Chapter 17
“POV–SORAYA”
Maybe I was the unluckiest creature on earth, I wasn’t sure, but when the news of Darius finding his mate reached my ears, that was exactly what I’d fel like.
I sat down on the large sofa in my living room, wondering how everything could’ve gone so wrong in such a short period of time. If only there were some sort of spell to wind back the clock, it didn’t matter how much of a fortune I’d spend to obtain one, that’s exactly what I’d do
I took a deep breath and massaged my temples. Right now, the details didn’t matter. I just needed to make sure whoever this supposed ‘mate‘ was. was out of my hair before she could potentially ruin all of my plans.
Just as I was lost in thought, a pigeon fluttered in through the window and landed on the perch post I’d designated for receiving such feathered guests. I stood up and made my way to the post, cautiously antying the letter attached to the foot of the pigeon.
“From Uncle M the letter read and I scoffed. What was I, five?
I’d long suggested to “Uncle M‘ that he select a better name for his secret letters to me or get himself a darn cellphone. But since he was from a dying generation, he insisted on the use of pigeons.
I took my seat and gently unwrapped the letter.
“Council meeting by tomorrow morning. Be there at all costs.” the letter read.
My heart hanged frantically in my chest as I squeezed up the paper in my fists.
Tomorrow, I’d get to meet the woman who was trying to steal Darius from me. We’d literally just broken up less than a month ago and now he had
a mate!
Sure he’d been pressured by the council to get himself a chosen mare since he was yet to find his goddess appointed mate, sure our union had been merely for convenience and to get the council off his back, bot Darius had been ready to follow through on his commitment if it guaranteed the prosperity of the kingdom
As I crumpled the paper in my fists, I caught sight of an old framed picture I’d hidden behind my fridge a long time ago. I carefully took it out andl wiped the dust from its surface. In the picture, I could see myself as a chuki, standing next to people who already had their faces cut out
Here in the Kingdom of Lyca, almost everyone was born with an aptitude for magic. Those who were better at wielding it were placed above those who weren’t. I was the only daughter born to the 100th generation of the Thorne dynasty. All members of my family had an aptitude for shadow magic and were the kingdom’s finest warriors.
Shadow magic entailed being able to forge any weapon of your choice using shadows. Some members of my family could also coat their skin with shadows to boost their defense against spells and normal weapons, while some could store an infinite amount of weapons inside the shadows which they could call up and use at will
My family was highly revered and we led the royal army to banke. But in a dynasty where every single member for the past 100 years had been born with magic, I was the only member born without any.
I couldn’t forge shadows into weapons, I couldn’t perform even the most basic of spells. The only thing I could use were potions and enchanted objects already imbued with someone else’s magic, but I had none of my own.
As expected, my family scored me. The outcast and failure of the Thome dynasty, that’s what I’d become from the moment I was born. The only person who had been nice to me was my mother, but she died when I was young and my father proceeded to kick me out of our home afterwards. I was the ridicule of the Thome dynasty, and I was certain my family wished for my death so I would stop bringing them to shame.
I’d wanted to discard the Thorne name the moment I was kicked out, but my last name was the only reason I was still being accrued any respect in society. Without it I’d really become a nobody.
However, ever since my father kicked me out, I promised to make him and the rest of my family regret their treatment towards me for as long as they lived.
Why lead a measly army when you could become the queen who owned the army? I’d always relished in the thought of becoming the Lycan queen and issuing our commands to the family that had kicked me to the curb. That had been my dream, and it had almost become my reality -until
Anger coursed through my being as I pictured whoever Darius‘ mate was. Surely, she wouldn’t be as beautiful and sophisticated as I was. Knowing it was the only thing I could do to set myself apart in a world brimming with magic, I’d spent years carefully cultivating the grace of a thousand swans. I did everything in my power to put myself within sights of the Lycan council and the king, knowing fully well that I’d be the mou viable option for the Lycan queen if Darius never found his mate. I’d also refined myself in the hopes that I was actually his mate, but the moon goddess
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Chapter 17
wasn’t so generous.
I would’ve taken things a step further by faking a mate bond between us since I knew how much Darius cherished the idea of meeting has mate, but a spell for that would be far too anstable, and Darius would have had me hung for treason if I dired to trick him. Besides, he was far too powerful to be caught under a spell. It was much better to spend my time Anding his mate and getting rid of her before Darius could make contact with her, which was exactly what I’d sought out to do not too long ago.
It had taken a great deal of the fortune my mother had left in my name to pull off. It was a good thing there were powerful winches and shifters outside of the Lycan territory, because performing such a daunting task within the kingdom may have possibly led to my exposure. I journeyed to Anagos, a no–man’s land where shifters from all over the world came to do their dirty business and hire mercenaries. I put on a heavy disguise, even going as far as drinking a potion that changed my appearance in order to make sure no one recognized me.
Whilst in Anagus, I was able to meet a witch who was able to give me a potion that would help me find the king’s mate. The potion cost a fortune, which I fortunately had at my dispoul. The potion also had an expiration date, which was 5 days after its purchase. After the witch gave me the instructions on how to use the potion, I rushed back to the Lycan kingdom. I managed to extract some of Darius blood, which was the hardest part of my mission, harder than obtaining the potion even, then I put a few drops of his blood into the potion and poured it over an enchanted map of the Lycan kingdom.
