It all begins when a silver dagger goes missing.
For her entire life, a human named Cora Gabris has known that lycans were searching for her, as she was born as a Ruby -- a human that, when turned into a lycan, will become much stronger than any of...
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Cora felt like she was on the back of the horse again, nodding off underneath the moonlight after her conversation with Mina. Gods she was looking forward to whatever bed awaited her back in the cliff face, versus this frigid canoe. She daydreamed about her bed adorned with fluffy, feathered pillows. Perhaps even a thick fur blanket. She was to mate the Alpha, so wouldn't that grant her some luxury?
And for the first time since leaving Kamas, she yearned for this fantastical luxury without guilt. Would it hurt to enjoy the fantasy? If she and Theran didn't get along, at least her life, and even Ben's, could be fluffed with fluffy blankets and full of cakes. I wonder if they have strawberries here. Mom used to make the best strawberry cake.
The river of the fjord had been calm for a time, walls of rock narrowing on either side like black sheets of nothing closing in on them. Then the cliffs opened up to more calm waters, but the cliffs also lessened in size to reveal what must have been an ocean. The moon was still in the sky, although it was no longer shrouded by mountains.
In the distance, Cora saw the orange glow of fire, taking in deeper breaths of the cold air as the flames were so bright that she guessed them to be braziers. A long beach stretched out into the water, and along the cliffside were three stories of stairs that led to a giant cave entrance. It reminded her of a tree house, with the house high up and removed from the ground, but this was a cave instead of a home built into a tree.
The canoes beached on the sand, and Cora couldn't get out fast enough. Although the sand was even colder here, and she felt entirely under-dressed with near immediate shivering.
Hilda came over nearly right away. With a shaking jaw herself, Hilda said, "I spoke with Oleva, and they have clothes for you inside. You poor thing. I didn't think to bring anything warmer. I am not used to the ocean."
"I just want to get this done with. I am tired."
Hilda gave a reassuring squeeze of the arm. "I think we have our first bout of good news here. These Seers are quite like me in their skill, just fueled from different sources. I genuinely think you will be safer here."
"And Ben?"
"Establish yourself, and no one will touch him. The sooner you change, the better in that regard as well."
Cora nodded, feeling like all of this might actually be worth it. She was so relieved to hear Hilda show confidence that she nearly melted into the sand. "Alright. Are we doing that today? Am I changing?"
"No, but I think they will give you a serum that opens up your veins to allow for the change. That has to sit in your system for a few weeks before it happens."
Cora was too tired to question Hilda's judgement and just blindly followed the witch as they neared the stony stairs. They walked up the cold path, the air smelling of salt and stone. The sound of waves lapping at stone walls echoed in the distance, and in the darkness of night, Cora found it more terrifying than interesting.
