Luna of the Beastly Lycan King

Chapter 25. A lure

☉DANIKA

I spent the better part of the night tossing and turning, desiring sleep, but finding that it eluded me at every turn. My dreams were feverish and short, and in all of them, I could see Finarfin holding my chin, lifting it to his face, and then his face devolving into something monstrous until I snapped awake.

I could not sleep. And when dawn began to break over the cold night sky, I groaned because I had not had any sleep at all and I had training with Sonia again. My body was still sore and every time I tried to turn my head, I heard a cracking sound.

I sighed wearily as I put on my clothes and stepped out of my chambers, eyes still crusted with sleep.

“Lady Danika.” Someone called. I turned slowly for fear of my neck, and I was sure that I must have looked quite the sight because the maid visibly flinched when she took in my countenance.

“What?” I moaned at her. She bowed her head.

“I apologize for interrupting your rest, but I have been requested to fetch you. Your presence is required, my lady.”

“By whom?” I yawned.

“I am not at liberty to say. I have only been instructed to fetch you.”

I considered the maid. Her head was bowed low but her voice had vestiges of pride in it. She truly thought that she was above me. I scoffed at the thought in my head. Everybody in the palace was more or less in open revolt against me simply because of the way Finarfin now treated me.

Finarfin—

Memories of the past day came floating up to the fore of my mind. There had been a strange look on Finarfin’s face when he saw the claw mark on my face back then as though that was the first time he was seeing it. Even if it was only for a heartbeat.

I could not place it, but I was not worried about it either. At this point, nothing that Finarfin did made sense to me or bothered me anymore. But it had been terrifying and surprising nonetheless, seeing him react that way.

I had not shown that scar to anyone before. No one knew of it, save the guards that dragged me from Wulpen, and the ones that enslaved me in Cynthros. I had been very careful, always making sure that I hid that part of my face with my hair. But Finarfin had known about it. I was determined that he would be the last and only person to know about it or remember it.

I still wasn’t sure how to feel about everything with Finarfin, but I did know that Sonia was going to kill me. I was late. I could not afford any more distractions. Just who had summoned me anyway? I was not sure if they were friend or foe. I had not even had anything to eat. I tsked and said to the maid,

“I am running late for my sparring session with Sonia. If I am not there soon, she will kill me, and then she will kill you for bringing me this news, and then she will kill those people you claim have requested an audience with me…”

I ended my statement on a questioning note. I saw her visibly quake. I hoped that the maid would be inclined to tell me the name of the person that decided I was to be invited to some meeting I did not have any prior knowledge about. Sonia was a name that was revered among the women of the palace. I was despised throughout the palace.

I tried to imagine now, how I looked in the maid’s eyes. Flaming red hair, blue eyes, pale skin…

I knew that the maid considered how I looked and thought that I was in no way fit to train or spar. I did not personally feel up to sparring, but I had to show up anyway. Sonia had decided to train me. The least I could do was show up.

The maid was adamant. “I am afraid I must reinforce the fact that I am not at liberty to say who it is that has invited you, my lady, only that you please follow me and I shall lead you to them.”

I stared at her, feeling something akin to resentment. There was never a shortage of activities that went on in this palace anyway. I blew air out through the side of my mouth and sighed. “Lead the way.”

The maid walked away, leading me to the other side of the palace—parts I had never thought that I would have the opportunity to explore. And for a while, I was lost in the moment, marveling at how different this part of the palace looked from the quarters where my chambers were located.

This side of the castle was ornamented with flower petals and creeping plants, and the air in this particular part of the palace reeked of floral aromas. I could perceive other scents and perfumes too, and as we approached the room that the maid was leading me to, I began to hear the sound of giggling.

I wondered what was going on, but I did not have to imagine too much.

She knocked on the doors. “My ladies, I have with me here, Danika, as you requested.”

“You may enter.” Said a voice from behind the door. The maid pushed open the door and gestured for me to enter. She did not go in with me. The chamber doors closed after me.

I turned to see just who had invited me. I tried hard not to scowl.

The ladies of the court that had met me in the kitchens the last time were all seated around. Their leader, the one I had knocked down, was reclining in a chair, a goblet of wine in her hand. They were all dressed in virginal white gowns today, and it took all of my will not to compare myself who was dressed in combat garb to them.

“Danika, welcome!” The leader said. “We’re all so glad that you can join us today. Please, sit, have a drink with us.”

I c****d my head the tiniest bit and glanced at all of their faces. This was what was so important? This was why I was risking death and a beating from Sonia? Ladies of the court whose names I could not even remember.

“I have something important that I have to do right now and I’m running late. I have to pass up the offer to drink, tempting as it is.”

“Oh,” said the leader, disappointment written on her face. “We had hoped that you would be able to join us today. I believed that the maid would have gotten to you early enough.”

“She did,” I said gruffly and looked away. Something about sitting down with these ladies just did not ring true in my heart. They had seemed very intent on humiliating me the last time that we had met. Now they wanted us to drink together?

“You see, we were hopeful that you would still be in bed. This was supposed to be a surprise. We had wanted to properly show you around our quarters and introduce you to everyone.”

“You all know my name already. I am sure that we will have the chance to become acquainted with each other in due time. But Sonia waits for me and I must take my leave.”

I had no idea what they were planning. Not more than one of them had on a sinister half-smile. But the sparring session was the only thing at the forefront of my mind right now. I could not afford this temporary distraction.

Their leader made a small coughing noise against her palm. The others made equally disturbing sounds and shifted. I could not show how deeply this entire thing unnerved me. She stood up and walked up until she stood right in front of me.

“You are certain that we cannot convince you to stay?” She asked.

I met her gaze. “I could stay. But then my sparring partner is waiting for me, and it would not be a good thing, to meet the Goddess on a day like this.”

We stared into each other’s eyes, challenging each other in a silent battle of wills. I could feel the other ladies on edge, as if waiting for something. Then she broke away and I could breathe freely again.

“Well,” she clapped her hands together. “I am sure that we will be able to eventually find time and enjoy ourselves, just us ladies. And now you know where to find us, Danika.”

“Of course.” I smiled stiffly at her. Internally, I was seething, hating every single moment that I was here for. But I still had no idea what they were up to. I turned and left without another word.

I broke into a half run as I dashed out of the palace, heading straight to the sparring grounds. I got there, out of breath, but Sonia was nowhere to be found. At first, relief flooded my veins. Then it turned to panic, and then to fear. What if Sonia had left in anger? What if she had decided that she was never going to bother with training me again? What if…

“Danika.”

I yelped and spun, almost tripped over my feet, and headbutted someone in the chest. Large meaty hands grabbed me and righted me. I knew that smell. Those calloused hands…

“Fergal?” I looked up.

He smiled bashfully and folded his arms. “You guessed my name first. I’m not sure I shouldn’t be scared.”