31

I looked at the brightly lit borders and wondered if I should register as a visitor like everyone else. I had two choices. Sign up and go through one of the regular checkpoints or just go through the borders.

The former would probably take a lot of time. They would not believe who is in front of them and inform their Alpha Ciaran Black.

He would come in person, since he didn't know anything about my visit. Another disadvantage would be that the whole pack would know in no time that I was here and who knows who shouldn't know.

Going through the cursed borders seemed like a better option to me. The witches would notice but not know it was me, I suppose. Well a witch knew I was coming, Asra. It had been a long time since I last saw her.

My gaze wandered over the glow high above the treetops. It was only visible to us. A human could easily walk through it, but would not go unnoticed for long.

There were so many patrols here, I doubted he would even make it a kilometer before he was caught.

I had always wondered what it felt like to step through and how they did it. I knew from Cyril that a Lycan couldn't hurt. I should have asked for more details.

Cyril meanwhile was with the Alaisters. I had assumed Grayson would ask Tara. A small part of me still hoped that she wouldn't go.

That instead of going with him, she drives home. Cyril bringing her to Paris with me was never an option, too dangerous.

The last two weeks in Paris have been like the plague. Endless discussions about the appointment of my queen and the chaos my brother Casimir created in order to become king after all.

If I wasn't careful, we'd have a war before I appoint Elisane. I knew she was just as cunning as my brother and probably co-founder of the riots with him.

Casimir had retired to Romania from our castle in Bulgaria. I wouldn't have gone back there anyway. He could have stayed. My best friend was in Paris and I needed him more than ever.

My brother Casimir had become unpredictable. He had sent out his assassins and started randomly attacking packs standing behind me.

We hastily sent at least one lycan into each pack, but we didn't know if it would help to track down these beasts.

I've been trying to find out where they're trained for years. Although I instructed Casimir to disband the guild, he had opposed me outright.

Every one we found or caught ended their lives before we could find out anything.

We didn't have the slightest trace. We didn't even know exactly how they were commissioned.

Nothing helped, I held my hand against the glowing fog. It was hotter than I thought.

I touched it with my finger and immediately pulled it back. The pain was bearable. But not the power he had on my lycan.

The transformation started as soon as I touched it. I staggered back a few steps until I regained control of my lycan.

So that's how they did it. They force the animal in us to transform when danger threatens.

I looked at my hand and how the claws reshaped. Unlike us, even an alpha would need a few seconds to transform. Probably enough time to burn up in the fog before he fully transforms.

These witches were wicked and remarkable indeed. Cruel in every way.

When I was sure I knew what to expect, I lunged and jumped through. One second my body was on fire and the next I was falling numb to the ground.

I heard the rustling of the leaves, the singing of the birds as if through a veil. Inside me, my lycan roared and pushed itself more and more to the surface. I raised a hand to my eyes and looked at the small flames on my skin. I held him down so his fur wouldn't catch fire.

"Hello Caspian," I heard a voice once familiar to me. Asra leaned over me and smiled at me.

"I've been waiting for you and have been for a long time. She mumbled something and my skin cooled faster. I sat up and watched the burns heal.

"Didn't know it was that complicated," I growled, catching the things she threw at me.

"Well, the last time your dear Cyril was able to walk through so easily, I adjusted it a bit."

"You could have called me and I would have opened a portal for you."

"To keep me in it? No thanks." I took the things and got dressed quickly.

"Nevertheless, nice to see you again in all your glory. I suppose it will be the last time," she smiled at me pensively.

"Right," I growled, putting my shoes on and walking past her.

"Too bad," she said, putting a hand on my arm. "We had so much fun together."

I could list a few reasons why I left her. However, I would never admit to her the fear I had of her.

"Elisane will never give you children. She is not your Erasthai. Are you sure you want to go that way? I can." Asra looked at me expectantly.

She wanted me to admit that if I didn't choose my Erasthai, she was indeed the better choice.

"I talked to your sister."

"Fallon?" I knew she hated her, not least for leaving the Circle. She hated her for having a Lycan as Erasthai. Something she wanted more than anything.

"Wann genau?"

