Catch, Curse, Release (Immortal Warriors #1) ✅ Completed

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Wolf on Trial

Wolf on Trial

Lori stepped into Eric’s throne room and found it impossible not to be overwhelmed by the sheer opulence of the open space. It was a magnificent room, inlaid in purple and gold marble in honor of Wolfgard, with alternating columns in the same fine stone lining the room like hardened sentinels. Large tapestries framed in purple and gold thread lined most of the walls; each a work of art as their rich and vibrant colors depicted epic battles between warriors and beasts the likes of which Lori had never seen outside the pages of a book. However, what seemed to take center stage and steal Lori’s very breath was the large crystal cut chandelier set high above the center of the room. It was bigger than a fleet of minivans, set high above a raised dais where two large thrones overlooked the entire hall. As she watched, hundreds of crystal prisms twinkled, throwing out every color imaginable across the marble floor and walls in a symphony of Technicolor delight.

"Holy Mary Mother of God, what kind of crystal is that?” she breathed.    

“That’s not crystal, princess. Those are pure diamonds,” Des intoned, as he came to stand next to her.

She’d found him lounging upstairs in his room and by the leer on his face, she had no doubt he’d known exactly what she’d been up to the night before. Before he could cheer her for finally giving Eric the key to her iron chastity belt, she’d told him about Cynn and how much trouble the young maid was in. When she’d asked him to do something about it he’d refused.

“I can’t interfere in these people’s lives, Lori,” he’d sighed.  

“Why not? You interfere in mine all the time!” she’d argued, knowing he was just being obstinate.

“Yeah, that’s different. These people are under Eric’s rule, you walked under my archway. That’s not the same thing. There are rules, you know?”

She’d snorted in disbelief, “Rules? Since when do you follow any rules?”

“Hey, just because you don’t like my rules doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I can’t help her,” he’d said with the finality of a door slamming in her face.  

After a few more minutes of pointless arguing, she realized he really wasn’t going to lift a finger to help Cynn or anyone else.

“Fine! Make stupid excuses, but I’m helping that poor girl out,” she’d turned and stormed back downstairs. He’d followed behind without another word, curious to see how she planned on doing such a thing.

“What?” she started, peering up at the diamond chandelier. Just a small chip of Eric’s light fixture would set her up like a Warren Buffet or a Bill Gates back in her own world. Maybe she’d find an excuse to throw her boot up there and break some of it off when no one was looking.

“I wouldn’t recommend it, cupcake. Those diamonds were given to Eric’s great-great grandfather by the Shadow Elves themselves. Those particular diamonds can illuminate any room in the darkest pit of hell with their inner light, but if you so much as breathe on it you’ll die a horrifically painful death. Diamonds mined by the Shadow Elves are poisonous to humans and Weres alike.”

“Oh,” Lori gulped deciding she really didn’t need any deadly diamond chips, especially since she still had a sack of silver from Aiden’s winning to help fix her immediate money troubles.

In no time at all the throne room was full with what Lori figured was the entire guard, castle staff, and every other living person that called Wolfgard home. Even Des whistled a little under his breath, impressed by the turn-out. It seemed that everyone wanted a front row seat for the drama about to play itself out.