Luna, That's Not Your Wolf.

#7

Camilla.

What was it with him?

Have my head hung on a pole? Over something as little as that?

Okay, maybe it could be considered treason, but…

Surely, he can't do that to me, right? My mind was everywhere.

Kael towered over me, sending chills down my spine. I hated looking into his eyes because honestly, I do not know what the hell I'm supposed to feel while staring at him.

I don't know how my eyes should look.

Like a maid staring at a man she was scared of, or one staring at a man she wanted to admire, or like a chamber maid trying to have nothing to do with her King. It was confusing, and the way he was acting was not helping.

His cold eyes seemed to bore holes into me, and his fingers did nothing to make me feel relaxed.

“Who are you, Aries?" he asked, looking from my right eyeball into the left.

What did that question truly mean? But more importantly, why did that name roll off his tongue so easily?

It didn't even take him anything for him to stop calling me Camilla. Also, I'd expected him to try to murder me again. Why was he keeping quiet?

Why were things going this smoothly?

Or was he waiting for me to relax completely before he struck? Well, that seemed like what Kael could do, and if he was doing just that, then I'd have to wait a lot more before getting started on my plans to take over my Kingdom.

Because he surely wasn't acting like someone who was pretending not to know he was staring at a woman he'd known all his life.

"If you can remember, my King, I was found by Lord Filius, half-dead. I cannot remember anything about my past, or who I am. I am simply trying to create a new identity and beginning for myself."

My knees slowly lowered to meet the cold hard floor.

“I apologize for any injury I inflicted on you. Your humble servant shall accept her punishment.”

He was silent, but I didn't need to look up to know he was scrutinizing me, “You may leave."

I bowed deeper, before lifting myself and soundlessly leaving his presence. Maids in shorts lines carrying out all sorts of orders planted their eyes on me as I walked out of the main chamber. Their eyes were burning with questions.

I avoided them all, turning down the corner, to a little door barely concealed by the patterns drawn on it.

In it was the special hallway used by the maids to navigate the long bustling halls of the palace. That was mother's idea years ago, which was genius because it prevented the maids from being everywhere while they carried out various errands.

"It was the way he stared at me. I think I'm going to be the next to warm his bed," a blonde said, looking frustrated. The other maids erupted into giggles, and nearly knocked over the tray of empty plates they were carrying.

“Fridor, have you gotten Lord Gilben the silk he ordered?” An older maid shouted over the chatter of the younger maids.

“Aries.”

I turned around to find Melinda, holding a tray of steaming tea, slices of freshly baked bread and an apple.

I gave a little smile. At least, she didn't accidentally call me Luna or Camilla.

“Come with me," she said, and I followed her down another corner before walking into a room free of the chattering maids.

“Have you eaten?” she asked, setting the tray down on a little bed at the far end of the room.

She sat, "Breakfast, no. Lunch, no. I didn't think life was this hard for chamber maids,” I grumbled, looking around for where to wash my hands.

I eventually found a little sink. The water was cool on my fingers. I looked at my nails again. It seemed impossible that such dark claws came from them.

I took a clean towel folded right next to it, and wiped my hands before returning to sit with Melinda.

"My poor Lu…" her eyeballs went left and right before she committed the atrocity of calling my name. “Lulu," she corrected herself.

I chortled, “Lulu sounds cute. Well, now we don't have any hierarchs between us, so you could speak more formally.”

"Have this. I keep my eyes peeled out for you every single time, but I don't see you. I don't think this chamber maid pretense will work, Lu… Lulu. Also, you haven't explained anything to me yet. I hear Lord Filius brought you in. Where did you meet him? Have you forgotten you said you didn't like him?”

"Well, yes. I still don't like him because he doesn't like me, but the whole story in a nutshell which may not really be a nutshell is Kael betrayed me.”

"I was… I was thinking of that, but I just can't believe it yet. What really happened?" She asked.

“Kael took me to a cliff on the night of our ceremony, and stabbed me with his claws. He…" I sighed, and looked down at my fingers, “He pushed me down the cliff, and… Uh, Kael left me to die.”

I pulled up a smile, and then gave a giggle while Mel looked at me in horror. Her eyes seemed like enlarged apples.

I pushed the food aside, and then hugged her.

Melinda smelled warm. She smelled like home. She smelled like the old times. The tears pricked my face once more.

“Kael deliberately tried to murder me, and… he gave Nicasia to the public as me. He's in love with her. He probably thinks she's such an angel. On my night, he picked her just because I am weak. It was Filius who recognized me and saved me."

Melinda hugged me tight.

“You're safe now, Lulu. You're not on the cliff. You're here with me, and…"

I smiled, and rested my head on her shoulder. She was always trying to protect me.

“I'll make you proud, Mellie. And Mother and Father, and everyone. Although for now, I'll need to lay low. I really don't understand Kael. He's not the Kael I know, nor is he acting the way I actually expect him to act. He's creepy.” I pulled out of her embrace, "I couldn't find the tonic. I was searching for it when my wolf showed up for the first time."

“What? Let me see!"

“No, I… I really have absolutely no way of thinking of how to summon it, but… my claws were black.”

Mellie’s face drained of all color, and she went very still.

"Luna… that's not your wolf.”