'Forgive me, Jessamyn. I have no other way…'
Jessamyn's heart sank to her gut hearing the monotone voice of her brother.
Although Ethan said he was sorry, she only saw indifference in his eyes. Without any hesitation, he pierced the sword through her heart.
With a gasp, she woke up.
Her entire body hurt like she was dragged for miles behind a horse. She looked to the side and saw a distorted figure of a man sitting beside her.
She squinted her eyes to have a good look. But darkness enveloped her. Oddly, the darkness was warm; soothingly warm. Drinking the medicine offered to her, she fell asleep.
She could have a good rest after that. She had no more dreams or nightmares. The fever medications worked. She would often wake up to meals from Lynae. She asked for Isadora each time but was refused.
On the third day, she woke up in the morning feeling refreshed. Lynae offered her breakfast and helped her with the bath. Jessamyn insisted she'd be fine on her own but Lynae didn't leave her alone.
The servants brought a wooden bathtub to the room and the maids filled the tub with warm water. Jessamyn watched as Lynae prepared the bathwater. She was so meticulous.
"How is Isadora doing?" Jessamyn asked.
"She is doing fine. She tried to escape last night so we had to restrain her," Lynae said casually. "She is still in her room, not in the cellar."
Jessamyn fisted her hands. She couldn't stay here any longer. She would contact the Council if only she could. They had the power to help her. But the Council contacted her, never the other way around.
How will I find someone connected with the Council? Do they know I got caught? Will they help me?
As Lynae washed her hair, Jessamyn closed her eyes in deep thought. She remembered the white wolf she saw that night.
Covering the moon with its majestic appearance the wolf stood on the rock. The gentle breeze ruffled its snow-white fur. Its glowing amber eyes gave out a suppressive aura.
She couldn't peel her eyes off the wolf's glowing eyes. If she was naïve, she would have thought that this meeting was fated. She had never experienced such feelings before, except when she met him.
'I am trying to help you here!' The wolf said when she habitually shot it with a silver arrow.
The deep voice like that of a distant rumble of thunder made Jessamyn's heart sink to her stomach. Knots formed in her stomach and her chest hurt.
When she met eyes with the wolf, everything around her went blurry and she only heard the thumping of her heart.
Lycaon Ulfhednar!
That name of the messianic figure foretold in the prophesies came to her mind.
The wolf did help her and Isadora from the smugglers.
Since shapeshifters were extinct for almost a century, any knowledge about them was from books. She didn't remember reading that they could talk like humans while they were in their animal form.
She knew they could heal themselves. But she didn't know if they were immune to silver. All creatures of the night were immune to silver.
Did I really hear the wolf talk? Or was that a delusion?
She wasn't even sure. The entire night was a haze for her. She would know for sure once she talked to Isadora.
She needed to ask that man what his plan was to keep her locked in this place. How long was he going to keep her? What was the end plan? Ethan would surely come for her. What will that man do next?
But what can her little brother do? He was not even a Baron anymore, thanks to her. That man held great power in the Kingdom. He only had to answer to the King and the Crown Prince. Ethan could do nothing. He could make Ethan disappear with a snap of his fingers.
The council could help her. But will they? She was but a pawn used by the Council.
Lynae softly dried Jessamyn's hair and brushed it to a delicate bun. Jessamyn looked to the side to see a blue silk outdoor morning dress.
Jessamyn stood up wanting to throw the dress out and get her clothes back. It's all going too far.
Lynae held Jessamyn by the wrist, stopping her. Jessamyn turned to face Lynae. Seeing the unfazed expression on Lynae, Jessamyn pressed her lips. Till then Lynae was respectful to her but she was different now.
"Ellā viḷakkum viḷakkalla," Lynae said softly, and yet her voice was unwavering.
Jessamyn's eyes widened. " Poyyā viḷakkē viḷakku," Jessamyn finished the greeting.
Lynae released Jessamyn's wrist and took a step back.
