Chapter 005

Saraphina

I tried opening my eyes, but my vision was blurry. Was I still in that dark place?

If I was, I didn’t want to wake up. There was peace with the darkness, and I didn’t want to come back to my reality.

My eyes finally opened and I couldn’t see anything for a moment. I felt so weak. Moving felt so impossible.

I managed to get up and I looked around. This didn’t look like the donjon or even my room.

I’d been here before... it... it was his room.

I quickly got off the bed and headed straight to the door, wondering how I got here in the first place.

But before I could head out, a maid walked in, her head bowed.

“The king asked me to help you wash up,” the maid said softly, still not meeting my gaze.

I stared at her, confused. My lips parted, but no words came out. What was I supposed to say? Why would he bring me here? Why was I not back in the dungeon or worse?

And why would he send a maid to help a servant wash up? I took a step back, suddenly self-conscious in the dirty clothes I had on.

“I can manage on my own, thank you,” I quickly said, my voice hoarse and cracked. But even as I spoke, I nearly stumbled, my legs still trembling from weakness.

The maid rushed forward, steadying me before I could hit the floor. Her touch was light but firm, and for a moment I thought I was going to hit the ground.

“You were unconscious for twelve hours,” she murmured, helping me sit on the edge of the bed again. “He wouldn’t let anyone else touch you.”

Twelve hours?

My stomach twisted, unease clawing its way through me. That meant... he had taken care of me? How was that possible? No someone like him didn’t care. He claimed. He possessed. That’s all.

“Where is he now?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The maid hesitated. “In the throne room. There’s a gathering of the High Council. But he asked to be informed the moment you woke up.”

Of course he did.

I stood again, this time slower. “I want clothes,” I said. “My clothes. It’s really... dirty.”

“Yes, my lady,” she nodded and hurried to a small chest by the wall, pulling out a folded dress. From the embroidery, I could tell this was for royals.

As she helped me clean up and dressed in the beautiful gown, my mind kept wondering what was going on.

Why was he doing this? There was no way I would trust kindness from a monster who had my people and family massacred.

I sat in front of the mirror as the maid did my hair. I’d never looked so beautiful in my entire life.

What was he going to do to me?

“Why did you put me in such a beautiful dress? I’m just a slave, you know that, right?”

“It’s the king’s order, my lady.”

“No, no, stop calling me that.” This all felt like a weird dream.

I was probably still in the donjon and this was my mind conjuring things up for me.

Once she was done, a knock came through and a guard informed me that the king would like to have dinner with me.

What... why?

My heart started beating fast. What was actually going on?

I stared at the door long after the guard had left. I had to summon so much courage to even get up and move.

The maid led the way through the dimly lit hallway... Why would the king want to even be in the same room as me and talk more of wanting to eat at the same table?

We passed by a huge window, and it was the night of a full moon. I wasn’t sure how I knew that it was a werewolf thing but I just did.

When I got to the dining room, I just froze in place for a moment. It was grand. It was beautiful. I couldn’t help but stare.

He was already there.

Sitting at the head of a long table, dressed in an all-black robe. And I couldn’t help but stare. I quickly scolded myself he was the enemy. I couldn’t forget that.

“Sit,” he commanded, voice carrying so much authority.

A servant pulled out a chair for me, and I sat stiffly, unsure if my legs would hold me up much longer. The smell of roasted meat, fresh bread, and something sweet filled the room, but my appetite was gone. My stomach twisted with tension.

The table had so many delicacies, it looked like it was a feast for so many people.

I sat, rubbing both hands together nervously, and a few minutes passed I didn’t touch the food.

“Eat,” I heard his voice, making my heart jump. It wasn’t a request, and his tone made it very clear.

“I’m... I’m not hungry,” I said, barely above a whisper.

“Eat your food, Saraphina. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

I wasn’t sure when I picked up the fork, started to eat. The food was delicious, but I felt his eyes on me. Even though I was so hungry, I still ate the food one bit at a time.

I looked around for his queen. I thought she would be joining us but I was surprised she wasn’t here. She probably heard that I would be here.

That was when I noticed him squeezing his face like he was in pain, and without a single word, he got up and left the dining room, leaving me confused.

I started hearing howling it was actually a full moon—and so many wolves howled at the moon.

I got up from the chair and started walking. I didn’t know where I was going to. It felt like there were magnets pulling me and I couldn’t stop myself.

I walked to a dark corner and I was convinced I was lost at this point because it was a place far from the castle building, but still in the palace.

That was when I heard the most horrifying roar.

Not a howl a roar that shook the very air. My heart nearly stopped.

I wanted to run.

But something kept pulling me forward.

I tried to move away, to turn back but that’s when I saw him.

Lucian.

His body twisted violently, screaming as his bones snapped, rearranging his skin stretching as something monstrous took over.

One by one, I heard each break his ribs, his spine, his jaw. The sound was sickening, but I couldn’t look away.

He was shifting. Not into a normal wolf.

Into something else.

A Lycan.

I had never seen one before, not in person. I’d only heard about what they looked like.

Towering, massive, and a complete beast.

And this one had golden eyes.

My breath caught.

Like in my dream.

It stood there, staring at me.

And then, instead of attacking It bowed.

To me.