Chapter 66

Chapter 66 The soldier

CA SSANDRA

That night, for the first time, after all of these years of loneliness and emptiness, I dreamt of my father and brother.

It was a nice dream. In it, I was out with my family in a field. Ector and I were running while my father watched on with a kind smile on his normally stern face. As we ran, a warm breeze k*ssed my cheeks and bright sunlight filled the sky. Ector and I tumbled around in our wolf forms and rolled in the tall, soft gra*s. It was the first time I’d pictured my wolf form in ages. I’d almost forgotten what she’d looked like.

I wished I could have stayed in that dream forever.

But it wasn’t meant to be. I awoke the next morning to the sound of someone calling my name. My eyes blinked open slowly and my vision was blurred as I came to. Who was saying my name?

Moments later, my eyes focused, and I saw Erika standing over me. The maid’s face was painted with worry and she touched my forehead gently.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she murmured. “You have a fever.”

For a moment, her stance and tone of voice reminded me of my childhood.

contain myself, I began to s ob.

swelled up in my eyes and before I reminded me

“Oh Erika,” I managed to say through my cries. “I’ve missed you so much.”

The maid stood there, completely stunned and unsure of what to say. I was confused by this interaction- why wasn’t she saying anything?

Suddenly, another voice chimed in.

“Mommy?” Finnick called out in a worried voice. “Mommy, what’s wrong?”

It was then that I realized I was no longer dreaming. The realization hit me like a

ton of bricks and the tears came much faster.

“Don’t cry, dear,” Erika tried to soothe me, and I felt her touch my bandaged hand. I winced from the pain but allowed her to check the wound. Her face suddenly paled. “Your wound is infected, Ca ssandra. Do you have any antiseptic

here?”

I instantly forced myself to stop crying and regained my composure. I nodded and then pointed at the closet just beyond us.

Erika wasted no time and walked over to the closet. She rooted around through

the various bins and containers until she found the salve.

“Is this it?” she asked for clarification, and when I nodded again, she shut the doors and walked back over to me. She took a seat at my bedside, and then carefully applied the salve to my hand. I cried out in pain as the medicine touched my wound but then forced myself to breathe through it.

Once I was more stable, I turned my attention back to Erika.

“Thank you,” I said.

Erika nodded. “Of course.”

The woman studied me carefully, and I could tell from her perplexed expression and the glimmer in her eyes that she wanted to ask me something. Her l*ps event parted but she seemed to change her mind about whatever she was going to say.

“You need to take care of yourself, Ca ssandra,” she offered. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard these days. But don’t worry. We’ll get you feeling better soon, alright?”

I nodded. “Alright.”

Finnick appeared on the other side of me, his gray eyes filled with tears. His lower l*p trembled and he had his favorite stuffed bear in his hands. He set the animal beside me and then frowned.

“Mommy, I’m scared,” he admitted quietly, and then the tears spilled onto his cheeks freely. “I hate it here in Anemond. Ever since we got here, there’s been no happy things. I miss Wild Crawler. I miss Dominic and Luna Sofia. I don’t like Prince Marco. He was supposed to be my friend but he’s so mean, Mommy. I don’t like him and I don’t like it here. Can we please go back to Wild Crawler?”

I shook my head and fought back the sadness that was swelling within me. “I’m so sorry, Finnick. We can’t go back.”

I felt so sorry for my son. Truth be told, I missed Wild Crawler more than anything. I missed Luna Sofia, Alpha Gareth, Dominic… I especially missed Marley. But there was nothing we could do about it. Even if Asher was willing to let us go, it was unlikely we’d return to Wild Crawler safe and sound. Too much had happened here. There was no chance that we could go back to our normal lives, not after the ordeal with Adalyn. The Moses family would never let me rest, I was sure of it.

Erika handed me a gla*s of water.

“Drink,” she urged, and as I obeyed, she glanced over at the door. “There were a few guards when I arrived here earlier. They didn’t stop me from entering, but they seemed serious.”

“They’re here to make sure I don’t leave,” I explained. “The Alpha King confined me to my chambers for the foreseeable future.”

“Oh,” Erika said and she shook her head.

“I don’t think it’s a punishment necessarily,” I elaborated as a chill ran through my b*dy. “The Alpha King didn’t seem angry with me after I explained what had happened. But at the same time, it was a very firm decision. You were right, Erika. Adalyn and her family are unlikely to let this go.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Erika sighed and she shook her head slowly as she stared off into the distance. “They’re dangerous, the lot of them. I just don’t understand their issue with you, if that’s not too bold to say.”

“Not at all,” I replied.

As we discussed the issue further, suddenly I heard a voice beyond us. I recognized it instantly. It belonged to Margaret. She was arguing with the guards, who were telling her that no one was allowed to enter the room without the king’s permission.

Margaret was handling them more reasonably than Adalyn had, but that didn’t mean she was easy to deal with. She began to threaten the guards.

“What are you-” Erika began to say as I pulled myself out of bed. I approached the door carefully and after a quick breath, I opened it slightly.

“What’s-” I started to say, but Margaret didn’t let me finish my statement. She pushed right past me and walked into the room, and the guards followed behind.

“What have you done, Ca ssandra Keller?” she demanded shrilly,

“I didn’t do anything,” I tried to explain, but Margaret didn’t let me.

“You attacked Adalyn,” she hissed, and then she turned to the guards. “Seize her at once. She needs to be punished for what she’s done.”

Erika suddenly appeared and tried to step in.

“It was the Alpha King’s decision to confine her here,” she attempted. “You can’t do this-”

“The Alpha King is currently in a meeting with the councilors,” Margaret blurted out. “So I’m dealing with it myself. Stand aside.”

Suddenly, Asher’s stepmother kicked Erika and the maid was thrown backward. Anger swelled within me and rage burst out of me.

“How dare you!” I cried out, and I lunged for Margaret, but before I could, I was grabbed by one of the guards.

“Don’t move, bi tch!” the guard growled, and instantly, I froze. I knew that voice. I’d heard it before.

Suddenly, it hit me. It was familiar for a reason.

It was the same voice as one of the soldiers who’d broken into Rosepetal and

set the fire five years ago.