Chapter 22

Clara

Nora burst into my room the morning after Prince Gideon carried me back to the royal compound.

“Are you all right?” she asked, grabbing my shoulders and looking me over. “I heard Gideon took you to the royal healer. What happened?”

“I’m okay,” I signed. “I wasn’t hurt. There was a Rogue, he attacked me, but Prince Gideon stopped him.”

“A Rogue!” Nora yelped. “You were attacked by a Rogue?”

I nodded.

“We shouldn’t talk here,” Nora said, lowering her voice. “No one can overhear if we sign, but there are ways to watch without being seen.”

I frowned, and signed, hiding my hands between our bodies. “We are being watched?”

Nora signed back, “Maybe not. But it is possible.”

I nodded my understanding.

Out loud, Nora said, “I’m so glad you’re okay. We should take breakfast in the gardens. It’s such a lovely day, don’t you agree?”

I nodded again. I had to fight the urge to look into the corners of my room. Were there spy devices in here? Why would anyone bother to spy on a mere servant?

Well, I wasn’t just a servant. I was Nora’s personal attendant. And she was the new mistress to the First Lycan Prince. So it made sense that she and everyone around her would be watched. I simply hadn’t considered that before.

We went by the kitchens to gather a simple breakfast, and then chose a courtyard garden at random. Nora led me by a wandering path to make it harder for anyone to follow us unnoticed.

We ended up in a courtyard tucked between the outer wall and one of the servants’ dormitories. There was a sweet little gazebo there that had vines growing over it to form a natural canopy. It was the most private spot we were likely to find.

We settled into our shelter. I poured tea for both of us and Nora divided out little pastries. For one moment, it was like old times. We’d hidden ourselves from the other servants just like this often when we were younger.

“Are you really okay?” Nora asked.

I nodded.

“That’s a relief,” Nora said. “When I heard that Gideon took you to the royal healer, I thought you must be dying.”

I shook my head, and signed, “I think he just took me to the closest healer. I was bleeding.”

“Bleeding? I thought you said you weren’t hurt!” Nora yelped.

“I wasn’t,” I signed quickly. “It was only my monthly cycle.”

“Oh that’s a relief,” Nora breathed. “Wait. You had your cycle?”

I nodded.

“Then you’re not pregnant!” Nora said, clapping her hands. “That’s wonderful. I know you were so scared.”

I nodded. It was a little embarrassing, being carried to the healers for my moon blood by the prince. However, it was such a relief not to be pregnant that I barely minded.

“I guess I ran for nothing,” I signed.

Nora winced and nodded. “We panicked,” she agreed. “I’m sorry. I was just so scared for you. I didn’t think things through.”

“I didn’t either,” I signed.

Last night, running away had seemed like my only option. Now, looking back at events in the light of day, I realized how foolish I had been. Even if I hadn’t been attacked, what did I think I was going to do?

Sure, my wolf could hunt for me in theory. But I’d never actually had to hunt for my food, either as a woman or as a wolf. Could I really do it?

I should have taken time to make a proper plan. I was lucky Prince Gideon had found me before the Rogue killed me. I was lucky to be alive. I was even luckier that the prince had decided not to punish me for theft and for abandoning my duty as a royal servant.

“Tell me everything,” Nora demanded. “What happened out there? How did Prince Gideon find you? How angry is he?”

“I ran,” I signed, “for hours. I found a shelter, an old cabin. It wasn’t empty. There was a Rogue, and he attacked me.”

Nora squeaked in alarm. “He just attacked you? For no reason?”

I nodded. “He claimed the cabin, I think,” I signed.

“Still, he could have tried talking to you first,” Nora said, crossing her arms. “It’s not like you knew it was his stinky little cabin.”

I grinned. I couldn’t help but imagine Nora scolding the Rogue for having poor manners.

“So how did Gideon find you?” Nora asked.

“I don’t know,” I signed and shrugged. “I guess I left a trail? I tried not to, but it was dark.”

“And it’s not like you have any kind of training,” Nora added. “We really didn’t think things through.”

“We did not,” I signed, and sighed. “I guess it is a good thing I wasn’t pregnant after all.”

“Yeah,” Nora whispered. “I just realized. If you were pregnant, and you ran.” She shuddered. “They could have claimed you were kidnapping a royal heir.”

I felt my eyes widen and I shivered. I hadn’t thought of that at all. I’d been so scared by the idea of carrying a pup, that I forgot whose pup it was.

“I did not think of that,” I signed.

I wrapped my arms around myself. The penalty for a crime like that was unimaginable.

“I didn’t either,” Nora admitted. “I’m sorry I told you to run.”

“No, you were trying to help,” I signed. “We both panicked.”

Nora nodded. “I’m just glad you’re okay. You are okay, right? You aren’t going to be punished later or something?”

I shook my head. “The Prince chose not to punish me.”

Nora sagged a little in relief. “Oh, good. I mean, Gideon is sweet and kind. I’m sure he’d be merciful. But it’s good to hear it anyway.”

“Yes,” I signed my agreement.

Gideon was more cold and proper around me than he was sweet or kind. But he had been unusually gentle when he carried me to the healer. So maybe Nora was right about him. I hoped so for her sake.

Nora deserved a sweet, kind mate. She was my best friend, and I hated that I’d never been able to protect her from her mate. Every time I saw her bruised I dreamed about doing the same to him.

If Prince Gideon treated her well, then I would be his devoted servant. I didn’t care how cold and formal he was with me. I didn’t care if he had me punished for things that were beyond my control. I just wanted my friend to be safe and happy.

I was glad, though, that I wasn’t carrying his baby. I had not meant for what happened between me and Prince Gideon to happen. Now that I knew I wasn’t pregnant, we could both put it behind us. I could focus on climbing the ranks of the servants. Prince Gideon could focus on his relationship with Nora.

Nora and I finished our breakfast and returned to the royal palace. Nora had important business to attend to as Prince Gideon’s mistress. I had work to do, too. So we went our separate ways.

I didn’t notice a shadow in the corner of the garden. I thought the gazebo was private, but I would learn later that I was very wrong.