"Silence, everyone!" King Raven commanded, capturing everyone's attention. Then he turned his singular gaze upon me and queried, "So, what were you saying?"
I knew I hadn't spoken those words on my own accord, so crafting a reply was proving problematic.
"You got us into this, so start talking," I internally challenged the spirit wolf or whatever entity that controlled me.
For over twenty seconds, the spirit wolf remained silent, and so did I. The king posed the question again and still, I offered no response.
"Emily, what are you doing?" Ethan whispered to me in concern.
"So, you're really putting your life on the line for us. You should've known they're not going to listen to you either," Laura added.
I wanted to explain to them that I didn't do this of my own volition, or maybe I would've, but how could I say anything when the king was standing right there, listening intently.
"Don't make me repeat myself, or else I will start the execution with you," the king threatened me.
In that moment, I mumbled, though I couldn't even hear what I was saying, but I knew I was trying to speak up.
"I said, I ca... Pro.... Eeee." What was I trying to convey here? Damn it!
"Well then, let the execution begin," King Raven commanded.
Ethan immediately spoke up on my behalf, though I wasn't sure what he was going to say, considering he hadn't defended himself when they accused him of being an invader and a spy earlier.
"She doesn't know anything, let her go," Ethan pleaded with the king.
"And why should I? The pawn have something to say, I can sense that," King Raven countered Ethan.
Just in that moment, I felt my mouth moving without my will again, just like it did the last time. "I can prove that they're not invaders. Actually, we came here for something, but then we were sold out by our own pack member."
King Raven looked at me with anger, realizing that I was trying to challenge the facts he had already established. He probably knew that my story was checking out because he might have bought us with money as well, whether from Lucas, Aiden, or someone else.
"So, what were you guys doing in Grendor in the first place? Don't you know that Alphas from Midgard are not allowed here?" King Raven questioned.
Another answer came involuntarily to my lips as the spirit wolf's influence continued. "We came for an old artifact."
"So, you people came to Grendor to steal our treasure. Well, that just adds to the crimes. And if I may ask, what was this artifact, and where is it now?" the king inquired.
The same guard who had whispered to King Raven about me being the sex pawn leaned in to him again. After their hushed conversation, King Raven smiled. I wondered what the guard had said this time, hoping it wasn't about me.
"Tears of the moon goddess, huh? That artifact is one of a kind, and last I checked, it was with Midgard. Why would you people come looking for it here?" King Raven questioned.
"We were told that another one was here in Grendor. To be precise, it was in the church basement, and we found it before all this happened," I spoke up, or the spirit wolf did.
King Raven chuckled upon hearing that. "I guess you people were really being sold out. Whatever artifact you guys think you found in that basement was either a similar object or just a replica. That artifact contains the tears of the moon goddess. Why do you think there would be another? Or are people calling the moon goddess a cry baby?
So, If there's only one artifact carrying the tears of the moon goddess, then that explains only one thing: King Morgath lied to us. Could it be that Lucas was working for the Royal Pack?
[Author's POV...]
Remember, Lucas had never seen the face of his mysterious Alpha. Is King Morgath really the Mysterious Alpha, or is there someone else?
[Back to Emily's POV]
"If what you're saying is true, then someone lied to us," Ethan mumbled angrily. I could see the anger burning in his eyes, and there was that look. The look that strangled me.
King Raven was puzzled, wondering who Ethan could be referring to that lied to him. Meanwhile, Laura and I were already aware of who had lied to Ethan. It was, of course, King Morgath, our very own king.
King Raven didn't care who lied or sold us out; all he was after was clear: Ethan's head on a plate.
"I don't get one thing though. The artifact you seek is for one purpose, and that's for healing a poisoned Spirit wolf. So, who among you is poisoned?" King Raven asked with a grin, hoping the person to be Ethan, and indeed it was him. But we didn't say a word to respond.
King Raven asked again, but this time, his tone wasn't as friendly as before. He grabbed my hair and forced me to the ground. I screamed out in pain, and he asked the question again.
Immediately Ethan saw the king's cruel treatment towards me, his anger was directed at King Raven. "Let her go, now," he demanded.
Another look appeared on Ethan's face, the same one he had during the secret meeting at the palace that night when he attacked Icarus.
However, I doubted whether Ethan could do anything to the king of Grendor, especially considering he was chained up and defenseless. King Raven realize that Ethan cared deeply about me, so he decided to continue his act to provoke Ethan further. After all, Ethan could only threaten him but couldn't physically retaliate.
