Chapter 10-Lessons

Groaning, I shut the history book on the desk in frustration, wondering whose god-awful idea it was to have me learn the history of wolves—the entire history of wolves, might I add.

Deep inside the library in the Temple of the Goddess surrounded by shelves full of books, Ira watches over me, her sharp, knowing gaze showing her amusement at my frustration.

“You need to know everything, Crystalline. A knowing ruler is the best ruler.”

She states, turning back to the paperwork spread out on her own desk. I sigh, watching the she-wolf for a moment, wondering how she kept her black hair so pristine in a bun on top of her head, how her simple outfit of a green dress and black heels can look so elegant and regal on her. I hope that I can look as queenlike as she does.

“I get that. It’s just, considering I grew up in the palace, I am quite sure I know all that needs to be known.”

Laying my head on the desk, I close my eyes for a moment to take a break. The smell of the old books and stone shelves bring a sort of peace to me even if I find reading constantly to be torturing to my mind.

“Do you know how Coro managed to live for all these years? Or how he amassed his powers?”

Ira asks, her voice light yet holding a tone of inquiry. Taking a moment to think, I realize that the Priestess has me. She knows I do not know this answer but still asked.

“No. Would the answers be in these books?”

Opening my eyes, I see her smiling as she stands, motioning me to follow her.

With a sigh, I sit up, push my chair back and stand.

It has been two weeks since I first came to the Temple.

The first week, I spent sorting out my mind.

With Geminie and Amberle’s help, I was soon able to find information about my disappearance in the library.

Then on the eighth day, Ira came and took me back here, a stack of books already waiting to be read.

Now, with a week of being in this library and getting to know the Priestess and learning that she has been the Priestess for three hundred years since taking over after her mentor’s death, I have learned she would rather show and not tell me any of the answers, preferring that I discover them myself.

Leading me down rows of shelves to the far right side of the library, I notice the books slowly becoming older and older the further we go. The air becomes dusty, the smell of slightly decaying paper and preservatives to keep the words written it as pristine as possible causing me to sneeze. I watch as dusty shelves appear every so often, mixed in with the older books, until I notice the books turning from leather-bound journals to baskets full of scrolls. One catches my eye, a basket labeled “The Tale of the Lost Princess.”

This is one that I had not found when Amberle, Geminie and I explored the library, so I reach out to take it, wanting to know what was said about me when I went missing.

“Leave it, you can look at it on our way out.”

Jumping, I turn to see Ira staring at me with a smirk.

Of course, I listen to the wolf, knowing she is doing everything in my best interest.

Pulling my hand away, I take one last look at the scroll before continuing with Ira and watch as the shelves slowly become emptier with less books and scrolls as we pass.

Something about the air changes, as if charged by magic and electricity.

Surprisingly, I feel calm, almost as if returning home.

Curious to know the reason behind the air becoming denser and denser with each step, I continue behind Ira, my eyes scanning the shelves that grow sparser until finally we reach our destination and stand in front of a set of wooden doors.

“This door is the entrance to the restricted area.”

Ira begins, running her hand over the intricate pattern of leaves and vines intertwining with the phases of the moon.

“Only the Priestess of this temple, Witch Cassandra, and a wolf with royal blood can enter.”

She continues, stepping back and motioning me to open the door. Tentatively, I place my hands against the handles, magic flowing through me the moment my skin contacted the metal. With out warning, the doors fly open forcing me to release the handles and jump back in surprise. Just how powerful is the witch who created the magic seal to this room.

“Inside is information that only a few have privilege to look through. You’ll understand why. Just know you only get an hour a day inside the room. If you don’t leave within the hour, you’ll be trapped here until someone can open it from the outside.”

With that warning, Ira turns and walks away, leaving me alone to face to restricted area. Deciding that this is an opportunity I cannot let go, I take a deep breath and walk inside. The first thing I feel when entering the room is the pulsating magic that surrounds me, magic I did not think could be this strong. The second is the feeling of being watched.

“Hello?”

I call out, my voice echoing around the stone walls of the small room. The silence that follows is eerie, causing goosebumps to form on my skin and my once confident footsteps to slow with caution. No shelves line the walls and no books are in sight. The only thing I can see is a softly glowing moonstone that sits in the middle of the room reminding me of the full moon on a cloudless night. Curious, I continue walking towards the large moonstone, realizing that the sphere is larger than a bowling ball and smile. Something inside me tells me this crystal has all the answer I need, but how to I get them.

Apprehensively, I reach out towards the stone and think about one question—How did Coro become immortal? As soon as my fingertips connect with the smooth, warm moonstone, the world fades away.

