As I entered the council chamber, where the butler had guided me, I found multiple sets of eyes guarded and startled gazing snapping to me. Storing my questions in my mind for later, I straightened my shoulders and curved my lips into a seductive smile and I sought and found Wildecrest's piercing glare.
I wound my way towards him, my hips moving in a sashay as I slowly stood in front of him.
"Jaeda." Wildecrest's voice rumbled over me.
"Harrian. I need to speak with you. It's urgent." I whispered to him, trying to enthuse a tone of urgency in Jaeda's voice.
He studied me carefully, giving me a moment of uncertainty before he gave me a nod. Turning to the other council members he apologised for the disruption before beckoning me to follow him.
To my relief he directed us the second door on the left, taking us in the hallway before directing me towards another door. I hit a moment of panic, unsure whether to redirect him into another room but saw him beckoning me into a library.
Heaving a breath of relief, I walked into the room, taking in the mahogany shelves that lined the walls and the variety of books that filled them. In the corner of my eye, I saw a closed door, which I recognised lead into the King's personal office. Perfect.
Pleased that everything was going to plan, I turned around and opened my mouth to start speaking to Wildecrest, just as his large hand wrapped around my throat and started squeezing.
Chapter 24
Any air I had in my lungs was lost in my gasp of surprise. My hands flew up to the fist that was tightening around my throat, Wildecrest's bruising grip cutting off any air supply.
"Who are you?"
I mimicked Jaeda's name back to him, trying to form the words but his hold on my throat was too strong.
"No, you're not." He angrily replied, leaning in close to my ear as he spat out, "Jaeda knows never to interfere with my business and certainly not show up unplanned to a council meeting. If I didn't know any better, I would bet you're the filthy little thief that stole into my house months ago."
Internally, I cursed myself for forgetting what had happened at the Wildecrest home. Of course, he would be wary if Jaeda disturbed him unexpectedly from a council meeting. He was already aware that someone had masqueraded as her before and the thief wasn't caught. What I didn't expect was a reaction as severe as this. What if I actually was Jaeda? He would be abusing his wife!
I eyed him whilst gasping for breath, coming to the conclusion that there must not have been much love or affection between Wildecrest and Jaeda. Clearly, it was some kind of arrangement that seemed to benefit them both.
Thinking on my feet, I tried wording out a reply but he didn't seem to understand. He slightly relieved the pressure, allowing a small trickle of air in my lungs which I sucked in with greed.
Taking as many gulps of air that I could, I managed to sputter, "I had to."
His mouth twisted in grim satisfaction, his eyes darkening and he replied, "Again, another sign you're not Jaeda. My wife would know better."
He went to squeeze again and I got the sense this time he wouldn't stop until I was unconscious, possibly dead. So I quickly squeaked out something I knew would stop him in his tracks.
"Dagar is dead."
The hand around my throat froze for a moment in his surprise. I looked to his face to find his expression filled with shock before anger eclipsed it.
"Impossible." He retorted in denial.
I swallowed at the growing rage that started tightening up his muscles and found the will power to reply, "It's true."
"What have you done?" When I didn't reply as fast as he wanted me, he shook the hand that clenched my throat, slamming me back into the wall hard enough that dots filled my vision. "Tell me," He roared.
I scrambled to create a plausible story that would convince him I was telling the truth whilst also exposing him as a traitor.
Trying to enthuse any emotion I though Jaeda would feel, I replied quickly, "I went to meet Kedar with the information you wanted me to give to him. But he didn't turn up in the spot you requested. Instead, I found Dagar's body."
"What do you mean you found Dagar's body," He said through gritted teeth.
"I found him lying there with...with his throat slit, "I stumbled on the words, not entirely faking the horror in my voice.
It was a reminder of what I did to him. A man I didn't know. I told myself again that he was trying to kill me, that from everything we found out about him told us he was a bad man. But I still found it hard to come to grips with.
Wildecrest studied me for a long moment, looking at my reactions before ever so slowly releasing my throat.
He took a step away from me as I stood there gasping for breath, filling my lungs with air whilst reaching up to my now bruised neck.
He watched as I massaged the sore area with a sick look of satisfaction and a sliver of sympathy for Jaeda shot through me. How on earth did everyone trust a man so disgusting?
"Did anyone else find Dagar's body?" He asked whilst walking towards a window and pausing to look out of it. I cautiously moved away from the wall he had pinned me from, keeping an eye on him in case he attacked me again.
With his face hidden, I couldn't judge what response he was looking for and had to go with my gut instinct, "No, just me. It was hidden away."
A silence permitted the space between us before he gravely asked, "Was there any hint of who killed him?"
"I...I don't know." I stuttered, letting my nervousness take over and hoped he saw it as distress. "After seeing him like that I just freaked and came straight to see you."
