Chapter 225 - Say it isn't so

After finding the infirmary empty, Lyko tapped once before pushing open Fern's bedroom door. "I stop one son from leaving only to find another is taking his place." Lyko commented as he noticed the bag Fern was shoving belongings into.

"Apt choice of words, Father. One of your sons has replaced the other. Be it as it is there should be no reason why the other shouldn't then leave." Fern said stoically as he continued packing the bag.

Lyko stepped farther into the room. "That is not so, and you know it. Your brother will need a strong second and all your dedicated training for all these years will not be in vain." He clapped his hand over his son's shoulder, urging him to turn and face him. "Between your wits and his cadence, not to mention the princess's natural instinct, the three of you could be a force to reckoned with. I look forward to seeing the day the three of you rise this kingdom to its fullest potential."

Fern frowned as he turned back toward his bags. "That may be the case in time, but for now, I must have time to lick my wounds. I care little about losing the girl to him for my heart has only ever been singularly held by my drive to lead this kingdom. It will take some time to reconsider my position and set new goals and ambitions."

Lyko furrowed his brow in frustration but still nodded in understanding. "Yes, I can see how taking some time away, to step back and look at the situation anew could help lead you toward your next path in life..." He gave his son's shoulder a light squeeze. "I only hope the path you choose in the end leads you back to the palace."

Fern held his father's gaze with stern determination. "Not to worry, Father, any path I choose will lead me back to the palace." He turned without saying anything else and shoved the last of his things into the bag before closing it and lifting it onto his shoulder. "If there is nothing else, I shall be leaving now."

Lyko frowned. "But it is nearly dawn and you've not properly recovered from the trip here from University yet. You should at least stay the day and rest before heading out again." He turned and followed his son around the room with his eyes watching as he blew out the candles lining the mantle. "We are having the coronation and a hunt this full moon to test your brother and the princess's natural leadership skills as wolves, will you return for that at least?"

Fern met his father's gaze with his own stormy eyes. "I've yet to miss a hunt." It was all he said as he made his way toward the bedroom door.

Lyko furrowed his brows further, "So is that a yes to attending?"

Fern's eyes narrowed in anger at the door. He forced the mask of indifference into place carefully as he turned to smile at his father. "Of course, Father." With that, he turned and pulled the door open wide. "If there's nothing else?" He arched a brow as he glanced back to his father, who was now looking at him in irritation. He let out a huffed breath and forced his own irritation down. "As I've said, I need time to lick my wounds. I promise I'll return for the hunt and it will be to die for... but until then I must have my space."

Lyko nodded trying to mask the disappointment in his voice. "Indeed son. I look forward to seeing you then..." His brows flattened and his features softened. "You know, I'd always thought it would be you taking my place." He walked over to stand before Fern. Clamping both of his hands on Fern's shoulders, he said. "These turns of events change little, you know. I love both of you boys very much. I will be proud of both of you regardless of your position within the pack, you will always be my sons first and foremost." He pressed his forehead to Fern's. "I know you will make me proud son, and you will see that your brother meets his new destiny."

***

Cam's body vibrated with barely contained nervous energy. Ales had not joined her and Reighley for breakfast and now he was absent from all their classes that had been the usual routine of the past three years. The old grandfather clock struck noon indicating the end of the morning lessons. She dragged her feet as she walked toward the veranda. Her heart sank more when Ales wasn't there either. Sitting in his usual place was the queen herself.

Reighley sent her a warm smile when she realized Cam had joined. "Come sit, child. I've had your favorite sandwiches served today." She pushed the plate stacked with tiny finger sandwiches toward the other side of the table and nodded toward them.

Cam frowned down at the plate as she walked over to take her seat. "Where is Ales today?" Her mind Kept playing over his words of the day before. 'I must keep my distance until I can control myself better.' {Is this him keeping his distance? Will he avoid me still as he has nearly the entire last year?}

Reading the girl's troubled expression, Reighley placed a hand over hers. "Not to fret, dear. He is simply studying with his father today. Lyko thought it important to show him firsthand the way of things. He also wishes to test Ales's working knowledge of things, after all, his studies have not been that much different from Fern's when he was that age."

