Chapter 4.

Serana POV.

“I thought you were dead? How?” I pull away from her and check her over to make sure she is fine. 

Pascha and I grew up together in the camp. She is like my sister. We were both meant to enter the labyrinth together, but then Vilkas came and everything was in chaos.

“Same, I thought you were. How long have you been here? Why haven’t I seen you before now?” she asks, searching my eyes, and I sniffle as I shake my head.

“The dragon king took me personally. I have been here since that night. He thinks I’m a Lycan.” I tell her and her eyes grow impossibly wide at my words.

“That can’t be possible. Vilkas killed all the Lycans that were there that day. The Vampires, fae, and werewolves were given the option to either serve him or be slaughtered. They chose the former. They are all under strict rules that the humans aren’t to be touched, otherwise he will destroy their species.” I stagger back at her words. What?

“Have you told him you aren’t a Lycan?” She sighs as she hugs me. 

“He didn’t believe me. He said he can smell Lycan on me.” I hug her back, squeezing her to make sure this is real and nothing my mind has conjured up.

A knock on the door interrupts us and we both turn to see a vampire standing there.

“Hate to break this up, ladies, but you both need to get back to work.” He offers us a small smile as his red eyes watch us. 

We nod at him and each takes a room in no time I come to huge double oak doors. I push the handle down and the door creaks as I open it. Stepping in and my jaw drops as I take in the room. 

It’s a library. The smell of old parchment and ink fills my senses, and I feel like I’m stuck in a dream. I move aimlessly inside, leaving my cart by the door. 

There is a large table in the middle of the room with reading lamps and comfy looking chairs. Walls are lined with shelves, and each shelf is full of books. My hand reaches for the spines of the books as I walk past. My fingers delicately touch each one.

Something catches my eyes and I turn to see the huge painting of the human king hanging above the fireplace, but it looks destroyed in places. There’s a hand on his arm. A pale delicate hand with a ring on one finger. The ring is a large ruby. I’ve seen that ring before, but where? 

Lost in my thoughts, I hear a cough come from the open doorway and jump slightly as I turn to see who it is. I fight the urge to roll my eyes as Vilkas watches me.

“What are you doing here?” He asks as he stalks towards me, but I look away from him.

“Answer me.” I take a breath and meet his gaze. 

“I was going to start cleaning but was lost in the awe of the room. It won’t happen again. I’m sorry.” I say flatly as I move away from him. He grasps my upper arm, stopping me from moving. I grit my teeth as he squeezes my arm, pinching my delicate skin. That will no doubt leave a bruise.

“Can you read?” He watches me intently.

I turn to look up at him and nod my head. The Lycans had the children read and write out old texts from not just their language but other shifter languages into English. They said it was essential for us to do this task and that if we did it, we would get proper food. 

“Yes, I can also write and translate.” I say with a smirk on my face. Maybe I could use this to my advantage.

Releasing my arm, he moves towards a shelf and I rub my arm. Damn bastard. I glare at his back, wanting him to spontaneously combust and turn to ash. 

He turns around, approaching the reading table and placing the book down. “Which language is this?” he opens it to a random page, “read this to me.” 

Is this a trick question? Seriously.

“Dragon.” I say, and he nods his head. Pointing to a paragraph. I read the paragraph first.

“It says the Lycan king Marius led an army to kill the mighty Dragon king Apollo using the sword of Isolda in a battle of revenge for the defilement and slaughter of the Lycan Queen Zinda. The battle was in vain as Apollo set them all ablaze, leaving none alive.” I look up at him and he nods his head with a smirk playing on the corner of his lips.

“What other languages can you translate?” he asks, and I chew my lip as I hold his penetrating gaze.

“Lycan, wolf, Vampire, Fae.” He looks pleased and maybe a little surprised that a lowly slave would know these languages. I scoff internally at him. What a moron.

“What about phoenix?” I shake my head.

“No, there are no phoenix texts. Well, if there are, I have never seen them.” I say and he nods his head. Jokes on you, lizard boy. I have seen them and I won’t help you uncover them. 

“Very well, you will translate these texts for me. I am looking for something specific, and you will do this.” He leaves no room for argument.

“I will do it after I have finished cleaning. Can I have access anytime I want?” I look down, hoping he doesn’t catch the hidden meaning behind why I asked. If I’m in here, then I won’t be warming his bed. Win-win.

“Yes,” he raises an eyebrow at me. I mentally fist pump and do a happy dance. Thank god for little miracles.

“What is it I’m looking for, exactly?” I ask as I look up, meeting his gaze. He looks away and I frown.

“Well, I want to know how you can withstand dragon fire.” 

“Are you planning on killing me by other means, master?” I say with a chuckle, and he scowls at me as he clenches his fists to his side. I school my expression.

“Fine. Can I ask you something?” I say, looking up at the picture above the fireplace.

“You may.” He folds his arms over his chest and I’m lost in thought. “Serana, don’t waste my time. What did you want to ask me?” He spits at me. 

“That painting is of King Ronan, right?” I watch him and he nods and I fight a smirk.

“Why would a human king have shifter texts written in their language?” I ask and he watches me, his eyes not giving anything away.

“Because of his mate.” With that, he turns and walks out of the room. I stand there dumbfounded. King Ronan had a shifter as his queen? Wow, poor sod. If I’ve learnt anything, shifters are evil bastards and deserve to die.

“Not all shifters are bad.” I roll my eyes at the voice in my head.

I look around the room, now that I have his permission in the guise of helping him find out why I’m not ash. I will do my own research. I chuckle darkly to myself.

I will find a way to destroy him and the Lycans for good. After all, the Lycans enslaved humanity, and he made me his sex slave, taking my virginity. Karma is a bitch, and she is cruel.