The world around me was dark, spinning in and out of consciousness like being stuck in some sort of dream that would not let me go. I heard voices-muffled and far away, like speaking underwater. Periodically, stabs of pain would jolt through the fog, yanking me toward the surface.
I opened my eyes slowly, attempting to process what had happened.
Suddenly, everything that has happened rushed into my mind.
Panic kicked in.
Where am I?
Groaning aches and protesting muscles struggled to sit me up. The world finally came into focus, and I found myself in some sort of cell; stone everywhere, the only light provided by a guttering torch on the wall opposite me.
My heart was racing, and I couldn't help but speculate why they had brought me here, what King Tristan wanted with me.
It was then that the heavy iron door groaned open, and two figures stepped inside. One was a guard; his face was obscured with a mask, his hand resting on the hilt of a sword. The second-one I knew, the instant my eyes laid eyes on him, though I had never seen him before in my life.
King Tristan.
Tall-even taller than I had envisioned in my mind's eye-broad shouldered, with the aura of command oozing from him in solid lumps that were almost choking. His hair was deep and inky black, coming down to just over his ears, and his eyes were such a bright, piercing gold-bright, cold and calculating. He wore a billowy black coat flying behind him like the wings of a raven, every movement sure and calculated.
I swallowed hard, my gaze jerking to his though every instinct screamed to look away.
"Lucy Wood," he said, his voice as smooth as silk yet with an edge of steel. Closer, he stepped, eyes narrowing as he studied me. "You've caused quite a stir in my kingdom."
I jerked. "I don't understand," I whispered low-barely audible to myself, let alone him. "Why am I here? What do you want from me?"
He cocked his head. A cold, mirthless smile curled his lips. "You will understand soon enough. But first, let me make one thing clear-you are no longer part of the Wolfbane pack. You belong to me now."
The words sent a cold shiver down my spine, and sans thought, I retreated a step back, though there was nowhere to go. "Belong to you?" I echoed, swinging my head in denial. "I don't belong to anyone!"
King Tristan's smile fell and his face went hard. "You think you have a choice?" His voice was low, dangerous. "You have none, Lucy. Since the moment you were born, your fate was sealed. You are far more valuable than you realize."
"I'm nobody," I insisted, my voice breaking. "I'm just… I'm just a girl who made a mistake."
He chuckled, a low humourless sound that sent shivers down my spine. "If it were, you wouldn't be here. But you are here, Lucy, because you have something that I want And I intend to make full use of it."
And my head worked, trying to get something out of his utterances: "Is it a key?"-so many years ago, before all this misery was told to me. "What is that you speak of? I don't understand!"
"You will," he said, his voice softening, as if my confusion was some source of amusement to him. "But for now, you will be content to stay here until you are ready. Then, in time, you will do your purpose."
"I won't do anything for you!" I spat, anger surging through the fear. "I don't care what you think I am, I won't help you!"
King Tristan's eyes clouded and he took another step closer to me, erasing space between us. "You will help me, Lucy," he purred, his voice very low and menacing. "Because if you don't, the consequences will be far worse than anything you can imagine."
I froze. My heart hammered against my rib cage. In his eyes, something danced-something dangerous and predatory that sent a chill running across my veins. He wasn't threatening me; he was promising me a fate worse than death if I refused.
He had already spun back toward the door before I could get another word out. "I give you time to consider your choices," he said over his shoulder. "But do not take too long, Lucy. I don't enjoy being kept waiting."
With that, he disappeared from the cell and the door clattered shut behind him, throwing me into the smothering darkness.
I slumped onto the floor, and my body shook. What was I getting myself into? What was it that King Tristan was after from me, and what did he mean with those words-saying I was the key to something of an ancient and powerful thing?
I couldn't even catch my breath, my mind was racing. There just had to be one single way out of all of this before it was too late. But how might I ever hope to escape the bond with a king of Tristan's caliber? What if. what if he was right? What if indeed something was inside of me that I didn't even know existed?
I closed my eyes trying to still the jumbled thoughts which raced through my mind. I had to think-to plan. There must be some way out of this nightmare.
But before such a plan could be thought out, I heard again the sound of approaching footsteps-heavy, deliberate footsteps. The door creaked open once more, and I looked up expecting to see the guard.