Elara paused before the heavy oak doors of the study, taking a deep breath. By the time she stepped inside, her earlier frustration had faded, replaced by a calm determination.
Her gaze immediately landed on Given, slouched in his chair, his head dipping slightly as Leroy spoke with fervor. The tension in the room was palpable, and though Given's exhaustion was evident, his presence carried an air of determination that couldn't be ignored.
*"You are not good,"* Elara's voice whispered into Given's mind. She was thrilled that her attempt at telepathic communication had worked, but the celebration would have to wait.
Given glanced up at her, his tired green eyes meeting hers, a flicker of recognition softening his features. When she reached them, Leroy, mid-sentence, seemed momentarily distracted. His expression darkened, though not with anger—something closer to heartbreak.
The bond Leroy and Elara had once shared felt frayed now, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had already lost her. The possibilities churned in his mind, each one more painful than the last.
"The lake didn't help, did it?" Elara's question was more rhetorical than inquisitive, her tone laced with concern.
Leroy's gaze flicked to Given before he answered, swallowing hard. "No. It seemed as though something far graver—" He hesitated, searching for the right words. "Or darker—is at play. Maybe the witch, or maybe—"
"The witch did something, and it succeeded," Given interrupted bluntly, cutting through Leroy's attempts at diplomacy.
"No," Elara protested, her voice holding onto hope.
But Given shook his head. He was a Mage, after all. Magic coursed through his veins, and he could feel when something had been tampered with—especially his soul.
"Let's focus on the matter at hand," Given said, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his eyes. "We'll deal with me once we're done—once the war is over." He managed a small smile, which Leroy hesitantly mirrored.
Before Elara could speak again, Leroy interjected. "It'd be better if the Lycan joins us too. You did summon him, didn't you, Your Majesty?" Without waiting for a reply, Leroy stood and headed for the door. "He probably knows more than we do."
"Sure," came Darius's deep voice from the doorway. He entered, his sleeves rolled up, veins visible against his muscled forearms. Elara's cheeks warmed as she noticed, but she quickly averted her gaze.
"I do know more," Darius said, leaning against the wall with practiced ease. Leroy, standing nearby, rolled his eyes behind the Lycan's back.
"But," Darius added, his voice taking on a commanding tone, "I'll need to come to some terms."
"Alright," Leroy said, resisting another eye roll. "Name them."
"Not with you." Darius's lips curled into a smirk. "With your Queen."
"What?" Elara blurted, echoing Leroy's incredulous thoughts.
Given leaned back in his chair, watching the scene unfold with mild amusement. If there was tension between Darius and anyone, it was undoubtedly juiciest with Leroy. While Given didn't always get along with the Alpha Lycan, Leroy and Darius were on an entirely different battlefield.
Darius's smirk deepened as he turned to Elara. "Terms with you, Your Majesty," he repeated, his tone leaving little room for argument.
"Okay," Leroy cut in, eager to redirect the conversation. "You two can discuss whatever terms you need later. Right now, we need to focus on the matter at hand."
The room grew silent, the unspoken tension lingering even as they turned their attention back to the looming threat.
After what felt like an hour of heated discussions, mistrust, and reluctant understanding, the four individuals in the room seemed to reach a fragile truce. The looming threat of the witch Hilda had forced their hands, even as lingering resentments simmered beneath the surface.
After some time of discussing the others that they knew were approached with reasons they knew , it was finally Leroy's turn ,"The witch approached me, offering power and control. She said she could grant me mastery over my shifting abilities—let me choose what I wanted to shift into, no limitations."
"And in return?" Given prompted, his eyes narrowing.
"She wanted a warrior. A loyal, unstoppable force to fight her battles," Leroy admitted, his voice laced with contempt. "But even then, I knew better. Hilda's promises are poisoned. I've always known that."
He had always sensed there was something off about Hilda, a suspicion he often voiced to Elara. But Elara, ever the optimist, would brush it off, calling Hilda unique, brilliant, and different—qualities Elara admired, perhaps even shared. Leroy, however, strongly disagreed, especially on the "brilliant" part. To him, Hilda was reckless, shortsighted, and ultimately destined to fail.
Her only stroke of true cleverness was tampering with the Queen's memories—a move so precise and calculated that Leroy begrudgingly acknowledged its brilliance. Hilda knew that Elara, in her full power, could destroy her without hesitation. But even with this fleeting advantage, Leroy was certain of one thing: the witch would lose. It was only a matter of time.
Elara's gaze lingered on him, her expression softening with a flicker of hurt. "Did you desire power and control , Leroy?"
Leroy's answer was immediate and unwavering. "No."
The honesty in his tone was enough for her, and he didn't elaborate further, instead turning his attention to Darius. "And you, Alpha? What did she offer you?"
Darius's answer was as simple as it was profound. "Her."
The room stilled.
Elara's breath hitched, and Given, who had already anticipated the response, seemed to relax ever so slightly. Darius had nothing in his life except the Queen. He was an outcast to most, unwanted by many, but to Elara, he was something more—someone essential.
Leroy smirked, his tone tinged with grudging respect. "Honest. I'll give you that."
Shifting the focus, Given broke the moment. "And what of Barret, Elliot, Sol, Varosh, and Philly?"
Elara couldn't help but notice how Given spoke to Leroy, as if he already knew the reasons behind each person's involvement. It was almost as if he had been in the room with all of them, hearing the whispers, sensing the undercurrents.
No, wait. Maybe he had. The realization slowly sank in, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She had given him the ability to shift into any form of animal that would spy and report to him , each with its own unique advantage. If Leroy wanted, he could have shifted into the smallest, most inconspicuous creature, slipping unnoticed into a room, gathering secrets from behind closed doors. But the real question was: who had helped him? Who had been his guide in the shadows, providing him with the time and place to be when Given was in the castle with her?
Whoever it was, she would find out, and when she did, she'd be sure to thank them.
Leroy hesitated, his gaze flickering to the Queen, who was watching him with an almost knowing smile. He finally spoke, his words deliberate. "Lord Barret—" He stopped mid-sentence, distracted by her steady gaze. "Your Majesty?"
Elara straightened, her smile unwavering. "No, continue. I just remembered something." Her expression softened further as she added, "But may I ask a question first? How did you manage to keep tabs on all nine Lords, Hilda, and Theron simultaneously?" Her voice was curious, but there was a sharpness beneath it.
Leroy shared a look with Given before tilting his head toward Darius, "With his help and Given's. "
Elara's gaze shifted to Darius, who remained motionless, leaning against the wall. For the first time, her smile widened into something genuine. "Thank you," she said softly, her eyes moving to Leroy and then Given. "All of you."