"No"
"Drake-"
"I said no." God knows this man gets on my nerves sometimes. Drake is the most stubborn person I know, but some part of me couldn't help feeling he was right. "This man has been lying ever since he got here and you wanna attend HIS brothers damn party." he points to Adam who is tied up in the corner. Trika stands over him with his arms crossed brows furrowed pondering the situation. "I said no, as your head of security and your personal safety I STRONGLY advise AGAINST this!"
"Drake.. Damien is there. I know he is. He's alive." Saying that left a bad taste in my mouth. I hadn't been able to bring him up for ages. "He is one of our own, we don't abandon one of our own."
"I know Karina, I'm not saying he isn't. But you're not stupid, none of us are! This is a trap, he said so HIMSELF!" Adam struggles against his restraints and tape, he wants to speak. Trika takes it off.
"It's a Trap your majesty-"
"You see!" Drake cuts him off. His voice so loud so masculine so that everyone jumps. But he lowers his voice so only I can hear him. To a whisper, like a lion ready to pounce. "I can't lose another one of my family." He is scared. The humans are famous for torture of magical beings. They aren't particularly fond of us either, and if Andreya is with them, something is definitely about to happen. And he is right, we aren't prepared. This is a place we don't go, we never have. But we can't abandon him, but again. "You're not losing any more family Drake" he looks to me jaw still clenched, "we are going to get one back."
———————————-
It's been a week of preparation, the King's birthday celebration is in two days. Drake insisted on taking the CREE along with us and a short group of wolves as the escort. "It's a two day journey Karina, we should reach the coast by nightfall." Trika wanted to help, he sent his Beta wolf, Lily, along with us. He said his first responsibility was protecting the Tree, and with that I can't deny. "The boat journey should take about a day and then another half a days ride. We should make it in time." She says.
"Thanks Lily." I say and she nods her head in acknowledgment. Drake rides up ahead, in a strop like a child. He didn't want us to go, I made the decision. He has barely spoken to me all week. But at least he is sleeping. His health is coming back and the bags under his eyes are vanishing so I can see his bottom eyelashes again. But my decision was right, and this time I'm not apologising. If he didn't want to come, I told him he didn't have to.
"Your majesty, I'm glad you are trusting me, perhaps we could finally be friends?" Adam says with a gleaming smile and a wink at the end. We had to bring him along too, just to show good faith. It doesn't mean I trust him.
"As a man of my word-I will support you in your quest." He rides along further than me admiring the view, acting like a prick.
"Karina, you want me to keep an eye on him?" Lily asks staring at him. "Cuz I don't think he is the Adam in the story, he's gonna be the snake in the grass."
"You may be right..Watch him Lily, when we get there we don't know anyone or anything. We are going for his brother's celebration. That's all we know. There may be some surprises he hasn't told us..You're right, Keep a close eye on him." Trust is earn't, and Adam hasn't earn't anything from us. Drake is still, riding along in silence. He knows he is pissing me off. He is enjoying it. Bastard.
———————-
The water was calm. The moons light reflected flawlessly as the stars fought to outshine each other. People take nature for granted, its ferocity, it's serenity, is unmatched. It's all meant for us to enjoy and admire. To respect as our home, but humans. They take nature and destroy it, make useless contraptions to use to better themselves. At least they think they do. They strip the earth of its minerals and it's magic, barrening the earth. They kill it. And yet, they think us the enemy. Behind me I hear men shouting and the wolves getting agitated in my head.
"Adam!"
"What are you-"
"Stop!!" All at once I hear them.
"WHATS GOING ON!" I shout and the mayhem of movement stops. Drake is in the centre pulling apart Adam and Lily from each other. Adam has scratches on his face heaving heavy breaths and Lily is looking possessed by anger and frustration.
"What the fuck is wrong with you two?!" Drake grunts. Looking at both of them holding both by the back of the necks.
"She just went all psycho on me-"
"Fucking lying prick how dare you!" She growled threatening to pounce again. "He was gonna push me in-drown me!"
"What lies are you spewing-you were standing too close to the edge I tried to pull you back you should be grateful-"
"Grateful!? Grateful! Fuck you-" this time she did pounce at him, luckily drake was in the middle to separate them.
"ENOUGH" his voice was loud enough to make the ship quake. But he looked to me for further instruction.
"Both of you pull yourselves together! We cannot beat the enemy if we start fighting amongst ourselves."
"But Karina-"
"Enough Lily. I'll hear no more about this.." she gives him one last glare before snatching herself away from Drakes grasp walking to the back of the ship with the rest of the pack. Drake then let's go of Adam and one of the soldiers comes to tend to his scratches. Everyone dispersed and Drake is left standing there alone. Trying not to look at me, giving me quick looks.
"You should get some rest. We'll be there by sunrise." Emotionless, he walks off...Fuck this-
"DRAKE" he stops and turns around. "I don't know what problem you have with me but we are gonna have it out right now."
"No we're not." He starts to walk away from me.
"Excuse me!? Your attitude is starting to realllly, piss me off so either man up and tell me what's wrong - or we are gonna start having a real problem!"
"For god sakes Karina you don't listen to anyone! You think you're always right! making decisions from PURE emotion!" He starts to walk closer to me in a rage, his eyes wide and directed on me. His rage made him blind to everyone watching us. His voice was so loud and beastly I took a step back from him. "You know this is a fucking suicide mission-and you can't ever see anything straight when it comes to Damien! You never have! But you are sacrificing too much to get him back-we ALL ARE! What if he is dead? How are we gonna get him back? WHAT LEVERAGE DO WE HAVE?! We still don't know what he wants from you! And you are putting this kingdom and YOURSELF in danger but you NEVER listen to me, because you only care for him!And if YOU die, trying to get him back...believe me, I'll never forgive you." He is an inch away from me now and his voice lowers to a whisper. "Know this, even in death, I'll hate you. If he lives and you die, just know you killed me too." He was breathing heavy, his large shoulders tensed. His beard tickled my cheek and I felt his love for me, but it broke as soon as it connected as he backed off from me turning away to walk not stopping to even turn around....and I'm left alone.
———————-
I had snuck to the back of the ship trying to get out of Adam's eye-line. I had publicly shunned Lily for his satisfaction. He has to think I'm on his side, kinda. But he is always there. It's like I can literally feel him watching me all the time. I'm not sure why he does it, but I can feel his eyes roaming my body, I feel violated. But I can't let him know I know-right? He is playing a game with me and I have to let him think he is winning, for Damien.
"What going on Lily?" I asked her. "What happened back there?"
"Your majesty I was watching him like you asked, but all of a sudden he came up to me and started asking weird questions."
"What questions?"
"Really personal ones, about you at first and then he tried- to -touch me. I pushed him back but he didn't move. He touched me again and that's when I realised he was easing me off the deck, pushing me further and further back. So I snapped and did whatever I could to get him off me. Thank god Drake was there, he pulled him off me." Her heart rate didn't change, she was telling the truth. "I tried to get him to stop but it was like he wanted to do it, like it was a different person there. Adam usually is an assy little twit but, there was something different about him."
"I'm sorry Lily, you'll have your justice I promise you that. He won't get away with this-"
"With all due respect Karina, we have a job to do. And no matter how much a pig he is, we need him. So I'll kill him after we get our king back."
"And I'll help you do it." She laughed. And together we waited for the sun to come up.