Chapter 4
1650 Words
Sophia
Awakened by the sound of something resembling a carriage, I gasped loudly and touched my surroundings with my hands.
Soil…again?
My fingertips moved from the ground to the uncomfortable material on my body, and my breathing quickened as it finally hit me that the witch had indeed sent me back to the 17th century.
This was my last shot to save time for the love of my life, and I would take it.
"I need to hide." I got up from the ground and adjusted the thin white dress clinging to my body. The sound of the carriage got closer, and I could tell whoever it was, was nearby.
If there was one thing I had learned from books, it was not to trust anyone at this time of age—and that’s why I took the easiest way out by hiding behind a tree.
I didn't know how to start, but I had to find my way to the palace and find the book of the hidden dagger.
That was the only way to kill him.
Lycan Castiel.
The sound of the carriage drawing closer made me swallow my breath. My nails were glued to the tree.
Peeking from the tree, my eyes admired the beautiful wagon and the eye-catching white horse in front.
Behind the carriage were men that looked like knights, accompanied by their horses.
"Stop!" A male voice called out, making the carriage stop instantly.
No, no, no.
Please don't head in this direction.
My jaw nearly dropped as a tall and handsome male stepped out.
I didn't know whether I was mesmerized by his looks or the golden silk robe covering his shoulders.
This was a nobleman.
Anyone could tell.
If anything, someone like him shouldn't find me.
"You behind that tree!" My world came crashing down in a matter of seconds. "You can come out now!" The man who had stepped out of the carriage acknowledged my presence.
'Don't go, Sophia.' My conscience kept telling me. Noble people from the past were not lovely. They were not even lovely in the 21st century. They were always the villains.
Defeated, I took a deep breath.
"Do you want us to get her, sire?" One knight had jumped from his horse.
Sire?
It was the confirmation I needed to know that the man held a title of importance.
A lord, perhaps.
"No." He cracked a smile. "She'll come out and reveal herself."
Not wanting to cause more trouble, I sighed softly and appeared from behind the tree.
Maybe if I wouldn't be a burden, he would be on his way.
The man fixed his gaze on me as I carefully stepped closer until I stood in front of him. I flinched as several men seemed ready to jump from their horses, but before they could—the handsome lord stretched out his hand.
"Halt!"
The knights followed his command, and my eyes gazed to their long guns, several even carried swords. Yes, I was ultimately here to look for a magical sword to kill the Lycan—but seeing such a weapon in front of me made everything much more surreal.
"Are you lost, miss?" The man smiled, straightening his collar. He blinked his eyes, showing off his hazel-colored iris and chiseled jaw, strong enough to sharpen a dagger.
"Are you lost?" He repeated the question as the sun fell perfectly on his light brown hair. It wasn't my intention, but somehow I ended up staring at him.
"I-I don't know, sir." My voice was just above a whisper.
"Please—Landon."
"Landon." The name fitted him perfectly.
"Where are you from?" Landon asked, connecting our hands. "Do you wish me to take you back to your village?"
"No." I pulled back her hand. "I think I can manage. Thank you."
There was no need to ask anyone for help.
For all I knew, the man standing right in front of me was a dangerous person. It would be better to get away from him by any means.
The witch had sent me back in time without any preparations. I hadn't had the opportunity to put a story together and had to come up with everything from scratch.
Believe it or not, I had no information or whatsoever about the 17th century or Acrasia.
Were there supernaturals?
Did they keep their identity hidden from humans, the same as the present day?
Were there rules regarding magic?
"State your name, rank, and your husband." Landon snapped his finger.
"W-What?"
"I need to report your name, status, and husband." He squinted his eyes, looking at me suspiciously. "Are you from here?"
Unfortunately, I had to lie her way through his interrogation. "Yes."
"Name?"
"Sophia Hixon." It was the first name that occurred to me. Growing up at the house for orphaned werewolves, I had not been granted a last name—and now that my mate and my pack had been extinguished—I didn't even know whether I had the right to that name.
