When they made eye contact, there was the smallest hint of a wicked flicker in Fiona’s eyes. Rem’s blood boiled, wanting to shout to the shifters that this was an ElderWitch, and she was the last one to be trusted.
How did the queen not even know?
Fiona moved to address everyone while Ronan stared at her in a way that Rem had stared at Owen.
It was the only solace Rem had.
Fiona said, “Hello, Silvers, my name is Fiona Handole of the Warden Pack. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Rem, and I am humbled that I will get to know the rest of you. Before we begin, I want to inform you that today is an easy day for you. Yourtruetransformation will happen six nights from now, under the full moon. We know, we know… We said a month, but the times demand the change to happennow. Today is more of a symbolic gesture and also to get the serum into your veins, to open up your body so it can receive what awaits it in the days to come. Drink it all, and if you do not, we will know."
Rem shivered when a cold wind blew, chilling the chainmail further. Fall was no doubt approaching, and winter would soon follow.
Winter.
Oliver. He would need to make it home before it got too cold, as the hunters didn't traverse through snowy, icy terrain if they could avoid it. Winter always came sooner for the mountains. Would the hunters in the Silo District be willing to travel through the snow for a boy?No, but for a Silver like me... She reached out for the bowl in front of her, her braid dangling over her shoulder as her silver chains clinked with the movement. She had to help Oliver sooner rather than later.
Especially if Fiona was here.
"We need to say worship to the goddess before you drink," Fiona said and began to rapidly mumble in Icelandic. Rem kept her hands on the bowl. The creamy liquid reflected the shadows of the leaves above.
After the prayer, Fiona said, "Go ahead and begin. I suggest drinking it as fast as possible. It doesn't taste very good."
Rem brought it to her face, pressing the wooden bowl to her bottom lip as she drank without breathing, trying to get it down as quickly as possible.
No hesitation.
The lukewarm liquid was gritty and tasted like wheat, cream, and something metallic. The first swallow was easy, but it was the third and fourth that her gag reflex kicked in, the taste of dirt and roots lingering.
She felt Ronan's eyes on her and attempted to hide any discomfort under his gaze, angling her head back and draining what was left. When nothing else seemed to pour, she placed the bowl down, fighting the urge to belch. It sat heavily in her stomach, twisting her face with its terrible aftertaste.
Her expression remained contorted, ready for anything to change.
She felt nothing.
Was she supposed to feel nothing?
"You may rise. And then walk forward, so we may paint scarlet stripes on your forehead to symbolize you are wolves of the scarlet moon," Fiona said.
The liquid sloshed in her belly as she readied herself to rise, but a warm, firm hand on her shoulder prevented her from doing so.
She looked up to see Ronan staring intently at Fiona, his hand holding Rem in her spot.
R O N A N
Ronan tookhis hand off of Rem once she seemed to understand. He glared at Fiona, moving his left elbow to his knee. He did not trust this Elder appearing like this, even if she was from an extension of the queen herself.
Put frankly, he didn’t trust the queen either.
Not after they took the Silvers without consulting the Alphas.
Fiona might have thought herself clever, but Ronan caught the gleam in her eye as she looked at Rem. That’s all he needed in order to know that the Callons haunted Rem all the way up here.Perhaps it’s not the Callons. Perhaps it’s Fiona. She lingers around them far too frequently as it were.
Fiona furrowed her brows as she looked at Ronan. “What is wrong, Alpha?”
"They will not rise for you. At least not mine," he said sternly, giving the Elder no ounce of warmth or leeway.
The Elder looked as if she were about to choke on those words. "Excuse me?"
"Rem does not rise for you,” Ronan reiterated with a slight sneer, narrowing his eyes.
