Page 47 of A Crown of Fates

She stirs something in a mug sitting in front of her. “I’ve been waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass, or at least out of Orix’s,” she says with a chuckle. “It’s been…entertaining, especially with Princess Estee’s arrival, but it’s time for change. Though, it’s funny how things work out. I gave her a new chance at life, and now I have the opportunity to do the same for her mate.”

A snarl rises in my throat. My wolf is furious at the calm arrogance in her tone, but my body refuses to act on my mental commands.

She takes a long pull of her drink, slowly picks up a cloth napkin to dab at the corners of her mouth, and then stands before addressing me again. “Are you ready to be free, Theo?”

“Of course I am. I need to find Estee.”

She shakes her head. “Stubborn alpha. I should’ve known you’d make this difficult. Now, I’m going to release you from the doorway, but you still won’t feel any emotion too strongly. I need you to hear everything I have to say—some of which you won’t like—and I won’t have you destroying my home, you hear?”

“I was keeping myself in check just fine before you baited me,” I say, feeling breathless and weak. “Just tell me where she is.”

She flattens her lips as she walks toward me. “Forgive me for not believing you after all I’ve seen.” Her light purple eyes never leave mine, and she reaches for a small bag that’s tucked into the pocket of her long black skirt. I watch carefully, still unable to move, as she takes a pinch of something then flicks the powder at my feet.

With a heavy breath, my body slumps forward, and I stumble, but as Elyn said, I still can’t feel much, not even the pain of missing Estee. The urgency to find her is still there, but the emotions behind the need are muted.

“For you to save your mate, we need to go back to the beginning, when Orix first sank his claws into you,” she says, stepping around me to close her door. “Come have a seat, and I’ll pour you some tea.”

“What are you?” Even though I want to refuse, I still find myself heading toward the table.

“I’m the pack healer, an elder wolf, and someone you want on your side. Beyond that,whoI am is none of your business.”

She busies herself in the small corner kitchen, reaching for a blue kettle to fill a second cup.

“How do you wield the magic you do and still call yourself a shifter?” I’ve used spells myself plenty of times, but I’ve never known another wolf to be able to trap people or control someone as Elyn is with me.

She pats my head as she sets the steaming mug in front of me. “I’m a full-blooded wolf shifter. I merely choose to make friends with those who can elevate my reach. I was born with the power and mind to help heal those who can’t do so themselves. Once I mastered that, I grew curious about what else I might be able to do.”

“And what did you discover?”

She settles into the chair across from me. “King or not, as I’ve already mentioned, that’s none of your business.”

A growl echoes from me, making her raise a brow. “I knew your wolf was powerful, but seeing him this close… It’s a waste you’ve yet to realize his potential after all this time.”

“What do you mean?” Even my confusion seems dulled, yet my inner animal still paces right beneath the surface.

“Did you think Orix just happened upon you, picking you for no good reason?” Her eyes peer into me, making my chest constrict with how much she might actually know.

“How do you know I’m tied to him?” I pause, filled with shame. “Howlonghave you known?”

Her laughter is soft, but it does nothing to lessen my unease. “I’ve known you were compromised since the moment you stepped foot in that castle you now call yours. I could smell the tainted god on you.” Her nose scrunches. “His shadows can’t be hidden from those who are looking.”

“Then, why haven’t you ever said anything? Why did you stand up for me in the market if you knew I was compromised?” My words and heart still feel so flat, yet this conversation is nothing of the sort.

“I’ve lived a long time,” she muses. “Sometimes an old lady just wants some entertainment. Plus, it’s not as if you’ve done anything terrible since doing me the favor of killing Airik. Well, not overtly. You’ve allowed the people to begin to come together. The only thing that hasn’t gone my way since your crowning has been the orphaned children, but it seems your mate is taking care of that.”

Gods, she knows everything. I don’t know how and I don’t presume she’ll tell me, so I don’t waste my breath asking.

“Where did Orix take her?” Maybe now that everything is out there, we can get back to the task at hand.

She waggles a finger at me. “As I said before, you need to go back to the beginning first. Do you even know who you are? In any of your lifetimes, have you ever truly known yourself?”

This has my wolf snarling again. “We need our mate back.”

Elyn reaches across the table, the warmth of her palm covering my still-clawed hands as she locks eyes with me. Her gaze is intense, unwavering, grounding me in a way I haven’t felt in years. “I will show you how to get your mate, wolf, but this is important. Be patient.” Her words are a balm, seeping through the storm raging inside me, urging calm where there’s only been chaos.

For the first time since I last saw Estee, a sliver of relief settles over me. My body begins to relax, my claws retracting. It feels like surfacing after being submerged in dark, cold water—a shuddering breath of clarity. I nod, signaling my willingness to listen, and Elyn’s expression softens, a brief glint of satisfaction in her eyes.

“Now that we’re all willing participants in this conversation,” she says, clapping her hands once, a sharp sound that slices through the tension, “let’s speed things up. You, Theodore Northcroft, come from a long line of alphas. Your soul has been reborn across lifetimes, carrying the essence of each set of parents, each ancestor, and each wolf that has built the power inside you. I may not have known you in each lifetime, but I know what I’m sensing now.”

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