Chapter 64

LLOYD

Misty shook her head in frustration, complex emotions swirling through the bond. I guessed most of them. She worried she might not have been my mate if not for Yamika’s interference.

But that was neither here nor there. She seemed to forget that the unmistakable scent of azaleas had confirmed our bond—no essence or magic could alter that truth.

“Sweetheart, you are my mate. Yamika could never change your natural scent,” I reassured her, my voice gentle but firm.

Her gaze snapped to mine, relief softening her expression. “You’re right. That was silly of me.” She squeezed my hand, a faint smile tugging at her lips as unshed tears shimmered in her gray eyes.

“Tanner, please link the kitchen for drinks and snacks,” I requested.

“Yes, Alpha,” he said, lost in thought.

“Good call.” Yamika grinned, leaning back. “I’ve got a lot of questions for you.”

“I’m not done either…,” Misty murmured, her voice growing stronger as her confidence returned. She slid onto my lap, pressing her face into the crook of my neck and clinging tightly.

I wrapped my arms around her instinctively, feeling the tension melt away. Yamika smirked but remained silent, observing us with a knowing glance.

It sounded like the last time she saw Kiralah was at Monolith. I figured she was eager to hear what had happened in the palace.

I racked my brain, but I knew very little about familiars. I hadn’t even caught her scent, though that binding circle had been far more potent than the one Misty had used to trap me.

~“She’s immortal and very powerful,”~ Vetus commented.

~“Immortal? Why do you think that?”~

~“Oh yes, how else has she lived so long? She isn’t cursed.”~

~“But she’s at the top of the food chain. Even the birds have stopped singing.”~

Tanner came back with Nickie in tow. “Should I stay and serve, Alpha?” she asked, sending Yamika curious looks while she pulled in a small trolley.

“No, that’s fine. Thanks, Nickie.”

She bared her neck briefly and disappeared. Yamika got to her feet immediately. “Oh good, real drinks.” She grabbed a glass and poured herself a gin and tonic with way too much gin.

“What would you like?” I asked Misty.

“I’ll have the same, just less gin,” Misty requested.

Tanner mixed her drink and grabbed a beer for me.

“So refreshing,” Yamika purred, taking a sip.

Misty didn’t waste any time. “How did you get and bury the pentagram?”

“That’s easy,” Yamika replied. “Kiralah gave me the pentagram before going to the palace with Lloyd. I buried Alpha Dōnal’s head and the pentagram… I even engraved the pentagram into the Monolith.”

“Why didn’t you just bury the grimoire with it?”

Yamika rolled her eyes. “It would have been odd for a witch to leave her grimoire behind—”

Before she could finish, Misty interrupted with another question. “I kept seeing Alpha Dōnal’s head roll off the Monolith in my dreams. Was that your doing?”

It was strange to hear my father’s name come from Misty’s lips, evoking a sadness in me that she would never meet him. He’d been larger than life; every pack member loved and respected him.

The lights flickered annoyingly. Ever since the power was cut, we had all sorts of issues.

Yamika raised an eyebrow, her eyes going to the flickering lights. “Not so fast. I think it’s time Lloyd answered some questions for me.” She took another sip of her nearly empty drink, her eyes glinting with curiosity.

“Okay,” I agreed. Misty slipped off my lap, wiping the condensation from the glass and shivering slightly.

Yamika leaned in. “What happened to Lyra? Do you know?”

I nodded slowly. “I’m not entirely sure, but this morning, we discovered an additional chamber across from where I was held. I suspect the skeleton we found could be Lyra, though I can’t confirm it. Our doctor is investigating. I assume you had no contact with Kiralah once she entered the palace?”

“I didn’t,” Yamika said flatly. “So Lyra was killed before you were cursed?”

“She might have still been alive,” I answered cautiously. “I presume, and this is just guesswork, that the witches never retaliated against the palace to keep her alive?”

“Yes, Lyra was Kiralah’s grandmother and a very wise witch. Bella was Lyra’s sister,” Yamika explained before turning to Misty. “I placed a memory inside you so you would dream of the decapitated head, and as long as you were in close proximity, you would dream of it incessantly. It was meant to guide you.”

Misty’s jaw dropped. “That’s…not exactly easy to interpret. What about your essence or Kiralah’s essence? Did that make me clumsy?”

Yamika chuckled, her smile teasing. “Your little wolf should’ve absorbed my powers, but she shied away from them instead. You would’ve been twice as agile, not clumsy.”

Misty sat in shocked silence.

Yamika’s gaze sharpened as I spoke. “What else would you like to know? I assume Kiralah couldn’t defend herself because she gave you her powers?”

