Chapter 50: Chapter 50

Sandy’s POV

“Things have changed a lot over the last few years, Sandy… Everything we think or do has somehow become about annihilating witches. You know that I don’t think all witches are evil but if the Lycan King orders something I have no power to refuse him,” Kevin explained as we walked inside. That was new. He was explaining without me having to prod and nag.

I snorted and shook my head. He was probably feeling guilty for setting me up without giving full details.

“I really didn’t expect you to just get up and leave without discussing with me…. Else I would have made appropriate arrangements.” He held my arm stopping me in my tracks. His words sounded sincere as he continued, “I am sorry that you had to go through this.”

Alpha Kevin was apologizing to me so easily? That was another first. His eyes seemed to reflect the honesty in his voice. I averted my gaze quickly. I didn’t want to fall into his trap of fake love.

“Why did you stop me from telling that old man about Evaan?” I questioned, steering the direction of the conversation, “I think it would have been better to tell him that I had gone to save a boy who was kidnapped.”

Kevin’s eyes flashed with a sudden sense of panic, “You must never breathe a word about this to anyone.”

“But, why?”

“They will probably send someone to carry out an investigation. What do you think they are going to do when they find Emilia’s home filled with magical articles, grimoires and whatnots?”

Kevin’s action finally made sense. An investigation might even reveal that Evaan’s link to Ora. God knows what they would do in case that happened. I let out a long drawn sigh, “You are right. We mustn’t complicate Emilia’s life more than it already is.”

For the first time in seven years, I agreed with Kevin on something. I even let Evaan leave with his Beta to meet his mother. Today was probably a day of many firsts.

“Do you think The Lycan King will really launch an attack?” I asked as we sat down in the living room.

“He is always looking for an excuse. We shouldn’t be too surprised if he launches an attack within a week,” Kevin shrugged and sat down opposite me.

His nonchalance annoyed me. I knew that there was nothing in his hand. But, couldn’t he at least pretend to care?

The servants brought in some food and drinks. My mouth watered at the elaborate spread. I quickly picked up a plate of pancake and dug in; moaning as I reveled in its smoothness. I had almost forgotten what real food tasted like. My mind drifted to Ora. I wondered if she had eaten anything.

All of a sudden, a guard rushed in and bowed to Kevin, “Alpha, a royal escort is here.”

Kevin’s expression turned serious and he stood up, “What happened? What does he want?”

“Our King wants to meet Master Sandy….”

Kevin’s face blanched and he suddenly became quiet; his shoulders grew stiff and his features became shrouded with worry.

“What reply should I give him, Alpha?” The guard prompted again, shifting from one foot to another anxiously.

“I will be with him in a minute,” I stated, placing the plate back on the table. Kevin was powerless in front of the Lycan King. He was bound by laws to follow the King’s order. So, it was better to get this over quickly.

Kevin looked at me with an anxious expression but nodded nonetheless. The guard escorted me in a limited-edition SUV to the Lycan King’s Palace. I didn’t notice the change in the landscape as we moved along the path; probably because I was too engrossed in my thoughts. So, when I stepped out of the car, I was pleasantly delighted.

The exquisite structure spanned over a mile complete with gardens, orchards, a small lake and even a special fight club. A large fountain adorned the entrance. Though the amenities here were modern complete with CCTV monitoring, touch sensitive doors; the decorations gave a medieval vibe to it.

Diwans, carpets, chandeliers, paintings and statues; every single item was exquisite in its own way. The palace was one of those places that could completely enchant you. I found myself relaxing in the soft music as I let myself admire the interiors of the palace.

Half an hour later, I was escorted to the main hall where the Lycan King was waiting for me. He asked all the servants to leave and walked down the throne to meet me. His domineering aura made me feel a tad bit antsy; my wolf withdrew in submission making me feel powerless.

I had heard that werewolves were inferior to Lycans in strength and power. However, this was the first time I was in the presence of a Lycan. To say that it was stifling would be an understatement.

