His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 88: Ancient Beings (1)

Eryx threw his head back and barked in laughter. Cohnal stands beside him impassively, the almost-friendly face I’d grown used to was gone now and standing before us was the Beta of the Southern Weres. Alaric’s face grew stony as he stared at the Alpha Prince.

Sigurd’s usual temper flared, demanding with a growl, "What is so funny?"

Ivar whips his head to look at his brother, his ponytail almost smacking him in the face as he did so. The stern look he gave his brother only made Sigurd ask, "What?"

I sigh. Still not wishing to directly speak with Eryx, my gaze locked on the table I suggest quietly, "I think thanks are in order first before we begin demanding our... friends of their knowledge."

Tension grew only a while longer as we waited for Alaric to make his decision. Our shoulders relaxed after Alaric acknowledged the Southern Weres properly, loosing a breath and said, "Princess Idalia is right. I am grateful to you and your men for protecting this palace while I was absent last night."

"Is that why you interrogated us like so this morning?" Cohnal asks, his voice calm while his eyes were sharp on the men in the room. It was clear he felt at an advantage being in a closed room with Weres that weren’t exactly welcoming them. They were outnumbered to us.

"That was necessary," Rynak clips, surprising us all at his little outburst. The aide is usually neutral especially when dealing with envoys or those not within this close knitted circle. "In order for the nobles to stop claiming you are only here to cause havoc."

"That is enough," Alaric states, his voice rumbling, the command in the air to the Southern Weres in the chamber to be on their best behaviour.

All the while, Eryx never looked away from me. I could feel his amused gaze weighing on me as he strode further into the room making it shrink under his powerful presence. The brothers tensed as he walked behind them, the only indication they did not like their backs to a potential threat. "First," he begins, that deep voice commanding the attention of the room. "I want to know something before I tell you what we know."

Hakon’s chest rumbles but he doesn’t voice his distaste, instead restraining himself. However, Sigurd was not like our Beta. "Was our thanks not enough?!"

Ivar glares at his brother, and I can see a private conversation zapping between their eyes either by mind link or a shared womb. Holding his brother’s gaze, Ivar says, "He does not speak for us."

They really are at odds today. Perhaps it is because they are also cranky from lack of sleep.

"Quiet," Alaric sighs and gestures towards the free seat beside me.

I stiffen as I sense his warmth close to me passing by and when he sits all I can smell is mouthwatering clover and pine scent. Still, I do not look at him and from the light rumbling of his chest it is starting to annoy him. I don’t refrain from the smirk tugging at my lips.

"For a while now we have been facing attacks among the villages that have been gradually getting closer to the palace," Alaric cut straight to the point. "Each attack happened within a few hours at night time, leaving bodies either drained of blood, their hearts ripped out or they weren’t recognisable."

Cohanl’s expression paled and I saw his gaze flick to Eryx.

"Last night the attack was further away but we Sig and Ivar were tipped off. We went to see off the attack and were too late. This time there were few survivors, children, and some had been taken as hostages."

Again I watch as Cohnal and Eryx share a look. "Whatever it is. Tell us." I state. "You know of these creatures?"

Eryx sighs and Cohnal steps forward. "What have you done with the children?"

I frown as do the others. "We have offered them a home here for the time being," Alaric answers like that was the obvious action they could take.

I too am confused.

"Have you checked up on them?" Cohnal urges, his expression hard to read.

"Spit it out," I command and his back straightens.

"If what you say is true," Eryx says instead. "You are dealing with Blood Wraiths."

I blinked back at the term. I was sure I’d heard it before or read about it somewhere...

"Blood Wraiths," he continues. "Are of an ancient species, one that had allegedly still been walking the lands even to this day. We were all brought up on the stories of the creatures of lore. The Blood Wraiths are a part of them."

"Blood Wraiths..." Sigurd murmurs and quietens immediately under Hakon’s hard stare.

"The Blood Wraiths were known to drink the blood of humans, Weres, anything."

"Drink?" Rykan gags, his features going a little squeamish. I cringe a little wondering if we needed a bucket. Then Eryx’s words finally register.

"Why?" I ask, still looking at the table though my curiosity finally caves and I glance at Eryx’s face to find him looking at me.

"We do not know why. Maybe it is an act of war, or maybe it is for nutritional purposes."

Rykan gags again. "Nurtritional... What sort of demon-"

"Exactly," Cohnal interrupts the aide. "They are part of Daemon Fae."

"Daemon... Fae..." Alaric trails off and looks at Eryx again. "I have heard these terms only from some stories... Not the Blood Wraith but fae... as in fairies..."

"That is what I believe attacked the palace last night. Someone of that power would be of High Fae," Eryx explains, those striking eyes sweeping over the room.

"So... The two attacks are related. Is that what you are claiming?" Sigurd asked, rubbing at the stubble along his jaw.

"They might be. But we cannot confirm it," Eryx says sounding unsure. "The Blood Wraiths aren’t part of the High Fae."

"You just said they were..." Sigurd growled, irritated and squeezing his hand into a fist.

"No, I said they were Daemon Fae. I cannot claim we know everything but we held onto the stories and the truth that lie in it as a reminder how power can rapidly shift. If you are dealing with Blood Wraiths causing such attacks then they aren’t the only ones of Lore returning to these lands."