Chapter 25

Nikolai

“Wolves? Who came up with that atrocity?” Nikolai’s voice boomed through the hallway, the guards flinching slightly at his tone but nobody dared to answer the raging king. Besides one person. “I did.”

Nikolai turned to see his mother approaching confidently, her skirt gathered in her hands, her head held high as if she did not just watch the most horrific slaughter fest produced right in front of her eyes.

“You.” Nikolai let out a bitter laugh. “I cannot say I am surprised. Only you would come up with such a horrific idea as to torture animals for weeks. Starving them for days to turn them aggressive enough to attack. And then condition them with the scent of the participants to make them think it was them torturing the wolves.”

His mother’s lips twitched as if she was somehow proud of him figuring out her antics. Bile rose again in his stomach and he carefully pushed it back, just like he did when he saw that wolf take a bite out of Noora’s hand. He flew out of his chair in an instant, ready to call the tournament off for whatever reason but then berated himself for that stupid thought.

“I knew you would figure it out eventually. What? Did you really think I would come up with some lousy tasks where they shoot apples with bows or have to swim through a lake? You know me better than that.” She stepped up to him, her cold hand dusting over his cheek.

He held back a shudder and nodded. “Yes, I do know you.”

She sighed as if she was still disappointed with him and frankly, Nikolai did not care. Not this time.

Somehow he knew that his mother only crafted this task to hurt Noora—for whatever reason was unclear. Witches felt differently towards nature and animals, there were rules they had to endure and even though he did not know how much Noora followed these rules, he somehow guessed that she would not condone this task.

“Are you worried it will scare her off?” his mother asked now and he turned away, her hand dropping off his cheek. He hated how well she could read him.

“Don’t be ridiculous. It has nothing to do with her, I just wonder if we could have not taken a different approach than torturing animals for entertainment. That is not the kind of leader I want to be.”

“You have no choice what leader you are, Nikolai. You are the king the people need you to be and if that means we have to torture a few animals then so it be. I would kill countless animals to ensure your and this kingdom’s safety.”

Nikolai whirled around. “That is not how this works! Those are breathing, living things you are talking about. They have emotions and feelings and they deserve to live just as we do and I will not condone any slaying of animals again, do you understand me?” He stepped up close to her, his chest heaving with labored breath.

“They are a part of this kingdom you want to protect so desperately,” he said through clenched teeth.

His hands curled in on themselves as he tried to reign himself in but somehow the look on his mother’s face only made him even angrier.

“Wolves are predators, Kai, if they had the chance to kill you, they would not hesitate.”

“That is not true,“ a voice burst into the conversation, making both royals turn their heads to see Noora standing in the doorframe, leading to his office.

She was still clad in the training uniform, leather torn at her knees and stomach, multiple strands sticking out of her braid, and clinging to the sweat gathering at the back of her neck.

Her cheek was scraped open, mud covering her usually moonlight skin.

Noora’s eyes focused on Nikolai as she took a step into his office and he watched her eyes flicker over the bursting bookshelves, papers strewn on his desk carelessly as if he left a window open for too long, allowing a breeze to pass through and scatter them around.

She stopped a few feet away from them.

“If not provoked, wolves usually don’t attack humans but gathering the fact that we, as the participants, stepped into their marked territory it was no wonder they were so aggressive. It was not their fault though.”

Nikolai’s eyes flickered down to her hand which was still not bandaged up, blood crusting over the bite marks. If she didn’t get those cleaned, the wound would get infected pretty soon.

“Oh, so now you advocate for wolves’ lives? I heard the last time you came across one you skinned it and sold its fur and body on the black market?” his mother asked and he watched Noora freeze.

“That was different. I only took what I needed from an animal; it was done with honour and surrender. I was the stronger predator in that situation but I did not besmudge its life. What you did is beyond words, these animals were innocent.”

“Innocent? Then why did it take a bite out of you?” his mother countered, laughing lightly. Somehow he could not focus entirely on the conversation, his eyes flicking toward Noora’s injured hand every few seconds. The open wound made him unbearably nervous. He took a step toward her. “Maybe you should go to the healer and let her bandage your hand first.”

“No,” she snapped, still not sparing him a glance. “I do not deserve to be healed before I do penance. Where are the wolves now?” she ordered the queen and Nikolai swore he could not remember anyone talking to Euphemia like that ever in his life. As if she was not worthy of any respect or honour and for this day he could do nothing but agree with that unspoken statement.

“I’m afraid they are burning them.”

“What?” Noora tried to step around Nikolai but his hand latched onto her arm. As much as he adored her braveness to speak up to the queen, the guards at his door were growing uneasy with her lack of manners.

Noora finally glanced up at him. “Are you not hearing what she is saying? They are going to kill them, even though they did not do anything bad!”

“Not anything bad? One of them bit your hand so hard I bet it feels numb now and if you don’t get that wound cleaned you might lose it after all,“ his mother interrupted and Noora did not hesitate to parry. “Yes, because I was on its territory and ripped a stupid tooth out of its jaw!”

She held up the amethyst in her hand, glinting in the soft candlelight of his office.

“Mother,” Nikolai spoke up. “Why don’t you check up on today’s dinner? I will take care of this participant.” Noora narrowed her eyes at him but he ignored her, listening to his mother’s teeth gnash before she nodded shortly.

“If you wish, my king.” She curtsied and made her way out of the office but not without stopping in the doorway and throwing a last blow at Noora. “Congratulations on winning the first task.” And then she was out the door.

Nikolai could see Noora practically shaking in anger, her eyes looking like the abyss to hell and now that his mother was gone, he served as her rightful target.

“You need to take me to the wolves and stop them from getting killed now. How could you watch that while you sheltered that wolf in your castle? Do you not have any mercy?”

Nikolai wondered himself how he got through that horrific show.

“It is tasteless. I do understand that. But we need to get your hand cleaned—“ he stepped forward, going for her wrist but Noora quickly drew away, holding her hand to her chest. “No.”

He arched a brow at her. “No?”

They both stared at each other, not one backing down and if Nikolai didn’t have that awful nagging in his chest, he could’ve stayed like that forever.

He sighed. “Raphael?”

A second later, his guard stepped into his office, bending at the waist for a moment before straightening up. “Will you do me a favor, get to the stables, and ask Geoffrey for the wolves? They are not to be executed today.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” He turned to leave when Noora spoke up. “One of them is already dead, they can’t get rid of its body. I will do that.”

Raphael’s eyes flickered to Nikolai for confirmation and with a defeated nod the latter agreed. Raphael left the office. Nikolai rounded his wooden desk, going for the third drawer on the left, when he felt his lungs finally ease up a bit.

“Just to be clear, I will not let you see the wolves before I have at least checked your hand.“

He found the small satchel stuffed in the back of the drawer,although when he looked up, he saw that Noora was gone.

Nikolai straightened fully and that was when he saw her. Her form was crumpled on the floor, her right hand drawn protectively to her chest and her skin so pale she looked like a ghost slumbering on his blue ornament carpet, with no care in the world.