A curse of shadows a wol.., p.11
A Curse of Shadows: A Wolf Shifter Romantasy Standalone, page 11
As if his first romantic speech hadn’t been enough to be my undoing. Driven by an impulse I can’t control, I rise onto the balls of my feet, giving in to the desire to taste the truth of Asher’s words on his lips. My fingers, trembling with a mixture of nerves and anticipation, clutch at the lapels of his jacket. He closes the slight distance between us with a step, his intentions as clear as mine.
When our lips meet, it’s like a spark igniting into a blaze. My mouth parts, inviting a more profound connection, and our tongues explore in a tender, searching dance. The kiss deepens, fueled by a yearning that has waited centuries to be sated. The scent of cedar, somehow both wild and comforting, envelops me as Asher angles his head, devouring me. His hands find my waist, pulling me closer against him, his body a solid wall of warmth.
A low rumble vibrates from his chest, resonating against my own heart as he presses me gently against the cool, hard surface of the wall. The world narrows down to the space between us, every nerve ending alight with electric need. But just as the kiss promises to spiral into something unstoppable, he pulls back abruptly, a storm of emotion swirling in his eyes.
As he turns his face away, the sharp lines of his jaw are tense. “Gods, you have no idea how painful that was to stop,” he growls, his chest heaving just as much as mine, “but we shouldn’t do this here.”
My breath catches, the sudden loss of his warmth leaving me momentarily adrift as I glance around, seeing the shadow of someone running up the stairs. When I look back at Asher wearing his kingly wardrobe, I’m forced to remember that he’s not just any man, as much as I might wish otherwise.
“I’m sor—” I start to say, but he kisses me quickly, just once more.
“Don’t ever apologize for kissing me,” he says, words filled with an air of authority. “I’m not ashamed of loving you in front of the world. I more meant that we shouldn’t get too carried away right here.”
My fingers lightly touch my lips as I grin because he’s right. Not caring where we were, I had no plans of stopping.
“Right,” I say, smoothing my hands over his vest and sash. “And you have a meeting to get to.”
The rumble in his chest makes me smile wider, especially when he says, “If it didn’t have to do with Elodee, then I would cancel it.”
“Are you bringing her here?” I ask with unmasked excitement, remembering that he didn’t answer me earlier. “And what about Grayson? Is he okay?”
His hands hold me close. “There’s much more I need to share with you privately, but right now, all I can say is that Elodee is coming here. We’re going to give her a sleeping concoction and bring her back today. She’ll wake in your room and after the two of us have spoken, you’ll get to be the one to tell her everything else. As for Grayson, he’s just fine. I healed him and he’s helping bring Elodee back.”
The elation that fills me from those words has me feeling as if I could jump from the roof and fly. “She’s coming here now? Like, right now?” I grab his suit coat again and kiss him, just not as thoroughly as a few moments ago. “Thank you, Asher. For that, and for Grayson. You have no idea what this means to me.”
He smiles in return, but the gesture doesn’t quite light up his face like I expect. “Anything for you, Issie.”
I thought Grayson was the only one to call me that, but I don’t hate the nickname coming from Asher as well.
“There’s more to discuss,” he adds. “But I really do need to go. I’ll meet you in your room in an hour.”
His lips press against the top of my head as he holds me close for only a brief second before he’s bounding back up the stairs again.
I stand there, leaning against the wall and grinning like a fool. Three days ago, I thought I’d died or was stuck in some twisted dream. Now, I may have no clue what’s going to happen next, but I do know that I’m no longer afraid of what’s to come.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
ASHER
Something deep inside is unraveling. I know Isla is going to be the end of me—a sweet, intoxicating demise, but a demise nonetheless. Our kiss on the stairwell made me briefly forget who and what I’m supposed to be, a lapse that even now sends ripples through the steadfast façade I maintain as king. She’s once again, and very quickly, become my core, my singular focus, and while I’m consumed with gratitude that she’s back, I’m equally haunted by the constraints of my responsibilities.
The words Grayson uttered have ignited a slow-burning fury within me. I thought I had considered every possibility—her leaving of her own volition, or worse, her being taken from me—but none made sense. There were no demands made, no enemies claiming victory, and an unsettling silence on her whereabouts.
Part of me had reluctantly accepted the possibility that she had simply chosen to walk away without reason. But now, the prospect that she might have been forcibly cursed to Earth changes everything. If this proves to be the case, nothing will stop me from uncovering the truth and exacting a bitter vengeance.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my heart before stepping into this meeting with my advisory council. I was hoping to avoid this, but that’s part of the job as king. I can’t ignore everything for days on end without the council being forced to check where my head is at. That is their job, after all.
Pushing open the doors to the meeting room on the fourth floor, I’m greeted with the faces of four of my five council members. Malimorte has already departed for Earth with Grayson. Though no one in this room is aware of that fact.
I should be able to tell them, but I’m not going to. Nobody else needs to know what we’re up to until I have more answers. I won’t risk Isla’s life by sharing too much information.
