Chapter 19: Thorns Beneath The Crown

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Thorns Beneath The Crown The sun was barely up and Lily was already in the fields. Her shoulder still ached with every movement, healing slower than it should have because she was wolfless. They whispered, rolled their eyes, and made their usual jabs. “What kind of a werewolf can’t heal easily?” one muttered as she passed. “She’s so dumb maybe she’s deaf too.” Lily didn’t respond. She kept her eyes down and focused on the earth in front of her. Suddenly, something hard caught the edge of her hoe. It clinked against metal or something solid buried beneath the soil. Curious, Lily knelt and brushed away the dirt carefully. It was a small totem, shaped like an animal. A fox, maybe. The edges were worn, but the details still showed—curved ears, hollow eyes, symbols carved into its back. It fit perfectly in her palm, smooth and oddly warm to the touch. A strange feeling crept into her chest. She didn’t know why, but it felt... familiar. Drawn to it, Lily stood and moved to the river nearby, dipping the totem in the clear water and wiping away the dirt with gentle fingers. As the mud washed off, the carvings seemed to glow faintly, just for a second. She felt a pull, a quiet whisper she didn’t understand. Lost in her reverie, suddenly a hand yanked it from her grip. “Thief,” the worker spat, holding the totem up like it was stolen gold. “I knew it. She was hiding something!” Lily stepped back, heart racing, trying to sign, to explain, but the other slaves began to crowd around. “She found it in the dirt!” “She went straight to the river—she was going to keep it!” “She thinks she’s better than the rest of us.” Lily shook her head vehemently, hands trembling. She looked around, pleading with her eyes. The shouting got louder—until it stopped all at once. Silence fell over the field like a shadow. Mistress Victoria had arrived. Her gaze swept over the group, sharp and cold as ice. The workers dropped their heads instantly. “Good morning, Mistress,” they said in shaky unison. Victoria smiled slightly. She always liked that part. Her eyes landed on Lily last. ‘This scum,’ she thought bitterly. “What’s going on here?” she asked, sharply. “We caught her stealing, Mistress,” a worker said quickly, stepping forward and offering the totem in his outstretched hand. “Caught her trying to hide this.” Victoria raised a brow and took the totem, examining it with interest. “Hmm. This is... unusual.” She turned it over once, then tucked it into the pocket of her coat without a word. Lily tried to protest. She reached her hand out with a pleading expression. But as soon as she met Victoria’s glare, she stopped. “You should know better by now, mute” she snapped. Then she turned to the others. “Back to work. All of you.” They obeyed without a sound. Lily was about to do the same, but Victoria pulled her back. “Where do you think you’re going?” She said with thinly veiled disgust, “Follow me.”One wrong move and she’d be punished again. So, she followed reluctantly. Victoria led her to the packhouse, through the back entrance of the kitchen. The kitchen smelled of roasted meat, smoke, and boiling starch. Pots clanged in the background as servants scurried around, too afraid to look up. Victoria said sharply. “The Alpha wants you cleaned up. Don’t ask why. Don’t speak. Just do what you’re told.” Lily nodded, eyes downcast as she sat stiffly on a wooden stool near the far wall, her wounded shoulder throbbing. A few minutes later, a plate was slammed in front of her. It was potatoes. Steamed, salted, mashed. Victoria stood over her with her arms crossed, lips curled in a grimace. “You need meat on your bones before the royals arrive. We can’t have you looking like the scrawny runt you are.” Lily shook her head slowly, while pointing at the plate. As hungry as she was, she couldn’t eat it. She was allergic to potatoes. Eating even a single bite would cause her to break out in hives. In worse cases, her windpipe would close and she could die. tVictoria’s eyes narrowed, seeing it as clear defiance. “No?” she said, voice turning sharp. “You’re refusing food now?” Lily tried again, pressing a hand to her chest, then her throat, trying to make her point. Victoria scoffed. “Don’t pretend you can’t eat it. Eat the damn potatoes!” Lily’s breath caught. She glanced toward the doorway, hoping that someone might step in. But no one came. None of the servants dared to look in their direction either. Victoria leaned in, her voice low and menacing. “You’re doing this to be difficult, aren’t you? How dare you defy me?” She pinched Lily’s cheek. Lily shook her head quickly, panic rising in her chest. “Fine,” Victoria hissed. “If you won’t do it for yourself... then Martha?” Lily froze. Victoria smiled now, slow and cruel. “That old woman means something to you, doesn’t she? I’ll see to it she spends a few nights in the punishment cells. Alone. In the dark.” Tears pricked Lily’s eyes. She picked up the spoon with a trembling hand. One bite. Then another. Her throat burned almost immediately. Her lips tingled, then her tongue began to swell. Hives broke out on her skin. She dropped the spoon. Her breath hitched. She clawed at her throat, gasping for air. Victoria stepped back in surprise. “What the—?” “What the hell is going on here? Enough!” Ezra roared, eyes flashing, as he entered the kitchen. He came to discuss details of the menu with her. His gaze landed on Lily, then on the plate, and the color drained from his face. “She’s allergic.” Victoria stiffened. “She refused to eat—” “She’s allergic, Victoria!” Ezra snapped. “Zayn gave clear orders. She is to live. You want to explain to him why she’s dying in the kitchen?” Victoria’s face twisted, but she stepped aside. Ezra barked an order to the nearest servant. “Get Kael. Now!” ~ Victoria stormed through the halls of the packhouse, heels clicking hard against the polished floor. She barely noticed the servants stepping quickly out of her way. Rage pulsed beneath her skin. ‘How dare he embarrass me in front of them.’ She muttered to herself in anger. She burst into Zayn’s office without knocking, her heels clicking sharply against the floor, her voice already rising. “You need to do something about that girl—” “Out!” Zayn barked. Victoria blinked, caught off guard. “I said out, Victoria!” He finally looked at her, his tone low and dangerous. “I don’t have time for this right now. The Alpha King will be here in two days. I have warriors to organize and political talks to prepare for. And you want to whine and complain?” Her lips parted in disbelief. She opened her mouth but one look at his face told her not to. But Victoria could not let it go. As she placed her hand over her pocket, she remembered the totem she had snatched from Lily. “Fine, that aside. I have another pressing issue to discuss with you,” She said carefully as she placed the totem on the desk infront of him. “What could possibly-” Zayn looked up from his papers. He picked up the totem, turning it over in his hands. His brows drew together. “It looks old,” he said quietly. “There are markings on it,” Victoria added. “I thought it might mean something.” Zayn said nothing for a long moment, just studying the small animal-shaped piece thoughtfully. The symbols carved along the back, the shape—it stirred something in him. Like a memory, he couldn’t remember. “She found this?” Victoria nodded smugly. “She was holding it like it belonged to her.” Zayn’s fingers tightened slightly around the totem. “If any more are found,” he said slowly, “bring them to me immediately. And make sure the area around the river is monitored. Quietly.” Victoria tilted her head. “You think it’s something important?” “I don’t know yet.” He set the totem down carefully. “But it doesn’t feel like nothing.” She hesitated, waiting for more explanation, maybe even praise—but he was already reaching for another file. “You can go,” he dismissed her. As she left, her mind churned. So he wanted the girl cleaned up, and paraded in front of royals, and now he’s curious about her little totem? Fine. Let him have his fun. But she’d still make sure Lily’s moment of attention came wrapped in humiliation. The special dress she had prepared for Lily was ready. Victoria smiled to herself. Let the girl have her moment in the light, only so she could watch her fall.