His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 102: Chosen (2)

Eryx let me process his words about my parents. I don’t believe my mother was a Chosen. She was an innocent, sweet, good person, and so incredibly, blindly in love with my father.

"No," I whispered, breathless, as I felt my insides churn. "My mother was not a siren or a witch. I don’t believe she was Chosen either. She was just good." Plain and simple. A light that cast the shadows aside in the bleary North.

To this day, I couldn’t comprehend how quickly the nobles turned against her—my mother, Ysilda. How my father... my father cast her aside, disregarding the sacred mating bond, a gift by the Goddess. She wasn’t a chosen mate but his soulmate, his destined other half—forsaken for Deyanira.

The memories of her loving persona are like a constant blade hacking at my chest over and over again. I always blocked it out, even little snippets. She told me to survive, and I have, the only way I could, casting aside my grief, my pain and my vengeance for her last promise.

My head started to throb with a headache, and I rubbed at it to dull the pain. Eryx watched me and dropped the subject of my mother. "Alright," he said softly. "I didn’t mean to upset you. But you know her execution-"

"Yes she was wrongly accused," I hiss, my eyes burned with the hatred that had been building up inside me, ready to spill but I blinked it away and looked to the side, adding, "I know this. So, is that what you wished to tell me? Your conclusion that I must be either Chosen or High Fae?"

I needed the distraction. I needed it. Just to hold myself together.

A Chosen was a rare Were gifted with extraordinary abilities. These powers could be anything and weren’t necessarily tied to their wolf nature. I suspected Faidon was one of them, given his speciality with shadows, but I never commented on it. Not everyone accepted the Chosen; some saw their differences as a threat and would go as far as hunting them down. They were simply too different.

Others saw them as gods embodied in Were form—a blend of fearsome power and awe-inspiring presence.

I could see why Eryx believed my mother might have been one. She had been loved by everyone and then was beheaded in less than one year. I pushed away the thoughts of my beloved mother, refusing to let them take hold.

"Yes. It could explain a few things unless Deyanira’s poison has been working in your system, holding your wolf back." I blew out a breath at his words, still unable to meet his eyes. "I smelt the concoction. Faidon managed to get a sample back to me."

I glanced at him then. "He is well enough to work?"

Eryx raised his cup to his mouth, nonchalant as he held my gaze. "It is his own choice." After he took a sip of the khave he continued, "It has aconite in as well as some poisons we are looking into."

I tilted my head. "So?"

Irritation flared in Eryx’s gaze, his jaw tightening. "So you’ve been poisoning any potential wolf in your body willingly?"

I rolled my eyes and sat back on the sofa, finished with the khave, as I fixed him with a pointed look. "I don’t have a wolf, so it doesn’t affect me like that."

If I did, I wouldn’t bound my wolf to the chains of aconite. If I had a wolf, my life would have been easier.

Eryx stood suddenly after slamming his cup down and leaned his hand against the back of my sofa, his knee resting on the cushion beside my leg. He glared down at me. "You knew what you were taking," his voice was quiet with icy rage. "How long have you been taking her poisons?"

I said nothing as my heart thumped louder and louder the longer we stared at each other. "I did what I had to survive," I said slowly, clearly, my chin rising. "You wouldn’t understand that, Your Highness. You have a close circle of people you trust. I have none."

A soft ripping sound in the sofa revealed Eryx’s claws elongating. "You have me now. You have us. Put your faith into that."

I chuckled lightly, but there was no hint of humour in it. Eryx drew closer, those eyes the only thing I could see as they held mine captive. "Why won’t you trust me? I am to be your mate. I understand you are in a constant state of survival. I’m here now. Trust me," His voice was like soft velvet, low with a rumble.

My heart fluttered in response, in the way his eyes sought mine to trust him. "I..." He has done contradicting things but as of late, he’s proven himself. Or maybe that is what I would like to think. "At the moment I can’t even trust myself," I blurted out then sealed my lips together.

"Why?"

I looked away.

His hand cupped my face. "Why do you say that, Idalia?" He urged his hand so warm and inviting, his scent caressing my skin, trying to mould into me.

"Because..." I looked down, but he didn’t allow it, my chin remaining still. "Soren..."

My heart was beating more wildly now. I haven’t spoken to Soren yet. I can’t tell him. No. I sensed Eryx would lose control if he knew Soren was the one who attempted my assassination. I was Eryx’s easy way to make the peace treaty work, and Soren almost caused his plan to fail.

"Go on," Eryx whispered. I blinked back, only to realise we were incredibly close.

My eyes narrowed on him, and I knocked his hand away before pushing at his chest. He didn’t move because, of course, he didn’t move! "Ugh." I pushed at his chest again. Eryx arched an eyebrow. "Stop trying to charm your way into getting answers! It won’t work! Now give me some space!"

Eryx pulled back slightly and cocked his head to the side. "If it doesn’t work, why do you need space?"

"Ugh! Because I cannot breathe!"

Eryx smirked, but like smoke in the wind, his amusement vanished. "I mean what I say. If you need to trust someone, it should be me. Think about it, and think about what I said."

Huh? "Chosen, High Fae," he added quietly. I scowled, and he backed away, giving me a meaningful stare. "Rest."