“Your Majesty,” Arthur says, the eldest of my advisory team, having even served under my father. He rises first as I close the doors behind me and bows, casting his dark eyes downward briefly. “Thank you for meeting with us today with all you have going on.”
They might have requested the meeting, and I could have denied, but that’s not the kind of ruler I’ve chosen to be. While I don’t intend on telling them more than they need to know to feel at peace with the arrival of my mate, they still deserve my presence until I learn otherwise.
“Of course,” I say, taking my seat at the head of the table. “I apologize for not sending word sooner.”
Henree, sitting on my left, clears his throat. “Yes, Your Majesty. We were surprised Malimorte didn’t report anything to us and that he was unable to join us now.”
“He has an urgent family matter that I’ve encouraged him to deal with,” I explain, something Mali and I already discussed in private as his cover for being gone. As my primary advisor, it’s not often he’s missing from my side for these things like this.
“I see, Sire.” Henree adjusts the silver bowtie at his neck as his golden eyes glance across the table. “Isaac, will you get us started, then?”
Isaac, the second oldest member of my council, meets my stare. His dark-hazel eyes narrow ever so slightly before he begins to speak. “The people have voiced concerns about the rumors they’ve heard of Ms. Blackwood being here to reject you. How should we respond to this, my king?”
My blood boils on the inside from the reminder that I almost lost her a second time and what I was forced to do to prevent that. Still, I keep my expression controlled and I flatten my palms over my thighs beneath the table. “Princess Isla, as she should now be called, is not here for a rejection. We’re unsure at this time what happened to her before as her memories are not what they should be, but she is here to stay for now.”
“And that is information we’re allowed to share, Your Majesty?” Archie, the recorder and history expert of the group, asks. He peeks up at me, his salt-and-pepper hair falling across his gaze.
“Yes,” I say tersely. “The people have nothing to worry about where Isla is concerned. She’s adjusting and we will update when there’s something more to share.”
“Will she be the next queen, Sire?” Arthur asks next, a valid question, but unfortunately, one I can’t answer yet.
“This is my pack, my land, my people,” I say with authority. “I have given my life to them, doing everything needed to keep them well cared for, protected, and everything in between. If anyone wants to know anything more before we’re ready to share, perhaps remind them of the many centuries I have spent proving my loyalty and ask for their patience in return.”
“Yes, my king,” Arthur replies, but he doesn’t meet my steady gaze, letting me know my answer isn’t enough for them.
I’m not surprised by that, but it’s all I can offer at this time. While the people of my territory have always been important to me, I won’t hold them above Isla. I’m sure that’s exactly what they’re concerned with now, but I can keep my mate’s privacy secure while also making sure our land is protected from threats.
“What else is on the agenda for the day?” I press, hoping the conversation of Isla is handled for the moment.
Henree speaks up next. “Noen and Declan, they’re due back soon. Have you heard how their negotiations are going with Selaris, Your Highness?”
A topic I don’t mind discussing.
“I haven’t spoken to them myself in a few days, but Malimorte let me know before he left that things are going as expected,” I explain. “We should be getting the minerals we need for our crops in exchange for lumber and the families who have requested to move have been approved with new members joining us from their lands as well.”
The last part is my least-favorite part of negotiations. Approving members of my pack to leave isn’t something I enjoy because typically, it means they’re not happy here. Though sometimes, it’s as simple as mates finding one another and being from different islands. Someone always has to move, and I’ve never denied my people their happiness by forcing them to stay.
The biggest downside is bringing in new wolves from other islands. I haven’t had a threat made against my crown in over a century, but bringing in those who have been raised under a different leader never fails to make me wonder if one could return.
Our four islands have operated smoothly for years, but everything is surface-level diplomatic. One misstep and any deals we’ve made for peace could come crashing down around us.
“Speaking of new members…” Arthur says, looking over a piece of paper in front of him.
As I navigate through the rest of the meeting, my thoughts stray, unbidden, to Isla. Her image—the taste of her kiss, the sound of her laughter—invades my senses, a vivid reminder of what I’ve regained. The meeting drags, each minute an eternity away from her.
Once dismissed, I’m left with the echo of my council’s concerns, but none weigh as heavily as the need to protect Isla. I know what I must do. The kingdom can wait. For now, my heart cannot.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ISLA
It’s been hours since I’ve returned to my room. Cain brought me lunch and updated me on Asher, stating his meeting is running longer than usual, but that he will be with me soon. Though Cain has nothing to say about the subject I’m most excited about right now.
Elodee.
She could be here tonight. I could have my best friend with me and she can properly freak out with me over the unreal reality that this world, and everything in it, actually exists.
I’ve spent the afternoon weighing everything I’ve learned about this strange, enchanting place. Aside from missing Elodee, I find few downsides. Even the daunting prospect of turning into a wolf sparks more curiosity than fear as I lounge in the bath, my mind swirling with what-ifs.
Attempting yoga on my bed after bathing, I seek the elusive peace that might connect me to the wolf Asher insists lingers within me, a creature reborn through death and time. The notion feels like a myth, an ancient tale told by a fireside, under the stars.
