Page 138 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
Rylan shook his head. “I’m much better at subterfuge than bureaucracy. Besides, someone had to keep Bitris’s claws off you.”
Maseo chuckled as they rounded a corner. “Thank you for your service.”
“What can I say? I live to please.” Rylan’s charming smile set Maseo even more at ease. “Let’s not keep the general and Princess Kizoshi waiting. The sooner we finish this, the sooner I can return you to your admirers. Though I’m still not convinced Bitris deserves the pleasure of your company.”
A small smile tugged at Maseo’s lips. Despite the uncertainty that lay ahead and the pain coursing through his body, there was comfort in having a place to return to where people were happy to see him for the first time in his life.
When they reached the meeting room, Rylan opened the door and ushered Maseo inside with a gentle hand on the small of his back.
General Jaega stood near a large map table, deep in conversation with his niece. Both looked up as Maseo entered. Jaega’s face, which had been so stern during battle, now brightened with a proud smile. “Please sit. You look ready to collapse.”
“Thank you,” Maseo replied, sinking into the offered chair. “Am I in trouble?”
“Far from it. I commend you for your efforts during the war. You fought bravely at great personal cost.” His gaze lingered on Maseo’s bandaged eye.
“I did what needed to be done.”
“You did far more than that,” Jaega countered. “You stood against your father and homeland with no doubt about doing the right thing. That speaks to your character.”
The general moved closer, his massive frame less intimidating than usual as he clasped the half-wolf shifter’s shoulder while holding his gaze. “I want you to know that I am proud of you, Maseo. You more than proved yourself a worthy warrior in this battle and upheld the honor of our Ariake clan.”
Pride from a father figure was something Maseo had never experienced and had stopped hoping for long ago. His throat tightened as he tried not to cry. “It was my honor, sir.”
When Jaega stepped back to speak with Rylan, Kizoshi came over in a gown that seemed woven from living flame, crafted from deep crimson silk that shifted to burnished gold and fieryorange with each movement. The fabric clung to her form before cascading to the floor in rippling waves that mimicked dancing fire. Intricate embroidery in metallic thread traced dragon scales along the bodice and sleeves, catching the light with each breath she took.
Her shoulders were bare, revealing skin that seemed to glow, while the high collar framed her face. A beautiful diamond pendant hung around her neck that flickered with red-and-purple flames that reminded him of Kitsuki’s ring. She sat in the chair beside him with elegant poise. “I am sure you have questions.”
“You said Ishibiya isn’t gone for good, but is my father?” Maseo asked, embarrassed at his presumption to question a Power. “Before he died, he claimed he was beyond death itself and threatened he’d return to make me suffer.”
Kizoshi’s expression grew somber, the fierce satisfaction dimming to something more guarded. “Nasume spoke the truth wrapped in malice, as was his way. Death is not the end mortals believe it to be.”
Maseo’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean?”
“The threads that bind a soul to existence are not easily severed when one has meddled with forces beyond the natural order. Victory always comes at a cost. Those wounds he inflicted on you carry more than pain; they carry purpose.”
“How?”
“Oh, sweet child of suffering.” She patted his cheek with a sympathetic expression. “What I can tell you is that the path ahead requires you whole. Not as you are, but as you were meant to be. And when you stand at the crossroads of never and always,become what is and is not when shadows threaten to swallow your light.”
Her words made his head swim. “Does that mean Auslin can heal me?”
Kizoshi gave him a reassuring smile. “Auslin will meet with Liros later today to get his answers, and Sophina will guide your fate. Trust that you will receive their blessings in abundance.”
His brow wrinkled in confusion. “But why me?”
Kizoshi toyed with her pendant before answering. “Because your mother’s wishes were not in vain.”
Maseo raked his fingers through his hair as he struggled to make sense of it all. “They’re just delayed?”
Kizoshi’s laughter brightened the mood. “All good fates take time, dear pup. Your patience will be rewarded if you trust in Powers who look out for your best interests, even when it doesn’t feel like it. Do not give up hope.”
“That actually makes me feel better, thanks.”
“You are welcome. But there is one more important thing to remember before you go. You must listen to the echo that has never been heard in a reflection that has never been seen. Only then will you live in truth.”
“You couldn’t let me leave on a positive note?” Maseo joked before he realized who he had said it to. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t?—”
She chuckled. “No apologies are necessary. Being vexatious is my way.”