At that he turned back around to study me, his head tilted to the side as though trying to determine something, "Do you think it was Kedar?"
Finally, I thought. Up until this point he hadn't mentioned anything to conclusively say that he was a traitor. I had been the one to name each man and his only reaction was to his brother. This was the perfect opportunity to get him to reveal his betrayal. I could only hope the others were listening on the other side of the door.
"I don't know, what would he have to gain?" I queried.
He grimly started back at me, thinking deeply before replying, "Perhaps the King of Etha felt he was useless after he failed to retrieve that stupid necklace they wanted so much. Perhaps Kedar had orders to eliminate him."
My heart stopped in my chest, blood draining from my face as what he said registered in my mind. "Wh... What do you mean?" I asked, my mouth feeling dry and my tongue, thick.
"After Dagar's assassins failed to retrieve the necklace and got themselves killed trying to steal it from that old man, Kedar warned us that his King was not happy." Wildecrest clenched his fist in anger, "Since then he lost track of the damned thing and we've not had a whiff of it since. Lord knows why they want it so much."
I stared at him in shock, a sick churning in my stomach. It was him. It was him and Dagar who killed Tawney. The world started to swirl even though I knew I stood still. How was it possible? Why?
Another thought soon followed, Was Tawney aware of what the Wildecrest family wanted all along? Was that why he wanted us to investigate them?
So many questions but I would never know the answer. Tawney wasn't here to ask. He was dead. Killed by Dagar and Wildecrest.
Rage replaced the nausea and soon my vision started to bleed red.
It was both of them who plotted together to steal my heirloom from Tawney. Who decided to slaughter a defenseless old man for the sake of jewellery. Who decided to betray their whole country for their own selfish gain. Who killed the one man in this world that I loved more than any other.
My unease over killing Dagar vanished and I wished I could go back to that moment and make him suffer. I focused on Wildecrest. Dagar may be dead but he was still alive.
Wildecrest continued to talk but his voice sounded muffled, as though he was underwater. My power welled up inside me, a sea of energy begging to be released.
To find a way to rip him to s
hreds.
Calm.
It was as though a voice whispered the word within my mind but my rage could not be thwarted. However, the voice allowed a moment of sanity to penetrate through the haze, long enough for me to realise that I needed to focus on the mission. I would not do the same thing as them and put my desires before the safety of our kingdom.
I'm sorry Tawney, but I need to help save Orbain.
"Should we be worried he will dispose of us soon?" I managed to choke out.
Wildecrest let out a snort, "With the information, I have gathered for them, it would be in their best interest to keep me alive."
He turned towards me and slowly approached. I concentrated on taking deep breaths to try and calm myself but as he lifted a finger to smooth down the side of my face, I felt my rage mounting again.
I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes to avoid looking at him as he whispered in my ear, "Although, the same could not be said for you, little thief."
I blinked as I tried to recall what he was talking about, "I'm... I'm sorry?"
"If you found Dagar's body and came straight to here to tell me..." His finger continued down to stroke the bruise he had left, "Then where is the package you were supposed to deliver?"
My eyes widen as I realised the hole I made in the story as he grabbed my throat once again, choking me in his crushing grip. At the same time, the adjourning door to the King's office flew open.
Wildecrest's head swung to find Volorn, Rema and a large older man, the King, storm into the room, circling him with their swords raised high. They all looked on with grim rage, the King looking an older, weathered copy of Volorn. I had a moment to wonder where Axel was before black patches started to swim before me.
"Wildecrest you've been caught. Release her." Volorn demanded, his voice full of command.
Wildecrest took stock of the situation, taking in all of their expressions and quickly realised he had been tricked.
He tightened his grip on my whilst snarling, "Do you really think you can get to her before I kill her? Try and shield her all you want Bastard, my hand is already around her neck."
Volorn started forward, his hand raised as though he was about to use his power to shield me even though we both knew it would be ineffective. He couldn't save me.
Just as the thought slid through my mind, a glint of silver caught my clouded vision and Axel appeared behind Wildecrest, a dagger at his neck.
"Let her go Wildecrest." He darkly ordered.
"Why would I do that?"
Axel pressed his blade further in his skin and a drop of blood slowly dripped down his neck, "If you want to live, you will let her go."
Wildecrest seemed to think about it although he didn't let up the pressure. Any moment now I would lose consciousness.
But I was done waiting. We had all the information we need, he exposed himself as a traitor. And one thing everyone seemed to forget was that I didn't need a hero. I could save myself.
Smirking slightly as I stared into Wildecrest's eyes, I channeled into my power, allowing the seemingly endless energy to sweep over me. It saturated my every pore as I started to manipulate and change my body.
My neck thickened, growing more muscular and less fragile until I felt Wildecrest's hand stretch and fall away.
