Page 5 of Midnight Deception

“Good girl,” the female purrs, her sultry smile fully in place. Any hint of her warning is long gone from her expression. Gliding over to my side with more hip swaying than necessary, she holds out a bundle of dark fabric.

Raising a brow in question, I take it and shake it out to find that it’s a long cloak.

“It’s to cover your bloodstained clothes. We don’t have time to get you changed before you see the queen,” she explains, sensing my confusion.

Nodding, I place the garment over my shoulders and fasten it below my neck, ignoring Kano’s impatient stare.

“I’m Luna, by the way.”

I raise my gaze to meet the witch’s. It’s a common name amongst werewolves for obvious reasons, and not what I would have expected from witches.

She snorts and rolls her eyes. “We worship the moon too, you know. It’s not just a werewolf thing—”

Kano clears his throat, and Luna abruptly stops speaking. She just flashes him a cheeky smile and walks out of the room with a skip in her step. I wait for him to scold her, either for her exit or whatever he stopped her from saying, but he surprises me by simply shaking his head and gesturing for me to follow her. I can’t quite get a read on the relationship between the two of them, but it’s not what I should be getting caught up in when I’m about to meet the Queen of Witches.

Hoping that my hesitation and fear don’t show, I swallow against the lump in my throat and step forward, tightening the cloak around myself. The fabric billows around me as I walk, and in another situation, I might love the way it flows behind me.

Ahead, I can see Luna strutting down the wide corridor, the pale stone walls bare save for a couple of arched windows to my right. Thinking that I might be able to get a hint about where we are, I surreptitiously attempt to look out the windows, and I’m disappointed to see they are frosted, restricting my view.

The light clip of his shoes tells me that Kano is following close behind. Not that I’d need that, as his strong magical presence fills the space so there’s no mistaking his proximity.

Needing to distract myself from what’s about to happen, I focus on the rest of the corridor. It’s a long stretch, and we pass several plain-looking wooden doors, each of which I mark in my mind in case I need to escape. I highly doubt that I’d be taken past any doors that would aid said escape, but I can only hope.

Lanterns are fixed to the walls, lighting the whole corridor, and I realise that what I first mistook as flames are actually glowing orbs. There’s no sign of electricity powering them, and the colour of the light is different from that of a normal bulb, certainly nothing manmade—magic. Swallowing against the lump in my throat, I keep my gaze straight ahead.

As we continue to walk, I make out a large set of wooden doors ahead of us, the surrounding stone intricately carved. Movement catches my eye, and my attention is pulled to two witches standing outside, watching me with narrowed gazes. They wear matching dark blue capes that have a silver sash over the top, which gives me the impression that they are guarding whatever is behind the closed doors. They incline their heads respectfully to Luna and then Kano. Who are these people to deserve this level of respect?

As we come to a stop before the doors, my suspicions are proven correct when the two guards gesture towards them and they magically open. My mouth drops open at the display of power, but I quickly snap it shut as Luna shoots me a grin, catching my shock before I’m able to collect myself. Running her hands through her hair and puckering her lips, I watch her become a different person, her silver eyes gleaming as she turns and struts into the room beyond.

Alone with just the guards and Kano, I feel my heart speed up once more. I get the feeling that whatever will happen in that room is going to change everything forever.

I’m not sure if Kano can sense my nerves and feels for me, or he’s warning me when he steps close to my side, his voice low. “Just answer her questions honestly and you’ll be fine.”

Nodding, I try to channel my inner wolf. I will not let my fear break me. Stepping forward, I pass the threshold of the doors, a light tingling sensation running over my skin. However, I soon forget that as I’m hit by the sound of many people. Their voices mingle together, so it’s hard to pick out what any one person is saying, the shuffling of feet, the clearing of throats. It’s only when I’m away from other werewolves that I realise just how noisy humans are. How didn’t I hear them from the corridor? My werewolf hearing should have picked it up, especially when the doors were opened. There must be a magical trick to keep the noise contained within and conversations secret.

