The Lycan King's Auction Prize

Chapter Seventeen

Corvin swallowed hard, the sharp tip of the blade leaving a tiny red bead of blood on his throat and repeated, "Wren?

His face drained as I lower the letter from his throat and stepped back.

He rubbed the small cut with shaky fingers starring at me like I had become a stranger. “Then tell me why Wren keep mentioning dawn?" He asked me his voice cracking.

“Because the treaty isn't about peace,it's about ownership.” I said, ”Once those papers are signed Aldric controls the trade route, the mines the boarder gate and every chief who depends on them."

Corvin swallowed hard.

Uncertainty filled the room which made it feel smaller and colder than before.

“Do you think you will be made chief, they will use you until your signature dries and they will discard you.” I continued.

Corvin opened his mouth, but no words came out. He closed it and looked away understanding now that I understood his weakness better than anyone else.

Wren had support, wealth, promises, legitimacy, everything he had ever wanted.

But he failed to understand that promises from hungry predators meants nothing when they want to feed themselves.

“What proof do you have?" He asked when he finally found his voice again.

I reached out to my cloak and brought out one of the copy of the route map Silas had given to me. ”Look at the map, human checkpoint disappear after the treaty”.

He snatched it from my hand and took a closer look at it. The longer he stared he more pale he looked.

“This could be forged” he tried to defend.

“Of course they would just like the promise they fed you." I was going all in this time not giving him space to breathe.

There was silence that felt deafening.

Beyound the door there were booth that thundered on the ground owned by guards searching for Ronan’s distraction.

Corvin flicked at every second.

For the first time I saw real fear in him, the fear of someone who had gambled away everything on those deceitful people.

“What do you want from me?" He finally asked but that's it, I didn't want anything.

“Nothing “ I said.” I only came to give you a choice, a real one something nobody gave me”.

His eyes widened but I continued anyway. ”If you sign the treaty tonight, you become their puppet but if you refuse,you lose the chance at power, either way your future changes tonight.“

The words hit him harder than I expected. He sat down at the edge of the bed with confusion written all over his face as he tried to navigate which to choose.

“My father will never forgive me.” he said feeling exhausted from everything going on around him.

I let out a bitter laugh, ”welcome to the club” which changed something in his expression, but I didn't care.

He lowered his head in frustration.

Before either of us could speak again, a deep howl echoed through the fostress.

It was distant but unmistakable.

Ronan.

My heart sank, that sound was not a warning it was definitely a challenge.

Corvin heard it too “What was that?"

“Trouble.” I Said

I moved towards the door, his hands reached out and caught my sleeve. ”Wait” I froze.

“If I refuse to sign Aldric will come after me?"

“Yes” I answered honestly.

“And if I do sign it I will be his puppet, I need a way out.”

His words surprised me, for years 8 I had watched him chased statue, hearing doubt in his voice felt so unreal.

“This is the servant passage.” I said to him pointing towards a direction. ”if it's dawn and everything falls apart, use it”.

“Why are you helping me?“ he asked staring at me .

I thought about everything that had happened with my father as images flashed through my mind. ”Because I know exactly how it felt if no one does.”

Something cross his face. Shame!

Good. He should be.

Suddenly, a crashed exploded above us, dust came out of the ceiling.

My instincts scream.

Ronan was running out of time.

I moved towards the door but this time wasn't stopped by corvin.

“Devlin” he called out quietly. ”I never thought you would be choosen over mara”.

The words pierced my heart as it reopened old wounds.

“And you still choose them” I said.

He flinched, I opened the door and disappeared into the corridor before he could answer.

The corridor was chaotic as everyone was running around.

“Devlin run!” Ronan roared as he was surrended by three thornclaw warrior. Everything happened so fast.

Okey warrior lunged and he intercepted with full speed.

I backed away as the corridor was filled with violence.

Ronan fought like never before. Aldric noticed that something wrong and the fortress was tightening around us like a trap.

Silas grabbed my hands and we ran towards the hidden staircase downward.

He moved too quickly despite his age.

We finally came out of an abandoned chamber overlooking the treaty hall through a grate.

Tources glow in the room,long chairs had been arranged in rows, guards stood in line. At the centre was Aldric speaking with several human chiefs, Wren stood beside him.

My stomach tightened.

Just then a servant approach Aldric with a sealed document case.

The treat,every sacrifice,every betrayal ,every threat had led to that single object.

Wren had accepted it and rested one hand on it possessively.

My pulse quickened.

This was bigger than Ronan and me now.

If that treaty survives until dawn the entire territories will fall under thornclaw control .

Silas looked at me with questions written on his face.

Then a thought just cross my mind. ”We will steal the dawn from her.”