Valex sat in his study, resting in his chair with his head facing the ceiling as he thought. "The faint scent from her wrist was familiar, but it didn’t seem like I had been in physical contact with this person. It couldn’t have been the guards." He brought his hands up and gently touched his nose, continuing to think. "Could it be one of the servants?"He shook his head and sat up straight, still pondering. "A human female’s strength could only leave a mark on a female wolf to a limited extent, and the same applied to a male human servant."

Valex pushed his chair forward, placing his hands on the desk as his mind raced. "Who is this person she is trying to protect and why?" He paused, then whispered slowly, "Could it be that groom boy?" Just then, he heard a knock at the door. Sitting up straight, he said, "Come in, Kael."

Kael opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him. Valex looked at him and asked, "Did you find any answers, Kael?" Kael shook his head and replied, "No, Your Highness." Valex leaned back and crossed his legs, rolling a thin stick on the desk. "What did they all say?" he inquired.

Kael began explaining without any hesitation. "The guards at the palace gate said they saw Lady Calista leave, and a few other guards mentioned seeing Her Highness standing outside in the palace courtyard, looking around." Valex tilted his head and asked, "What did the servants say?"

"Some servants said they only saw Her Highness in the morning, walking with her personal maid, while others testified to not seeing her throughout the day." He paused as Valex looked down at his desk, and Kael continued, "I asked the male servants, and they all said they never saw her."

Valex touched his forehead and asked, "What about her personal maid?" He looked at Kael slowly. "Did you get to ask her?" Kael immediately recalled the nervousness in Cara’s hands and responded, "Yes, I did, Your Highness. She testified the same thing as the guards: that she had a meeting with Lady Calista and then stayed in the courtyard for a stroll."

There was a pause between the two men before Kael broke it, saying, "But she seemed nervous when I questioned her." Valex raised an eyebrow and asked, "How nervous?" Kael shifted his posture, placing his hands behind his back. "She hesitated to answer at first, and when she did respond, it wasn’t very convincing."

Valex stood up slowly, dropping the thin stick gently on the desk. "Did you ask about that groom boy?" he inquired. Kael looked confused. "What boy, Your Highness?" Valex walked toward the tall window and turned to Kael. "The groom boy, the one her highness was very close to."

Kael shook his head slightly. "He did not cross my path, Your Highness." Valex turned back to the window, and Kael asked, "Shall I ask for him?" Valex shook his head slowly. "There will be no need for that." He turned to face Kael and said, "You may leave. If I need you, I shall call for you."

Kael bowed slightly, then turned and walked toward the door, opening it and closing it behind him. Valex looked around and said to himself, "I need to ask Her Highness who really did that to her wrist to be sure."

...

The evening sky was a masterpiece of twilight. A fierce, molten orange hugged the horizon, climbing upward until it dissolved into soft waves of dusky purple. Wispy clouds caught the dying sunlight, glowing like embers in a dark velvet vault. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Odesse and Cara were outside the palace courtyard, and Cara looked at Odesse with a worried expression. "We do not need to do this, Your Highness. His Highness is in the palace, and if he comes out, I shall be in trouble."

Odesse tried to calm Cara down. "It’s okay, Cara. You won’t be in trouble. I just need to ask Eryx a question. He is surely better now." Odesse smiled as she held Cara’s hand. "You don’t have to be here, Cara. You can leave, and if I get caught, you won’t be in trouble."

Cara shook her head, quickly pulling her hand away from Odesse’s grasp. "No, I will not. I cannot trust that man around you."

Odesse laughed softly, and Cara looked at her, saying, "How are you sure he is at the horse stable, Your Highness? It is late already."

Odesse smiled. "If it is still Eryx, then I am very sure he’s there. When I was still a servant, he loved staying there late at night, watching the night sky."

She looked up and smiled, continuing, "And it is really beautiful now." She glanced back at Cara. "There is no way he would miss it."

Cara sighed. "Alright, let’s go over there before His Highness asks for you."

Odesse nodded slowly, and she and Cara walked briskly down the dirt path that ran parallel to the servant’s quarters. Odesse kept her gaze forward, avoiding the main courtyard where the palace guard routinely marched. Within minutes, the imposing stone walls of the main estate receded, replaced by the low, sprawling roofline of the stables.

Only a lone groom was visible, sweeping stray straw under the glow of an oil lantern, completely unaware that the queen was approaching the paddock. As Odesse and Cara walked closer, the groom looked up, stood straight, and immediately bowed, greeting Odesse.

"Greetings, Your Highness," he said warmly.

Odesse replied, "Greetings. Where is Eryx?"

