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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Climbing forty flights of stairs was a feat that Cora had never experienced before. By the time she reached the fifteenth, Walder had to carry her on his back so she didn't appear incoherent when facing the Alpha. She had also never been carried by such a large person before, feeling like her weight was inconsequential to him.
She had no idea why she was being summoned, or why Ludovic was not outside her door when she left. Even Asla looked nervous, and that exasperated Cora's apprehension. Every time her anxious mind wandered, she wanted to grip the Walder's woolen shirt, only to have an uncomfortable remembrance that this male was foreign to her, and so was everyone in these halls.
Walder placed her down when they reached a new landing, guiding them through more extravagant stone corridors, carvings along the walls in straight lines with torches casting moving shadows.
She stood before two large wooden doors that were at least twice her height, and of course were elaborately engraved as well. Something as simple as doors made her feel incredibly small in all of this. Two guards outside grabbed the iron handles, pulling to open them with a deep groan of the heavy wood. Inside, she saw a few familiar faces, and many she didn't know.
Cora's blood seemed to simultaneously run cold and be on fire at the same time as all eyes were on her. From behind, Mina reassuredly said, "Go ahead, Cora."
Moving her feet with extra effort, Cora walked into the large room with larch archways carved as windows, a massive table in the middle of the room, a great hearth rumbling to her left. At least she knew Rasha's and Ludovic's face. Unfortunately, she knew Oren's as well.
It was evident that something was going on here, especially when she caught Theran's uninviting gaze. Ludovic's was no warmer, although he was not directing his discontent towards Cora.
The door remained opened behind Cora and Mina followed close behind to stand next to her. Theran spoke to Mina, his voice and the rumbling fire the only sound, although Cora knew these lycans could hear her heart racing through it all.
When Theran stopped, Mina hesitated, her lips parted and her brows furrowed, looking at Cora with wide eyes. Her tone was of disgust and confusion. "He wants a good reason to keep you. I think...I think they want to give you to Steigen."
Cora's body went cold, as if the ocean water from the previous night lapped at her skin once more. "No," she said, lingering her gaze to Theran.
She knew her eyes gave away her utter fear and shock, a dizzy spell spinning the world around her as her gaze fell to the table, able to see it was a map. Her eyes found Steigen territory and she darted her gaze away, panic rising in her chest as she breathed rapidly.
Mina darkly added, "He wants you to defend your honor. To defend why you should stay."
Cora shuddered in despondence. She simply couldn't believe it. They were really were going to send her there. She wanted to find any argument to stay, but it was like grasping at the dark. What should she say? Because she didn't want to go?
