Chapter 5

“The last Eclipse Wolf survived.”

The stranger’s words settled over the courtyard as I stared at him.

The injured wolf pressed itself against my leg, as if it had decided I was safer than everyone else.

I didn’t know what frightened me more, the man’s words or the way every wolf around us had lowered its head.

The guards were the first to recover. Weapons came out. Several wolves shifted restlessly behind them. One guard stepped in front of me.

“Identify yourself.”

The stranger barely glanced at him. His silver eyes remained on me.

“Rhydian Veyr.”

The guard went rigid.

Rhydian! 

I have heard the name before. Everyone in Albion had. My gaze sharpened. He continued calmly.

“Lycan King of Nocturne.”

The courtyard erupted into whispers.

Nocturne!

The northern kingdom!

The land of Lycans!

The most powerful supernatural kingdom beyond Albion’s borders!

And its king was standing at my gate.

Why?

The guards exchanged nervous looks. One of them lowered his weapon slightly.

“Your Majesty.”

Rhydian ignored him.

His attention returned to me. I straightened.

“Why are you here?”

“To find you.”

My stomach tightened.

“How did you know where I was?”

“I followed the disturbance.”

“What disturbance?”

His gaze moved briefly toward my wrist.

“The one you created.”

I instinctively covered it.

The broken bracelet had left a thin, angry wound across my skin.

“You knew what I was before you came here.”

“Yes.”

There was no hesitation.

No attempt to lie.

That unsettled me more than anything else could have.

“How?”

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he nodded toward my wrist.

“The bracelet.”

My fingers curled around it.

“What about it?”

“Where did you get it?”

“Why?”

“Because it wasn’t made in Albion.”

I stared at him.

“How do you know?”

“I’ve seen one before.”

My heartbeat quickened.

“Where?”

He studied me for a moment.

“That isn’t a question you should ask until you know whether you want the answer.”

I bursted laugh. 

“You came to my home, told me I’m some kind of mythical creature, and now you’re refusing to explain yourself?”

His mouth curved slightly.

“I didn’t say you were mythical.”

“You said I was the last Eclipse Wolf.”

“I said the last Eclipse Wolf survived.”

“That sounds like the same thing.”

“It isn’t.”

I hated how calm he was.

I also hated how difficult he was to read.

Lucian had always made me feel as though I were standing before a locked door.

Rhydian was different. He was a door that was already open. I simply couldn’t see what waited on the other side. His gaze dropped to my wrist again.

“You’re bleeding.”

I looked down. A thin line of blood had escaped from the wound left by the broken bracelet.

“I noticed.”

“Let me see it.”

“No.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“No?”

“I don’t know you.”

“You know my name.”

“That isn’t the same thing.”

Something almost amused flickered across his face.

“You don’t trust easily.”

I looked at him.

“I learned not to.”

The amusement disappeared. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Something in his expression changed.

No pity. 

Understanding.

He didn’t ask who had taught me. Maybe he didn’t need to. I looked away first. The courtyard had gone strangely quiet. The guards were still watching him. The wolves were still keeping their heads lowered.

Rhydian took one step toward me.

I stiffened and he stopped immediately. That tiny gesture caught my attention. He hadn’t touched me. Hadn’t assumed he could.

“May I?”

His eyes were on my wrist.

I hesitated. Then slowly held it out. Not because I trusted him. Because I wanted to know what he knew. His fingers hovered above my skin.

He didn’t touch me. His expression changed.

The silver beneath my skin was still faintly glowing. Rhydian’s face went completely still.

Then his eyes widened.

Fear.

For the first time since he’d arrived, I saw it.

Not disgusted.

No pity and fear. 

My arm dropped.

“What?”

He didn’t answer.

“Rhydian.”

His gaze remained fixed on my wrist.

“How long has it been glowing?”

“I don’t know.”

“Since the bracelet broke?”

“Yes.”

His jaw tightened.

“Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes.”

“Do you hear anything?”

I frowned.

“Hear what?”

“Voices. Howling. Whispers.”

“No.”

I lied, I had heard something. Not a voice exactly. Something under the sounds of the world.

A pulse, like a rhythm.

Like hundreds of heartbeats moving together.

But I wasn’t ready to tell him that. Rhydian noticed my hesitation.

He didn’t press. Instead, he asked quietly,

“Who sealed your power?”

My heart stopped.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do.”

“I told you. I don’t know what power you’re talking about.”

His silver eyes met mine.

“Your bracelet wasn’t jewelry, Merryn.”

I froze.

He knew my name.

I hadn’t told him.

“How do you know my name?”

“Everyone in Albion knows the Vale family’s Luna.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“No.”

His gaze didn’t waver.

“It isn’t.”

I took a step back.

“You know too much.”

“I know enough.”

“Then tell me.”

He was silent.

I folded my arms.

“You came here looking for me. You knew what I was before I did. You recognized my bracelet. You know my name. And now you’re asking who sealed my power.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

His expression became unreadable.

“Because I need to know whether the seal was broken accidentally.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means your awakening may not have been meant to happen yet.”

My pulse quickened.

“Who sealed me?”

He looked toward the Moon Sanctum behind us.

Then back at me.

“Your family.”

I shook my head.

“My parents died when I was a child.”

“I know.”

“And Cressida raised me.”

“I know.”

My stomach twisted.

“Then what aren’t you telling me?”

Rhydian’s eyes darkened.

“Your power wasn’t sealed to protect you.”

The world seemed to stop.

“What?”

He didn’t repeat himself.

I stepped closer.

“Then why?”

His gaze shifted toward the Sanctum.

“Because someone was afraid of what you would become when it woke.”

My mouth went dry.

“Who?”

Rhydian opened his mouth.

A sharp sound came from behind him.

One of his guards approached quickly.

He bowed and whispered something into Rhydian’s ear.

I couldn’t hear the words.

But I saw Rhydian’s expression change.

Every trace of calm disappeared.

His face became cold.

He turned toward me.

“What?”

He didn’t answer immediately.

I felt a chill crawl down my spine.

“Rhydian?”

He looked at the guards.

“Secure the gates.”

They moved instantly.

The wolves began growling.

“What happened?”

Rhydian’s gaze returned to mine.

“They know you’re awake.”

My blood ran cold.

“Who?”

For the first time since I’d met him, Rhydian looked at me without hiding anything.

There was no amusement in his eyes.

No mystery.

Only a grim certainty.

“The people who killed your parents.”