Lycan's unexpected mate

A professional help

Atalanta

Here we go again. I'm lying on my back on the ground, desperately trying to catch a breath. My ears are ringing and my vision is blurry. I really should have waited for after the practice and not come meet Tyche's sister before it. She isn't a warrior so she is only asked for the defence classes that aren't even every day.

When my vision clears up and the floating motion stops influencing my stability when sitting down, I look around. Tyche is lying a few centimetres away but still out of my reach. Her eyes look unfocused, so I think she is suffering just like me.

I cough and it feels as if my lungs are being torn apart. When I move my hand away from my mouth, I notice red droplets in my palm. I stare at them incomprehensibly, wondering how they got there and what they are. The red colour draws my attention because it's such a vibrant red, so it takes me a moment to acknowledge a woman frantically shaking me and calling at me. When did I lie down again?

I blink at her slowly, attempting to take it all in. Then I hear a voice which doesn't belong to the woman. 'Dear, I need you to stop thinking, okay? The blast has busted many of your alveoli and I need to heal you without you constantly rambling in the back of our mind.'

I don't understand for a good minute before I realise that it was Diana speaking. And my lungs are busted?

'No thinking,' comes Diana's stern voice and my mind goes blank and my eyes close on their own.

When I reopen them, I am inside a room on a sofa with a cannula in my nose. The cannula is leading into a funnel over a pot. I panic at first because I don't recognise the place, and I begin to trash around. A face immediately floats into my line of vision and I recognise Tyche who has a cannula as well.

"Atalanta, calm down. Everything is alright. You're in my sister's house," she tells me.

In a moment, another face appears and it's the woman who was shaking me a while back. "I'm terribly sorry, Princess," she apologises and I finally realise her fear is filling the entire room.

I give her a tight smile as I look around the room, memories returning rapidly. I cough, this time no blood coming out my mouth. Thankfully. "You have one hell of a security system, Artemissi," I try to joke. "What was that?"

She looks away ashamed but Tyche prods her and nods. Artemissi sighs and begins to explain: "You know how I have spent ten years with the Royal Sorcerers, right?"

I nod and frown slightly. My vision gets better and I realise that there is only one candle somewhere to my right and that Artemissi is wearing her pyjamas and a nightgown.

"And, well, Princess, I've learnt some incantations that can also be performed by non-wizards. And you and Tyche have encountered a security one."

My eyes widen in shock. "So, you mean that whoever comes to your house is blasted away by a spell?"

"It shouldn't have blasted you," Artemissi whispers faintly.

"Excuse me?" I ask, the surprise forcing my upper body up to a sitting position.

Artemissi takes a deep breath and admits: "This security incantation was only, and I really mean only, meant to zap you. There shouldn't have been any explosion."

Tyche shrugs. "Well, my dear sister, the incantation did make a boom. So tell us, what went wrong? Why are we on oxygen?"

"Um . . . I'm not so sure. I think I may have put too much furlong in it but I'm not certain at all," Artemissi informs us.

"Fur-what?" I demand with a frown. I have never heard such a word.

"Furlong. It's a mixture of monkshood with animal furs, like foxes, deer, bear, wolves . . ." Her voice dies down gradually.

"Monkshood? Why does this sound familiar? And the furs? How do the wizards get them?" I wonder aloud.

Artemissi shakes her head and I believe she is hiding something. But I have already heard the name of this plant. I just can't place it with a more common name. She looks me in the eyes. "That would be an explanation for a whole day that we don't have." She shrugs. "Maybe later. And this brings me to why you came to my house this early in the morning?"

"We . . . I need a favour," I tell her simply.

"A favour?" she asks at which I nod. "And what is so urgent that you came this early?"

Tyche shrugs. "Well, we didn't want many people to know, Missi. But our plan has been blasted."

I snicker at that. How true has this ever been? Artemissi sighs and shakes her head.

I use the silence to gather my thoughts and create coherent sentences. "Artemissi, I need your help to track down a werewolf. I know that you still have some acquaintances with other species that would keep it a secret that a Lycan princess needs such information."

Artemissi closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Fine, okay, I'll do it. I'll just bring my notepad so that I can write it all down."

She gives a look to Tyche which says that she isn't very happy about it, and leaves the room. Tyche walks closer to me and sits down next to my legs. "I am sorry about my sister," she apologises suddenly.

"Don't," I tell her, "We are Lycans, we can heal quickly and no-one will suspect anything."

Even though we don't exactly see eye to eye, we still have mutual respect for one another, and she is still bound by the Oath to protect me, just like her father-in-law is bound to my father. One day, Iamus will be bound to my mate. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he learns that it's finally time. But at the same time, I wish to not see it too soon. Tyche touches my knee gently and I offer her a tiny smile.

At that time, Artemissi returns with a thick A6 book and a pen. She opens it and flips through the pages until she finds a clean one. Then she puts the pen between the pages and closes the book. She looks around and pulls a chair to me before sitting down. "So, who is the werewolf?" she wonders.

"I don't know," I admit hesitantly.

"OK, so what is their name?"

"I'm not sure."

Artemissi looks at me exasperatedly, then she glares at Tyche. "I can't find a ghost without basic details, you know?"

I dare to interrupt. "That's why I need your help. I don't know who the man is or what his real name is, for that matter, but he was a witness during one of the rogue attacks on a werewolf pack. And I believe he has vital information about it."

During my monologue, Artemissi turns her head to the left and now she looks deep in thought. She scratches the back of her right hand and looks at me resolutely. "I've heard of the attacks. The last big one almost wiped out the whole pack, right?"

Both Tyche and I nod at her. Tyche even supplies: "Princess here has been losing sleep over the man and with the baby, she has saved from the pack, people barely see her around. Your help would be so much appreciated by everyone because we could exit the cursed cycle of dead-ends."

