Chapitre 28

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and threw the kitchen towel over my shoulder. Finally my hands had something to do again.

With each day that passed, things became more hectic in the palace. Guests arrived, moved into their rooms, decorations were hung, and pictures and statues were dusted. The growling of the servants, men and wolves, began early in the morning and ceased late at night.

There was finally some life in this palace.

"I hate baking," Dana murmured, leaning in the corner with her arms crossed.

"What?" Lia asked, putting another piece of cookie dough in her mouth. The cutters were scattered all over the place and the whole surface was sprinkled with flour.

Dana shrugged.

"Haven't had a good experience with it," she said, dodging one of the chefs who was frantically rummaging in the cupboard next to her. Steam hissed through the kitchen, enveloping us in a damp mist. "I'm still happy to try them to see, of course whether they are good. How long do they take?"

"Not that long," I replied, sweeping up the flour.

She and Astor only got here yesterday.

"Just so I get this straight," Lia said, "so you caught Talon killing Udyr? We visited him in the dungeon a few days ago..."

Dana nodded.

"You will soon be Luna of this palace," I said and the wolf's eyebrows drew together.

"I know... it really should be a day for celebration when Talon loses his head, but I don't feel like celebrating... Not until peace and stability return. Chaos reigns in the villages. We must bring them back together under one law."

The cooks' voices broke and a jet of flame rose from a pan.

"I think we should go somewhere quieter," I said.

"Not a bad idea," Lia replied. "I read that the White Palace has some secret passages."

I grinned at her curiosity.

"Oh yes, Astor knows this place best. But I also know one or two. Comes."

I took off my apron, put it aside and asked one of the kitchen helpers to look after our cookies. Dana pushed the door open and we left the heat of the kitchen, the buzz of voices and the steam. It was only slightly quieter in the corridors. At some corners stood tall ladders on which garlands were hung.

"Zelos also said that there will be a large number of guests today," I said and looked at the paintings on the walls, which had just been dusted off and shone in new splendor.

Lia clapped her hands together.

"This is my chance to meet the other Alphas and Lunas as well," she said excitedly. "And if I know the secret passages..."

"We're not going to play tricks on them," I said, just pouting.

"This way," Dana said, leading us down wide stairs to a basement. The cool air was a pleasant respite from the hot kitchen. "It's one of the largest hallways. From here-"

Her gaze darted to one of the open doors. Her wolf ears had heard something that Lia and I could only guess at. Together we peered around the corner into the room.

A loud hiss, like acid, startled us back, along with white smoke billowing into the air.

"I think the focus was a bit too much," croaked a voice, choking on a cough.

As the fog cleared, two figures came into view.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked.

Zelos and Demetrius jerked around. They looked like two little kids who had been caught. The old man looked like a dwarf next to the lycan. In his hand he held a test tube with liquid from which the last vapors rose.

Lia put her hands on her hips.

"Demetrius, you promised me that I would be your apprentice," she said, glaring at him.

"Yes, and one should have respect for one's new master," the old wolf replied, putting the test tube back in its stand. With his hand, he shooed away the remains of the fog someone around... We're done here, aren't we?"

Hopefully Demetrius didn't mean us.

"Yes," Zelos said before his eyes fell on me. Something was different in his features, as if he were guarding a secret. "We'd better leave him alone before the palace blows up."

He put an arm around my shoulder and I enjoyed his closeness to the fullest. Lia, on the other hand, glared at him.

"Demterius is my master, understood? He doesn't have time for two apprentices."

"Yes, I think you will need his full attention," Zelos replied and I laughed.

Lia grunted something under her breath, which echoed on the stone walls. Suddenly, Dana stopped and her eyes glazed over.

"We should go," she murmured distractedly. "Guests will be arriving soon."

Zelos and I looked at each other.

"Let's go."

"Demetrius, are you coming with us?" Lia asked, but the old man was already standing by the open fire in his basement lab. He waved him off, instead concentrating on the work ahead. Dana and Lia chatted in front of us on the way back up.

Zelos squeezed my hips and a tense tug ran through my body. My attention landed back on him.

"You smell like cookies," he murmured, looking like his mouth was watering. "I love cookies."

i grinned

And I love you...

"I never thought the Lycan would have a sweet tooth."

Zelos lifted a corner of his mouth.

"More like Wolf... I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to tonight," he whispered. I was reeling with joy.

He pressed a kiss to my temple.

I closed my eyes. We had hardly seen each other in the last few days. He was always in meetings with Eros and Astor. We only had time for each other in the evening, when the stars were in the sky and the moon saw us.