If Darius‘ mate was within the Lycan territory, a spot on the map would start glowing, indicating her location within the kingdom. The potion and map would even go as far as showing me what his mate looked like, and all I’d have to do afterwards was cook up a litle accident to get rid of her before she could ever meet the king.
However, when I poured the ponon over the map, nothing happened. I tried it several times and even went back to Anages to ask the witch why the potion I’d paid a fortune large enough to buy a quarter of the kingdom wasn’t working. I then learned that there was nothing wrong with the potion or the map, Darius‘ mate just wasn’t within the Lycan territory.
I’d been so happy at the time and ended up buying a powerful amulet imbued with luck that had the power to convince anyone who looked upon me, do so with favor. That too had an expiration date, which was three years.
I’d attended every single ball hosted by the king and any member of the Lycan council and used my family’s influence in the kingdom to garner respect and connection with high class citizens and political figures. Then one day, just like magic and exactly as I’d intended, a council elder recommended me as a chosen mate for the king
The only reason I’d decided to take the long route instead of buying a potion to place a spell on every council eller so they could force the king into marrying me was because I knew the chances of that backfiring was high, especially if the potion’s effects wore off and they all started acting like they didn’t even know who I was.
I chose to take the long route, knowing that it would yield better results. Besides, all good things come to those who wait.
I relied on the fact that us Lycans were a race of pompous shifters who saw ourselves as better than everyone else, though we actually were in terns of size and magical aptitude. I always felt that being the king. Darius would never dream to venture out of his kingdom to search for his mate. My plan was fool–proof, or so I thought.
All of a sudden, there were rumors floating around that the king had found his mate right after the incident with the Lycan oracle. I’d been desperate enough to resort to asking one of the maids who worked in the castle if the rumors were true, and what she told me left me shaken in my
bones.
Who would’ve thought the criminal responsible for breaking the treaty and almost killing the Lycan oracle was Danus‘ mate? I’d accounted for Darius never searching outside the kingdom for his mate, but failed to account for whether or not his mate would come crashing head first into the kingdom herself.
Ed laughed it off initially. She wasn’t a Lycan so she didn’t stand a chance against me, especially not with her criminal record. The council elders would pick my side and Darius would be forced to agree. So why was I feeling fear and anger now, seated on my sola and gripping the letter from my uncle in my fists?
Then again, I had every right to be angry, furious even. If a lowly werewolf from a random pack in the north felt like she could just waltz into the kingdom and be made the queen, she had another thing coming for her.
1 leaned against the door to the council chambers and tried to eavesdrop on their conversation before making my entrance. I needed to know the council’s stance on thisissue at hand before barging in, even though I had a feeling they would always choose a Lycan over a werewolf.
My Uncle, Mordecai, who was actually my grand uncle, the rumored strongest warrior but an outcasted member of the Thorne dynasty, was undoubtedly seated inside, waiting for me to come in. As the man responsible for one of the biggest but failed coups the kingdom had ever seen, I’d chosen to not rely on him recommending me as the king’s chosen mate
Darius wouldn’t appreciate advice on a chosen mate from the man who had tried to overthrow his father. That would only make him suspicious as to what our intentions were. My uncle was lucky enough to still be allowed on the council of elders, and he owed that to Darius diplomatic habits.
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A voice coming from the council on suddenly cut off my train of thought.
That was my
I pushed the doors open in a grand gesture, moving with the fluid grace I’d cultivated through the years.
“Lain” I said, staring right ahead at the woman standing beside Darius. Without a doubt, that was the intruder who was trying to steal my crown. I felt for the lucky charm bracelet wrapped around my wrist that I’d bought recently to increase my good fortune and smiled to myself as the council elders turned to look at me.
Mate or not. I was going to send this poser out of this kingdom before she could cry wolf.
However, seeing how Darius seemed to be completely possessed by her presence made my wolf snarl
After Aila or whatever her name was stored out of the council chambers and the elders decided to secretly test her competence, I realized Td have to resort to a more diplomatic plan to get her kicked out of the kingdom. I left shortly after she did, making sure to not arouse suspicion on my way out.
After a laude wandering, I found my rival at the castle garden, looking like she was blowing off some steam. As I approached her. I could smell her hostility from a mile away. How crude. She could’ve at least pretended to be polite
“Welcome to the Lycan Kingdom, Arya of the Aeternum pack. I look forward to seeing more of you and hope we can be friends. No hard feelings. right?” I asked, throwing my carefully curated senile at her,
“None at all” She replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes,
I nodded at her, a bright smile still plastered on my lace. The moment I turned away, I dropped the act and relaxed my facial features, crushing the tulip fi plucked in my fist..
With the way the council meeting had ended, I wasn’t sure what next to expect. But she would be gravely mistaken if she thought I’d give up without a fight.
Arya becoming the queen of the Lycans could only happen over one thing: my dead body.
BA
