Page 117 of Wolf Caged
To make Lucas pay.
Chapter 30
KAELERON
The knock on my door was far too gentle and patient to be anyone but my sister. She eased it open before I could bid her to enter, striding into my office with purpose, pulling a pair of supple black leather gloves off and tucking them into her sword belt.
A belt that held two swords.
“You are training her with weapons?” I growled those words, the thought of Saphira handling a sword stirring something dark and dangerous in my blood.
My sister’s look was unapologetic, and a little irritated.
It had been close to two weeks since she had started training Saphira, and her regular reports were the only contact I’d had with the little wolf in that time. I wanted to growl at the stacks of papers on my desk—a blend of reports and requests—and the endless meetings that kept me from her, together with the training that left her so tired that by the time I was done for the day and ready to dine, she was sound asleep.
A crueller male might have woken her and demanded she join him for dinner.
It had crossed my mind.
But I knew from first-hand experience how taxing on the body and mind training could be, so instead of demanding her presence, I dined alone with thoughts of her, mulling over everything I had learned and seeking her purpose. I had taken to visiting Neve too, passing time with her discussing Saphira and hoping it might trigger another vision in the dragon.
So far, I had failed in that department.
Saphira’s role in my vengeance remained a mystery.
“She is doing well, brother. An exceptional learner and a very quick study. I thought it provident to teach her how to use weapons too, given she might often be within reach of a blade in this castle, even if she must disarm someone to get her hands on it.” Vyr settled her left hand on the hilt of her own sword, one that looked far too long for the petite wolf to wield.
I would need to see about getting Saphira a short sword.
Or perhaps a dagger, given Vyr’s last report about her impressive speed and agility.
Plus, a dagger could be easily concealed about her person and even if it were seen, few in my court would find the sight of it on her threatening. They would believe she was playing at being a warrior, foolishly believing such a small weapon could protect her from them.
A dagger it was.
“Of course, it might have something to do with her past training.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. “Past training?”
This was my first-time hearing about it.
“I have been trying to learn more about it. So far, all I have learned is that Chase trained her when she was at her pack, before her parents discovered them and put an end to it. So like our world. Females left defenceless,” she grumbled, her words and mood darkening as she spoke.
Before she could go off on her usual tirade, I held my hand up, halting her and regaining her attention, my own mood darkening as I got hung up on the name she had uttered.
“Who is Chase?” Shadows stirred at my feet on the black marble floor, restless as I considered the likely gender of the person Vyr had mentioned, given her complaint about wolf packs refusing to teach females to fight. The only conclusion I could draw was that Chase was a male. A male had taught Saphira to fight, or had at the very least tried. “Someone close to her?”
Images of this faceless male training her flashed across my mind, his hands on her curves as he guided her movements.
The growl had pealed from my lips before I could stop it.
Vyr’s smile was all mischief and delight. “This subject seems strangely important to you.”
I shut her down with nothing more than a glare. “Discover who Chase is.”
“Intelligence is not my forte, brother. You have a spymaster for that.” She arched a brow at me when I snarled again, not the least bit satisfied with that answer.
“This is an order, Vyr. I want to know who Chase is and I expect the information by the end of your next session.”
