Chapter 116
The first thing that hit me was the silence. I don’t know why but I expected it to be buzzing with conversations and important people stressing through the halls but it was eerily quiet and the chilly gust of wind sweeping up my arms gave me goosebumps.
“If you’re looking around for other people you won’t find any, this part is for the Council members only. The workers are spread out through the rest of the building,”
How hidden was this part for us not to hear anyone?
As we walked down the hall, Gabe refused to let go of my hand in case someone would catch us or pull me from behind; his paranoia didn’t allow him to leave anything to chance.
Metal rings on the walls worked as torches with a fire burning around the brim.
We headed down the narrow, never-ending hallway painted in cold blue and grey tones and I wondered where the hell he was taking me but then I saw the black door with the thick spikes at the end of the hall.
“What’s through there?” I asked.
He was reluctant to answer me at first but lifted his shoulder and stuck his chin out like a true warrior.
“That down there is the Elders personal office,”
“We’re not going in there,” I shook my head.
“We have no choice, he’s the one who knows where Darian is,”
I gulped and tried to not let the fear get the best of me but it was hard seeing as I was currently choking on it. When I stepped back and my hand almost slid from Gabe’s, he stopped and pulled me in.
“Don’t do that!” he snapped.
I rolled my eyes and took a shaky step.
“Would you have cared this much about keeping me alive if Darian didn’t need me?” I asked out of genuine curiosity. Gabe and I had our fun moments in the palace but was he acting like a friend because his brother was in danger and his niece’s life was on the line or was there a small part of him that truly cared?
“As difficult as it may be for you to get this through your traumatized head, I do care about you. You’re not a terrible person, Hazel Grey- you’re just a person that terrible things have happened to,”
At the hands of your brother. But I didn’t say that.
We walked in silence until we reached the door and it opened on its own, welcoming us in which was not a good sign. The Elder knew we were here.
Stepping inside was like seeing the inside of a castle tower two hundred years ago. There was no electricity. The walls were adorned with old-time paintings of men I recognized as previous holders of the title of Elder in the Council.
They were the wisest, most formidable men with singular access to archives storing information about Valeria and also about the humans. Things nobody else knew; those were the things they didn’t teach in schools.
“Gabriel Hayes,” he locked his hooded eyes on us as he stood by an encapsulated book stationed right below a window in the ceiling, “Hazel Grey,” he snarled.
“We have come for Darian,” Gabe informed without beating around the bush.
“I know, you have been expected,” the Elder shifted his eyes on me and his crusty lips pulled back over his teeth, “I’m glad to see you’re okay, young girl. I am truly sorry for what you have been forced to endure at the hands of such a tyrant,”
1/2
Chapter 116
A low growl rumbled from Gabe- I squeezed his hand and stepped closer hoping to calm him. This was not a place we wanted to cause a scene in, nobody here was our friend. I heard his heart slow to a steady beat but the anger radiated from him in tumbling waves, there was nothing I could do to make him
reign that in.
“I’m just here for my brother so if you’ll be so kind and point a finger in the right direction, I’ll get him and we’ll be on our way,”
It was harder than I thought to control my expressions, especially when he blurted out everything so easily as though the Elder had any interest in helping us whatsoever.
“Why don’t I show you to your brother and Hazel can wait here in my office,”
Gabe dropped my hand, stepped in front of me, and coiled his fingers.
“That’s not happening.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, you see my brother will notice if a single strand of hair on her head isn’t where it used to be and then it’ll be my ass that’s buried. I quite enjoy my life so, therefore, she’s coming with us.”
I felt something brushing up against my leg and took a step to the side but I couldn’t take my eyes off Gabe- he was being too much of a smart ass and the Elder was slowly losing patience.
When something slithered past my leg again I had look down to see what it was and my eyes almost fell out of their sockets..
“Gabe,” my voice trembled and I stood completely still.
“Protected by Lycans, she must be some girl,” the Elder’s raspy voice sent a knowing chill down my spine but something more terrifying was staring me in the eyes right now.
“You should know,” Gabe’s voice dropped an octave.
“Gabe,” I said hoarsely and gulped.
“Gabriel!”
He finally turned around, his eyes widened and he saw the snake that was slithering up my leg.
Chapter Comments
1
POST COMMENT NOW
EL
< SHARE
2/2
The Alpha’s Hunt