Jessamyn let out a deep breath. She didn't think she would find another person who worked for the Council here. She felt like this maid was hiding something. Now she knew what it was.
"The Council is intrigued with His Grace's interest in Jessamyn. We appreciate her help by mingling with the top-tier aristocrats of Ayberia," Lynae said.
She took out a piece of paper she had hidden in her pocket and gave it to Jessamyn. Jessamyn read the letter. Lynae had repeated every word of the letter verbatim.
Jessamyn had a sinking feeling in her heart. Why would the council think that she had a chance to mingle with the top-tier elites of the Kingdom?
"What is he planning?" Jessamyn asked.
"Your family is here in Theodulf Castle. He wants you to get dressed and meet them for breakfast," Lynae said picking up the blue dress.
Jessamyn took a step backward out of shock.
"You know what to do, Milady…"
Jessamyn let out a deep breath. Her hands shook. She had been abandoned to the mercy of that man.
Lynae dressed her. "He got a new dress for you in your measurements in all shades of the rainbow," she said.
Jessamyn stood silently. She knew the Council used women to spy on the aristocrats. Some, like Lynae worked as maids, while some were mistresses. She thought she was safe because she worked in an entirely different department.
She knew who she was working for. They wouldn't let this opportunity pass. They will use her to…
"Do they think the shapeshifter genes still live in the Theodulf family?" Jessamyn asked.
What was the Council's interest in that man?
The Theodulf family was the greatest ally to the ruling Kaiser family in the formation of the Kingdom. The Theodulf family was said to be the descendent of the gods and they had the unique ability of shifting to a white wolf—the King of the forest.
The Theodulf family single-handedly formed the Kingdom. Since they had no wish to rule, the Kaiser family took on that mantle.
But the Theodulf family lost their ability somehow. They say that the line got corrupted when Jerrick's great-grandmother cheated on her husband and had another man's child which ended the line. The current King's grandfather took away their nobility status and their fiefs, forgetting the Theodulf family's service for centuries.
The King gave an excuse that the Theodulf family had ruined the chance for the prophecy to be fulfilled by getting corrupted.
With the return of the white wolf, could it be possible that the Council doubts the story of corruption?
But that man was surely not Lycaon Ulfhednar! That man couldn't be a shapeshifter either. She saw his leg.
Lynae looked at Jessamyn with her lips pressed. Jessamyn couldn't predict whether she knew about anything or not.
"My crossbow?" Jessamyn asked.
Lynae shook her head. She had no idea where it was.
After getting dressed, Jessamyn stepped out of the room for the first time. She ended up looking at the next room from where Isadora was dangled from. In front of the room stood a tall, muscular man—the same man she saw that night in the forest running toward them.
"Isadora!!!" she shouted. She wanted to make sure Isadora was safe.
"Milady! How are you feeling now?"
Jessamyn heard Isadora's voice and was relieved.
The tall man grunted at Jessamyn and took a step forward in an offensive move. Jessamyn was scared by that mountain of the man. His shoulder-long hair was twisted into elaborate knots. His face covered with a beard had a prominent claw mark. He looked terrifying wearing leather attire.
Lynae led her down the stairs. Jessamyn turned to look at the man. She couldn't meet his eyes out of fear and averted her eyes. Lynae avoided looking at him too.
"Is he Bernard?" Jessamyn asked Lynae.
Lynae nodded. "He is His Grace's dog."
"Dog? He looks like a bear," Jessamyn mumbled. He was at least seven feet tall.
Jessamyn clutched her skirt. She needed to get Isadora out of this place.
Before that…
Jessamyn sighed seeing Emily Beaumont rushing toward her with an over-enthusiastic smile. She didn't know how much patience she had left.
"Jessamyn! You're finally here! Look, how much he still loves our Imogen. I can't believe His Grace graciously agreed to marry you, a widow! Did you thank him properly? Oh, look how pretty this dress is… I remember Imogen having a similar dress…"
Speaking out everything that came to her mind, Emily grabbed Jessamyn by the arms.