Chapter 23

23

" N ykander. What did you do?"

He purses his lips.

"I might have cut his tongue," he mentions casually.

"You might have what?" I blink in shock. "You cut his tongue?"

"He will not be able to insult you from now on," he declares confidently.

"Nykander! We're talking about a person here. You cut someone's tongue?" I repeat, still unable to wrap my mind around it.

He nods, as if he doesn't see anything wrong with it.

"I will protect my mate," he simply states.

"But now we have an entire village on our heads."

"And we shall leave."

"How can we leave when we still need to meet the High Priestess?"

"Barbi—"

"Not one more word, Nykander," I tell him sternly as I fold my arms over my chest. "We are not leaving. We have not worked so hard until now to give up on everything because you can't stop your impulses. I do appreciate you sticking up for me, but in this case, we are going to go out and confront the villagers. You are going to say you are sorry and we will continue with our lives until the High Priestess calls upon us."

"You do not seem to understand that they are coming here with murderous intent," he mutters drily.

"Come," I say as I drag him by the hand and take him outside. "You will say sorry."

"You forget one thing, Barbs. I do not apologize." He chuckles. Somehow, though, he lets himself be led outside, going along with my plan.

I raise a brow.

He leans in to breathe into my ear, "Except to you."

My cheeks redden and my heart skips a beat.

"And you would not want me to share my unique apologies that are only reserved to you with everyone else, would you?"

"When you put it like that…" I trail off, shocked at myself for even entertaining his crazy line of thought.

Yet my moralistic side doesn't stop me from being flattered that he would defend me that way. He saw I was upset and he took action. He's just like the swoony romantic hero I've always wanted.

I sigh. Raising my gaze, I peer at him from beneath my lashes.

"You drive a hard bargain, Nykander."

A playful smile tips at his lips.

"Okay, here's how this is going to go," I tell him, urging him to look at me. We don't have much time, so we have to get our story straight. "I will do the talking and say you were defending my honor, all right? You just stand behind me and nod every now and then. Maybe appear brooding. And look at me lovingly. Hmm." I pause. "Maybe look at the villagers threateningly every now and then so they get the picture—if anything happens to me, you're ready to attack."

"That sounds an awful lot like I am your guard dog, Barbi."

"Be thankful you don't have to bark," I joke as I elbow him. "Although a growl every now and then wouldn't hurt."

He raises a brow at me.

"Pretend you're feral about me, okay?" I don't have time to explain how fated mates work in romance books, or how an alpha protects his mate.

"Good thing I do not have to pretend," he adds with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I am not joking about this, Nykander. You want that artifact, so you will have to behave. We won't get anything if we're thrown out of the Sanctuary."

"Got it." He nods. "I will brood, growl, lick your skin, and maybe mark my territory."

I frown.

"Please tell me you will not mark your territory with pee." I scrunch my nose in disgust. "We may be mated"—I point toward the two of us—"but I am not into that pee play or whatever. You're not either, I hope?" I narrow my eyes at him.

His lips tremble, threatening to break into a smile.

"No. I am not."

"Good. That makes two of us. It is good to be on the same page when it comes to kinks, you know. That will make for a much better relationship. We've discussed some, but I think we should sit down one day and do one of those questionnaires. You're quite bossy, so I bet you're the dominant type, aren't you? I'm not sure what I am, but I guess I can find out. I like it sometimes when you boss me around, but not when you're being a bossy asshole. There's a difference between the two. But if you call me a good girl and ask me nicely, I can be quite submissive—I think."

"Barbi. I do not think this is the moment to talk about kinks. We are about to be confronted by a mob, remember?"

"Oh, shoot! Yes, you are right," I mumble. "Okay, let's go. I will do the talking and you?—"

"Stand back, brood, and growl."

"Exactly." I pat him gently on the shoulder.

We step outside into the chilly night. For all his mischievous mood, Nykander uses his dark shadows to proof our cabin in case the villagers attack us.

Jeya and Elijah stop in front of our cabin. Behind them is a frightened Mr. Foerie, his mouth swollen and bleeding.

"We have been informed of an act of violence against one of our residents," Elijah starts, motioning toward Mr. Foerie.

I take a step forward.

"There is a very reasonable explanation for it. You see, you should be thankful he is still alive."

"Is that so? We should be thankful he is not dead?" Jeya raises a brow.

"Yes, of course. You see, my mate here…" I point toward Nykander. "Now it's time to stare and brood," I whisper under my breath.

He widens his stance, his gaze deadly as he glares at the people surrounding our cabin.

"He was only protecting my honor. He cannot help himself with it. It's our mating bond. It's making him do all sort of things if I am in danger."

