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

Chapter Thirty-One: Laws and Men

Laws and Men

Lori was standing in the middle of a battlefield in her nightgown, warriors fighting warriors, immortals against immortals. Blood, gore, and death were everywhere. It was a nightmare of epic proportions.

But it wasn’t her nightmare.

She tried to turn and run away, wake up, anything but it was no use. She couldn’t escape the destruction all around her. She covered her ears to keep the sound of clanging metal and screams out of her head, but it barely afforded her any protection from the deafening roar of the battle.

Turning, Lori tried to find an avenue of escape from the horror surrounding her. Soldiers were everywhere, moaning, screaming, dying – there was no where she could turn that was not touched by the hand of death. Cursing, she drove through the throng of warriors but she was too slow…too late as a slim warrior not much bigger than she was plunged a sword deep into her belly. As she crumbled under the weight of the steel impaling her fragile body, she heard laughter like bells tinkling all around her.

Lori came awake with a start, her hearth thundering in her chest. “Oh God,” she breathed, relieved it had all been a bad dream. She turned and looked at Eric’s empty side of the bed, feeling an aching hole in the pit of her stomach. He had yet to return from his clandestine meeting with his elite guard and council.

To say the announcement of Eric’s long-awaited soul-mate was similar to a nuclear bomb strike would have been an understatement. As tradition dictated, Eric had called a silent closed council for his elite guard first thing that morning. Since Lori had to attend as well, Eric had asked her to wear something sleeveless to reveal her mating band. Normally, she would have hesitated but after completing her end of the bond, she was actually excited. Not over the idea of ruling Wolfgard with Eric, because that was a little too overwhelming to really think about, but for the first time in her life she was truly happy. Eric loved and accepted her...perhaps it would be enough.

Lori searched for something suitable to wear in one of the wardrobes Des had left packed with dresses of every type. She found a beautiful rose number with gold thread etched along the bodice and hem. It set off her band beautifully while making her look feminine and fit to stand beside any king. Eric dressed in a formal black tunic without sleeves, with the Wolfgard seal stitched discreetly over the heart. It was the traditional attire of a mated royal heir and king.

As one they’d strode into the guardroom. Lori had momentarily frozen at the sight. It reminded her of a war room out of an episode of Game of Thrones or a Lord of the Rings movie. It was a large, well lit space with a U shaped table and a raised three-dimensional map of the realm at the center. The map was strategically constructed so everyone at the table could easily view it from their individual seat. She'd noticed the map was incredibly detailed, with mountain ranges, rivers, castles and even larger farms properly represented across the vast terrain.

Against the far wall of the war room hung the first real portrait she’d seen in the entire castle. It wasn't until Lori had spotted the painting in the guardroom that she'd realized the entire castle was missing such traditional oil-on-canvas style paintings. The throne room had lush tapestries, the chapel beautiful mosaics, most of the doors were carved with the most intricate details, but the painting hanging inside the war room was a simple oil portrait, similar to what one would see back home. Even so, there was still something about it that was totally unlike anything Lori had seen before, so much so that it'd raised the fine hairs on the back of her neck.

The portrait was of a man in his prime, suited in leather body armor, staring out at the assembly before him. There was no backdrop or scenery in the painting, simply the man himself, his face fierce as he stared out from his honored place on the wall. It seemed as if he too had an opinion on the matters discussed within these walls and demanded his voice be heard. His eyes held the same sharp intelligence and determination she’d seen in Eric’s. Lori had found herself unable to look away from the man’s penetrating gaze. She could only guess at the amount of power such a man held in life. His very image hummed with it, demanding she look into his eyes if she was so bold at to stand before him.