Even though my small prison is acting as a battering ram, they have the opportunity to jump out of my way. I am not so lucky, as I am strapped in for the harrowing ride.
Down below, I see a crossroads. From my blurry-eyed view, it looks like the building holds a tavern of some type—and I am heading right towards it.
If this is the end, so be it, my thoughts whirl.
“Wren, I’ll see you soon,” the whisper slips out, and I close my eyes as my body moves closer and closer and—
Nothing. I stop on a jolt. “Am I dead?” I ask the ether.
A gruff hum comes from behind, startling me, and I whip my head around, aggravating the ache within it.
Through a blur, I make out two glowing eyes and one large, wet black nose—the dyre wolf.Excellent.
I sink into my cage as all the pent-up tension releases. “Nice catch. Thank you.”
He puffs as if in agreement, and hoists my cage with ease into the crook of his right arm, continuing on two legs up the steps.
Huddled within the corner of my cage next to the heat of dark brown, almost black fur, I sigh.That was a close call. This wolf is proving more helpful by the moment.
With my internal debates milling around, I unintentionally poke at the blood seeping from what I can only presume is a gash on my head. Wincing, I give a small cry at the pain, and the wolf ascending the stairs stops in his tracks and sniffs.
His nose is high as he gives a low rumble. One that vibrates his whole body and mine in the cage under his arm.
Peeking around the hairy beast, I find his face trained on the prince, easing his horse towards us. “It seems you are the only one capable of handling the pest, Gideon.”
The beastly wolf nods. “Hey,” I grumble from my cage.
He jiggles my cage slightly on purpose and gives a growled huff.
My rage simmers for the prince I once dreamt of marrying.He can go jump off a cliff. He is thoroughly dead to me.
“I’m putting you in sole charge of that.” Castor waves his hand in disgust at my dishevelled form. “Take it to the dungeon, and Father will deal with it at first rise.”
I am happy to note I have now gone from witch, to pest, to it.Maybe killing Castor will be my next port of call if I can sneak away from the wolf.For their treatment of the people of their kingdom alone, the strong need to slit both Castor and the king’s throats emerges.
My beast gives a swift nod towards Castor. I don’t know when he became my beast, but somehow, through his boldness and protection, I find him oddly endearing. I have a bad habit of liking strange creatures, and this one is painting a picture I find oddly similar to my own.
I ponder my beast as he takes my caged body towards the manor. Sitting back, I wonder how he became the warden of kings long past, and why a strong beast such as himself would ever bow down to the likes of men who let their people starve on their own steps.
Questions that may never be answered, considering my fate.
Once we make it through large iron gates and into the front courtyard filled with wilted roses and barren trees, I see how the problem of our dying earth stems beyond the temple.If this is the royal garden, I can only imagine the greenhouses.I’ve barely been able to keep basic vegetables and fruits alive for us within the temple.
We rely on grain from the villagers’ farms, but I was told weeks ago that it was being rationed between the people after we received way less than our usual allotment.
Now, I see that was a lie. The food situation is surely more dire than ever expected because of the strange weather and lack of nutrients in the soil. I still cannot make heads or tails of it, which is why I turned to a song.
Seeing my people starving on the steps of the king’s manor was jarring. It stoked my fire something fierce. I simply cannot comprehend the injustice of it all.
Rage set to simmer, I take in the manor. It is odd to see it this close. It doesn’t seem as big and imposing as it originally looked from the temple.
The building itself is housed within the alcove of a cliff, encompassed by the rounded mountains that keep us safe within our kingdom. I’d say it is slightly bigger than the Goddess’s temple.
We do not stay long in the courtyard for my perusal of the building as the wolf walks towards a wooden door far from the main entrance.
The dungeon, I can only presume.Thank you, Castor.I roll my eyes at the soon-to-be dead prince.If I have my way, you are a dead prince walking.
Swinging open the door so it hits the opposing wall, Gideon places my cage down with a surprising gentleness I did not expect.
