Dark Affairs

Chapter 4

I hold my breath as the grey wolf rises to its full height, stretching its neck toward me.

“Not that it’ll help but you should probably not show the wolf your cowardice.” Adolphus’s voice carries through the square and anger ripples through me.

His plan to ridicule me has clearly worked.

So, why won't he call off this whole thing?

Without warning, the wolf leaps at me and without thinking, I slide under the table.

Oh, dear goddess.

My body shakes from fear as I put my fist to my mouth. I have never seen death so close. And I guess it won’t matter if another body joins the pile of ashes they sacrifice to the moon goddess every year.

The table shakes and I bite my knuckles to prevent from screaming. Not so fierce, huh?

I glance around the corners of the table and when I don’t see any sign of the wolf, I crawl out quietly.

As soon as I stand to my feet, all I see is a massive fur of grey before

being knocked back to the ground.

I hear a shout and I know it must be from Tala.

Panic grips me as the wolf snaps at me, its fangs dripping spit onto my jaw.

It snaps harder and I cross my hands as a shield trying to keep the weight of the wolf on my arms.

“Adolphus!” I cry.

“I have learned my lesson, I promise. Please.”

I have never begged so much in my life neither have I been this desperate.

But I have never also been this close to death so I think desperate times call for desperate measures.

“But you must understand this is not about you, Amarok. This is a combat session. Consider this as volunteering and not as a punishment.”

Liar. I grunt in frustration as I feel the weight of the animal above in every part of my bones.

The wolf is very large and I’m not sure how much longer I can support the weight with my arms.

I don’t know how many minutes have passed but the square has fallen deathly silent and at this point, all I feel is blinding pain, pain so hot I can’t even lift my neck because one wrong move from me and…

My arms slacken from fatigue and without warning, the wolf lands on my torso, pinning me down underneath it.

A scream topples out of my mouth in panic and frustration.

Why wouldn’t Adolphus call off the session already? He has humiliated me enough.

Point taken. Keep my mouth shut.

I groan and try to shake the wolf off but the wolf remains firmly where it is, locking me down.

Even if I didn’t end up dead, I was surely going to have a couple of broken ribs after this.

“Adolphus, please,” I try again.

For a moment, it’s only my heavy breathing I can hear in the square.

And then I hear echoes of Adolphus’s boots and relief spreads through me like wildfire.

I see a muscular arm before I feel the weight of the animal lifted off me.

And suddenly I want to cry and laugh at the same time.

Adolphus offers a hand and I roll my eyes and stagger up, refusing to take his hand.

“The training sessions require a lot of physical activity and some sessions also require mental ability.”

He turns to stare at me, his face impassive.

“This was one of those sessions that required mental capacity and may I say you failed awfully at it. I expect you to be as sharp with your brain as you are with your tongue, Amarok.”

I stand there, taking it all in. The insults and the humiliation. I guess any other person will put their head down and take these lessons seriously.

But not me. I was going to put in my best. Train harder. Give my all to the Guard.

And make sure I proved him wrong.

And show him that my brain was indeed as sharp as my tongue.

“That will be the end of our session for today. Quentin, here…” He gestured to the guy who was standing beside him.

“Will take you to the quarters to get settled in. If you have any problems or questions, you can ask Quentin or me. We will be very delighted to be of help.”

I grimaced at that.

Quentin, probably? Adolphus, not so much.

♠♠♠

That evening, everyone was in high spirits at the dinner table except me.

Young and old members frolic together, holding out plates and making conversations.

I sit with an elderly lady and two young men.

Adolphus had carried out his promise and by the time we had been assigned to our rooms, everything we needed for our upkeep and stay here was already laid out on the bed.

But he hadn’t budged on the clothes. It had just been a couple of plain ol’ white shirts and black slacks and two Guard uniforms.

Tala waves at me as she joins three men at a table facing the entrance.

I nod, giving her a small smile. Still annoyed we weren't roommates.

“You miss your friend already, huh?”

The elderly woman sips the cold soup in front of her, staring at me.

I raise an eyebrow, irritated by the question.

“And what’s it to you?”

She shakes her head as if she’s used to rude replies from young girls all the time.

“ I’ve been around longer than you can imagine, child. So I should know better. It’s better not to get attached. You need to cut off ties if possible. You’ll understand that in the long run.”

I want to scowl at her but I just shrug instead.

“We’ll be fine. We’ve been together for as long as I can remember.”

The man beside her clears his throat and I glare at him as he stabs his meat quietly.

“Do you have something to say also?” I sneer.

The man beside me chuckles.

“ Yes. Avoid Adolphus at all costs.”

I drop my fork and transfer my glare to him.

“He's right, child," the elderly woman pipes up again.

“Fighting your Commander, someone who’s far superior than you are in ranks is not really wise and well, Adolphus is not a patient man by nature. So, maybe you’ll just need to keep your head down a little. Avoid trouble ---”

“Mostly keep your mouth shut and you’ll be fine,” the one beside me interrupts.

“Skol be nice!” The woman chastises.

He shrugs and the table falls silent.

Wow. Worshipped by the people he oversees.

I bet he enjoys every bit of this. Using his stupid position to take advantage of people.

That spoiled bastard.

“Well, I still think he’s a rotten, good-for-nothing, stupid piece of s**t! Who thinks he gets to tell me what to do every time but he has no idea. I’m not going to join his stupid pack of followers to boost his stupid ego!”

I’m furious by the time I’m done with my speech but none of them answers me.

In fact, the hall is oddly silent.

“Interesting you have chosen not to join my stupid pack of followers, willingly. I’m afraid I’m going to have to apply a little bit of force where you’re concerned.”

I grit my teeth as Adolphus steps into my view.

Surely, I must have wronged the moon goddess badly.

Which had to be why I kept ending up in messy situations.

Always left at the cold hands of Adolphus Delaney to decide my fate.