I bowed to him and stuttered, “I have been away for a long time. I have no idea about the royal ettiquettes. So, please pardon me if I make any mistake.”

He flashed me a reassuring smile, “I didn’t call you to test your knowledge about ettiquets.” Placing a firm grip on my shoulder, he continued, “I am more interested in your recent trip to Halterland.”

Despite my strong resolve, I found myself breaking into cold sweat. One wrong word and I could create difficulties not only for myself but everyone associated to me. Gulping the lump that had formed in my throat, I tried to speak in a firm voice, “I went there on Alpha Kevin’s command. He was worried about the increasing witch activities and wanted an insider to investigate if they had a hidden agenda.”

“So, did you find out?”

My eyebrows furrowed and I looked at him with a puzzled expression.

His eyebrows twitched and he repeated in a slightly impatient voice, “Did you find out the hidden agenda?”

My face flushed and I averted my eyes, “Sorry, my king. I wasn’t successful.”

“So, all you did was barge into their territory, click pictures and return?”

“I didn’t exactly barge in… I stayed hidden at an inn and explored their territories systematically.”

He walked around me, the tips of his fingers brushing across my shoulder blades before dropping to his sides, “Tell me one thing, Sandy… How did you pretend to be a witch?”

“I didn’t… It is almost impossible for a werewolf to pretend to be a wizard… So, I pretended to be a human.”

“That is actually great thinking,” His voice became softer, almost delighted as he praised me. My heart was pounding against my ribs. I knew that he was building the conversation with some purpose but I just couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard I tried.

“As far as I know, the witches can sense one’s energy field. How in the world did you manage to mask yours?”

I raised my hand and showed him the ring, “The amethyst crystal proved to be very useful.” My face blanched the moment those words left my lips. It was forbidden to use magical crystals without authorization. I had just confessed my crime, that too in front of the king himself.

His lips curved in a knowing smile and he walked back to his throne seat. His gaze became colder and he stated in a icy voice, “You must know that using any magical crystals is a capital crime. I can slaughter your entire family for it.”

F***! I was the greatest idiot in the world. There was no going back now. I could only beg for his mercy. I dropped to my knees and pleaded, “I know that I have made a huge mistake but my intentions were good….”

“What am I going to do with your good intentions. If your trip had been spectacularly successful, I would have forgiven you but you…” he snorted and taunted, “You came back with just a sheaf of pictures.”

So, that is why he had called me here. The King wanted me to give him some information that would help him in attacking the Halterland. If I wanted to get out of this, I had to give him some useful information.

I couldn’t tell him about Ora or Evaan, talking about Grand magus didn’t seem like a good option too. After racking my brain for a very long time, I ended up telling him about the Blue Icepeak.

He agreed to forgive me after that but wasn’t willing to let me leave. He showed me the pictures one by one and kept digging for more information. By the time I left the palace, I had given him way more information than I would have liked.

My heart felt heavy and a sense of utter despair gripped my heart. After reaching the packhouse, rushed to my room; rummaged through the drawers for a paper and a pen and sat down to write.

“Dear Ora,

I had to tell ‘The Lycan King’ about the Blue Icepeak. I swear my intention wasn’t to betray you or the witches. It is just that… The situation got out of control.

I would have never betrayed you even if my life was in danger. But, this was about Evaan. If I didn’t tell him about the peak, he would have launched an investigation. The investigation would have led him to Evaan which would put his life in danger. I am sure you would understand my dilemma.

The Lycan King is planning an attack tomorrow night. Knowing his character he would probably use advanced grade bombs. I am writing the exact details I have given to our King. After reading them, you should be able to take preventive measures.

Please stay safe and take care of yourself. If I ever get an opportunity, I would like to apologize in person.

Your helpless rival,

Cracker.

I was about to write Sandy first but that could create problems if the letter was found by someone else. So, I chose to close the address by the nickname Ora had given to Evaan.

I made special arrangements for the letter to be delivered before going to meet Alpha Kevin. I had a lot to talk about.