And we had to use this time before the sun came up.

"By the way, Demetrius also got the gift for Kerberos," said Zelos when we reached the top and made our way to the entrance hall.

"Perfect, he'll be happy about that," I replied.

The poor giant dog was only allowed out in the evening and was only allowed to stay on our floor during the day. Everyone here but us was scared of his three heads and yellow eyes... and who could blame them.

A contingent of wolves and humans besieged the entrance hall. Eros and Astor were already standing on the stairs and talking. They fell silent at the sight of their companions, unlike the other spectators.

"They should be there any minute," Eros said as he received Lia in his arms.

Beta Johnson, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. He was swallowed up by the face of the earth, as were Sonni and Solana, who were shielded on one of the floors...

The guards opened the gates into the winter landscape of the capital. In the distance, smoke rose from the chimneys. The snow sparkled on fields and roofs. A flock of small dots came toward us through the streets.

"There they are," Dana said, smiling.

Zelos put an arm around my waist.

Accompanied by warriors, the first visitors came through the doors. I recognized one of them immediately by the grey-black hair and warm eyes.

"Ulf," Dana said.

He wasn't alone. A little girl ran by his hand, who looked like Ulf's companion on the other side. The girl stared wide-eyed. Dana and Astor descended the steps and greeted them.

Behind them, hordes of warriors entered and spread out in the great hall. The babble of voices rose up to the ceiling.

"Bow for Alpha Lenkin and his mate, Luna Lyza!" a voice called out from outside the front gates, and the crowd formed a path.

Lyza looked better, less dark circles and more color in her face. A thick coat lay around her shoulders and Lenkin held her close to him. She smiled when she saw me and bowed slightly. Linur peered out from behind her back, amazed even more at the palace than Ulf's daughter.

The face was finally clean, revealing the boy's pale skin.

"Alpha Fenrir and Luna Lilli!"

They entered surrounded by warriors from my homeland.

"Come," said Zelos, "we should go and greet them."

Luna Lilli carried in her arms a small bundle, the inheritance of mountain shadow. A mild expression lay on her forehead. When she and Fenrir saw us, they headed straight for us.

"It is our pleasure to see you again," said Fenrir, bowing his head.

I did the same.

"We didn't come alone though," Luna Lilli replied with a soft smile.

The two stepped aside.

"Lizzy!"

The voice made my heart tremble.

"Tommy?"

His eyes were so big they almost popped out of their sockets. Tears blurred my vision as he ran toward me. I came towards him and opened my arms.

****

The force made me stumble backwards.

"I missed you so much!" he yelled, burying his head in my stomach.

"Me too," I whispered in a shaky voice. I wiped away my tears of joy. "But you've grown up."

"We traveled all the way here with Luna Lilli and Alpha Fenrir!"

"We?" I asked.

Tommy looked sideways.

Lia was only a few meters away from us, together with Theo, who hugged her like a prodigal daughter. Lia's shoulders heaved as the sobs shook through her body.

Eros stood a few yards away at Alpha Fenrir, fists clenched, but his attention was only on Lia. Dana and Astor were talking to Alpha Lenkin and Lyza, their voices mingling in the confusion of reunion.

"I'll never travel with Theo again," Tommy grumbled, taking a step back. "He was just bitching the whole way."

I smiled through the tears.

"Where is Frido?" I asked.

"He has to stay home and keep watch," he replied.

I felt Zelos behind me. I turned to him and he eyed my tears. He wiped my cheeks with his fingertips.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," he said, and the warmth in his eyes melted my heart.

"Thank you," I whispered. "Thank you..."

I planted a kiss on his lips before turning back to Tommy.

But he was no longer in front of me. I scanned the crowd until I spotted his back a few yards away. He tapped Ulf's daughter on the shoulder. The little werewolf girl turned around and Tommy started gesturing wildly.

Alice smiled and nodded vigorously.

She closed her eyes and started counting. Tommy sprinted between the warriors' legs. A shock ran through my body when I felt a hand around my waist.

"Aren't they cute?" I said and leaned against Zelo's shoulder.

"Yes, and eventually-"

"The palace isn't a playground," a voice behind us grumbled.

I spun around in Zelo's arms.

Beta Johnson stomped down the grand staircase. The gleam of a beard lay on his cheeks, as if he hadn't shaved in a few days, probably since the incident in front of the dungeon...

Everyone knew what was going on between the Slayer and the werewolf. The rumor had spread like wildfire.

"Your presence is always an enrichment," Zelos said and I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

"Very amusing, Lycan," Johnson replied, brushing unruly strands of hair from his face. "I'm only here on orders from Eros for dinner."

