The walk back up the path, to what I referred to as a city in the mountain, remained silent except for the wind blowing through the leaves of the trees, the rushing water of the rivers and waterfalls, and the sounds of bird songs filling the air, carried along the breeze. Okelo walked in front of me with Serid strapped to her back, sound asleep. His head flopped forward and a small stream of saliva dripped down his chubby chin. His cheeks were puffy, and his dark hair laid straggled in chunks of waves along his head. He seemed so perfect and so small.
I wondered about what Okelo had told me and if it would excuse being rejected by Marren. A lot remained to this world I had yet to discover, and these customs his people cling to so desperately, seemed so farfetched and ridiculous. Having a child would seem like means for celebration, not seclusion and abandonment. What’s worse was to find out from Marren’s second and not him. I had already considered he’d been keeping something from me, but he should have thought better than to think I would shun any part of him I could have.
The path opened up to the larger one leading to the main gates. Before reaching the giant doors sealing the inside of the rock city from the outside world of the immortal realm, Okelo turned abruptly and stared off behind me, over my right shoulder. I lifted my hand to touch her and ask if something happened, but she blinked and smiled at me.
“I need to warn you…” she began.
“About what?” I couldn’t hide the worry in my voice no more than I could control the way my heart reacted with Marren around.
“It’s about the child you’re carrying…don’t mention it, especially to the other Ancients. It may make their position regarding you shift in the wrong direction. The best thing to do is to keep it to yourself for now. You’re walking along a delicate line in an even more delicate balance. Be careful of who you trust.”
I blinked and slowly nodded. I wanted to ask questions to further my understanding, but she turned around with a smile and proceeded to walk to the doors that opened as she approached. I shut my mouth, figuring it was better not to stir murky waters. I needed to find Marren to get some answers. Answers I would get, else he wanted to spend the next two hundred years of his life sleeping alone. I followed Okelo inside and where I turned left, she turned right.
I followed the hall to another werewolf and asked if they would take me to the room, somewhat ashamed I didn’t remember the way, but my mind remained too stubborn to allow me to think of anything but the remaining secrets Marren still kept from me. Lucky enough, the werewolf seemed happy to oblige. I decided on a whim before we reached the door to the room, to ask him where Marren was.
“He’s having a counsel with some of his commanding officers. I can send a message to him if you would like?”
“No, I hoped you would take me to him?”
“I’m sorry, my lady, but he’s given strict orders to make sure you don’t go running around. I need to make sure you remain comfortable in your room.”
I stopped, turned sharply toward the werewolf, and raised an eyebrow to symbolize my seriousness with the matter. “You can deliver him a message. You can tell Marren if he wants me as a prisoner, he’ll need to fight me. I’m not going to sit around and be held captive in a room anymore. I can help, and he knows it.”
“My lady, I’m sorry, but if you don’t go to your room, I will force you.”
A glint of fear shone in his eyes. He even swallowed hard. I sighed. “I’m sorry as well. I’m no prisoner, and I don’t expect to be treated like one without due explanation.”
I turned around, stomping off in an aimless direction, with the idea of opening every door until I found Marren.
***
I stared at the back of the door on the inside of my room. My arms crossed over my chest and my legs crossed at the knee. I bounced the top one furiously while sitting in the wooden chair that adorned the room. I glared at the door, hoping it would burst into white fire and scorch the guard on the other side—who, along with a few others—was all too willing to help the werewolf I mistakenly asked for help. The other ones, I can forgive. But this one and I have a score to settle.
I had exhausted my last means of defiance by destroying almost every piece of furniture in the room I could toss against the door. The only things left standing was the chair and the bed, and though I still had enough anger in me to fight a year’s worth of wars, my energy ebbed.
Every time I thought of how the brute picked me up with both hands, like he would a child, carried me into the room, sat me firmly down on the bed, and then turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him with no emotion, no words, no fight, it re-ignited the burning fire of anger within me, making it so powerful I could spit lightning bolts. Nothing dimmed the fury within.
A faint shuffling came from the other side of the door and even fainter sound of whispers. I knew who it was by the sigh that carried an undertone of an exasperated growl.
Think twice before coming into this room.