The Broken Crown

Innocence

"I will not argue with an Alpha," she replies. It is not that I have intimidated her or perhaps given her my strongly-stated opinion, but I can tell she does not care why I am eavesdropping. She is here for another reason.

"What can I help you with?"

"Who said I needed anything?"

"The fact that you have come to me and do not present your face. You want to tell me something or ask for something," I point out, crossing my arms as I lean back in my chair.

The woman remains hidden in the darkness, wearing it like a cloak. "I was once like you in a sense. I was never an alpha, but I had a sense of duty to the people who gave their loyalty to me. When I heard the daughter of Lily Maxwell had reclaimed her title and pack, I wanted to meet Leala Maxwell."

"And what have you come to conclude from me?" I question, cocking my head to the side as I try and figure out who this woman could be. She talks as if she may have known my mother a little, or at least heard of her like all have.

"I am still waiting on my final decision."

"So you have just started to watch me then?"

"Something of the sort. I have heard much of you from the mouth of others," she replies, "but if I were you, I would not waste your time anymore with someone like me tonight. Go off and do your searching. I'll make my decision and return to you when I have made up my mind."

Nodding, I rise to my feet, my curiosity only growing as to who this woman could be. "I look forward to hearing your decision." Walking off, I exit the room and am back into the hallway where I see the stone wall has closed back up and everyone is gone.

Heading to the wall which was just open, I can hear the faint humming from behind the wall. My fingers feel fuzzy against the wall, almost prickly as I apply more pressure. Magic is what holds it closed to the unwanted guest, but what lies behind it? Pressing my ear against the cold wall, I try and see if I can hear voices from behind it, but nothing comes except the humming. Sighing, I pull away and look back down the hall wondering where everyone went. Did River already exit or is there a chance I could catch him leaving?

The longer I stand beside the wall, the further the humming digs into my skull, my ears lightly tingling as I feel the effects of magic. My fingers soon turn numb, no longer feeling the pressure of the wall against my skin as I pull away, wondering just how old this magic could be. I have heard this is a difference between illusions and actual cast spells, for a greater source of magic and knowledge is needed by the magician to cast a spell which does not just confuse. I will not be able to walk through the wall, but if this is an illusion, what could the magic be cloaking?

My fingers run over the wall, the rough stones smooth against my tingling fingertips as I try and find a place where my fingers may catch on. Perhaps this could be a simple door made to look like a wall or perhaps it is truly a magical door and not just some illusion cast on the eyes of those who should find what lays behind the wall.

Finding no luck, I pull away from the door and look down the hallway to make sure no one will pass me by. Looking back once more to the wall, a small flicker upon the wall erupts like a pebble dropped in water, creating a ripple against the stones as I watch a glimmering sheet vibrate quickly and then return back to normal. As I take a step back, the humming turns into a high-pitch ringing, my hands shooting up to cover my ears instantly as I wince in the sharp pain it causes my ears.

A woman cloaked in black stands before the glimmering wall, her icy blue eyes staring at me, as if I am the only thing which exists in this entire hallway. Raising her hand, she reaches out to me, inviting me to take hold of her hand covered in black leather gloves. Her long jet black locks fall below her waist in loose curls, her pale skin appearing almost like a ghost in the darkness of the hallway. She is not elf nor werewolf, for she has no distinct features to tell me so. If anything, she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, with her ruby colored lips, delicate oval face, and skin lacking any slight blemish.