Chapter 3

Elvanya's Pov

I stood still in the High Hall, frozen because King Kael was right in front of me, his eyes shining silver like metal. He was the only one there, and I didn’t move a muscle. Then he started walking slowly around me, moving like an animal stalking its prey. I tried to remember Cordelia’s rule, not to look him in the eyes so I kept my gaze on the floor tiles. I could feel his presence all around me with every quiet step he took.

The air felt heavy, like something huge was pressing down on me. The silence was so loud I almost couldn’t breathe, but I forced myself to keep staring at the ground. Then he stopped right behind me. His heat was too close. I squeezed my fists tightly.

He moved his head and breathed on the back of my neck as if he was smelling me. The breath was rough. Then his very quiet voice spoke, sounding dangerous. “You smell different from other humans.”

My heart jumped, but I didn’t move or say a word. I tried to think of a rule for this, but there wasn’t one about the King smelling me.

“Look at me,” he demanded flatly.

I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t ignore him. Slowly, I lifted my head and tried to look at the wall ahead, but then I looked up, glancing at him over my shoulder. His face was so close, close enough to be scary, but also strange to see how handsome he was. His eyes were even brighter than before.

“I told you to look at me,” he said more forcefully.

I slowly turned and tried to look at his chest instead.

“No.” He reached out with one finger and lifted my chin. “Look at my eyes.”

I had no choice. His silver eyes locked onto mine and made me feel sick.

“What is your name, human?” he asked.

“Elvanya,” I whispered.

“Say it louder. I am the King.”

“Elvanya.” I said it again, louder this time, making sure my voice didn’t shake.

He dropped his hand and stepped back, crossing his wide chest.

“You are not crying.”

“No, Your Highness.” i answered.

“You are scared.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” I told the truth because there was no reason to hide it.

He stared at me for a long time, like hours.

“Why are you here?”

“I was selected.” i said.

“For what?”

“To serve in the High Hall.”

He growled softly. “Humans don’t serve in my private wing. They serve me in other ways.”

I stayed quiet, not knowing what to say.

“Do you know what my command staff does to human servants?” he asked.

I swallowed hard. “No, Your Highness.”

“They use them. Then they kill them.” He paused, then added, “Sometimes they kill them first.”

I didn’t move or look away.

“Why did they send you to me?”

“Cordelia said I am to serve in the High Hall.”

“Cordelia is a fool.” He stepped closer. “The last human girl who looked at me like that lasted three days.”

I felt cold inside. “I will look at the floor then, Your Highness.”

“No, Look at me.” He pointed to my face. “That look, that stillness. You are challenging me.”

“I don’t mean to challenge you.”

“But you are. All humans cower, you do not.”

“I’m trying to follow the rules.” i said.

“The rule is to fear me.”

“I do fear you.”

“Show it.”

I didn’t know what he wanted. Should I fall to the floor? Should I cry? I didn’t want to cry.

“I am here to clean and serve food.” I kept my voice steady. “That’s all I will do.”

He laughed, a cold and empty sound.

“You are not like the others.” He looked at my silver hair. “You’re pale. Like frost.”

He reached out to touch my hair. His fingers were rough, and I felt a strange tingle where he touched me. I stood perfectly still.

“You are eighteen.”

“Yes.”

“And you were sold by your parents.”

Anger rose inside me, but I pushed it down hard. “Yes, Your Highness.”

“They traded their own child for food.”

“Yes.”

He dropped his hand and turned toward the long table.

“Clean this room.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” i said.

“Now.” he ordered.

I nodded. “Where are the cleaning supplies?”

He stopped beside the table. “You think I keep buckets and rags in my hall?”

“I don’t know.”

He looked angry. “You are a slave. Do not ask questions, find them.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I backed away slowly, found the door, and walked out. I needed to find a storage room or someone to ask.

The hall was empty.

I kept walking until I saw a door that looked like a side room. I pushed it open.

It was a small pantry. A girl inside was organizing silver cups, she was human.

She jumped when she saw me.

“Who are you?” she whispered nervously.

“My name is Elvanya. I was assigned to the High Hall, i need the cleaning supplies.”

She looked wide-eyed. “The High Hall? You saw the King?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re still breathing?”

“Yes.”

She looked scared and pointed to a shelf. “Rags are there. Bucket and soap under the table.”

I walked over and picked them up.

“He is the King of Beasts.” She looked at the floor. “Don’t look at him, don’t speak unless he speaks first. Don’t make a sound.”

“Thank you.”

“What did he say to you?”

“He told me to clean the Hall.”

She shook her head. “No one cleans the Hall when he is there. He’s testing you.”

I didn’t answer. I grabbed the supplies and walked back toward the High Hall doors.

“Wait.” She called after me. “My name is Mira.”

“Elvanya.”

“Be careful, Elvanya.”

I nodded and walked inside again.

King Kael was still standing by the table, looking out a huge window. He was completely still.

I put the bucket down and walked to the table. I picked up a silver cup with a stain and started scrubbing the table with a wet rag.

He didn’t move or say anything.

I cleaned the whole table and then the floor around it. I worked quickly and quietly.

After about an hour, the room was spotless. I gathered my things and started walking toward the door.

“Stop.”

I froze halfway to the door.

“What are you doing?”

“I finished cleaning, Your Highness.”

“And you are just leaving?”

“Yes. You told me to clean the room.”

He walked toward me again, looking amused.

“You didn’t ask permission to leave.”

I bowed my head. “My mistake, Your Highness. May I leave?”

He stopped in front of me again, much taller than me.

“No.”

I stood still.

“Stay.”

I stayed.

He picked up a silver goblet from the table and looked at me.

“Bring me wine.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Where is the wine kept?”

He glared. “Do you not know where the King’s wine is kept?”

“No. I was just assigned here.”

He sighed harshly. “It’s in the cellar, down three flights of stairs. Tell the cellar master Kael sent you, bring the blood wine.”

“Blood wine. Yes, Your Highness.”

I put down the bucket and left quickly. I found the stairs, which were dark, and went down.

The cellar was cold and smelled like dirt and dust. A big Lycan sat on a stool, polishing a boot.

“Cellar Master,” I said clearly. “King Kael sent me for the blood wine.”

He looked up at me with yellow eyes. He was huge.

He laughed. “The little human slave sent for wine. Are you sure the King didn’t send you to be dinner?”

“He told me to bring the blood wine.”

He laughed again and pointed to a spot. “Over there. The black bottle.”

I walked over and found the bottle. It was very heavy.

“Can you carry that?”

“Yes.” I grabbed it with both hands.

It took me a long time to walk back upstairs because the bottle was so heavy.

I pushed the doors open to the High Hall.

King Kael was sitting at the table, resting his chin on his hand and looking bored.

I slowly walked over and put the bottle down. It made a loud thud.

“The blood wine, Your Highness.”

I poured the wine carefully, trying not to spill any. The bottle was still heavy as I set a glass in front of him.

He looked at the wine, then at me.

“Now what?”

“I wait for your next command,” I said quietly.

He drank the wine all at once and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

He slammed the glass on the table loudly.

“Do you know what the moon mark is, Elvanya?”

I looked at him. “No.”

“It’s a story, a stupid old story.” He leaned forward. “You don’t have a mark anywhere.”

I knew I didn’t.

He stood up and walked toward me again. He stopped and stared into my eyes.

“But you smell like moonlight.”

I didn’t answer because I was too scared.

He put his warm hand on my cheek, and I didn’t move.

“Go.” His voice was suddenly tired. “Don’t come back until tomorrow morning.”

I pulled back and bowed low.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

I walked backward toward the door and didn’t turn my back until I was out in the hall.