their territory. Besides, you are precious to them as they consider you their future Luna and Queen.” I looked out the window and saw tense Rafael on a horse, surrounded by wolves. Well, that was fast. They didn’t do anything, just ran next to us and didn’t even seem to look at us. “Guards from the Prince,” Rafael explained, and I gave him a stiff smile. I liked all this less and less. Werewolves weren’t my favourite creatures. Not after what they did to my family. If they ever found out my identity, I’d be doomed. Wolves of Phevran hate witches. So, I closed the curtain again and didn’t even bother to look anymore. The less attention I draw to myself, the better. Hours and hours later the carriage stopped and Rafael opened the door for me, offering his hand. It was late evening already, the third one since I left Ruvia. An unfamiliar man stood next to us, and he bowed as soon as he saw me, “My lady! Let me welcome you to the North Estate.” I looked around and… the sight was underwhelming. In front of me stood a tall, dark yet dull-looking mansion. There were dead flowers in the parts of the garden that I could see from here and garbage was thrown here and there. Mostly bottles. Was this even the right house? I probably looked puzzled, as the man continued, “My name is Duncan Bork, I’ll be helping you around as much as I can.” He stretched his hand to me, but Amira stepped forward. “Don’t touch the lady without permission!” Meanwhile, I threw a quick glance at Len and saw him showing me two fingers. That meant that Duncan was the Beta here. Wolves could sense those ranks of theirs. But I needed help identifying them. “Of course.” He looked at Amira with newfound amusement. “Please, follow me inside.” “Thank you, Sir Bork,” I said, giving him a charming smile. He led us inside the mansion and the place looked… mediocre. So not what I expected from a future king… “Did something happen here?” I asked, noticing that someone’s stocking was hanging on one of the sofas. And on the stairs, there was a red shoe. “Ghm,” Duncan cleared his throat. “Alistair was celebrating your imminent arrival.” Oh, he lied! And he did it badly. Yet when I turned around to have a better look at the place, the shoe and the stocking were gone. Nice speed. Very bad for me. I raised a brow at Amira, and we understood each other without words. Duncan was not someone to mess with. “And where is my dear husband-to-be?” I asked with a smile. “I hope he didn’t celebrate my arrival so much that now he isn’t able to actually greet me.” “Well.” It was obvious to everybody in the room that Duncan was trying to find an excuse. “He has Alpha business and should be here any minute now.” I contemplated how to play it. Did I make a scene now and turn their life here to hell at once? Or did I do it gradually? The opportunity presented itself when a woman’s piercing screams emerged from upstairs. “That’s–” Beta Bork once again grasped for an explanation, but I only gasped loudly. “I think someone is unwell up there! Rafael, Len, Amy! Quickly! Come with me!” Out of the group, only Rafael stumbled. He, of course, was used to Eiryn’s tantrums and behaviour but still did not expect this. The three of us, however, knew our mission very well, so hurried to the next floor. Len signalled to me where I should go, and the next minute, I kicked open the door. And what I saw in there was truly something!