Breakfast was a quiet affair. Unlike in my experience in a pack, where there's a lot of movement, chatter, and food, here people were scattered around what seemed to be a small mess with a main table in the center for whatever was for breakfast.
Today, there were multiple variations of french toast, both sweet and savory. I could tell whoever was in charge of the cooking here was smart enough to provide good food using low-cost and easy-to-come-by ingredients. Then again, being in the Liet requires resourcefulness, regardless of what you bring to the table.
Get it?
I sighed at my thoughts as I ate my sweet french toast accompanied by some cut up fruit and black coffee. Sven had left my company to discuss strategies with May, surely to run by everything before bringing them to me. His place was quickly taken by Bayo who was being his absolute self; talking about himself and asking questions.
"You gotta pack something nice for the trip. I heard we're crashing a party," he said. "I have quite a collection of fancy formal attire I'd share with you if you were a guy. But I guess we'll have to stop by your place to get you something."
"Okay, I guess," I replied, so many things on my mind, the biggest being Ima.
"So, where do you live in the city?" he asked.
"Near UL," I said.
"Isn't that the university you go to? I heard Sven and the others transferred there for some reason which feels pretty whack to me," he said, rolling his eyes while enjoying his french toast with ketchup.
I nodded my head and focused on my food, now wondering whether this guy is always this inquisitive. He seems friendly enough, although thinking about the task ahead, I am starting to realize the real challenge is Bayo and his never-ending chatter.
I'm really not in a good mood today.
After what seemed to be an eternity, Sven and May finally made their way to us. Sven seemed to be a little on edge, as was obvious by the stiffness in his gait. His demeanor had changed drastically since we walked into the room, a sign to tell me whatever May had told him was not something I'd like.
"Hi Rayne, Bayo," May said to us as she reached us. "Let's move to the common room to discuss?"
I got up from my chair and followed them leaving Bayo to finish his breakfast in a hurry.
...
Once the four of us had made it to the common room, we found a small round table to sit around and listened to May tell us the information-extraction strategy she and Nove had come up with.
We were going to make our way North to a large pack with which this band has had professional relations for years. Our band runs errands for the pack leaders, both big and small, and thus will allow us to stay with them.
We shall approach with a proposition to be presented during a multi-pack meeting regarding the issue at hand. Some packs were coming together as allies to discuss their findings on the person of interest under the condition that whoever gets their hands on them first would have to give its allies a portion of the reward.
It seemed like a very elaborate setup to actually find this person. The question here is, how can one person be such a big threat to the powerful Palace?
And how could it possibly be me?
"So what exactly are we proposing? It's not as if they'd be so easily trusting of some Liet members," said Bayo in a very serious tone, which seemed a little odd coming from him.
"All you need to be, is a part of the meeting and find whatever information they have. To get to that point, we propose the rogue hunt," said May.
The what?
"I don't get it," said Bayo. Sven straightened up at this.
"We know that this person is in the country and is a lone wolf. It isn't possible for them to be affiliated with a pack as the Palace is keeping tabs on every single one. That leaves the possibility of them being in the Liet, however, that is also highly unlikely. The Palace took care of that by announcing the large sum on their head. Why would a band like ours protect one person when they could get enough money to feed everyone else for years?" said Sven, without looking at me. He can sure put up an act.
"The only option is to hunt down lone wolves," he said, now finally looking at me. His stare hit me hard as the gravity of his actions manifested and I realized what he really meant when he told me to stay safe our first meeting.
"There aren't going to be many of those, so you'll have to tell them you can help the packs by locating these lone wolves. Tasks such as these cannot be done by the packs as they have their own pack matters to tend to, and weeding out such a small group of people would require search parties scouring the country. It is just as difficult as it sounds easy. We can offer to do this full-time, in exchange for whatever leads they have," he said.
"We'd really do that for them? The hunting?" I asked.
"Of course not, we just need the info, that's all," May said.
"And what if they don't believe us? We have the unfortunate reputation for being manipulative too," asked Bayo.
Sven and May both turned to me, neither showing any emotion.
"That is why you'll agree to leave Rayne behind in their custody till the job is done," said May.
Wait. What?
"But you never plan to do the job!" I said now absolutely livid. Just because I'm not part of their clique yet doesn't mean they can pluck me out of my life and turn me into a sacrificial goat.
"We will. We just won't be letting the packs in on any of it," she said calmly as opposed to my rage.
I get it now, this could all turn against us so they want to send in the 'newest' and 'almost' members.
Because they're still expendable.
"And you're okay with this?" I said looking directly at Sven. He wasn't looking at me. I guess this was why he seemed so off at breakfast. This was a last minute solution these "strategists" had come up with for a question they hadn't thought of before.
"We know the pack in and out, Bayo is good at mapping, he can go in and create approximate blueprints of the pack, updating the information we have. With that and the knowledge of probable locations they'd put you, we can try to get you out," he said.
Try?
"This is why it's so important for the two of you to go in as a couple. Bayo can try to negotiate with the pack as much as possible, before letting his mate stay in the pack as a last resort before leaving. This will solidify the fact that Bayo would indeed keep his word," said May.
The plan was indeed foolproof. We could go in and get whatever information we need, but the price was too high, at least that's what we'd have to pretend is the case.
I realized then, that nobody here cared about me. Although I couldn't blame Sven, he seemed distraught at the situation.
He looked at me as if reading my thoughts, his eyes apologetic as well as grateful. He held my hand under the table and gave it a tight squeeze, a sense of strength emanating from the contact.
"We'll get you out, I promise Rayne."
...
Author's note: what do you think of the story so far?
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Heir To The Iron Crown ✓
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