"And were you? In danger?"

"Uhm, yes! Mr. Foerie was very rude to me today. He insulted me and my dogs and threw me out of his shop. My mate heard about those insults and he could not let them slide. It's that protective instinct. He cannot help himself, right, dear?" I turn to Nykander, whispering at him to growl.

He growls. A low, deep sound coming from his chest that makes everyone stop in their tracks.

"So there you have it. I was the victim first, and my mate avenged my honor. I would say we are even." I smile, pleased with my speech.

"He cut his tongue out, Miss Barbara. How is that even?"

"And he would have done worse because his insults were really bad and they made me cry. No?" I ask Nykander, motioning for him to brood and growl again. "It must have been payment for my tears."

Another growl.

"I am actually surprised his eyes are intact. You should probably say thank you, Mr. Foerie. Nykander is not the type to let people live. He is a villain who has little regard for others' lives. Except mine. Right, dear? I am the exception. The light to your dark, dark soul."

His lips twitch, but he forces himself to scowl at people.

"You have seen him at the Moon Festival. He is very strong. Are you really going to try something against us when you know he could take all of you out?"

"You have broken the rules. For that, you will be escorted off the premises of the Sanctuary."

My eyes widen in fear. I glance at Nykander, but he doesn't seem too concerned.

Can't he see this will ruin everything? We need to be here, otherwise the High Priestess will never give us the artifact.

"You will not !" I declare as I take a step forward. I place my hands on my hips and glare at them. "As I mentioned, Mr. Foerie insulted me first, so this is merely an eye for an eye. Well, technically, in this case, it's his insults for his tongue. Very fair, if I do say so myself."

"Miss Barbara, you are not in a position to judge whether this is fair or not." Elijah sighs. "According to our laws, we have to punish your mate for inflicting damage upon Mr. Foerie."

"W-what? No. Of course not. You will not touch him," I burst out, placing myself in front of Nykander with my arms spread out to cover him.

"Barbs, I think we are forgetting who is supposed to be protecting whom," he murmurs in my ear.

"Quiet, Nykander. I am saving your hide," I tell him.

"I can heal, in case you forgot."

"So? You can still feel pain. And I don't want you in pain."

His brows go up. He stares at me, slowly blinking.

"You…do not want me to be in pain?" he repeats slowly.

"That is what I said, so now keep quiet and let me handle this," I say as I straighten my back and turn my gaze toward the crowd. "You will have to go through me first," I declare loudly.

Elijah walks toward us, Jeya right behind him. They are both wielding magic in their hands, so I squeeze my eyes shut and wait for the blow.

"That is enough," Nykander calls out, pulling me against his chest. "I appreciate the sentiment, sweetheart. But what type of mate would I be if I let you protect me? It will always be the other way around."

He presses a soft kiss to my temple.

"What would you have me do?" he asks Elijah and Jeya.

"Instead of being banished out of the Sanctuary, you can be confined to our jail for one year and withstand one hundred lashings," Jeya states.

My eyes flare up.

"Confined? Jail? One hundred lashings? Hell no! What is wrong with you people?" I shout, trying to pull out of Nykander's embrace.

"Those are our rules."

"Let's leave," I whisper. "I'm sorry. We should have left when you said so. I made it worse, didn't I?"

"It's fine, Barbs. One year is not so long," he murmurs softly.

"It might not be for you, but it is for me!" For God's sake, he's already been in that dungeon for years on end. Now he wants to repeat that? No, no. I will not allow it!

"It will be all right?—"

"What if I find another man in that time? One year is a long time. Women have needs too," I say saucily, thinking that might rile him up a little.

His lips twitch in a smile.

"Might I remind you that you are a virgin, Barbs?"

"So? Virgins have needs too," I huff.

"Is that so? And what needs would that be?"

"Uhm, that…" I stammer, blushing furiously.

"Guards, take him," Jeya announces.

Six men stride toward us. Before I can think of something else to say to convince Nykander that getting jailed for one year isn't the way to go, a loud sound erupts in front of us.

Nykander pulls me tighter against his body, shielding me.

As the dust settles, I peek through the tightness of his embrace to see what happened. A newcomer has appeared, and a gasp leaves my mouth when I recognize her.

She's the woman from my dream. Herwa.

Upon seeing her, everyone falls to their knees, bowing deeply to her—including Elijah and Jeya.

"High Priestess." The crowd murmurs the words reverently.

Nykander freezes next to me.

"What happened here?" she asks, looking at Elijah.

"A violation of rules, High Priestess. We have given them the choice to leave the Sanctuary or spend a year in confinement as punishment," he murmurs, his head bent down.

