30: Those Damned Wolves

Those Damned Wolves

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*****

RETH

As he abandoned his new wife and her very inconvenient questions, Reth stalked after the guard, cursing himself as every kind of coward and liar. After everything she'd been through, she deserved better. But the interruption by the guard wasn't a ploy. As they stalked off the Market stage and down the stairs, towards the Council Hall, Reth could see the young man was tense.

"Tell me what's going on," he said calmly. Then tried to focus on the young man's briefing.

"Sire, the security council gathered early. Behryn found the wolves already there and meeting."

"Without the council?" Reth spat.

"Yes, sir. They're… they're making trouble. Saying things…" the man eyed him from the side nervously. Reth gritted his teeth.

"One thing you'll learn about me, kid, is that we don't stand on ceremony when the Tribes are at risk. Whatever it is—no matter how complimentary it may be of me, or not—I'll never punish you for speaking the truth."

The boy swallowed and nodded. "They're saying… they're saying you didn't mate the queen, sir," the poor boy blushed. "So her throne is still… open."

"WHAT?" Reth snarled.

The boy blinked, but didn't flinch. Reth picked up his pace. "What else are our wolf-brothers deciding for me and my throne?"

"There was mention of a King's Council," the boy murmured, looking left and right to make sure no one else was close enough to hear him.

Reth blinked and forced himself not to show his rage. It wasn't the kid's fault he'd been sent to tell Reth the bad news.

At its heart, a King's Council was a call for the people to review the dominance of a King and an opportunity for challenges to his throne. If the security council decided to call a King's Council, the wolves would describe how and why they called Elia as the Pure One and attempt to convince the people to reject him as King—or, failing that, to reject Elia as Queen.

He was going to have to tell her. If she found out from someone else she would think he'd been lying to her and she'd never trust him…

He wasn't concerned about losing his throne—the wolves were dreaming if they thought the people would support that. But Elia? Reth found he was suddenly terrified at the idea of losing his wife.

"Take me to them," was all he said. The boy nodded and began to jog, Reth right on his heels.

*****

ELIA

After Reth disappeared with the young guard, Elia turned to Candace who was frowning, watching her King run away from the breakfast table. Then, when he was out of sight, she turned to Elia and considered her.

"Do you care for him?" Candace asked simply.

"Yes," Elia breathed. "But I don't know how to make him care for me," she said, her voice breaking.

"Are you willing to work hard? To become one of us?"

"Do I have any other choice?"

That clearly wasn't the answer Candace was looking for. The woman folded her arms and frowned.

Elia ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "I only meant that… regardless of my feelings for him—which are real—I have to make a life here. He told me I can't go back. I don't want to be this… child in his eyes. But even if I can't make him love me… I want to have a life."

Candace looked down thoughtfully. A moment later she sighed. "Let's go," she said, pushing her chair out and getting up.

Elia followed uncertainly. "Go where?"

"I'm going to teach you how to become Anima," Candace said, then muttered low enough Elia thought she wasn't supposed to hear, "The Creator help us both."

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