Chapter 10
703 Words
PENELOPE POV
The collar slipped from my trembling fingers.
It hit the stone floor with a dull clang.
“No…”
I stared at the creature before me.
“Argos died.”
No one answered.
The wolf remained perfectly still, its amber eyes fixed on mine with an intelligence no animal should possess.
Slowly…
It lowered itself onto its front legs.
Like it was bowing.
Behind me, I heard Cassian exhale sharply.
“I’ve never seen them do that.”
Julian’s grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.
“They’re not bowing,” he said quietly.
“They’re recognizing.”
Recognizing?
“What does that mean?” I demanded.
Julian didn’t answer.
His eyes never left the wolf.
The creature suddenly let out a low whine.
It wasn’t threatening.
It sounded… sad.
Before I could stop myself, I took a cautious step forward.
“Penelope.”
Julian’s voice was cold.
“Don’t.”
I ignored him.
Another step.
The wolf didn’t move.
My fingers shook as I slowly reached toward its head.
If this was a mistake…
It would tear my arm off.
Instead…
The moment my fingertips touched its fur, a blinding pain exploded inside my skull.
A little girl laughed.
She couldn’t have been older than six.
She ran through a garden overflowing with white roses.
A large black dog chased after her, barking happily.
“Argos!”
The dog jumped onto her, knocking her into the grass.
She laughed harder.
A woman watched from the garden steps.
She had my eyes.
My smile.
“Penelope,” she called.
“Dinner.”
I had never seen her before.
Yet somehow…
I knew.
My mother.
The vision changed.
Night.
Rain.
Men in black cloaks surrounded the house.
One carried the Valerius crest.
Another held a burning torch.
My father burst through the front door.
His face was covered in blood.
“Evelyn!”
he shouted.
“We have to go!”
The woman grabbed my tiny hand.
Argos stood between us and the approaching men, growling viciously.
Then…
Everything happened at once.
An arrow.
A scream.
Blood splattered across the white roses.
Argos lunged.
Someone yelled.
The dog disappeared into the darkness after the attackers.
The last thing I saw before the vision shattered…
…was my mother pushing me into my father’s arms.
“Protect her.”
Then flames consumed the house.
I stumbled backward, gasping.
Julian caught me before I hit the floor.
“What did you see?”
I couldn’t breathe.
“My…”
Tears blurred my vision.
“My mother.”
The hallway became eerily quiet.
Selene closed her eyes.
Cassian looked between Julian and me.
“What does that mean?”
Julian’s face had gone completely pale.
“She remembers.”
Selene slowly nodded.
“It’s started.”
“What has?” I whispered.
Before either of them could answer…
A loud bell echoed throughout the castle.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Every servant froze.
Cassian cursed.
“No…”
Julian looked toward the eastern wing.
“They’re here.”
My heart sank.
“Who’s here?”
A servant came sprinting around the corner, nearly falling to his knees.
“My prince…”
he gasped.
“They’ve crossed the southern gate.”
Julian’s expression hardened.
“How many?”
“Twelve.”
My stomach twisted.
“Twelve what?”
The servant swallowed.
“The Twelve Princes.”
The corridor fell into complete silence.
Even the wolves backed away.
Cassian ran a hand through his hair.
“Well…”
he muttered.
“This family reunion is going to be a disaster.”
Julian turned to me.
His face was unreadable.
“Whatever happens next…”
He stepped closer.
“…do not tell them your full name.”
I frowned.
“They already know I’m Penelope.”
“They can know Penelope.”
His eyes locked onto mine.
“But if they discover you’re Penelope Evelyn Thorne…”
His jaw tightened.
“…they won’t ask for your blood.”
A long pause.
“They’ll kneel.”
And for the first time since entering Castle Valerius…
I saw fear in Julian’s eyes.
Not fear for himself.
Fear of what the other princes would do when they discovered who I truly was.
- Writer
