Kai reaches for me, but I step back.
He gives me a pained look. “Do you hate me?”
“No. I’m angry, but I don’t hate you. I’m to blame as well because I was just blindly going to go along with the plan, even though it felt wrong from the beginning.” I draw in a deep and steeling breath. “But no more. We have to find the prince. If he is the key to fulfilling this prophecy of peace, we need him. But I won’t marry him just to secure this. I refuse.”
I look over his shoulder to the others, allowing my gaze to sweep over each of them. My eyes land on Nyx. “Tell me more about your dreams and about the prophecy. If this is going to work, I need to understand everything.”
Chapter 19
Kai
A terrible ache settles deep in my chest as Ella walks away from me and toward Nyx. His brown eyes dart to me and I dip my chin in a subtle nod. She wants to learn from him. Not me. I have lost her trust.
She is right. I would have given her over to the prince simply because it is what I’ve been told we should do. The Elders ingrained this mission in our minds from the time we were young. I thought I was doing the right thing, but it is clear to me now that I was not.
I believed that giving her to the prince was a sacrifice I was having to make. It did not occur to me that it was a sacrifice on her part too. Ella is as brave as she is kind. Even despite her doubts, she would have gone through with marrying the prince because she trusted us. She trusted me. And I let her down. I delivered her into danger, and she could have died because of it.
Cash and Finn walk toward me, concern evident in their features. Devon places a hand on my shoulder. “Are you—”
I shrug him off. “I’m fine. I will fly the perimeter and make certain no one is nearby.”
Before they can answer, I shift into my blue jay form and take flight.
Chapter 20
Ella
Nyx explains the details of his dreams to me. How he saw the Wolf Queen kill me in his visions.
I meet his gaze evenly. “Are your dreams always right?”
“No. Sometimes, they are just dreams.” He hesitates. “But two wolf shifters have tried to kill you. That has to be more than just coincidence.”
“How do we find out if she’s behind it?”
“I believe that for now, we should stay here. We must wait and see what the Wolf Queen does.”
“Why?”
“You have escaped two of her assassins. If she is behind this, she will search for you now that you have gotten away. Either way, whoever was responsible for the attempts on your life will not have given up so easily. We must wait to see who comes after you.”
I shake my head. “What if I don’t want to wait? What if we go to a neighboring kingdom? I could hide there. Start a new life.”
He takes my hand and gives me a pitying look. His warm, honey-brown eyes staring deep into mine. “It is not that simple, Ella. Whoever is after you, they believe in the prophecy and they seek to prevent it from happening. They will not rest until you are no longer a threat.”
Despite my fear, I meet his gaze evenly. “Fine. We will wait.”
When Nyx and I return to the cottage, Cash and Finn are already inside. They greet me with a warm smile as soon as I enter, and I return it in kind. Of all my guards, they are the ones I feel closest to. Perhaps it’s because they found me first, or maybe it’s just their personalities. I’m not sure, but I don’t question it any further.
I already have enough uncertainty in my life at the moment.
They offer me a plate of food since I left before I ate any breakfast earlier. I eagerly take it from them and sit at the table.
I glance over at the living area. “Where are Kai and Devon?”
Cash answers. “They are patrolling the perimeter.”
He looks to Nyx and something unspoken passes between them, but I do not ask what it is. Instead, I lean forward. “I want you to teach me to fight.”
Finn blinks down at me. “You have us. We are your guards. You do not need to—”
“Yes, I do.” I look to each of them. “I was the one who had to fend off the wolf shifter last night. It was luck that I was able to kill him. He could just as easily have killed me instead.”
Finn’s warm green eyes stare deep into mine. “You are right. We failed you. Forgive us, Ella.”
I shake my head softly. “You did not fail me. I just… I would feel better if I were able to defend myself. In case I am alone again with… an attacker.”
His eyes sweep to Nyx. “Nyx is the one who should train you. He is the one who learned fastest when we were younger. He helped each of us to master our skills.”
Nyx dips his chin in acknowledgement and then turns to me. “We will start tomorrow if you wish.”
“Why not now?”
He cocks his head to the side to regard me. “You were injured yesterday. Your body is still healing.”
He’s right. “Tomorrow, then.”
“Tomorrow,” he confirms. “In the meantime, I believe you would benefit from more healing balm.”
“I’m fine. It already—”
“Your skin has knitted back together where your wounds once were, but the muscles beneath would benefit from the healing properties of the salve even now.”
He gives me another tin of healing cream and I walk upstairs to the bedroom. Cash and Finn follow silently behind me, and I’m glad for their company. Nyx’s words
