The princess and the werewolf

to notice. The previous night's events-the secret room, the mystical form, the encounter with the glowing eyes-were etch

d the previous day, but something held her back. A

eared, his movements deliberate yet gentle. He carried a small bas

asket on the table. "I thought you might be hu

ng in her golden eyes. "You... you re

Of course. Even personal guards n

rd?" she asked, suspicion sharp. "You

the grounds-every step you take, I know it. Tha

, not fully-but the warmth of the food, the faintl

ping me?" she as

al. "Because someone needs to," he said finally. "And

e Wolf King-the same man she now knew as Ka

" he said, voice low and commanding. "I n

to what I've read in the chronicles... and the histories of our kind... the ma

en me in my mystical form. The power, the fear...

form, you can draw her trust, slowly, without revealing your true self. Small

five years' worth of consequences to undo. I need to plan each step c

ty," the guard s

er seen such a thing in this kingdom. Vegetables were plentiful, yes, but meat was rare and forbid

perceptibly. "Eat," he urged. "You need your st

the seasoning, the sheer normalcy of it, made her chest tighten.

kindness than with force," Kael said. "Trus

ondered if he could see what she really felt. But she sho

cting to him-its glow subtle but insistent, a reminde

ly, keeping her disguise intact. Her garments, now resembling a young man's tunic and tr

ed to be just another human-an attentive, slightly protective companion. But to Lyra, he was more than that. There was someth

ted nuts and spices. "Pick whatever you want. Today, you don'

disbelief. "You... yo

seems strange, but... sometimes it'

d in agreement, though she

felt strange emotions-gratitude, curiosity, something almost like trust. And th

d to be patient. The guard had been right: she must fall willingly. That was the

else, "we begin in earnest. Every step must be calculated. Every gesture... prec

ncts told her that the threads of fate were weaving tightly tonight, and that

ing the marble pulse once more-a faint, insistent heartbeat that seemed to echo in tim

ide, a whisper of dest