“Correct,” Yamika replied smoothly. “Most of her power transferred to me, and some went into the grimoire. And I’m sure you were more than eager to end her life without considering there might be a larger story behind it. Am I wrong?”

I winced. “I won’t lie—I didn’t hesitate at the time. I blamed the witches…and Finn.” I exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry.”

Yamika poured herself another gin and tonic, her eyes flicking back to me. “I’d like to see the skeleton. If it’s Lyra, I want her transported so I can give her a proper burial with her family.”

I nodded. “Of course, that’s no problem.”

Misty leaned forward, her brow furrowed. “How much of your essence is still in me, or did I give it to Lloyd?”

Yamika grinned slyly. “In order to transfer Kiralah’s essence, I had to give you some of my own. I didn’t have the luxury of biting your mother and had to transfer the essence without penetration. When you marked Lloyd, you transferred Kiralah’s powers into his bloodstream to undo the curse, but mine stayed behind.”

She paused, her gaze speculative. “It wasn’t much, but I can sense it clearly. Your wolf, however, keeps pushing it away. If she wasn’t so cautious, she could absorb that spark.”

Misty leaned back, her face stunned. “Does that mean…,” she trailed off, unsure.

Yamika’s smile widened. “It means you have a touch of magic in you, should you choose to embrace it. It’s nothing like Kiralah’s power—more instinctual, raw.”

Misty stood abruptly. “Excuse me. I’m going to fetch the grimoire,” she said, though her emotions were all over the place. I didn’t want to let her go, but I could tell she needed time to process everything.

Tanner followed her, linking me on his way out. ~“I’ll get Chelsea.”~

Yamika turned back to me, her smirk returning. “Alone at last,” she quipped, leaning in. “Now, tell me everything that happened when you got to the palace,” she demanded.

“I was locked in the dungeon before being summoned to the throne room, where Kiralah cursed me. After that, I remained in the dungeon and found I couldn’t sleep, but I had no idea what the curse entailed.”

“Go on,” she urged, her eyes almost luminous.

“The next time I saw Finn, Kiralah was present, and he gave me an alpha command to kill her before taking me to the chamber, explaining that he had poisoned all the witches at the banquet and I had just killed the last one,” I explained. “If the skeleton is Lyra, she couldn’t have been present, but I suspect she was abandoned there.”

Yamika’s eyes narrowed, and hatred flashed across her face. “I didn’t put her there,” I added quickly. “I would never be that cruel.”

There wasn’t much else to recount, and Yamika was silent for a while, her face filled with grief, and I realized this was as painful for her as it had been for me.

“I felt her die, you know,” she said softly, her voice laced with sorrow. “Sometimes I still can’t believe how much time has passed.”

I paused, considering her words before asking, “How did Finn manage to poison the witches with Hemlock? The smell is so distinctive, and I could smell it while in the dungeon.”

Yamika was silent for a moment as if weighing her response. “Witches don’t have a heightened sense of smell like wolves do. They wouldn’t have noticed if it had been mixed into a strong wine or port.”

I nodded, the answer making sense. “You’re immortal?”

She gave a slow, bittersweet nod. “Yes. It’s a blessing and a curse. I couldn’t bond with another witch until I fulfilled my duties, and now…I’m not sure I want to. The world has changed so much. True witches are few and far between now. I imagine you’ve had your struggles adapting to this century?”

“Honestly, I’m still not quite there,” I admitted with a small smile. “It’ll probably take a few more years to adjust fully. But I’ve found something I never expected—a life and a mate. For that, I’m incredibly grateful to you and Kiralah.”

I met her gaze, and at that moment, I knew she understood we had all been victims. “What will you do now?” I asked. “You’re always welcome here if you want to stay.”

Yamika’s lips curved into a small, genuine smile. “A gallant offer. Kiralah knew just by looking at you that your power and dominance were unmatched. She also knew that your struggles would forge you into a worthy king. Her heart broke when she cursed you, but she hoped you’d forgive her. After all, she did save your life…though not how you expected.”

She trailed off, leaving her words hanging in the air. I thought for a moment, trying to imagine what I would’ve done in her position.

~“The same,”~ Vetus stated decisively.

“You knew everything, didn’t you? Why did you not help?” I asked.

“Kiralah forbade it,” she snarled.

I sat back, stunned. I understood her plight. It was excruciating to stand by, unable to do anything, but she played a crucial part. I would never again allow prejudices to cloud my judgment.

“Would you like to see the skeleton?” I asked, still burdened with guilt.

She nodded and got to her feet.