The Lycan Prince
y
first thing we do is turn up all the lamps. Then, I redo his bandages
in Valoria but I can't hold it in anymore. "
dage. "I..." He swallows. "I got into
a battle scar. "It's okay if you don't wan
n Valoria...we are injected with microchips. I had to
own. "What's
signals to a bigger machine that is placed elsewhere to help track it. But
k. "You are brave, Niklaus. I'm s
and lowers
ing I can do to
home. And I need
sits on your tongue, your soul appears in your eyes. I can
. "You will go home, Nikla
s a kiss
home before it gets co
sually ask me to accompany her on a hunting trip. They must have spott
fine; Maa i
o the cott
e should have been back by now. Maybe she i
ntre, I slow down. What
h chatter and activity in the evening, is completely deserted. I have never seen the centre so barren. The silence i
"What is going on?
ari is on red alert," one
ut
too far away, you need to take shelter in the healer's c
They know a
uld just t
er," sh
d to grab me but I quickly bac
nock on the door. A moment later, I
lder and then quickly ushers me inside. She promptly s
st have resorted to sitting on the floor. Whispers ripple through the room. In a
ove to the waiting room to the ea
others stand up, pick up t
yes. "What in God's name are you doing
is overreacting.
ives of everyone in Nari are in danger! That beast..." Fear sli
And calling
. "I heard that it had claws, it could fl
bout?" That can't be Niklaus.
d alerted Matrika Raine. She has gone into the forest with a group of our be
I messed up. "
"No, you can't. It's
d huntresses we have and y
t there alone! I
pidly said no at the time. I nee
wa
irection di
ills," she
mm
h me." She grabs my hand and pulls me through a series of dimly lit corrido
fine," I assure h
gainst mine, soft and familiar, and after a beat, I kiss her back. It's sweet, exactly as it
look at her. I can see it in her gaze-she w
whisper, my voice c
e concern in her eyes flickers to life.
ushing open the do
large garbage bins. I walk around them and h
ern is on. It is difficult to see, but I rely on my memory. To my right should be the narrow
a trainee and a warrior, this path has never been patrolled. Since all the win
taking a detour home to grab a lantern and weapon or two, but decide against it. Animals rarely venture to
hicket. God, please protect me from all harm and ev
n the foliage. Thick trees obscure everything, making the darkness even more suffocating. M
ind sweeps through the branches above me, shaking the trees violently. Leaves swirl down,
e it
the dim light, its tail whipping through the air with a terrifying force. The sheer s
doesn't seem real, and yet, here it is, flying right above me. My bre
my
as I sprint to the caves. Whispering pray
us!" I
orry tighten in my stomach. Niklaus wouldn't have left. A chilling draft s
woman. A sigh escapes my lips. Of course, he is in there. I take a peek and
must have figured out a way to open it. I s
justs some protruding rocks, levelling them with the wall. "I think it was in the process of building being built but for wh
n he looks at me. "Are you okay
he forest still
happ
y throat
ng me into an embrace and pres
go upstairs?" he
my skin. I rub my arms. Niklaus closes the opening behind him and the emerg
ls me in his arms. "Now,
out there, Nikl
ha
s I try to catch my breath. "My mother is out there with the other hunters. They
're going for a hunt an
't, I'
d. I've made a
e," he says calmly, his
get out of his hold. I take a few deep breaths. "Our best fight
to go away; I need to do something. I
going?" he asks
he chest I had placed in here. I open it, pull out my sword belt, and wrap it aro
ere right now, Nysa," he
tell him. "I need to he
, y
r." I point a finger toward the sculpture. "Maa knows I stay here so
here because it is not
her because of a silly fight we had. If anything hap
your life if you let it," he says, his face
t going
nk it is, you won't be able to fight it by y
need to go find th
ur brain, Nysa. Do you really think it's safe to wander into a forest alone at night w
Impulse will only get me k
ld stay in the pit just i
ig
, Nysa. Each dawn brings new f
ay it