"Two years ago."

"And yet here you are," she grinned.

"Because she can't give me what I need. Where are you?" I asked directly. If she was already here, we could end that quickly and I could leave.

"Esme has them." I stopped and couldn't believe what I was hearing. The way she said it told me right away that she hadn't just given it to her this morning.

"I'll take you to her. She wants to talk to you." And me first. This Black.

We didn't exchange another word as we walked quickly through the forest until we came to a clearing where several vehicles were waiting.

"Think about it. If you still want to get rid of Elisane. I'll be happy to help. I'll make it look like an accident," she murmured and looked at the cars that we were now getting closer to.

Asra's problem was that she could not force anyone to become her mate, although anyone could be.

Luna didn't give mates to witches. The one they fell in love with had to choose them voluntarily. My lack of love for her was her problem and the only protection I had from her.

Esme got out of one of the cars with Taylor. Taylor immediately tried to stand protectively in front of her. She just cursed, circled him and he stayed behind.

"Where are they?" I asked flat out. I wanted to get out of here and as soon as possible.

"What are you going to do with that? Put it on Elisane's finger?" I could just take Esme and shake her until the rings fell out of her pocket, but with Asra behind me that wouldn't be a good idea.

"Give it to me," I demanded.

"Actually, it would be customary for Asra to present them at the appointment."

After the death of my father and mother, Asra collected the rings, the royal insignia. By tradition, they remained in the care of those who created them until the next royal couple was appointed.

That's how we met for the first time and unfortunately got to know each other better.

She was beautiful, none of my young lycans could resist her and what started as a romance between us ended in sheer chaos.

She was so possessive and jealous of every woman around me that at some point it became unbearable and cost several lives.

There was no way she could be present at the appointment, no matter who it would be.

My best friend Callum did the right thing with her sister Fallon in keeping her here. I still wondered how Esme managed to get the rings from her.

"Give it to me," I demanded, but she just grinned.

"What will you give me for it?" she smiled.

"What do you want? Money? Land? A position at court?" I asked even if it was useless.

The Black siblings were nothing like their father. They had their mother's good heart and didn't stop showing it everywhere.

"A promise."

"What was that supposed to be?"

"Now that you're sticking so closely to Fallon's prophecy and seeming to do whatever it asks of you." Esme kicked a few stones out of the way and came closer to me.

Taylor wanted to hold her back, but she scurried in front of me so fast that I was actually impressed.

"What do you know about it?" Esme looked at Asra, who just shrugged, laughing.

Asra was a traveller. Her sister Fallon was an oracle and so far everything Fallon had prophesied had been true.

I just didn't know where it would lead. It had already turned out differently than I had ever thought possible.

"Spuck es aus, Esme."

"Protect Tara. Let her be happy. I don't care about you or Grayson. But if I hear she's suffering, I'll send Asra to you." It was more than a warning, it was a threat.

I nodded silently. I never intended anything other than to see my Erasthai happy.

Esme held out her hand and opened it. I reached out my hand and brought it close to yours.

The ring in her hand was no more than a small, two-headed lycan. It would split once I gave it to my rightful queen.

One for me and one for her.

It would never be otherwise. Something no one knew but us ring bearers. He would extend our lives and protect us more than anyone else around us realizes.

I watched the little figure come to life in Esme's hand, jump onto my hand and twirl around my finger. It would be like that until she found her match.

That he even moved into my hand gave hope.

"I'm surprised to see that," Esme looked down at my hand and I couldn't be less surprised. Not least because she obviously knew what it meant.

I lifted my head and looked at Taylor who was standing nervously behind her. "You will stay here and not return to St. Vincent of Ice." Taylor nodded and Esme shook her head in disbelief.

I turned to Asra. "Close the borders, for everyone. I will meet you in a year from now, Asra. You know where you will find me."

Giving Asra hope was wrong, but it was the only way. Otherwise she would not follow my command.

"You can't do that, Asra," I heard Esme curse behind me. But I grabbed Asra's hand and pulled her with me.

"In a year." I saw her eyes light up with joy. It was so wrong, but it had to be done. Her sister Fallon was right.