Page 61 of Wolf Caged
“Beltane is approaching,” Vyr murmured, watching me closely. “What will you do?”
“Beltane,” I muttered, considering the implications of what my sister was really asking. She was not interested in what I would do at the great feast and the rites. She wanted to know what I intended to do with Saphira while they were happening.
How would the little wolf cope with it?
If I included her, things would certainly be more interesting than usual, and it would be a pleasure to watch her during the feast and the rites, studying her as she navigated her first Beltane.
But it might be wiser to keep her safely locked in her room that night instead.
“We are also due to visit Ereborne soon.” Jenavyr sounded even more cautious now and with good reason.
I glared at the sea, watching the white foam lace the rolling waves and a black wooden galleon that rode them, heading towards the docks.
The thought of leaving Saphira unprotected in my court while I visited with the high king had my shadows growing restless, snaking outwards to climb the stone walls towards the window, as if they wanted to wrap around her as they had that day at the lake.
Shielding her.
Protecting her.
I could put off many things to keep her safe, but Beltane or visiting my high king were not one of them.
Both had to proceed as planned.
“Issue guard duty to two of your finest men.” I did not look at Vyr as I issued that order. I kept my gaze locked on the little wolf as she casually strolled in the direction of the lake.
“And who will they be guarding?” Vyr asked.
“You know who.”
She leaned into view, angling her body to track Saphira with her gaze as the wolf disappeared behind the wall of my office. “Is that really necessary? Saphira will not like?—”
I cut her off with a look. A silent order.
She nodded. “As you wish.”
And hesitated.
“What is it?” I moved to one of the windows at the end of the room to my left, beyond my desk, opening it to allow more air in the room, and happened to find Saphira sitting on one of the benches beneath an arbour laced with flowers the colour of her eyes.
“Saphira spoke to me of her pack and things that happened in her past.” Each word was carefully measured, spoken slowly and reluctantly.
I held my hand up to silence my sister, even when I wanted to know what the little wolf had told her.
“Did she give you leave to speak of this to others?” I slid a look at her, seeing right away in her eyes that Saphira had not.
“No, but I thought it might be useful information for you to have. You seem to want to understand her better so you can discover the reason Neve told you to take her, and I thought perhaps?—”
I stopped her again, denying the part of me that wanted to hear it. “I would rather hear it from the wolf herself.”
That surprised me, and my sister too judging by how her eyes widened slightly. There was no logical reason to wait to know the information she had gathered. It made more strategic sense to know it now.
It hit me that Iwantedthe little wolf to open up to me as she had to my sister.
Which made no sense at all. I had no reason to want to hear it from her lips. It made more sense to hear it from my sister now.
And yet, I still desired that Saphira be the one to tell me of her past.
To open up to me.