"Hixon…Hixon." Landon tapped his feet, glancing sideways.
He had caught me off guard when he turned his head and held my chin between his fingers, allowing me to see his hazel eyes turn into a bright yellow color.
Landon was a shifter, and judging by his magnificent color, his ability to shift in broad daylight, and his attire, I assumed he was an Alpha of some sort.
No wonder hiding behind that tree didn't do any wonders.
By now, I should've known. It didn't do anything for that Lycan either.
"What are you?" His eyes changed to their regular color, and he slowly removed his hand from her chin. He must've scented her smell beforehand.
"A werewolf."
"Full-blooded?"
"Y-Yes, I believe so—yes." The answer made me sound stupid. Unfortunately there was no information about my parents and no way to find out where exactly I had come from.
"Full-blooded, and yet until a few seconds ago, I could not pick up your scent." Landon brushed a strand of my hair to the side, sending shivers down my spine.
This would've been the part where I would confess and tell him that I didn't have my wolf or any other special abilities. I was no Mary Sue, more so an extra.
"I'm well familiar with the Hixon clan, but I haven't seen you around." Landon tilted his head, his tone exposing his doubt.
Back in the 17th century, they were no packs but clans. Noted.
If I hadn’t been so oblivious, I could've guessed that walking around with the Hixon name was not the smartest. Besides learning about it in school, Eli had often bragged about the pack's long history.
"Y-You haven't seen me around because I'm not from here." I held her head high, but truly it was useless as I was only digging herself deeper and deeper.
"You just told me you were." Landon said.
"Did I?"
"Who is your husband?"
My lips quivered, and I tried to find the perfect answer. Eli wasn't here anymore, he wasn't capable of protecting me, and I had to do it herself.
Saying his name wouldn't be an advantage. If this man would search for the records of a man who wasn't even alive yet, it would only get me in more trouble.
"He's deceased, and so is my family." I twisted the truth. "I'm not from this cou…kingdom. After losing my husband, I've traveled from across the rivers and ended up here."
Landon grew a tight-lipped smile as he walked in circles around me. Out of fear, I remained still and waited for his judgment. "Not exactly a maiden, but she's unmarried—so it’ll do. We'll take her to meet him." He stopped walking.
Take me where?
Unsure of what was happening, I wrapped her arms around myself. All of this was not going the way I had planned.
"With all due respect, Sire, he has ordered you not to bring him any more women." One of the knights opened his mouth. "I would really not want to test him nowadays."
"I don't care about his orders." Landon kept his composure. "I'm taking her with me, and that's final."
His final verdict made me want to run as far away as possible. I could not have this man delay my plans. This was not how I wanted to waste my time when I only had one year to begin with.
Glancing at the knights, I second-guessed my decision. Landon was most likely powerful. He could shift and outrun me while there was a big chance that the knights were also wolves.
"Where will you be taking me?" A fake smile reached my lips. It would be for the best to obey, and I would just have to see from there.
"I'm taking you to the capital of Acrasia."
The capital? Maybe this wasn't as bad after all.
"I suppose that's close to the palace, then?" I was out to get more information. Knowing where I had to go would spare me a lot of time.
Landon cleared his throat. "Why do you ask?" He furrowed his brow.
"No reason. I was just wondering."
My muscles twitched as Landon smacked his lips, bringing his face closer to mine. "Do you perhaps recognize me?" He made me wonder whether it was one of his lousy pickup lines.
"No?" There was no reason for me to recognize him—a man closer to the middle ages than her own period.
"Very well then," He took my hand, leading me to the carriage. "Most ladies tend to run from the castle."
"Why is that?" It was difficult to understand why anyone of this age wouldn't want protection inside the castle walls.
The knights' faces tensed, but Landon's welcoming expression was still present. "Let's say—the king is known to be a cold-hearted monster."
- Writer