Fur sprouted along my new agile body and my human canine teeth elongated into mighty fangs that could no longer fit in my new muzzle. My nails sharpened into razor-sharp claws, claws that called out for blood. Wildecrest's blood.
I let out a rumbling roar that shook the room as I leapt at Wildecrest, who stood to stare at me in shock.
I hooked my claws into his shoulders as we slammed into the floor and Axel dodged out of the way. He let out a blood-curdling scream of pain that sent a shard of delight through me.
As I completed my change into a Sabretooth in seconds, the new animal instinct merged with my own desires and any rational thoughts flew out of the window.
The rage and bloodlust I had curtailed since discovering he was a part of Tawney's murder flooded me like a tsunami.
He will die for what he did to Tawney. For what he did to Orbain. He doesn't deserve to live.
The need to feel his blood on my tongue made me shiver, the internal demand to crush his windpipe between my jaws had me lunging at his terrified face with my mouth wide open.
"Fawn stop," Volorn commanded, bringing me up short as I snapped my fangs a hair width away from Wildecrest's esophagus.
Everyone held still for a moment, afraid to move in case I snapped. But soon Axel knelt down beside me and placed a hand on my back, murmuring into my ear. "We need him alive, we need to learn everything he knows."
My chest rumbled in dissatisfaction and protest, which made Axel smile. Leaning forward, he rested his head against mine whilst Wildecrest squirmed beneath my claws.
"I know what he said. We heard. And we will keep our promise to you." He looked up into my eyes, "I will keep my promise to you. Tawney will get his vengeance. Just not right now. Right now we need to save Orbain."
I knew he was right. I knew that saving the kingdom was bigger than my need for revenge. But it didn't make me feel any better.
I gave Axel a nod but couldn't resist one final dig of my claws further into Wildecrest's body which made him scream.
The entourage behind us approached, standing over Wildecrest's struggling form with disdain.
"Sargent Rema, cuff him." The King ordered, his voice as deep and smooth as whiskey. Rema swiftly made her way over to us, grabbing hold of Wildecrest so I could remove myself from him. Axel straightened and I stood back next to him as Rema roughly yanked Wildecrest onto his knees and slapped the thick metal cuffs onto him.
"Captain Volorn, send for Sargent Averil to interrogate him immediately. I want to know everything this traitor has done. Every piece of information he has passed on, every enemy he has let through our borders, who his contacts are. I want it all." The King continued.
He looked at Wildecrest, his strong jaw clenched and his grey eyes vibrant with emotion. As he spoke, his voice shook with a mixture of betrayal and rage," You will regret what you have done Harrian, if it's the last thing I do."
Wildecrest's eyes widened as the realisation of how much trouble he was in hit him. He shuffled towards the king on his knees, pleading "I never betrayed you, my liege! I was working undercover! As a spy! All I have done was for Orbain!"
The King turned his back on him, brutally walking away and ignoring him as he spoke to Volorn, "Take him away. Once you have your information I don't want to see him ever again."
He continued to the door, pausing at the entrance, "I'll want you all back in the council room in three hours. With all the information." Without another look or comment, he left the room, leaving us with Wildecrest screaming and cursing in Rema and Volorn's grasp as they dragged him away.
Axel turned to me, smiling faintly, "Lucky for you there is spare armor here. Let's go get you changed in time for us to hear what Averil has to say."
I gave him a nod, following him out of the room. The sooner Averil extracts the information, the sooner I avenge Tawney.
Chapter 25
I trailed after Axel in my sabertooth tigress form, earning us fearful looks from the guards stationed along the hallways. If it wasn't for Axel's calm presence, I think they would have attacked me but instead, they kept a wary and watchful eye.
He led me down a long corridor and into a room on the right which was filled with an assortment of armor.
"This is somewhat of a changing room for the guards of the Palace. There should be something that will fit you here." Axel murmured, shuffling through a neatly stacked pile of clothing. "Ah, this one should more or less fit I think."
He dropped the clothing onto a bench before walking back to the doorway, "I'll wait outside. See you in a second."
When he closed the door I envisioned my natural body, allowing my powers to flow through me. Within moments I was back to my human shape and
dressed in the armor. The trousers were a little too long but they were fine once rolled up. I looked to my wrist, thankfully still finding the pendant dangling safely around it.
Interesting. It looked like the pendant would adjust its shape with me. Cataloging the knowledge for another time,
I walked out of the room and stepped into the corridor as Axel turned around to see me. I gave him a small smile which slowly drained away as his expression turned dark, angry.
"What's wrong?" I asked, confused and concerned.
He lifted his hand up to my throat, lightly stroking along my neck, giving me goosebumps before dropping his hand. "He's bruised you, around your throat." He tightly replied.
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