Howlin' For You [#Wattys2015]

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I didn't know if I should be scared for my life or if I should be relieved.

Wren climbed into my arms and I tiredly hugged him to my chest.

We were finally here - and by here, I meant this castle where I'd either be brutally murdered or where I'd get to see my mother again.

Probably both.

Wren bumped the back of his head to my forehead when he looked towards the top of the castle. I feel like we're at a medieval festival that serves us without eating utensils.

The castle was at least two hundred feet tall and was surrounded by a lake with only one bridge leading to the gates of the castle. A fairly sized stable lay on the edge of the circular land, nearly touching the lake. It wasn't that long, the land was about a few acres.

"Roan," I craned my head to my left to look up at him.

He gazed down on me with an unknown expression settling in his eyes.

I shouldn't put him in this position, to be the bearer of bad news but I needed to know. Wren slid from my arms and clutched my pants.

"Are we going to be okay here?" I searched his face for any clues and for once he looked conflicted and his jaw was set in a hard line.

"I don't know."

He actually looked pained to say that and it made me worry for what was about to come. His hand disappeared into his cloak and brought out one of my black throwing knives.

"I'm hoping you won't need to use this."

He bent down and slipped the knife into a pocket in my boot.

"Is my mother here?" I bit my lip.

As if he felt like he owed me, he nodded. His hand skillfully tucked my pants into my boots in a way that concealed the knife.

"Thank you," I whispered, looking down at Wren's wide eyes.

"Is mine here too?" He asked wide eyed at Roan.

Still in his crouched position, he brushed Wren's chin with his finger. "Sorry, bud," he apologised, looking genuinely sad. "She's not."

My heart broke at the crestfallen look on the young boys face. It seems to break him every time he's told that he can't see his mother.

"Will you do me a favor?" Roan asked, as Wren begins to pout in an attempt to hide his tears.

He nodded his head softly, allowing Roan to continue.

"There's a king in there," he told him, sternly. "A mean king." He quickly glanced up towards me, indicating that what he was about to say applied to me too.

"Don't look at him unless he addresses you. Don't provoke him either." He directed the last statement towards me and I blushed.

Roan listed a long line of other things not to do to the King that basically said don't mess with the King or you'll die.

"You're not selling us to the King are you?" I half-joked, but I was the only one who found it a bit entertaining.

Roan kept his anger in check but I didn't miss when he dug a claw into his palm. "No."

He made his way towards the bridge.

I felt guilty when I tugged his arm before he got too far. "Let's not end this on a bad note, okay? Y'know, in case we, um..." I didn't want to say die out loud in front of Wren.