The Unhappy Heart (Book 1 of The Wolfheart Trilogy)

18. A Confession and a Solution

But as he sank into the chair by the fireplace, he still continued to study the boy closely. When Harriet finally finished, and Dagen muttered his thanks, Hugo spoke.

"Come here, kiddo."

Dagen turned to him. He walked over slowly, as if hesitant to approach the older man. As he walked past Ruffian who lay stretched out at his master's feet, Dagen accidentally trod on the dog's tail. 

Ruffian reacted aggressively. He sprang to his feet with a loud bark, the hair rising on his neck. Startled by the sudden noise, Dagen leapt back and tripped over Harriet's foot stool. He fell heavily to the ground and scrambled back until he pressed up against the wall. His hands clutched at his head, as he breathed heavily. He had just regained control of himself, when something grabbed his arm. Dagen jolted back, his eyes flashing yellow, and his lips curling back in a snarl. But in the same moment, there was an alarmed cry and whatever held his wrist let go, as someone flung their arms about him. He froze, slowly turning to look up into Andrea's pale face.

"Andrea?" he asked in confusion. His mind seemed hazy and blank.

Andrea just held his gaze long enough to see his eyes settle slowly back to their blue shade, before turning to scold Hugo.

 "Why did you grab him like that? Can't you see that you startled him."

"You didn't tell us he was one of them too," Hugo snapped back at her, gesturing at Dagen. "What else did you leave out? You can't just go trusting everyone you meet, Andrea."

"But-" Andrea went to protest, but Hugo held up his hand cutting her off.

"Go to the barn and play with your calf," he told her. "And take Ruffian with you. I want to talk with him alone."

Andrea glared at him but did as she was told. As she passed Harriet, the old healer gave her a reassuring nod. As soon as she was out the door, Hugo roughly pulled Dagen to his feet and pushed him into the nearest chair.

"Right, now explain yourself. Why is Andrea so important to you and to all of this?"

Dagen scowled at them. "She told you all that. I need her to help unite the mages and people. She is unbiased unlike all others and has quickly made friends with several on both sides. I didn't always mean for it to go this way, but she got herself mixed up when she got the wolf caught. It just went on from there."

"Do you personally know the wolf?" asked Hugo. "You don't seem like the kind to just help anyone."

Dagen fell silent for a moment. He looked down at his hands and the struggle showed upon his face, as he conflicted with himself on how to answer. He gave up with a sigh. 

"I know," he said slowly, choosing his words with care. "I know what it is like to have a beast within me. I know what it is like when you become more beast than human. And I would give anything to change that...to be normal again. But I can't cure what I am. Felan, however can. So, I want to help him." He looked away again, his hands unconsciously picking at the loose threads of his tunic. "I have watched the wolf for many months now. I knew he was different and suspected that perhaps he was more than just an animal. He was struggling to survive when I first met him, perhaps it couldn't even be called surviving. He was basically just skin and bones back then. I left food for him whenever I could spare it. I always wanted to help him."

Hugo nodded, but he was not at all convinced. "So, you have some good Samaritan spirit after all. But what about Andrea? When she told the full story earlier, she let slip that you had been the one to save her. But you were not in sight when I found her lying in the cold. Do you care to explain that?"