The Trials Of The Moonbound Wolf

Chapter five

That voice made my heart stop.

I turned my head slowly, but no one was there; the hall was totally empty now, only the candles were still burning.

My palm kept burning as if someone were holding a lighter to it.

Then, just as fast as it started, the light faded and the mark disappeared again.

I stayed on my knees for a long time, and when I finally stood up, my legs felt like jelly.

Tomorrow at sunrise.

Those words played in my head over and over again like a broken record as I walked to my room.

Someone knocked at my door.

I didn't answer.

The knock came again, harder this time.

"Lyra. Open the door."

It was Darius.

I stayed frozen… I didn't want to see anyone.

"Please," he said quietly. "I'm not here to hurt you."

I looked at the door for a minute, then got up and opened it.

Darius stood in the hallway with a bag over his shoulder.

"What do you want?" I asked.

He stepped inside and put the bag on the floor.

Inside, I saw bandages, water bags, and a small knife.

"I'm going to help you," he said.

I laughed, but it wasn't funny. "Help me? Kael just said he will carry my body to my father."

Darius looked right at me. "I heard everything."

"Then you know I'm going to die tomorrow."

"No." He shook his head. "You're going to fight tomorrow."

I stared at him. "I can't turn into a wolf, and I don't have claws. What do you want me to fight with? My bare hands?".

Darius picked up the knife and held it out to me. "This."

I looked at it…

"A knife? You want me to bring a knife to a wolf fight?"

"I want you to live," Darius said. "The knife is only for last resort."

I shook my head. "If Kael finds out…"

"He won't… the forest is dark at night."

I wanted to say no; I wanted to stay in my room and wait for sunrise like a good little sacrifice.

But something inside me whispered.

Fight…

I looked at Darius. "Why are you helping me?"

He didn't answer.

"Come," he said. "We don't have much time."

The forest was dark and cold, like a grave.

Darius moved ahead of me, and I followed him deeper into the trees until we reached a small open space hidden by thick bushes. It felt like a secret.

"No one comes here," Darius said.

He turned to me…" You can't fight like a wolf, so you'll fight like a human."

"A human? Humans are weak."

"Humans are smart," Darius said. "They know how to cheat."

Something inside me felt a little lighter, like a small weight had been lifted.

Darius showed me how to stand; he moved my feet apart and told me to keep my hands near my face.

"Now hit me."

I threw my fist toward him…. He moved aside.

"Again."

I tried again… He dodged me again like it was nothing.

"You're thinking too much," he said. "Just move."

We trained for hours; he taught me how to block, how to fall without breaking myself, and where to hit a wolf to make it hurt.

"What if they don't stop?" I asked.

"Then you run like your life depends on it."

By midnight, my body hurt; my hands were red from hitting the trees he used as targets.

"We should stop," Darius said.

"No." I shook my head. "Teach me more."

He watched me for a moment before nodding. Like he was seeing something new in me.

"Close your eyes," he said.

I did.

"What do you hear?”

"I hear the forest," I said.

"What else?"

I listened harder.

Then I heard a soft voice calling my name from far away; it felt like something was pulling me towards it.

"I hear a voice," I whispered.

Darius went silent.

I opened my eyes; he was staring at my arm with fear on his face.

Thin silver lines were spreading under my skin like tiny rivers of light.

"What is that?" He whispered, stepping back slowly.

"I don't know," I said.

The silver lines glowed once, bright and painful, before fading away.

"We should go back," he said in a tight, tense voice.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

For the first time since I met him, I saw real fear in his eyes.

"I think Kael is wrong about you."

"Then what am I?"

Darius did not answer, and his silence was louder than any words.

The next morning, I woke up before sunrise.

My body hurt everywhere, and my hands were swollen like balloons.

But I still got out of bed.

I washed my face and got dressed fast. Then I hid the small knife inside my boot; it felt cold against my ankle.

Before leaving, I looked at my palm; the silver mark was not there anymore.

I stepped into the hallway.

Outside, the pack stood near the arena.

The morning sun turned the sky orange and pink; wolves gathered around, as they can't wait to devour me.

Kael stood at the gates wearing black leather with his sword hung at his side. His eyes found me right away.

"Lyra," he called. "I was starting to think you wouldn't come."

I walked toward him. My legs were shaking like leaves in the wind, but I kept moving.

"I'm here," I said.

Kael smiled a cold smile.

"Yes," he said. "You are."

His eyes dropped to my boots.

"Do you have anything you want to give me before we start?" he asked.

My heart pounded so hard I thought it would crack my ribs.

"No," I said.

Kael stared at me for a long moment, then nodded.

"Good," he said. "Let's begin then."

He raised his hand, and the arena gates opened with a loud groan, like the earth itself was complaining.

The seven of us walked inside.

And the trials began…