Still, no new memories have surfaced and I haven’t sensed another being hanging inside my head, but I have decided that I want to see Asher’s wolf. I’m pretty sure that was him I saw the first night I was on the balcony. He was so far away and it was dark. I think if I’m going to bring my animal spirit to the surface, I need to better understand how all this works.
What does it take to transform from human to beast? Who is in control? How do I change back? What happens to my clothes? So many questions and not enough answers to come by as I sit here alone.
I get up from the bed and head to the small desk to grab pen and paper. My mental list feels as if it has hit capacity. I need to start writing these things down before I forget some of the more important pieces.
After filling up nearly two pages of notes, there’s finally a knock at my door. I drop my notes onto the end table and before I take a step away from the bed, Asher is letting himself in.
His sapphire eyes light up the moment they settle on me, causing a warmth to spread throughout my chest. I take a step forward, then hesitate.
I barely know this man. I shouldn’t want to wrap my arms around him the second he’s within my sights. I shouldn’t want to taste him again and wonder how much he was holding back earlier because we were in public.
Yet my skin tingles in anticipation and my muscles bunch, wanting to leap forward into his embrace.
“Isla,” he cautions, his voice a low thrum. “As a wolf shifter, my senses are… acute.” He steps closer, his gaze intense, predatory as he inhales deeply. “And right now, your thoughts are like a siren to the beast within me.”
Oh.
Oh.
Son of a… He can smell my thoughts? Or probably more like the reaction my body is having to said thoughts.
I’m in so much trouble.
“I’m sorry.” I step back until I’m pressed against the mattress behind me.
He continues to stride forward, not stopping until he’s standing in front of me. Close enough to feel the heat rolling off his skin but never actually touching me.
“Never apologize for your desires.” His words come out layered with a rumble that lights my inside on fire.
And when he strokes the back of his fingers gently over my cheek, my eyes flutter closed as I grip the comforter behind me, doing my best to stay upright.
Seconds tick by as I lose myself to the velvet of his touch. My previous racing thoughts are nothing but a distant memory until he speaks again.
“You should know, we have Elodee.” His words are like ice water over my senses.
My eyes snap back open and stare up at him, still standing close. “Where is she?”
I move to pass him, but he catches my wrist, his grip gentle yet firm. “Before you see her, there’s something you must know.”
Anxiety clenches my stomach. “If someone hurt her—”
His soft chuckle cuts me off. “Nothing like that. She’s in perfect health, sleeping soundly in the next room, even, but you need to understand who she is before you see her again so that you can explain everything to her when she wakes.”
I struggle for breath, my hands starting to tremble. “What do you mean?”
Losing Elodee will kill me, so if Asher is about to tell me she can’t stay, I don’t know what I’ll do.
His next words are a cautious whisper. “You once told Grayson she was like your soul sister.” I nod in confirmation before he continues. “You were more right than you knew. Issie, she is your sister.”
“I’m sorry. What?” My eyes feel as if they’re going to pop right out of their sockets as I shake my head. “We were foster siblings. What do you mean, she’s my sister?”
“Before you vanished, you had a sister named Estee,” he explains, his voice gentle. “Nobody has brought her up to you because we didn’t want to hurt you while you were still processing so much. We thought that she’d died and chosen not to come back. Now, we believe whatever happened to you, Estee must have figured it out and the same thing happened to her.”
The room spins as I absorb his words. This reshapes everything I thought I knew and all I’ve yet to understand. “Why would anyone want to harm us?” I whisper, the question a weight in my heart.
Asher steps closer, enveloping me in his presence. “We don’t know yet. But whatever their motives, they underestimated your strength. We’ll find the truth, Issie. I promise.”
In that moment, his vow feels like an anchor, grounding me amidst the storm of revelations and giving me a hope that I didn’t know I needed. Plus, he’s right. Whoever might have done this to us, they won’t go unpunished, even all these years later.
A shudder courses through me at the thought of our tormentors still lurking, possibly planning to strike again. “So, they murdered me, then my sister, and we’ve been stuck on Earth ever since? Am I understanding what you’ve pieced together correctly? And what if they get to us again before we figure this out? We will go back to Earth, taking away my memory of these last few days?”
My stomach hollows out. Losing the knowledge of what I’ve gained since stumbling into this world paints a shadow over my heart.
Asher’s grip tightens on me reassuringly. “Nobody is going to take you from me again. I can promise you that,” he declares with fierce certainty. “And yes, I believe you were cursed to be reborn on Earth. Though I can’t fathom how—since magic supposedly doesn’t exist there—your soul managed to leave Lunara and be reformed into another life without the blessing of the Gods.”
I lean into his warm touch, seeking comfort. “How is that even possible here?”
“The gods,” he explains solemnly. “Every soul born in Lunara has the choice upon death to return to the realm of the gods, where they can stay and rest, or to be reborn, living another life.”
“Is their world, like, heaven or something?”