Cam nodded but couldn't mask the disappointment that still remained. {Even if he isn't willfully avoiding me, it is obvious things will never return as they were.} She picked at the bread but didn't take the first bite. "Will her return for dinner?"

Reighley let out a soft sigh. Ah, young love, it was so beautiful. "Indeed he will. Perhaps you would like to skip afternoon lessons and give your good news to your dear friend you are always speaking so fondly of?"

Cam's demeanor instantly brightened. "May I?!" She asked as excitement built.

Reighley covered a giggle with her hand. "Of course, dear. If you'd like I can have Cook wrap the sandwiches for you and you can take them along with you." Cam nodded in excitement, and Reighley lifted her hands clapping them twice. A servant rushed over from some secret hiding place and immediately took the plate away, returning only a short while later with a small basket covered with a brightly embroidered cloth. She watched as the servant handed the basket over to Cam. Once the girl had graciously taken the basket lacing her hand through the handle, Reighley smiled. "Take care and have fun, dear. I'll see you back for dinner."

Cam didn't waste any time as she hurried toward Jos's lagoon. She hadn't gotten a chance to talk to her best friend since a few days before her birthday and boy had there been so much that had happened in the span of the past few days alone. As she pushed through the thick vegetation that lined either side of the path leading to the lagoon the sound of Raven's booming laugher became audible. She had made fast friends with the fairy as well, enjoying her constant jokes and friendly banter. She couldn't help but join in on the laugher as she noticed her friend performing the mundane task of washing her clothes in the falls of the lagoon while the purple-haired fairy seat doubled over in laughter close by. "What have I missed?" Cam called out.

"Jos here refuse to use my magical assistance on her chores, so I thought I'd use them for a bit of fun instead." Raven filled in between laughs.

Jos rolled her eyes from where she stood by the falls. "She's bored and my suffering is her new favorite form of entertainment," Jos growled as she splashed water toward the still laughing fairy. "I hope you fall in and drown!"

"Oh, you'd like that too much! I bet you'd put in a request for some other tall, dark, and s.e.xy man to work your Kraken magic on!" she joked.

Jos glared at her as she flung a wet cloth at Raven. "Just as well, your wife seems to think you and I are having some kind of secret affair."

Cam tilted her head in intrigue. "You're married?" The rest of her friend's words sank in leaving her even more dumbfounded. "You have a w... wife?"

Raven's laughter died off. She became serious as she turned her attention to Cam. "I do and it's no lie, she doesn't like my current job of Kraken keeper though I've assured her of my devotion to her and her alone." Raven shrugged her usual demeanor quickly returning. "I mean, I get it. I'm irresistible-" Her words were cut short as another cloth hit the side of her head.

Cam giggled pushing further questions about Raven and her strange relationship aside as excitement and joy overfilled her. "Speaking of marriage, guess what guys!!!!"

Raven arched a brow as she scanned Cam's fidgeting body. The girl was practically wagging a nonexistent tail. Raven sucked in a breath. "Oh, gods! You and Ol' boy didn't run away and elope, have you?" Her eyes widened more. "You're not pregnant, are you?" Her brows tented as she rubbed her chin interrupting her own question with another. "Wait do werewolves have babies or puppies? If you give birth in wolf form will the baby come out a wolf? If it's a full moon and you give birth in human form would the baby still come out a wolf?" This time the clothing basket was chucked at Raven's head, barely missing.

"My word, Raven! They are both still children! And stop asking weird questions about werewolf babies! Just let her speak, would you?!" Jos barked as she trudged through the water past Raven gathering her basket and clothes as she passed. She smiled widely at Cam. "Come on inside and tell us all about your birthday and your news. I can't wait to hear."

