Shadow

Raedwulf Dolph

I watch diligently as Khannun Kol speaks with Idonia. Kosta and Hertha also watching them like hawks. Father has noticed my distraction and moves over so we can both inconspicuously watch the event.

"She seems confident with herself."

"A warrior at heart. She is very strong."

"Does she... know?"

"It seemed wrong not to tell her."

Father nods a few times, taking a sip of the ale in his hand. "Does your mother know she knows?"

"They take tea often so I suspect she does."

"I told Hella."

This takes me off guard. It even takes my attention away from Idonia and to Father. "You told Hella?"

"It seemed wrong not to tell her. I explained to her about everything you know and that you know."

"Will you tell the rest?"

"Tell who what?" Avon interrupts the conversation. I scowl at him, making my mate's Viker scowl right back. "We are still brothers, Rae."

"We are, but even as brothers if there is somethings you will know only when you need to know it."

"You're cranky," Avon states blatantly. I point over to Idonia and Khannun Kol, which makes Avon go, "Oh."

"Exactly."

"By herself?"

"He didn't want me."

Idonia dips her head before walking back over to though. Hertha and Kosta don't follow her, which makes me slightly angry. They are supposed to be with her, following her, protecting her. Not that I really trusted either to defend her the way Rikki or I could. Even the way I know Avon could.

She returns to my side, pecking my cheek and giving my father and brother light smiles. "What did he say?"

"Nothing of dyer importance," her eyes soften, her nose crunches.

"What is it?"

"Let me think over it, I don't truly understand myself."

I nod, once, taking her hand and bringing her to my side. Throughout the night we danced, drank, and mingled with many courtiers. Though I could not find Hertha or Kosta. It annoyed me to no end that they left without being dismissed. Even since I was still slightly against choosing either of them. Hetha is my sister, she is mostly untrained in battle, and was nearly dismissed multiple times during the tournament. Kosta, well Kosta lacked the knowledge I would have liked to see in a Viker.

The only reason either were chosen was because of Idonia. She trusted them, and we need lycan that can be trusted.

Late into the evening, we returned to our room. Idonia immediately removed the pinching shoes and tight dress, falling onto the bed with an exhausted sigh. Her feet poked out of the blanket lazily draped over her, showing how red they were from her impractical shoes that many females of the court wore. My mate was no southern daughter, she preferred her boots over pretty slippers.

I give her mercy, sitting at her feet and taking them into my hands and massaging them slowly. "Where do you think Hertha and Kosta disappeared to?"

"Where a male and female always disappears to."

I stop rubbing her feet, "You think they're mates?"

"No," she giggled, turning from her stomach to her back so that she could look at me. "I think Kosta was overwhelmed by the banquet and Hertha was annoyed so they left."

"It's annoying that they left," I growl.

Idonia simply sits up and kisses my cheek. "You have doubts."

"They left the banquet," I reason with her.

"I know, and it's irritating and we will speak to them about it," her arms wrap around my neck before she peppers small kisses up and down. "For now, just be with me."

"You still have to tell me what happened with Khannun Kol."

Her tongue runs up to my ear and she whispers, "Do you want to talk about Khannun Kol or do you want to pin me to this bed?"

It didn't take much to make my choice.

The next morning a small, timid knock woke us up. I pull a large tunic over myself before making my way to the door. The scene of my sister hits me before I can even open the door and my annoyance with her spikes even more.

"Yes, Hertha?" I grumble as I open the door. She stood there in loose training attire, her hands latched in front of her. Weight shifts from one leg to the other before she finally speaks.

"I'm sorry to leave without being dismissed last night."

"You should be," I growl, but when Idonia stirs in bed I take Hertha to the common room to finish the conversation. "I'm ready to hear your excuse."

She mumbles an incomprehensible sentence, her eyes trained on the ground. It takes only one second for me to go from angry Khanel to concerned brother. I sit her in a chair and move beside her.

"What's wrong?" I ask softly.

"I found..." she takes a deep breath and a tear runs down her cheek. "Kosta."

"You found Kosta?"

"My mate," she sighs. "While watching Idonia, our hands brushed together and he..."

She stops, so I prompt further. "He what?"

"Damn it, Rae, it can't be him!"

"Why not? What did he do?"

"He didn't do anything, he's..." her head shook and another tear rolled down. "He's amazing. But he's... he's not what... I don't know."

"Calm down, Hertha. Do you want to reject him?"

"Oh that would be brillant," she lets out a nervous laugh. "Me your Viker and he Idonia's. That won't be awkward."

"Honestly, Hertha, I am very confused."

"Me too," she looks off to a window, then stands and walks over to it. "Hella got the perfect mate. You got the perfect mate."

"And what isn't perfect about Kosta?"

"He's a peasant."

"No, he's not," I reject the statement. "He's a royal Viker."

"I knew you wouldn't get it."

"Then explain it to me, Hertha. He's your mate, he's a royal Viker, you two can be together."

"Father barely approved of Idonia and she's an Aeral's daughter."

"You should not be concerned with what Father wants."

"Damn it, Rae!"

"What's going on?" Idonia walks in with Rikki behind her. "We heard yelling."

Hertha turns her head down and looks away from us. After a few seconds of silence, I reply, "Nothing. Hertha, you are dismissed."

She nods, rushing out of the room immediately after. The door closes behind her, leaving the lingering questioning looks stay on me.

"What's happened?" Idonia asks me.

"Hertha is acting like you," I reply playfully, taking her into my arms.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she gives back, offended.

"She's thinking too much," I chuckle, kissing her forehead. "Now can you tell me about Khannun Kol?"

"He was asking about the east, what I knew about the east."

"Past Asar?" I ask and she nods.

"But I don't know anything about past Asar," her nose crinkles as she thinks again. "Then he asked about Iiesha."

"Which no one knows anything about," Rikki adds, going to a bowl of fruit an picking up some winter plums.

"I told him what we northerners say about the shadowlands. That fear and blood wait for us there."

"And what did he say."

"He said, 'fear and blood wait for all good lycan.'"

"If fear and blood wait for every good lycan, what happens to the bad ones?" Rikki asks, jokingly.

"He..." Idonia hesitates. "He didn't say."

Two chapters left!

All my love,

Rosie🥀