Chapitre 7

“In the dungeon, of course, where else? Brooms and cleaning rags are already down there. Be at the door punctually tomorrow at sunrise. There's a lot to scrub, you've seen for yourself."

I should... clean the dungeon?

Was that my punishment?

I had to go home as soon as possible!

"Thank you Davin. For everything you've done for me I am forever in your debt," I said. A hearty smile wrinkled his eyes.

"Do not agree."

I bowed and made my way outside. The frigid air was a welcome relief on my burned cheeks.

Just what had happened to my life?

First the attack, then the dungeon, and now the verdict. Lia would never believe me. I was the sensible one who never got in trouble... She never got to know about this.

She would have too much fun with that.

My heart contracted.

She must have arrived north long ago. Had she already written? I took a deep breath and sprinted across the large square. The houses passed me as I made my way to the store.

I turned into the narrow street.

The shards had been swept from the street and the window had been nailed shut with wooden boards.

"Tommy, Mom, Dad!"

I burst through the door and a warm fire greeted me. It smelled like home. Tommy was sitting on the floor, digging around in the wood grooves, but he looked up at my voice. His eyebrows shot up to his brown hair and his mouth was wide open.

"Lizzy!" he shouted and jumped up. His force almost knocked me off my feet and I wrapped my arms around him.

"I'm back," I croaked, a relieved laugh stifled in my coat.

"Yes!" he cried, "and you stink!"

I grabbed his shoulders and the fun drained from his eyes. His chin trembled as he tried to stop the tears from falling. My own vision blurred and I hugged him a second time. Tears of relief rolled down my cheeks. Tommy grunted at the smell of my coat. A shaky laugh escaped my mouth and I tasted salt on my tongue.

"It doesn't look too bad in here," I said. Most of the shelves were empty. A few pumpkins were still whole. The only sign of the incident was the window and floorboards, which were stained red with wine."

"After they took you away, I freed mom and dad. And then a lot of neighbors came and they helped us to clean everything. We won't starve in winter... I- I'm so sorry. I swore I'd never do anything bad again," Tommy murmured, his tears a pang in my stomach.

I brushed his hair back from his face and he pulled up the snot that had crawled out of his nose. I smiled.

"I love you," I said.

"You too. Can you stay here now?"

"Yes."

At least for tonight.

Tomorrow I would see the monster in the dungeon again...

"Will you read me something tonight?" Tommy asked and I tousled his hair.

"Naturally."

"You do not have to worry. They left the basement whole and all the supplies and baskets are still there," he said, a warm smile showing his baby teeth. He took my hand and pulled me down the stairs. With each step, the cold gained, reminding me of a completely different one Location.

"See?" said Tommy. He was right. Crates brimming with apples from that crop, wine racks filled with bottles, sacks of flour, cartons of eggs...

With that, the winter was safe.

Until Silverblood attacked...

And the attack would come. Alpha Udyr wanted to conquer everything south of Iceclaw before the Anniversary of the Great Reversal. We were the last ones missing from this success and the year was soon over.

"What did they do to you?" Tommy asked, squeezing my hand tighter. "I should have gone myself. I never wanted anything like that to happen..."

"That's over now. I won't be around as often though... You'll listen to Mom and Dad while I'm gone, right?"

Tommy nodded vigorously.

"I'll always listen now, I promise!"

I smiled.

"Let's just hope Beta Leo won't bother us in the future..."

"Beta Leo is a dumbass," Tommy replied, frowning. "He broke everything and then smiled wickedly."

"Just promise me you'll never say that in front of anyone but me," I replied. He shrugged and smiled apologetically. "Oh no, who did you tell?"

"Only Uncle Theo, I promise, and he laughed! He also thinks Beta Leo is a dumbass. And he asked about you," Tommy said.

I grabbed my forehead.

"I completely forgot about that!" I yelled. Was Theo worried? I wrapped a scarf around my neck. I grabbed one of the baskets and filled it with bread, apples and wine. I could get everything else tomorrow Hopefully Theo wasn't already starving...

"I'll be right back!" I yelled, running upstairs and slamming the door.

The cold autumn air greeted me on the streets. I crossed the city to the houses Theo had built for Iceclaw. They stood alone at the edge of the forest.

In contrast, Theo's house shone like a lantern from every window. I tapped the wood, which gave way under my strength. The door creaked open and warmth greeted me on the other side.

"Theo?"

The floorboards creaked as I ventured into the builder's house. A tropical air welcomed me, as if it hadn't been aired for ages. I hugged the basket of food closer to me and turned into the living room. Plans lay scattered about the room, as if Beta Leo had also paid him a visit. Dinner plate with leftovers, bread crumbs, pieces of graphite...

And in the middle he sat.

"Theo, it's me! I am very sorry that I left you alone for so long. Something came up-" I began and his head jerked towards me. His eyes lit up with delight and the plan beneath his hands was completely forgotten.

"Elizabeth my love, come in! Do you want tea? Cookies? Ephilia has a treasure trove of food hoarded in the basement! I feel like royalty!" he exclaimed, wiping the food off his shirt and brushing his peppery gray hair back from his face.

"I was afraid you were starving," I murmured, looking around. "But before that, you'd probably suffocate in that garbage. What about the new furniture you commissioned?"

"Garbage? These are important plans! As for the furniture: I don't need any. I had a new bed made and the rest was just a waste of space."

I made my way through the chaos and put the basket down. He probably hadn't noticed anything about Beta Leo and the dungeon. It could stay that way. I had promised Ephilia I would take care of him, and I would do just that... in my own way.

"It doesn't work like that here! You have to clean up," I replied and started picking up the empty plates and bowls.

"Careful, don't step on the plans!" Theo shouted, pushing everything out of my way as I stumbled towards the kitchen. Empty glasses, dirty dishes and rubbish piled up under the cupboards. Even on the floor, there were plates waiting to be washed up The leftovers were already stuck to it.

How long had I been in the dungeon?

"You," I said, turning to Theo, "get a rag and wash away this mess." I opened the oven and to my amazement I found more china and a half-eaten lasagne underneath. "Theo, now!"

"All right, all right," he said, taking the sponge. I shook my head and walked back into the living room. An empty wine glass sat on the desk. The parchment crumpled beneath me, despite my attempts to avoid it all.

The inkwell lay upside down on it, drenching letters and blank scrolls in royal blue paint. I frowned and at least tried to salvage the unopened mail. No wonder Theo hadn't opened it.

All bills.

From the craftsmen, the bed, materials, a new carpet...

Ephilia?

I read the words on the scroll three times just to make sure my eyes weren't betraying me. Two letters from her.

"Theo?"

No Answer.

"Theo, what is this?" I asked, taking the two letters with me. Ink soaked into my skin and I dabbed the scrolls carefully. Theo stood at the sink and mumbled to himself. "Theo, why did you Lia's letters not opened?"

He jerked around.

"What letters? Show me!"

He snatched one out of my hand and read the words scrawled on it in Lia's handwriting. The other was addressed to me:

_ _

Dear Lizzy,

You won't believe what just happened. Just thinking about it makes my heart beat faster in my chest. You better sit down: I am the mate of Alpha Eros...

Can you belive that?

Now I'm stuck here in the north without a single person I know. I wish you were here... I hope you and Tommy are okay. I'm scared for you If Silverblood so much as bats an eyelid, you'll let me know immediately. I won't let you down, I promise...