The groom stood at attention and replied, "Your Highness, Eryx has yet to return."

Odesse widened her eyes. "What! Where could he have gone?"

The groom’s face saddened. "For the past few months, he has been acting differently and is rarely seen by anyone in the palace."

Odesse looked at Cara and then back at the man. "How different has he been acting?"

The groom replied, "Quiet and glum, Your Highness."

Odesse asked, "Have you asked him what was wrong?"

The man nodded. "Yes, Your Highness, but he gave no answer."

Cara whispered in Odesse’s ear, "We have to leave, Your Highness."

Odesse nodded slowly and said to the groom, "Thank you, sir."

The man bowed, and Odesse turned, walking out with Cara following closely behind. The man watched them as they walked away and murmured quietly, "Why is Her Highness asking about Eryx? If he continues like this, he will surely earn a frown from His Highness."

As Odesse and Cara walked, Odesse scrunched her forehead. "You see, Cara? I was right—Eryx is not being himself. There is something wrong."

Cara remained quiet as Odesse continued, "I have to find him, Cara. He may be in danger; I can feel it."

As they walked toward the palace, Odesse suddenly stopped, her eyes widening. She saw Valex standing at the palace threshold with Kael by his side. "What is His Highness doing outside?" she thought to herself.

She looked back at Cara as they continued walking. Valex smiled at her as she stopped in front of him. "Why are you coming from over there, my love?" he asked.

Odesse stuttered, "My King..."

Valex looked at her and said, "You should not be out so late, my love."

Odesse smiled as he continued, "Let us go in."

Odesse nodded slowly, glancing at Cara. She and Valex walked side by side while Cara and Kael stayed behind them. The walk to the bedchamber was quiet and uncomfortable for Odesse; her mind raced with questions about why Valex was outside.

Once they reached the bedchamber door, Valex opened it. As he and Odesse entered, Valex turned to Cara and Kael, saying, "You both are dismissed for the night."

They both bowed, and the door closed slowly behind them. Valex then walked towards Odesse, who was standing close to the bed. He wrapped his arm around her, drawing her closer, resting it at the top of her hip. Odesse looked up at him, trying to read his expression.

"I have not been close to my wife all day; I feel starved now, wouldn’t you say, my love?"

Odesse smiled nervously, and Valex continued, "Now, my love, why don’t you tell me why you were not in the palace but coming from the servants’ quarters?"

Odessa looks at him and thinks, "should I tell him? Maybe I can make him promise not to do anything." She looked down slowly, hesitating before saying, "My King, I was not honest about what happened to my wrist yesterday."

Valex smiled and asked, "So what really happened?"

Odesse looked up at him, her expression nervous, and said, "Yesterday, Eryx approached me right outside the palace..." Odesse took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she recounted the entire agonizing encounter. She spared no detail, explaining exactly what Eryx had said and done. Valex listened in silence, watching her face as the color drained from his cheeks. By the time she finished, his jaw was clenched tight.

Slowly, he removed his hands from her waist and stepped back, saying, "What?! How dare he do that?" He tightened his fists. Odesse looked at him and said, "My king, you don’t have to worry. It will not happen again."

Valex looked at her and asked, "What do you mean by that, my love? Is that why you lied? Were you trying to protect him?" Odesse shook her head, trying to explain herself and calm him down. "My king... please listen."

Valex turned his back to Odesse, putting his hands on his face as he said, "He calls me a vile man. I shall show him what vile truly looks like." He moved toward the doors, but Odesse’s eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "I need to stop him."

Valex’s hand held the door handle when suddenly he felt someone hugging him from behind. He looked down to see Odesse’s arm wrapped around him. She said, "Please, your highness, listen to me. I beg you." She pressed her cheek against his back and closed her eyes tightly.

He paused, looking at the ceiling before turning to face her. He gazed down at her as she looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. He spoke softly, "My love, why the tears? Is it because I became angry?" He held her cheeks gently as she nodded slowly.

He hugged her gently, his expression softening and his voice calming. He kissed her hair and said, "I’m sorry, my love. I did not like the idea of a servant hurting you like that and making foolish claims. But I do not like it when you cry; it hurts more than the pain of being on a battlefield."

He pulled back slowly, holding her cheeks as he used his thumbs to wipe the tears away from her face. He looked into her eyes and said, "No one should ever make you cry, not even me."

She looked at him, her eyelashes wet and her lips quivering. Valex smiled warmly and touched her lips gently before lowering his head to kiss her softly. As their eyes closed, he pulled back slowly, holding her hands as he said, "Okay, my love, I shall listen to what you have to say."

Odesse smiled warmly and replied, "Thank you, my king."