Chapter 21

I woke up slowly, nestled in the warmth of Rowan's arms, the familiar scent of him enveloping me. The light from the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. I shifted slightly, feeling the comfort of the soft bed beneath us, and snuggled closer to him. His lips brushed against my ear, and he whispered sweet nothings that made my heart flutter.

"I like that you woke up in my arms," he murmured, I turned my face to look into his eyes.

"I slept better than I have in weeks. I wish we could stay here forever."

His smile was bittersweet as he brushed a strand of hair from my face. "I wish we could too, Ariadne," he replied softly. "But we can't stay too far away from the castle. My absence will have caused a ruckus by now. I'm sure my brother, will be planning something."

I frowned, concern knitting my brows together. "What could he possibly be planning? He already took the throne from you."

"He's not happy that I'm walking again. Nobody is. I was crippled and weak and yet they still planned to kill me. What do you think they will do now?"

He asked me. 

He was right, I thought as I remembered the conversation we eavesdropped on while we were in Crown Prince Lucian's chambers.

"What will you do now?"

His bright blue eyes darkened, a storm of emotions swirling within them. "I want them all to suffer for what they did to me," he said, his voice low and intense. "They all left me, discarded me like I was nothing to them. My own family. And now that I know the kind of person my brother is, I know he is not fit to rule."

I studied his face, there was no hint of the tired and broken man I had once met. He seemed like a completely different person now.

"And how do you plan to serve your revenge?" I asked quietly, afraid of the answer but needing to know.

"I'll take back my throne from Lucian," he said, his tone resolute. "That would break him. More than anything. They all need to pay for their betrayal."

A chill ran down my spine as I heard the determination in his voice. I reached out, cupping his face in my hands. "But, are you sure this is what you want? Will this make you happy?"

He covered my hands with his own, his touch gentle despite the fire in his eyes. "I'm sure, Ariadne. I have to do this."

"If I show any more sign of weakness I will be killed. We will be killed. We can't afford that. We can't be free unless they are all dealt with."

I nodded slowly, understanding the pain that drove him but fearing what it might cost him. First it was his legs, what else would happen now?

"Wait... you never did tell me. What happened before Arêtes. What made the alpha king give you such punishment?"

I asked and Rowan sighed.

"I was nineteen years old, young and reckless. A night after the Blood moon festivities I had gone into my mother, the late Luna's room. There was a fire shortly after I left. I was blamed because only my father and I had access to that room. But the moon goddess relic and the Luna horn were apparently in the room. They had burned with the fire."

"My father was furious. The moon goddess relic was a very sacred relic. It was passed down from king to king for centuries. It was said to bless Alpha Kings with a long reign. And the Luna horn was used in times of battle to command armies of wolves and bend them to your will."

"Those relics were in that room."

I untangled myself from Rowan.

"This fire you speak of. Did it happen eight years ago?"

Rowan looked at me and nodded.

"Yes. My father kept it a secret from the people because he didn't want them to know the relics were gone forever."

"But you didn't cause that fire."

I said and Rowan looked at me with surprise.

"What do you mean?"

He asked and I looked at him.

"Ten years ago I used to work for the Royal Concubine. I was one of her handmaidens."

"You worked in the castle?!"

Rowan asked in shock and I nodded my head.

"Yes I did. I started as a kitchen maid when I was barely ten years old. Then two years later I was gifted to the Royal Concubine. She wanted young girls to serve her. She said we were more obedient. I happened to be her favourite.”

"On the night of the blood moon festivities she went to the Luna's chambers. I know this because I stood outside to keep watch. She came back with a wrapped parcel. She never told me what it was. And I never knew how she got inside the chambers, because I heard only the Crown Prince and the Alpha King could enter the Luna's chambers."

"After that, she went back the next night with a candle. She left it inside the room. I asked her if it was safe to leave the candle lit and she warned me never to breathe a word of it to anyone."

Rowan stood up, his brows furrowed as he looked deep in thoughts. I could see the dots connecting in his head.

"I only went into the room because of Lucian. We were playing a drinking game, he was the winner. He dared me to go into the Luna's chambers and pick up the Luna horn."

"He knew I was the only one who could get in there. I remember going into the room and looking for the horn but I didn’t find it. I could only smell smoke. But it was dark and I was too drunk, but I remember that the room smelled like smoke. Which means the fire must have started before I got in there."

As we connected the dots, it became increasingly obvious that the Royal Concubine and her son had planned everything for a very long time.

"Then the Royal Concubine and your brother must have planned it then.”

"And now I understand."

"Understand what?"

Rowan asked me.

"Why she sent me away after that. Shortly after that, she accused me of stealing from her. A gold hairpiece that was given to her by the Alpha King suddenly found its way into my bed. She called me a liar and a thief. She threw me in the dungeons first. Few days later I was gifted to the ex-beta who was sent away from the castle."

"She found a way to get rid of me and she took it."

Rowan shook his head.

"She is a cunning woman . After the incident my father wanted to punish me but he couldn't. I suspect he tried to delay my punishment because he didn't want me to be punished, especially since we were about to go to war with Solis. Two years later after the war, I came back and met my father was a changed man. He demanded that I be punished immediately."

"And sent me off to Arêtes where he believed would be my death."

"But you survived. You survived and here you are."

Rowan turned to me with a faraway look in his eyes.

"At what cost? When I came back I was so broken and useless that I got deposed as Crown Prince. I was sequestered in my chambers for six years. All the healers who came to see me in the first two years told me I would never walk again. They said I would be better off dead. They offered to give me medicine that would make me die in my sleep. I rejected them vehemently."

"The next two years the healers were dwindling. The ones who came only seemed to make it worse. And then my father told me he would no longer spend money on healers for me. My staff started getting less and less too."

"Then one day I was told I could not step outside. That the sight of me on my wheelchair was making the people depressed. And it wasn't a good look for a former Crown Prince to be a cripple. I was left in my chambers to rot with two guards to ensure I never left. I was given no other staff but Lark, who came and went as he pleased. When he remembered to, he would send someone to clean, or bring up my food. But he only did his duties when he wanted to, since there was nobody in particular to ensure that he did it right."

My hands flew to my mouth.

Six years.

Six years as a cripple.

Six years living that life.

I didn't know how he did it.

How he coped for that long.

"That must have been hell for you."

I said and he sighed.

"I'm sure it's not nearly as much pain as you must have gone through..." he said as his eyes looked at me softly.

I looked down.

"People would have treated you differently. People would have hurt you..."

He said softly.

"They would have seen your mark and cursed you."

My eyes shot upwards, panic and shock flaring in me.

"You know?!?!"

"You know that I'm an Otsayak?!?!"

I exclaimed.

Rowan flinched.

"I never liked that word..."

He murmured.

"But yes. I have known ever since I saw you. Ever since I smelled you."

"You didn't smell human and you didn't smell wolf. And then I saw your mark that you so carefully tried to conceal and I knew."

"I... I don't understand..."

I murmured.

"You mean you knew all this time and you didn't send me away?"

"Why would I?"

Rowan simply answered.

“You treated me better more than most of my kind did.”