My cheeks grow hot. It's true that I don't attend many classes in the morning, but my father is teaching me in the afternoon, both in fighting and today's the first lesson in being a "King", which is still a shock for me.

Artemissi touches my shoulder and gives me a resolute look. "Tell me everything you know about the he-wolf."

I take a deep breath and begin. "So, I saw this man after the attack and he was awfully familiar with the pack. Well, at first, I saw him in his wolf form, then as a human, but anyway . . ."

Diana stops me: 'You're rambling, dear. Take a breath and exhale slowly. Then tell Artemissi everything we saw in his human form before describing his werewolf, OK?'

I obey Diana completely and apologise to the two women. "Sorry, I got carried away."

"It's no problem. Looks like the encounter was pretty traumatic for you?" Artemissi suggests and I can't disagree.

"I met him near the pack hospital wearing only hospital trousers. At first, I thought he was a patient, but I found out otherwise."

"He didn't come in his human form, then, right?" Artemissi makes sure that she has gathered everything correctly. At my nod, she scribbles down some more notes. "So, have you seen his face?" she adds.

"Yes, yes, I have."

"Do you think you can make his portrait? That would help a lot," she pleads hesitantly.

"I can give it a try," I calm her. "But not now."

Artemissi shakes her head immediately. "Of course, of course. I wouldn't dare to ask for it right now, what with the blast and such." She grips her book tighter and I can notice a small tremble in her frame. Looking into the paper, she continues: "Tell me anything you saw. And the portrait, you can give or send it to me by tomorrow?"

I close my eyes and somehow lie down again. "Well, okay. The man, who introduced himself as Zeus, but I so doubt this is his real name, ehm, well, the man was very well-built and muscular."

Artemissi stops me: "Are you sure he said Zeus? Because . . ."

". . . that would be a normal name for a Lycan, I am aware of that," I finish for her. "It could be a nickname, for all we know."

"Or he's hiding his identity due to his pack and has a code name," Tyche chimes in.

"Maybe, sis, maybe," Artemissi answers thoughtfully while writing down notes finished with two huge question marks. "Princess, please, go on."

I try to remember that night and I am shocked by how clear the images are. "About his other features, no tattoos, no pendants, bracelets or anything. He has dark black hair, about five centimetres long, and brown eyes." I pause for a second. "No, that's not right. It's not the usual brown of wood. It's the light brown, like . . . like liquid caramel or wood honey?"

"Wait," Tyche says with a suppressed laugh, "are you describing a dessert or a man?"

I frown at her while she sends me a sweet unbothered grin. However, when I glance at Artemissi, she's giving me a strange look I can't decipher. I can't comment on it now, therefore, I let it slide.

"Anyway, he looked quite handsome and he was about my height or a bit higher." I try to assess his real height, but the only memory is of him pinning me to the wall and my mind going haywire. Not like I can tell anyone.

"Alright, so tall and handsome. This applies to at least a million men," Artemissi sighs. "Do you know how old he was?"

"Not really. He was young, surely less than twenty-five. Oh, and he wasn't mated," I add all of the sudden. I can't believe that the thought of him being mated doesn't settle well with me. I blame it on the fact that he was so intimate with me then and there.

"Good, that's good," Artemissi smiles at me. "This has significantly diminished the number of false alarms. Now, what about his wolf?"

My face has had to gain a dreamy expression when I recall the wolf from the clearing because both sisters laugh out. "Oh my God, she has fallen in love with his wolf," Tyche points out.

"I like it because I have never seen such a wolf," I admit, my cheeks red again. "But liking a wolf doesn't mean anything. He isn't my mate or anything and finding him is pure business."

"And how do you know?" Artemissi pips up.

"Know what?"

"That he isn't your mate?" she elaborates.

"Easy," I say shrugging. "No scent, no stopping of my heart, even Diana didn't feel the connection to his wolf."

Artemissi looks thoughtful while Tyche raises her index finger. "Wait, what do you mean, no scent? You didn't mention it when we talked together."

I bite my lower lip and Diana surfaces slightly to listen in on our conversation. 'And don't put your foot in your mouth, okay?' she adds.

'Why thank you,' I throw back at her.

'You're very much welcome, dear,' Diana answers without acknowledging my sarcasm.

"Well," I look back at the sisters, "there was no scent coming off of him whatsoever. If I didn't see him with my very eyes, smelling nothing, I wouldn't believe it, either."

Artemissi closes her book and nods. "I believe you. Sorcerers do have spells that can hide one's smell and make them appear human. But it requires hours and hours to make it right and only strong wizards ever manage to create it strong enough to confuse a Lycan."

"So, the wolf cooperates with a strong witch?" I assure myself.

"No," Artemissi disagrees. "Not a witch, only a male wizard can do that." She purses her lips. "We will have to tread lightly from now on. If sorcerers are involved, it will make it all both harder and easier to find your werewolf."

I frown but she doesn't explain it any further. "As I was about to say," I add matter-of-factly after a few seconds, "his wolf was completely white and his fur was gleaming under the moonlight."

"Wow, that must have been a sight!" Artemissi says in awe. But I can feel that her expression is partly insincere. Well, who am I to judge, right? Different people, different tastes.

Artemissi looks at her watch suddenly and announces: "You should better be going if you want to return to the palace without anyone questioning you."

Both Tyche and I start to prepare for the return. Artemissi helps me untangle the oxygen cannula while Tyche works on her own. As soon as we're ready to go, she reminds me: "Don't forget the image, Princess."

"Of course, Artemissi," I answer. "See you tomorrow."

With that, Tyche and I set off back home.