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My mates are watching with concerned expressions, and Syn is already moving towards me. Scott looks confused and a little hurt. “Laelia, what are you—”
A wave of the scent surrounds me, and once more, I see a flash of movement at the back of the room. Without a word, I dart away from Scott and dive into the crowd, trying to push my way to the back. It’s reckless and stupid, and I can hear Scott and the others calling after me, but I’m like a woman possessed, and I need to find the source of the smell. Everyone seems to surround me, stopping my mates from following. Somehow, I’m able to weave through the mass of bodies with little trouble.
Why would there be a werewolf here? Werewolves and witches are at war with each other, so it makes no sense. As far as I’m aware, Scott, Syn, Joel, and I are the only werewolves in Haven, and there’s specific magic surrounding the witches’ sanctuary to make sure it stays undiscovered. Did someone let the werewolf in? Am I actually scenting a witch who’s recently been with a werewolf? Perhaps they captured a werewolf who got too close to Haven. That’s a possibility… However, I can’t seem to let go of the ache in my chest and the feeling that something is wrong.
Reaching the back of the hall, I see a flicker of movement by the small back door that leads out of the ballroom. It’s the entrance that the queen uses so she doesn’t have to enter or leave with anyone else. Darting through before any of her guards can see and stop me, I quietly shut the door behind me. It takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the light, or lack thereof, but the scent of the wolf is even stronger here.
Star materialises beside me in a glimmer of stars, lighting the hall. Why it’s kept so dark when the queen is going to be using it, I have no idea. It seems strange, but I don’t have time to think about that now. The scent is fading with every second, and I can’t afford to waste any more time. Leading the way, Star trots ahead of me, her nose to the ground as she follows the scent. We’ve been travelling for a while now, having passed several corridors that lead to nicer, well-lit areas, but we’ve continued on. It feels like we’re descending, the air getting cooler, and when we reach a set of stairs, I pause at the top. I can feel my mates pulling at the bond, trying to find me. They should be able to follow the pull, yet confusion and panic filter through the connection. Somehow, they are able to feel my emotions, but not track me down.
Something is at play here. How was I able to enter the passageway, but my mates can’t seem to find it? Why was Scott not able to smell the werewolf? Being here on my own is a bad idea, and I should wait for them to find me, but what if they don’t? The scent of the werewolf is much fainter now, and I know I’ll lose it completely soon. I stare into the dark void that the stairs produce, and my instincts tell me not to go down there. That should be enough to make me turn around.
What do I do?I ask myself, biting down on my lower lip. Return to my mates unharmed, or risk my safety for information?
My mates are going to tan my hide for this, I just hope that I’m still alive for that to happen.
Taking a deep breath, I step forward and descend into the darkness.
ChapterSeven
The steps are made of stone and are worn, indicating they’ve not only been here a while, but are used regularly. I can see nothing ahead, and we’re quickly surrounded by darkness.
Star provides the light I need, and together, we quietly make our way down. Her hackles are raised, and she stays close to me but doesn’t make a sound. She feels the strangeness of this place too. Although I’m being as quiet as I can, I still wince at the small noises I make, the sound echoing back at me in a way that tells me water waits for me at the bottom. I’m still waiting for someone to discover me at any point. I should have seen some guards orsomeoneby now.
We reach the bottom of the stairs, and the space opens up. I don’t move for a moment, scanning what I can make out with my werewolf sight and Star’s light. The space feels large, it’s colder down here, and I can smell the water and hear it gently lapping against stone.
Is this how the werewolf got in and out, through the water?
Star lingers at my side, and I take comfort from the fact that she’s not snarling. At least, not right now.
The scent of magic fills the air, and lights appear ahead. Dropping into a defensive stance, I call magic to me, my hands tingling with power as I search for the creator of the lights. However, I conclude that they lit automatically, because as I look around, I see no one. Now that I can see what I’m standing before, it’s easy enough to understand why.
I’m standing in a cavern. About a quarter of the space is a rocky ledge in the shape of a crescent moon, and the rest of the cavern is filled with crystalline water. It’s gorgeous and looks inviting, but given the goosebumps on my arms, I’m guessing it’s going to be freezing.
Judging by the rough surface of the walls, I’d guess this was a natural formation, the water possibly a spring that provides the water for Haven. The question is, why am I here? It doesn’t look as though anyone is here or has been here recently despite the dust free, worn stairs. The water is mostly still, so I don’t believe the mysterious werewolf is hiding in there. Did I mistake the scent and take the wrong corridor? My senses have always been very precise and one of my best skills, so I don’t believe that’s what’s happening here. In a place of magic and mysteries such as Haven, there are endless possibilities that I can’t even comprehend. I’ve only just scratched the surface when it comes to magic, and I discover a new use for it daily, so I have to be on my guard.
“Hello?” I call, my own voice replying to me as it echoes back. Why I decided to call out when it’s clear no one is down here, I don’t know, and I instantly feel stupid. If there was someone hiding down here, it’s very unlikely they would reply. I take a few, hesitant steps forward, trying to see to the back of the cavern. My heart beats so loudly in my chest, I almost expect to hear the sound bouncing around the space like my footsteps are.
“Hello, Laelia.”
The smug voice seems to boom around me—a trick of the cave or magic? Either way, I spin on the balls of my feet so quickly, I disturb the little pebbles and stones, almost losing my footing. Thankfully, my faithful wolf predicted this and is pressed against my leg, steadying me as we stare at the male who just spoke.
Shit. No, not just one male, but several. My eyes lock on the familiar figure at the front of the group, identifying him as the ringleader of this little ambush, and that is exactly what this is.
The figure in the stairwell blocking my exit is Lord Maliki, the wolf hating witch who took Atlas under his wing and taught him to despise all werewolves. Behind him is a group of middle-aged male witches, all of which are staring at me with a range of emotions from anger to disgust and even outright hatred.
Did they somehow lead me down here? I’ve not heard of any magic that can mimic scents, but there is still so much I don’t know. After all, they managed to keep the sound of their descent from me without me sensing their use of magic.Stupid, I curse myself.Why did I have to run off without my mates into an abandoned part of the castle? So fucking stupid. The thoughts plague me, my mind twisting as I try to hold my panic at bay.
The lord watches me, his smug expression deepening as though he’s able to read my inner panic. Star snarls at him and the other males blocking our only exit, but Maliki only has eyes for me.
“We’ve been keeping an eye on you for a while now, Laelia. When we saw you rush off this evening without any of yourmates” —he spits the word like it’s acid in his mouth— “we knew we had to follow you.” Clasping his hands in front of him, he arches a brow. “When we realised where you were coming, we knew our opportunity had arrived.”
He’s talking about killing me, and instead of making me feel worse or raising my anxiety levels even more, it actually just makes me angry. The last time they attacked me, I came out on top. Being surrounded in a dark, forgotten part of Haven scares me, and I value my life, but I survived then, and I can do it again.
“Your opportunity to kill me?” Snorting, I shake my head. “You tried that before, and it didn’t work out very well for you.”
His face tightens with anger, and really, I shouldn’t be baiting him. However, something about his smug attitude and the way he believes he’s above everyone else makes me want to prove to him that he’s wrong. His face smooths out as he seems to remember something, andthatmakes me nervous more than anything so far.
“Do you know where we are, Laelia?” he asks, sounding scholarly as he prepares to educate me before killing me. What is the point of this? Is he just grandstanding, needing the attention so badly he’s forcing it upon me?
