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