It soon became apparent to Ethan as well that he couldn't do anything, or at least that's what I thought. He seemed to understand the limitations of his current situation.
"I will ask again, who among you is poisoned?" King Raven inquired, inflicting more pain on me.
I knew I could take down this weak king of Grendor myself, but only the moon goddess knew what the consequences of such an action would be.
"I'm the one who is poisoned. Now let her go," Ethan proclaimed, bravely stepping up to protect me.
King Raven wasn't satisfied with Ethan's reply, even though that was what he was looking forward to hearing. He knew that at this point, his judgment on Ethan was invalidated because the accusations laid on him had been proven false. The king wanted something else to hold Ethan accountable.
Suddenly, King Raven grabbed my neck from behind and effortlessly lifted me off the ground. My feet barely touched the floor, and before I knew it, I felt my life slipping away. I had clearly underestimated King Raven, judging him by his cover. I didn't realize he was much stronger than he appeared.
"I've given you what you asked. I've answered your question, so let her go!" Ethan shouted in anger, unable to bear seeing me in such a state.
"You said you've given me what I want, but I haven't received anything. So, what did you say?" King Raven asked again, taunting Ethan.
He stood very close to Ethan, clearly provoking him to attack or threaten his life, at least that would be enough reason for the him to sentence Ethan to death.
And that brings me back to my question: What could be the reason that made King Raven hate Ethan so much, despite their uncle and nephew relationship? Or is King Raven one of those evil uncles who want their brother's son dead?
Ethan wasn't someone who liked to be told what to do, and clearly, that's what King Raven was doing. However, Ethan made an exception for my sake.
"I'm the poisoned one here. Now, let her go!" Ethan screamed in anger.
"Little soldier, I still can't hear you," the King taunted. "Can anyone hear him?" He asked the officials.
Of course, no one would dare defy their King. But then, someone spoke up. "He said he's the one with the poison."
Immediately, King Raven let go of me, and I struggled to gasp for air as I was almost passing out. Coughs kept escaping from my mouth, and I tried my best to regain my breath. I managed to raise my head to look at the person who just saved my life. Behold, it was the same official who had always been on Ethan's side.
Who could this official be to Ethan that he has been speaking on his favor? Could he be Ethan's spy or ally in Grendor, or was the official a friend of Ethan's dad?
King Raven was visibly angry at the official for interfering again. He walked up to the official, and his words to him were shocking.
"His father hurt both of us, but the son hurt only me. Look at my eye! That brat over there did this to your king fifteen years ago," King Raven shouted as he removed his eye patch, revealing his damaged eye.
Huh? Ethan did that to the king? Is this why King Raven really wants Ethan dead?
"Fifteen years ago, this brat got away with this because of his mother. She pleaded with me to let him off the hook, so I banished him instead. But that night, I also made a promise to myself that whenever we meet again, I will exact my revenge on him. It won't be an eye for an eye; rather, it will be an eye for his life."
"Nathan betrayed his kingdom, but the boy was only trying to protect his father back then. Ethan is still our nephew; he's still our little soldier," the official stated.
So, the official who had been protecting Ethan wasn't a spy; rather, he was Ethan's uncle as well? Will these mysteries ever stop?
King Raven was overwhelmed by his anger, and he didn't want to listen to whatever his brother wanted to say.
"I've made my decision, and you should obey your king. Or else you have plans of switching places with your beloved nephew," the King suggested.
"Change of plans, I will kill him myself. For fifteen years my own people made mockery of me. I was called the cyclop king, a weak king. I lost my dignity as a king that day, and the people behind it are still alive. When Nathan hears the news that his son is dead, he will come out from hiding."
"Nathan didn't show up for years; he abandoned his own son that night and fled for his life. Do you really think that he will show up now?" the official stated.
Even more provoked, King Raven walked up to one of the guards and drew out his sword that was made of pure silver, capable of killing even a werewolf Alpha with just a deep cut. Then he approached Ethan, determined to carry out his grim intention.
"Don't do this, please. For Elizabeth's sake, at least," the official pleaded with the king, but King Raven had already made up his mind.
As King Raven raised his sword, just as he was about to take off Ethan's head, the heavy palace doors swung open, and standing there was someone who made King Raven lower his sword and caught everyone off guard.
"I guess I made it on time for the party." The figure declared, taking off his hoodie and revealed his face.
No one expected this person to be in Grendor after all these years. Why now? What surprised me even more was how this person managed to silence everyone, leaving all the officials and the king struggling to gasp for air.
To be continued... How King Raven Ended Up With One Eye