Curse of the Wolf King - Tessonja Odette Page 0,124
amidst these creatures. But as I reach the doors that lead to the back gardens, I pull up short. Four small wolves huddle along one of the walls, whimpering. At the sight of me, one lifts its head and comes bounding over.
“Why did you leave?” comes Micah’s furious voice.
Another young wolf perks up at the sight of me. “Do…we know her?” It’s Jenny’s voice.
A lump sears the back of my throat. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I didn’t want to leave you—”
“Then why did you?” Micah asks with an angry snarl. “You didn’t even say goodbye.”
He’s right. In my haste to flee Elliot, I said my goodbyes to no one. I simply got dressed and left on foot without even looking behind me. Guilt weighs me down as I recall the promise I made to Gray—the one stating I would take care of the children, should the worst come to pass. “I thought you would be taken care of. I thought the curse would break and you’d be wolves again, running free in the mountains by now. I never would have left if I thought otherwise.”
Micah’s shoulders heave as he continues to whimper. I slowly extend my hand until it makes contact with his soft head. He lets out a bark that sounds more like a sob, then a violent shudder ripples from his head to his tail. The fur dissolves and leaves Micah’s seelie form in its place. He collides into me with an embrace. “I’m scared. I don’t want to lose my memories. I don’t want everyone to die.”
I pull him close, breathing deep to keep from unraveling into sobs of my own. “I don’t want that either.”
He looks up at me, tears streaking over his face. “What will happen?”
I crouch down. “I don’t know, Micah. First I need to speak with the king.”
He sniffles, then reluctantly pulls away. With a trembling hand, he points toward the garden.
My feet feel heavy as I leave the children behind and enter the garden. As I approach the rose courtyard, my heart quickens and my stomach churns along with it. All I can think is, what if I’m too late?
I pause just outside the courtyard, finding Elliot in his wolf form, laying on his belly. I’m struck at once by how beautiful and sad he looks, his white fur as bright as snow while his powerful build sags with defeat. His head rests on his paws, his canine expression brimming with pain. My eyes flash to the rose. It droops from a cluster of twisting, twining brambles, its stem blackened. And at its center hangs one final petal.
Elliot lifts his head and lets out a low whine. “You weren’t supposed to come back.” His voice sounds so worn, so tired. “You were supposed to be well on your way to a new life by now. You were supposed to leave and forget about me.”
With slow, cautious steps, I enter the courtyard, maintaining a wide berth around the rose, afraid a single step could cause the final petal to fall. When I speak, I keep my voice soft despite the terror, confusion, and sorrow that makes me want to shout. “Elliot, I don’t understand what’s going on here.”
He eases onto his haunches as I approach. Then, with a shudder that rips through him, the wolf dissolves and the familiar man takes his place. He remains on the ground, neither his staff nor prosthetic anywhere to be seen. One leg is propped up and bent at the knee while the amputated one sprawls out to the side.
He shifts as if he’s preparing to stand, but I sink down next to him. “Don’t get up. Just tell me what’s happening.”
He looks from me to the rose. “The curse is coming to claim us.”
“But…but you were going to marry Imogen. She was supposed to break your curse.”
His face twists with pain as he meets my eyes. “No, Gemma. After the ball, I knew there was no way I could marry her.”
A flash of anger ignites inside me as I recall what else happened after the ball. How he told me he was willing to break his own curse. I know he decided the sacrifice was too great to make, but I never would have guessed he’d reject Imogen too and choose death instead.
I ball my hands into fists. “So you’re just going to give up? Let the curse claim you and all the residents of the manor? You’re going to abandon the children to grow