Chapter 19 - NINETEEN - RIDE TO THE CASTLE

Chapter 19: Chapter NINETEEN - RIDE TO THE CASTLESerena clenched the armrest of the seat when the wheel caught on a stone. An apology came from the coachman. It had been a day since that nasty encounter with Livia, and Darius had sent a ride for her to come to the castle. With a sigh, she turned to the window, deciding she might as well enjoy the passing scenery before she’d have to begin mental gymnastics. She had diligently read every single book she had been given, cover to cover. There were many things she had learned, but in the long run, they weren’t so necessary. Serena was confident in what her father had passed on to her before his eventual death. At this point, she could easily pass it off as knowledge gained from the books. Her accent worried her, and she prayed she wouldn’t slip up around Beatrice and the others. She stared at the trees as the scenery shifted. Soon, the streets were lined with a few houses, this seemed to be the wealthier side of the pack. Darius must have taken her through another, quieter route initially. He was cautious as ever. Serena smoothed her dress. It was a simple black gown that had come with the coachman. The fit was perfect, a testament to Livia’s craftsmanship. The woman worked fast, Serena would give her that. Her cheeks warmed at the thought of how much the dress must have cost. She would have been far more comfortable giving that kind of money to the caretakers of the orphans in her pack. She closed her eyes. Those pups would have grown so much by now... Would they still remember her? The coach jolted again, snapping Serena out of her thoughts. She sucked in a sharp breath, steadying herself before shaking her head. She would never see them again. If she so much as set foot in Silverstone, even by accident, they would tear her apart before she could say jack rabbit. She swallowed hard. Here in Ironshade, she lived on borrowed time, and with each passing day, it seemed to grow shorter. It bothered her to no end that she barely knew anything about the pack. Among the Cardinal packs, Ironshade was the most closed off with its affairs, one of the most self-sufficient as well. Crimsonclaw, Dawnbreak, and Stormcrest were the other three Cardinal packs alongside Ironshade. Darius had specifically chosen the least amicable of them, the one furthest in distance from Ironshade. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Verifying her background would be difficult, if not impossible. But why would Crimsonclaw suddenly send an ambassador to Ironshade? A question she might not be able to answer. Serena exhaled, reassuring herself. Yes, that must be the reason Darius chose it. It had nothing to do with her father, who had severed ties with the pack long before she was born. Only four people in the world knew the truth of that: her mother, her brother, her former Alpha, and herself. To everyone else, her father was the rogue who had protected their Alpha with his life and then became a member of Silverstone. Serena clasped her hands in her lap, wishing the ride would go on forever. It would be her last moment of rest. "Feyra," she called softly in her head. There was no response, but Serena could still feel her wolf, thankfully. It was nothing short of a miracle that she had returned. She called out once more. "Healy, I am with you, but do not disturb me further. I am slumbering," came the answer. Serena chuckled, her fingers loosening slightly in her lap. — The door of the carriage swung open, and a young man quickly rushed to her side, offering his hand. "Ambassador," he greeted with a smile. Serena’s eyes widened slightly before she straightened herself, took his hand, and returned his smile. "Thank you," she said. The young man bowed slightly, pressing a hand to his chest while gesturing toward the grand staircase ahead. She nodded and followed his lead. "I am very honored to escort you to the Alpha," he said enthusiastically as they walked through the halls. He seemed to be around Annamarie’s age. "What is your name?" Serena asked, greatly exaggerating her accent. "Oh, Anthony. My name is Anthony, Ambassador." "Thank you for being my guide," she said with a warm smile. He flushed slightly, and then nodded before stopping in front of a door and bowing slightly. "The Alpha is in." Serena thanked him and watched as he disappeared down the hall. She exhaled slowly before twisting the knob. Inside, Darius stood, sipping from a cup- tea, she assumed. He wore a dark suit that matched hers. His eyes landed on her, and he choked slightly. She moved instinctively to check on him, but he raised a hand to stop her. "I’m fine," he said between coughs. "You clean up rather nicely," he added, setting the cup down. "Livia was sent from the gods." Serena glanced down, fingers brushing over the smooth material before she fidgeted slightly. "Will she be in attendance today?" she asked, forcing the question out casually. Darius ran a hand through his hair. "I’m not certain. I extended an invitation, but I doubt she’ll take it." He paused, tilting his head. "Why?" Serena waved her hands dismissively. "No, it’s nothing." He studied her for a few seconds before shrugging. "Please give grace to Liv. She can be..." Darius paused, dropping a sugar cube into his cup. "Difficult." "I see," she croaked. Serena watched as he took another sip of tea. They stared at each other for a moment before she turned away, flustered. "I didn’t know I was that hideous," Darius joked. "It’s... It’s not like that," she stammered. "You’re not hideous, please. You’re handsome." She watched as a slow smile spread across his face before he looked away. "Thank you." "Do you have gloves?" Darius raised a brow, confusion evident in his expression. "What for?" "I don’t want people to think I’m challenging them." Serena noticed the look he gave her- he didn’t seem to follow. "In Crimsonclaw, you greet your enemies without gloves." Darius let out a low whistle. "That wasn’t in any of the books I gave you." He was right; it wasn’t. This was something her father had told her in one of his many bedtime stories. Serena stilled for a few seconds before smiling. "I read them from cover to cover."