"Uh, is there food?" Lia asked.

"Oh good, I'm starving," Theo replied, clutching his stomach.

"I suggest we take the guests to their rooms and then serve the food in the great hall," Astor said, trying to sort out the clutter.

"It's going to be a long evening," Zelos whispered in my ear.

The chatter of voices filled the throne room, which had been made into one long table. The golden glow of the chandeliers reflected in the filled wine glasses.

Astor and Dana sat directly in front of the huge window front as the future Alpha and Luna of the pack. The darkness of night lurked behind them.

Tommy sat right next to me and played with the cutlery. Alice watched him and talked about her home at Riverclaw.

Zelos next to me held my hand. I looked around at the group of humans and werewolves I had grown fond of: Lia and Eros, Ilya and Johnson, Roan and Ulf, Astor and Dana, Lenkin and Lyza, Fenrir and Lilli with their baby, Demetrius and Theo, Davin and all the warriors and nomads who had made their way here.

Zelos and I sat right in the middle.

My heart felt complete. Not a part seemed to be missing that evening.

Ilya's bearish laughter echoed through the room and he slammed his fist on the table. Johnson clapped a hand to his forehead while Lia hid her giggles.

"You made what promise?" asked the red-haired nomad, whose paws were as big as the plates in front of us.

Suddenly a high-pitched sound rang through the room. The talk and laughter stopped. Astor stood in front of the throne and the window front, wine glass and knife in hand, with which he drew attention. The nearly full moon shone down on him through the glass.

"I'm glad so many have come from all the packs of the world," he said, glancing around at the crowd. "For too long the fate of the world has been uncertain and too much blood has been shed. But tomorrow, by the Anniversary of the great shift, there will be a new direction. A shift toward peace."

"Hear, hear!" shouted some warriors.

"For too long my uncle has abused the pack for his own purposes, even willing to stop at nothing... He has besmirched the honor of Silverblood and brought more misery and misery to our land than any wolf before. That's why he's going to die tomorrow."

There was a buzz in the room, but Astor was undeterred.

“We have called together the alphas of this world, here in the heart of our countries, so that a council of leaders can decide the way forward. Every Alpha has followed our call. We will learn from our mistakes and even if there is no reparation for what happened, we will continue with humility and to the best of our knowledge..."

Zelos suddenly squeezed my hand. He looked around the room, eyebrows furrowed.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

He had discovered something that didn't belong here.

"Some things will also change as far as the people of this world are concerned," said Astor and for a moment his gaze landed on Lyza and Lenkin, who nodded at him. "Everyone is part of a pack, whether human, werewolf or wolfless Moon Goddess treats us all equally and we should follow her example."

Even Tommy looked up wide-eyed at the Alpha, who raised his glass.

"Let's drink to the fallen who gave their lives for us! And to the living who can create a better world from the rubble! To a better world!"

Everyone raised their glasses in front of them.

"TO A BETTER WORLD!"

A moment of silence filled the throne room and I looked at the dark red liquid in my glass. I took a sip and the fruity, bitter wine left a smoky feeling in my throat.

Zelos was completely lost in his own thoughts. His glass stood untouched in front of him.

"Let the feast begin!"

The bright sound of dishes mingled with the hum of voices. Tommy shoveled steaming potatoes onto his plate, but I didn't feel like eating.

"Zelos, talk to me," I whispered. "What's the matter? What did you see or hear?"

I put a hand on his cheek, bringing him out of the trance back to reality. His eyes darted back and forth as if he had to organize his thoughts first.

"What's going on?" I asked again.

"Not here," he murmured, still lost in thought.

I took his hand and stood up.

"Please excuse us for a few minutes," I said, catching a worried look from Lia and Dana. "We'll be right back."

Zelos followed my movement. A guard opened the door for us and together we left the hall through one of the side entrances.

The stillness of the corridor enveloped us.

"What did you see?" I asked.

"Not seen...smelled," he replied, slowly seeming to regain his composure. He looked around and pulled me into one of the rooms. The darkness enveloped us, leaving only the silver moonlight on his features spilled more blood than just Beta Talon's..."

"What do you think?"

"You must hate me," Zelos mumbled.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" I replied. "I could never hate you!"

"I am so sorry..."

"Zelos, what's wrong with you? I can't take it," I replied, feeling the lump in my throat.

"No matter what happens, I will always love you. Do not forget that. And no matter what, everything will be fine. I will always protect you. I promise to you..."

"Zelos, you scare me. What's going on here?" I asked, clutching his shirt in my hands.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Don't worry. It will be alright..."