Silas held his hand out to Sequan. “His family was attacked twenty years ago. He was the only survivor of his pack.” Silas turned to me after helping his guard up. “He chose to become my guard instead of trying to start a new pack. He wanted to learn. Rowan allowed him to make that choice.”
I nodded once. “Good.” I turned back to the guards still on their knees. “What exactly should we do with the others?”
Rowan sighed as he rubbed his face. “I have no idea.” He looked over the men and shook his head. “I don’t want to execute everyone, but with everything going on…we have no way of actually knowing who is a traitor or not.”
“Command them.” My father looked at us confused.
“What?” I turned to him.
My dad looked at us as if we had grown three heads. “You are the King and Queen…command them to tell the truth.”
Silas shook his head. “It won’t work. Our guards take an oath, and unless they are released from it, they can’t move against the one who swore them into it. Even if the oath holder is dead.”
I turned to my father. “What about a truth spell?” I flipped through the book in my mind.
“It won’t work.” Silas shook his head. “The oath itself was created by the Goddess to hold against magic, and wolf command alike.”
I threw my hands up. “Well, unless the Goddess herself wants to fucking help figure out who is a traitor and who isn’t, what are we supposed to do? Kill everyone?”
Silas looked down, and I felt bad for snapping. But it was the soft tsking from behind me that had me turning. “You wouldthink that your father would have taught you not to talk about the Goddess like that.”
I smiled as I walked over to my grandmother. “Well, I was frustrated. I think she would understand.”
My grandmother smiled. “Of course she does. That’s why she sent me. To help.” She turned and walked to my father. “I’m happy to see you alive and well, my boy.” She kissed the air near his cheek and then turned back to the guards. “Your oaths protect you. But the Goddess does not protect the ones that turned their backs on her. Ich nin to shoha ali thi.” She waved her hand, and stars bloomed on some of their brows.
“New spell?” I raised an eyebrow. She nodded.
“Remember, it…it will always show you who you can trust. It shows who follows the Goddess’s path.” I walked over to kiss her, but I heard a gasp from the tree line.
“Mate.
I turned to see Toya sprinting full speed at us. “What did you just say?” I tried to see who she was talking about, but everyone was confused. There were too many men all crowded together.
She ran towards the group, and seemed to realize everyone was in silver manacles, and chained together. She stumbled to a stop next to Rowan, and she looked lost. “My mate…”
“Which one is he?” I looked to where my grandmother was, but, like always, she was already gone.
Toya shook her head. “I smelled him, but it seems like something is blocking it now.” She looked at me. “Is my mate a traitor?”
I puffed out my lips. “Well, let’s figure it out.” I turned back to the Elites. “Unshackle anyone with a star on their brow.”
All of Rowan’s guards started to move into the crowd. Chains dropped, but no one moved. Everyone was looking at me with confusion painted on their faces.
I looked at Rowan, and he chuckled before brushing a finger over my brow. “Seems like the Goddess wanted everyone to know who should be trusted.”
I raised an eyebrow and opened my mouth but Rowan’s own forehead started to glow. A hollow crescent moon carved itself on his forehead with straight lines that arced across towards his temples. “I guess so.” I poked his own mark before I turned to see my dad with his phone out. “Dad?”
“I need to send this to your mother.” He clicked the picture of Rowan and I with a smile. “Ignore me and address you men.” He nodded to the waiting guards.
I rolled my eyes before turning back to the group in front of me. “Anyone who was unchained, please come here, tell us your name, and who you were sworn to.” I turned to Toya and held out my hand. “Come here.” She made her way to my side and slid her hand into mine.
I’m nervous.Her words were a whisper in my mind.
I smiled.Don’t be. You deserve a good mate. The Moon Goddess knows that.I sent her my thoughts, and I felt her settle.
The first man approached, and I could feel his nerves. “You are?”
“Senith.” He dropped to his knee. “I was sworn to Thinius, and I haven’t taken a new oath.”
