For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten (freda ebook reader .txt) 📕

“Lady Wolf,” she corrected.

Chapter Twenty-Six

S he didn’t protest when they tightened cuffs around her wrists. Red schooled her face into calm as the guards clustered, murmuring, casting worried glances her way.

“It looks human.”

“Of course it does. If you think that thing is the Second Daughter, or whatever it called itself, you’re a fool. The Second Daughter is long dead. The Wilderwood holds nothing but monsters.”

A scoff. “You believe those stories?”

The first guard jerked a thumb at Red. “I do now.”

“Calm yourself, Coleman. You sound like a maid at a Harvest campfire.” The commander was roughly handsome, with broad cheekbones and a coppery beard. He stood between Red and the rest of the soldiers, eyeing her contemplatively. “The Queen did warn us to watch for her.”

“The Queen, Noruscan? She’s half mad—”

The leader— Noruscan— caught the speaker across the mouth with the back of his hand, the movement nearly nonchalant. “That’s quite enough.”

The other man made a surprised noise as blood trickled from his lip. He shot a venomous glance at Red, as if it was her fault.

Noruscan looked her curiously up and down, like she was a statue. A relic. Red’s stomach sank at that look, the sting of it doubled after so long without.

The commander’s gaze turned to the Wilderwood behind them, tall and dark, and the sight of it seemed to settle some internal debate. “We’ll take her to the High Priestess.”

Red’s brows pulled together. The Neve she knew— the one she’d seen in the mirror, desperate for her return— would want her sister sent straight to her. “Are those your orders, Noruscan?”

The use of his name made the commander recoil, stepping closer to the clustered soldiers.

“Don’t talk to it, man,” the guard with the still-bleeding lip and shaky sword-arm cautioned.

The captain peered at her, assessing her threat, then grabbed her arm. Shackles pinched into her skin, but Red didn’t fight. The last thing she needed was to inspire that shaky guard to a moment of bravery.

“You’ll ride with me.” Noruscan pulled her over to his horse. Before boosting her into the saddle, he reached for the ties of her cloak.

Red twisted from his grip, instinct moving her more than thought. “No.”

“How do you think the capital will react, if you are who you claim?” His face was stern lines, his eyes dark with something that wasn’t quite fear, but skirted close to it. “They sent you to a monster, and the monster gave you back. How will that look, Second Daughter?”

Her pulse thrummed steady against her shackles. As much as it set her teeth on edge, he was right. She couldn’t afford to broadcast her presence to the whole kingdom, and the scarlet bridal cloak would draw undue attention. “Will you return it?”

A moment of hesitation, his ruddy brows low. But he nodded.

Red slipped the heavy fabric from her shoulders, swallowing hard. When Noruscan settled behind her in the saddle, he placed the cloak almost gently in her lap. She twisted her fingers in it as they galloped away.

Two hours’ hard riding, and the gates of the capital shone on the horizon.

“Hide that,” Noruscan said as he sawed on the reins, turning the horse toward the gates. He tapped a fist on her bridal cloak.

His tone held warning. Hide it or we’ll take it from you. Red balled the cloak in her hands as well as she could, tucking the embroidery on the underside.

When they reached the guard tower, Noruscan rode close, pulling up Red’s shackles so they caught the sun. “Thief from the outer villages,” he barked.

The lie made her lips twist, but Red stayed silent. Cooperation seemed her best option here, the surest way to get to Neve.

The guard waved a lazy hand, and the gates opened.

Noruscan’s horse cantered toward the palace. As soon as they crossed into the courtyard, he dismounted, helped her down cautiously. One of his hands brushed the bare skin of her arm, and he pulled back quickly, like her touch might burn.

They were terrified of her. Once, that might’ve hollowed her out, but now Red just wondered how she could use it. Hands still shackled, she shook out her cloak, clumsily fastening it around her neck.

The battalion marched her into the Temple, flanking either side, hands on their blades and eyes pointed away. They entered the hallway that led from the palace gardens, all marble and glass, but stopped at a simple wooden door instead of going all the way to the amphitheater. Noruscan waved a hand to dismiss the others, but he followed Red inside, closing the door behind them.

The far wall was a window, looking out on the gardens and letting in bright, airy light. A lone priestess sat at a desk beside it. She stood slowly, folding her hands into her sleeves. Dust motes like light shards twisted lazily around her red hair.

A new High Priestess, then. Red frowned. It shouldn’t have been a surprise— the other had been getting up in years. But a new High Priestess coupled with what she’d seen in the mirror made her hackles rise.

The Shrine. Whatever they were doing, it was in the Shrine. “Your Holiness.” Noruscan bowed. Red stayed upright. “She claims to be the Second Daughter.”

Calculating blue eyes flickered over Red. “Does she, now?”

“She came from the Wilderwood,” Noruscan said quickly. “But she hasn’t shown any signs of . . . of abnormality.”

Red straightened her shoulders, trying to make eye contact, but the bright light of the window left the High Priestess’s face in shadow. “How would you like me to prove it to you, Your Holiness?” Then, because subtlety was something she’d never been good at, “If you’ll take me to the Shrine, to pray and pay my respects, I’m sure I could answer any questions you have.”

“Don’t trouble yourself.” The priestess moved into the light, hands held loosely by her sides. A strange pendant lay against her breast, a piece of white wood touched with threads of darkness.