The Beta Queen

Chapter 2

The clashing of swords, reverberated throughout the entire courtyard accompanied by loud grunts. I watched Cara and the Master of Arms Ryan battled it out. I was hardly surprised as I watched her parry with a sword in either hand, pushing her teacher back. He had come from the human region, a man that Cullen had presented to Cara as a birthday present to help her with skills in human weaponry, an area of fighting that she had take a deep rooted interest in.

She had begun clumsy and unable to move naturally with her weapons but the more she trained, the faster her growth accelerated and now she was more than just well versed in all areas of combat. It was a part of her. Beside me, Melina sat nose buried deep into her book, she didn't seem at all disturbed by the loud noises that rang throughout the area.

I watched her almost as intently as I had watched Cara. It was so fascinating to observe how someone's facial expressions changed when they were doing what they loved the most. Her face was relaxed and serene but her eyes they were on fire, sweeping past each word and engorging herself in the information. I wondered whether I ever had that look on my face, it had been such a long time since I'd really enjoyed anything.

"Izarra" I looked up at the sound of my name, immediately sourcing Kione at the entrance of the courtyard.

Melina looked up briefly politely smiling before finding her place once more. The clangs had not stopped and as I looked over my shoulder I found Cara was still deep in concentration. For a moment though she looked up and met my eyes, the passionate fire raging as she sent me a cheeky smile. She enjoyed it when I was here to watch her, I guess it was really what had made me change my mind about her fighting. I saw how much she learned from it, how much it made her happy and as her mother it was a sight to behold.

When I reached Kione I gave her a quick hug, I had not seen her in two weeks. She would often disappear for weeks at a time, doing Goddess knew what. I had tried to find out on many occasions but she had always just put it down to some far future related affairs, too confusing and obscure for me to get my head around.

I couldn't help but notice the smell of Moongrove on her. It was subtle but it lingered on her skin. Moongrove was a large white tree that only bloomed under a full moon, it had great healing properties and similar to Lunacloves was always a protective plant. It was however only found to the west of Krysta in a small region of the kingdom called Kahion, my wandered sudden question popping up in my head. What would she have been doing there? It was after all a region ruled by one the seven Alphas.

One look at her face however and I realised now was not the time nor the place.

"The council informed me of your decision" she said, not bothering with greetings or formalities

"You don't agree?"

We began to walk out of the courtyard and into the main palace, skirting the outsides so we would have enough privacy to talk comfortably. I trusted my staff but I knew as well as anybody that the Seven clearly had informants somewhere within the castle and no matter what I might feel or think about those around me, not everyone was working for me.

"Don't you think its a little risky? What if Kai takes this as a sign?"

I scoffed

"Well the fault would lie with him then. The council made a valid point, I have to at least seem as though I'm looking. I will not go through another war over something so small"

"Izarra... this isn't a small matter. This is your mate we're discussing. You and Kai... you won't get another chance if you ruin things again"

I gritted my teeth and paused in my footsteps turning to face the woman who had become my best friend and perhaps even my most trustworthy advisor, well in every other matter except those revolving around Kai.