◆◆◆

Opening my eyes, I find myself standing in the middle of a forest. The area seems familiar, like I know this place but can’t seem to figure out how.

“You said you would help me!”

A deep voice roars, forcing me to turn to find the one screaming.

“I did, my Prince, but someone intervened.”

A female voice answers meekly, her soft voice quivering.

“Well, now they know I tried to kill that wench. I thought you said everything would be fine!”

Walking quietly towards the voice, I peer out from behind an oak tree. Before me is a black-haired woman, her tanned skin and blue eyes gazing at a man before her. Something about this man seems familiar. His black hair, fair skin, and blue eyes are ones I know well. I have seen paintings of this man before, of the man who I thought was my ancestor. Before me stands my brother, Prince Coro.

“I thought everything was fine. When the carriage tipped over, the Princess vanished. I though she had died as well.”

The witch argues. My eyes widen and I realize that the two are talking about the night I was supposed to be killed, the night Morai saved me.

“Well, now they are out to kill me, thanks to your blunder. You owe me for what I paid you.”

“And what is it that you want, Prince Coro?”

The witch asks. I can taste the fear in the air as she watches Coro and I frown. Whatever Coro wants will not be good.

“Immortality. I want immortality, Avilla.”

I gasp, wanting to rush forward to stop this witch from doing anything, but I trip.

◆◆◆

As my body falls to the ground, my vision once again fades to black.

In minutes I find myself back in the restricted area, my body feeling weak as I think about what I just witnessed.

Coro gained his immortality through a witch.

I will need to look through the library for anything involving Witch Avilla and see what spells she specialized in.

With Coro living as long as he has, I need to know what spell was used and whether or not I can truly defeat my brother.

With a sigh, I turn to leave, deciding that knowing when Coro first gained his immortality is a great start and that if I need answers for anything else relating to bringing him down, I can come here.

For now, I need to learn more from Ira about what I missed the last few centuries and make a list of what I genuinely want to know after speaking to her.

She seems to know more than what she lets on, so let’s see if she knows about Avilla.

With a smile, I look back at the moonstone, feeling a warm glow from it, before walking out and hearing the doors closed behind me.

I have other lessons I need to learn today, one being a good fight with Ariven in a few hours. So right now, I plan to read some of the older scrolls in the area outside the restricted area and start learning from the beginning of the werewolf creation.

◆◆◆

I groan, landing hard on my back for the umpteenth time on the hard ground, wincing when I try to move.

Ariven and I have been sparring for the last hour, the former Temple resident using every trick he has learned against me and making me realize just how weak the training at the Royal Pack is.

One thing is for sure, I will have to re-establish a better training routine when I claim the throne.

“I think you might have broken something.”

His deep voice calls out as Ariven walks over to where I lay, helping me gently to stand.

“No, I think I just fractured a rib.”

I wince, leaning against him for support.

It felt nice having someone support me after a fair spar, someone like Ariven who, since the time I woke up finding out my true identity, has treated me like a little sister.

Geminie never once showed the jealousy that other she-wolves would show, instead praising him for being a good big brother to me, making me smile and laugh along with her.

It felt nice having a loving family.

“So, I heard you went to the restricted area today.”

He states, helping me walk, well limp, to a bench and I nod, wincing slightly when I move too fast and jostle the fractured rib.

“Ira took me there to learn about Coro.”

I answer before wincing.

“Learn anything useful?”

I can tell he is trying to keep my mind off the pain as my healing takes time to kick in, and I am grateful for it.

“I learned one thing about him that I need to research first. But I felt a little tired after the vision the room showed me. I feel like I need to be careful before using that room again and really think about what I need to know before going.”

I say through gritted teeth, cursing as I am helped to sit down, wrapping my arm around my right side and holding onto the area where pain radiates.

“That’s a good idea. Whenever Gem goes into that room, she comes out pale and exhausted with a haunted look in her eyes. Sometimes I worry she won’t ever come out again.”

Sitting down beside me, I watch as Ariven looks down at his clasped hands, a worried look etched on his face.

“I guess you’ve never been inside?”

I ask, turning to look outside the window and stare at the forest.

“No, and I fear the day Destiny and her unborn sibling has to enter that room.”

He states, his words filled with the care and love for his daughter causing my heart to ache and leaving me feeling jealous.

A silence settles beside us, leaving the two of us to our thoughts while my healing kicks in on my fractured rib.

Hearing from an outsider’s perspective about the restricted area confirms that I made the right decision to wait until I am truly ready to use the moonstone again.

I don’t want to admit it, but the vision took more out of me than I expected, and because of this, it made training a lot harder today.

For now, I just need to focus on becoming stronger and smarter if I want to claim what is rightfully mine.