"And what was the rule violation?" She raises a brow.

"He cut the tongue of one of our own, Mr. Foerie."

"He did it to avenge my honor," I blurt out, my voice high-pitched in an effort to talk over Elijah before he smears Nykander's character even more. Okay, so technically he did something wrong. But how can I blame him when he was doing it for me ? Perhaps it was a little bloody and violent, but it's the sentiment behind it that counts. He wanted to punish someone who was mean to me. How can he get even more swoon-worthy than that?

The High Priestess turns to me, her head tilted to the side as she studies me.

"Continue."

"Mr. Foerie insulted me," I start, explaining everything from the beginning. She listens intently, nodding every now and then. When I'm done with my explanation, her gaze slides over to Nykander.

"Is it true? You cut his tongue because he offended your mate?"

"It is true." He inclines his head.

She nods pensively.

"I will personally oversee this case," she addresses the villagers. "You may continue as you were."

"But, High Priestess," Elijah interjects. "What about Mr. Foerie? His tongue is missing!"

Her expression doesn't change.

"I trust that he has learned the concept of holding his tongue, then?" she asks, pinning Mr. Foerie with her gaze.

He's shaking from head to toe, but he nods slowly.

"Good." She takes a step toward us. "Come with me," she tells us.

"What about my dogs? Can they come, too?" I ask eagerly. I am not about to leave them here, especially since Mr. Foerie might think they deserve retribution since they are at the root of the issue.

"You may take them with you," she concedes.

I move to go back to the cabin, but Nykander stops me. Instead, he uses his abilities to bring the dogs to us. I cradle Ander to my chest, fluffy cuteness that he is, while PomPom and BonBon stick by our side.

The High Priestess nods, and with a wave of her hand, she transports us somewhere else.

I blink curiously as the scenery changes. We are now in a sumptuous dining room. A wooden table is in the middle, seating twelve people. A sparkly chandelier descends from the ceiling, hanging low over the table. The walls of the room are gilded, containing bass relief scenes of war.

"You may take a seat," she mentions as she walks to the end of the table.

PomPom and BonBon roam around, sniffing everything, and I tentatively put Ander down, too. He runs away from me, his smile intoxicating as he joins his parents in their exploration of the room.

Nykander draws a chair for me, inviting me to sit while he takes the seat next to me.

"I really hope you can make an exception this one time, High Priestess," I speak. "He was only doing it for me."

Nykander grabs my hand under the table, squeezing it.

"You are quite protective of your mate," she mentions, watching our movements with the eyes of a hawk.

"Well, he protects me and I protect him," I state, pushing my chin up.

"Is that so?" she muses quietly. "Interesting."

"Why have you summoned us here?" Nykander asks.

"You are after the artifact, are you not?" the High Priestess inquires.

"You already know that," Nykander murmurs, his eyes narrowed.

The High Priestess rises from her chair and goes to the back of the room. A door magically appears in front of her, which she opens and heads into a secret room. Moments later, she comes out, carrying an item in both of her hands.

That… I squint to get a better look.

She comes back to the table and deposits a ceramic jar on it.

My eyes widen in disbelief. That's the jar from my dream.

I whip my head up, finding the High Priestess watching me intently.

Two things from my dream have come true. Herwa is a real person, currently sitting in front of us. And that jar? As far as I remember, it doesn't house any artifact.

"Here," the High Priestess says as she pushes the jar toward us.

Nykander moves to grab it, but she stops him.

"Not you. Her." She nods toward me.

I frown.

"What are you talking about?"

"My orders were to deliver this to you," she says cryptically.

"But he is the one who needs it."

"Yet you are the only one who can open it," she counters.

And to prove her point, she reaches for the jar and attempts to open it. The cap does not move. It does not even rattle.

"You may try as well," she tells Nykander.

He grabs the jar, but it doesn't budge for him either.

"Why me? Why would I be the only one to open it?"

"Open it and you shall see." She smiles.

Nykander pushes the jar in front of me, urging me to give it a try.

I stare at her and gulp down.

In my dream, Lispera placed her daughter's energy in this jar. Could I have been mistaken about it? Could it have been the artifact? Maybe my dream was incorrect…

I reach forward with my hands, cupping the sides of the jar. The moment I touch it, the material vibrates against my palms, a hum that travels down my entire body.

My breathing becomes shallow and my heart pounds in my chest.

"Open it," the High Priestess commands.

With trepidation, I grab the cap, prepared to pull hard on it. But it only takes a limited amount of strength for it to move to the side.

A whoosh of air surrounds me, and I gasp against a sudden breathlessness.