I’m funnelled into the room by sloping walls on each side, and as I glance up, I see they are not actually walls, but the side of a row of seating. It’s built against the stone room high up, and gradually gets lower until it’s level with the floor. From my vantage point, I can see a glimpse of several people, but I am unable to see the rest of the room yet. What are they all here to see, and what are they all turned towards?

All thoughts of looking around me are soon gone as a whisper catches my attention. However, it’s not a voice I can hear, but more like a whisper of power, a little tug or a tap on the shoulder, drawing me forward. I step out of the shadow of the seats and find myself pulled towards a woman sitting on a large stone throne. Despite the luxurious purple cushions that cover it, the seat still looks uncomfortable—not that the woman is showing that.

It’s obvious who she is as soon as my eyes land on her, and not just because of the throne she sits on. She carries an aura of power that seems to surround her, and no one could mistake her for anything but a queen. I’d thought that Kano was magically strong, but his was nothing compared to hers. It’s not just the huge amount of power I can feel from her that gives away who she is, but the regal way she holds herself and her self-confident smile.

Her pale gold hair is woven up into the silver crown she wears. Small black crystals are dotted around it, with tiny silver leaves wrapped around them. Her lips are painted a vivid shade of red, which sets off her lightly tanned skin. It’s difficult to gauge her age, but I get the feeling she’s much older than she appears. Much like Luna, her eyes are silver, however, they are cooler than the other female’s, shrewder.

She’s dripping in jewellery, so her every movement causes one of the glistening jewels to catch in the light. Her body is relaxed as she reclines in her throne with one leg crossed over the other. She wears a black gown, which is fairly simple in cut, but it hugs her figure and is covered in tiny, glistening black gems.

Her eyes travel over me, much as I’m examining her, taking in every little detail, and I feel her magic probe me, testing my own strength. Compared to her, I must look like a gutter rat, my scarlet hair hanging in messy strands around my face. Dirt and grit from the arena cover my skin, not to mention my torn and bloodstained clothing, which peeks out from beneath the cloak.

The differences between us are stark, and I wonder if it’s been arranged this way on purpose. Why else would I be paraded in front of an audience to meet the queen? I’m supposed to be their enemy, after all. If it’s their aim to make me stand out and feel isolated, then it’s working. I’ve been different my whole life, but I’ve never felt like this much of an outsider before.

The platform walls on either side of me lower, and as I step out and into the room, I’m able to take in the beauty of the surrounding space. Circular in shape, it’s built from that same pale stone. Pillars, with intricately carved flowers and vines wrapped around them, tower upwards towards the huge domed roof. My eyes lock on the stunning scene painted on the inside of the dome. It’s almost like the night sky is right above us, a nebula of pink and purple swirls surrounded by bright stars. Unfamiliar symbols are painted in gold around the rim of the dome, adding a slight glimmer and making the whole thing feel magical.

I could have continued to look up at the roof for hours, but I become aware of the hush that settles over the room, which is somehow so much louder than when everyone was talking and going about their business. Dropping my gaze, I look from left to right and find all eyes on me. The room is packed, most of the seats on the staggered platforms are full, and several witches are gathered on either side of the queen. All the platforms are against the walls, facing inwards in a semi-circular shape. The queen’s dais makes up the last quarter, leaving an empty space in the centre.

Dark hair and silver eyes seem to be common amongst the witches. I wouldn’t have noticed their eyes had it not been for the many frowns and scowls aimed in my direction. Some look concerned, and others look outright angry with my presence. However, it’s the ones who look at me with interest that worry me the most.

I realise how dire my situation is when I spot Luna and I feel comforted that there’s at least one semi-friendly face here. I must be in danger if one of my abductors is starting to feel like the safe option. The female is leaning against one of the pillars like she doesn’t have a care in the world, watching me with a lazy smile.

Pushing away from the pillar, she waltzes into the centre of the room and gestures for me to come forward. I take a deep breath and do as commanded, surprising myself with how steady my steps are. Reaching Luna, I wait for her to tell me what to do next, but she just turns to the queen, extending a hand towards her.

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