Cam smiled widely back as she followed Jos toward the door of the cavernous home. "Well, you see, Ales and I finally told each other our true feelings and we'd even planned to run away together, but his brother Fern... he found out and was all 'no you don't, I'll mark you and kill him'. Well to his surprise Ales IS AN ALPHA! Isn't that great?! He shifted right there in the main hall and knocked Fern right out cold! Oh, and look!" Cam pulled back the high neckline of her dress. "He marked me too! Our coronation will be in a few weeks and he will ask me to marry him in front of his entire kingdom! Isn't it exciting!!!" Cam had been too busy retailing the wonderful events that had transpired after her birthday ball that she hadn't noticed that Jos's body had gone rigid. It wasn't until the basket had dropped from her hands, that she'd realized something was wrong. "Jos? Are you alright? Was it something I said?" She set the basket she carried down and walked around to face Jos. "Jos?" Her usually bright aqua eyes were now nearly white and aglow like she'd never before seen. "Jos?"

"What's going on?" Raven asked as she made her way into the small space. Her eyes moved from Cam's worried face to the basket on the floor. She hurried over and spun Jos around. "Ah, shit! You should hurry back home princess. The curse is calling her, and I can't always control her easily."

Cam's eyes widened with more worry and fear for her friend. "What do you mean you 'can't always control her easily'?"

"I mean sometimes the curse pulls harder than others and sometimes my magic is less effective... like when I've already used it for other purposes in the same day." Raven said as she began conjuring a magical barrier. "I need you to leave while you can. I may need to seal the exits if my magic isn't enough to sedate her and believe me it's nothing you would want to see."

Cam hurriedly followed her friend as the fairy shoved her toward a bed in the corner and forced her down onto the frame. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched Raven quickly snap iron cuffs around each of Jos's wrists and ankles. "What are you doing?! You're going to hurt her!" Cam was well aware Jos was more than the fragile child that she seemed to be of no more than ten to twelve years old but the site of the frail-looking child being forced into irons and chains tore at her heart. She was just about to pull Raven away for Jos when movement caught her attention. Something long, slimy, and teal seemed to be moving out from around Jos's writhing body. Cam took a step back in shocked surprise as the strange thing crept across the floor toward her. "Raven... What is that thing?"

Raven glanced over her shoulder as she continued to wrestle Jos's body down into the mattress enough to latch the final shackle. "Shit... She's already shifting... That is a tentacle. You see that box over there on the counter in the corner? Fill the bowl beside it with water from the falls and bring it and the box to me. If you're going to stay you may as well help."

Cam quickly did as she was instructed, taking a step back once again as a mystical purple light began to fill the dim room and Raven's low chant began to drown out the ringing in her ears. When it didn't seem to be enough to end the forced shift, Raven's wild, glowing eyes met Cam's. "What lineage did your parent's wolf genes pass down from?"

Cam swallowed hard. "Nordic and Norse... why?"

"Thank the gods! Give me your hand. I'll have to summon power from your Norse blood. How distant is your relation to Loki?" Raven asked as she quickly grabbed Cam's trembling wrist.

"I... I'm not sure... four or five generations may more... Why what power can that provide?" She asked, her attention darting back and forth between the frantic fairy and her writhing best friend.

"It makes all the difference. The closer related to the god himself the more power that can be pulled." Raven closed her eyes tightly as she began a new chant, squeezing Cam's wrist tightly in her iron grip. When her eyes opened again the entire room lit with the bright purple light that eliminated. Cam stared in bewilderment as Jos's body finally went still and the tentacle quickly retracted back from where it had come. Raven released Cam's wrist and collapsed against the footboard of the small bed. "Damn... Good thing you're so stubborn. I don't think I could have handled that one alone."

Cam's wide eyes met her now normal ones. "W...what was that?"

"That was the call of the curse. Her mother cursed her the day she was born to shift into a terrible beast and destroy any ship to near her island. And no matter how much she tries to fight against it, Jos has no power over the curse only the strongest of sedation magic can overpower it." Raven shook her head. "And sometimes I can... and sometimes I can't..."

Cam tilted her head. "Are you that powerful?"

Raven arched her brow as a smile teased her lips. "More or less... though it's not always been used for good, I try to focus it toward better ventures nowadays. Maybe one of these days, when I'm not completely exhausted, I'll tell you more, give you a better demonstration." She shook her head against the footboard. "Just not today, I beat." She nodded toward Jos. "She should be back to normal in a day or so if you'd like to come back then."

Cam nodded but couldn't get the images out of her mind the whole way home.