My chest feels tight, my limbs paralyzed.

But that ends just as it starts. I remove the cap and place it on the table next to the jar.

Curious, I lean forward to glance inside.

"It's empty," I blurt out, looking at her in shock. "How can it be empty?"

"What?" Nykander asks as he leans in to take a look as well. He squints in confusion and we both stare at the High Priestess, waiting for an explanation.

A lopsided smile pulls at her mouth. Her gaze skips over me, settling on Nykander.

"The artifact you seek is nothing but a myth," she speaks slowly, confidently. "The Ananke artifact is where it belongs. Within the House of Ananke and guarded by the current High Priestess."

"What about our deal, Priestess?" Nykander stands up, his energy changing.

The High Priestess chuckles.

"I am aware you have been looking for me for thousands of years. But did you never stop to wonder why you found me now ? Why she came to Akkaya and ended up in the place as you? Why she knew the clue when no one else does? Did it never occur to you that the timing of it all is rather…coincidental?"

"What are you talking about? That clue was not that hard. Everyone knows about Akkaya's flower." I frown.

"And yet, no one has been able to find the Sanctuary with that clue. Why would that be?"

Nykander presses his lips together, his stare murderous.

"You lured us in on purpose," he says.

"What?" I look up at him. "Why would she lure us here?"

The High Priestess smiles.

"That is for you to figure out. My task here is done," she says as she rises from the table, turning her back to us and heading toward the wall with the hidden door.

Nykander clenches his fists by his sides, his anger palpable.

Knowing how much this means to him, I scramble to my feet.

"Stop!" I call out, hoping to deter her from leaving. If she does… I doubt we'll meet her again.

Yet the moment I utter the word, a wave of energy blasts forward, sending the High Priestess flying against the wall.

W-what…

"Barbs," Nykander whispers my name in shock.

"What did you do, Nykander? She's not going to help us if we hurt her," I chastise him.

"Me?" He chuckles. "Oh, that did not come from me. Look down, sweetheart," he murmurs, slowly coming toward me.

I glance down at my body, and my eyes widen in disbelief as I note a lavender mist surrounding me. It's almost like a second layer, creating both a shield and a weapon out of my body.

"What's happening?" I whisper, freaking out. "What did you do, Herwa?" I grit out. Yet the moment my tone goes up, another wave of energy blasts through the room, this time destroying the beautiful carvings and the gilded decorations.

The High Priestess rises to her feet, wiping the blood coming out of her mouth and nose with the back of her hand.

"How lovely. You know my name." She chuckles. "I shouldn't have expected anything less of you." She shakes her head, an amused smile gracing her lips. "She told me once that you would recognize me. I did not believe her. How could you know something like that without your powers?" She laughs to herself. "But you know things. Just like she did."

"What powers? I don't understand. What the hell is happening?" I ask in frustration. Yet that's another mistake.

The ground shakes under my feet, and it dawns on me that every outburst of emotion causes waves of energy to disperse around me— destructive waves of energy that I don't know how to control.

The High Priestess wobbles on her feet as she comes forward.

"Light purple," she muses quietly as she touches the particles of lavender mist surrounding me. "The mix of both worlds."

"What are you talking about?"

"You are your mother's daughter, Barbi." She smiles. "She would be proud of you—she will be proud of you. When you see her, please give her my regards. Tell her… I miss her. And I will see her in another life."

With that, she turns to leave.

"What about the artifact?" Nykander asks in a rough voice.

"There was never any artifact to be found." She half turns. "I may not have given you the artifact, but I have given you something far more powerful."

"You are not making any sense, Priestess. Speak or I will have your head," he grits out.

"My fate is not to die by your hands, demon," she states unflinchingly. "You'd better prize your mate above all, for she is the key to your return home." She pauses, her eyes clouded. "Only essence of the same essence can breach the barrier. It will not destroy the seal, but it will allow you free access to and from Tartareia."

Those are her only words as she disappears from sight.

Nykander blinks slowly before he sets his eyes on me.

My body still shimmers with the same light purple mist, but as I try to calm my heart rate, it slowly dissipates.

"Are you all right?" he asks as he takes a step toward me.

I shake my head.

"No," I whisper. "The jar," I swallow, overwhelmed, as I try to form a coherent sentence. "In my dream, the jar contained the power of Lispera's daughter. She had sealed it so her daughter would not be prey to demons—so she would not die. Then, she hid her somewhere in a different time."

His eyes widen, and I can see him putting two and two together.

"The same essence. You ."

I nod.

"I don't know how or why, but… I think Lispera is my mother," I whisper.