Chapter forty two

Anthony

"Where am I?" I asked myself the second I got conscious.

Everything was blurry but I could comprehend quite well where I was. The haunting echos of dropping water and the smell, It was a cave. I tried to struggle out of whatever was restricting me but I couldn't. The strange part was I wasn't bound. It was something else. A crackling sound followed and the room was ignited in a rich orange color. I got a view of what was weakening me. A silvery liquid I knew too well. Mercury. Was I taken by a hunter?

"I see you're awake." The familiar voice said.

I tried to take a look at the monster but his face was hidden behind the torch, covered in the velvety darkness.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"I actually don't know Anthony."

The voice, it definitely rang a bell. Father Nicholas. God! It didn't make sense.

"Father Nicholas?"

"In the flesh, " He placed the torch on a holder and approached me. "How do you feel?"

"Like... What is happening?"

"Simple, " He replied, "You've become part of my very twisted game."

"So you're the chimera's master and somehow the chimera is Valentine. Why are you doing this?"

"I thought you were a smart lad Anthony. Guess I'm wrong."

"You surely can't be doing this for Valentine. That I'm sure of."

"But I am."

"You killed people. You turned your daughter to a raging monster. What kind of father does that?

" The one who loves his daughter! My daughter was raped by bears, sent by your very wife Emilia. As if that wasn't enough, She set her on fire and let her burn and you and I weren't there to save her."

What was he saying? Emelia was vain and all but she wouldn't kill Valentine. She never gave me warning signs. As if hearing my thoughts, he continued.

"Of course you wouldn't know but Emilia knew you didn't love her so she decided to take the life of that innocent girl your heart belonged to. After all, there is no cure to a broken heart."

"That doesn't make sense. A lot of people have died thanks to your sick revenge. Is it worth being a monster to even the innocent?"

"But it is." He retorted. There was this manic glee in his eyes. He was definitely insane.

"You're sick."

"No. I'm smart and resourceful. Killing a fee is a small price for my big reveal."

"And that is?"

"Eric would have never been pushed to become King if I didn't push him to. Now he's king and there will be a banquet tonight. The whole Kingdom will know who rules them... What rules them and trust me when I say, Fear rules."

No... He planned to expose us at the banquet. I had to do something. But what use was I now? Struggling was useless in this pit of mercury and I didn't know what he planned to do with me... I was dead meat.

"Why are you telling me all these? Do you plan on killing me?"

"I planned to but Valentine was against it. It's the only reason you didn't wind up dead with your wife and its the only reason you're alive now."

"You do know the moment I manage to escape, You're screwed right?"

"Thanks for the head-up but I have a better idea. Ever wonder what happened to Sara?"

"You made her mad?"

"With some magic. I have perfect use of you. Did you know your Father's brother was a vargulf?"

I knew how unstable my uncle was before My father had to take him down himself. He was famous for ripping travelers in two during the new moon. It was what earned him the title ripper. My father feared he couldn't be saved and had to take him down before he caused more harm.

"I know. Did you bring him back too?"

"I wouldn't risk that but I can assure you, It's not going to skip your generation."

Then it hit me...

***

Maisy

I could hear them screaming with joy and could feel their feet disturbing the ground around me. With the Kingdom debt all paid up, Why wouldn't they. I took a small sip from the goblet in front of me while watching Eric converse with a group of men who he revealed were his fellow pack members. I felt so good inside, I was sure I was going to die of happiness. I took another sip and felt someone tap my shoulders. I turned to face the person but she ended up being a ghost.

"I didn't ask for favors."

"You will when you all die." She retorted before fading away.

I questioned if I actually saw that or just had too much to drink. I wasn't left with enough time to comprehend what just happened before Eric returned.

"You look pale. Are you alright?"

"Yes. I think so."

"Are you sure? Or maybe you're imagining how sex with a werewolf will be." He teased.

"I'm pretty sure I can handle it." I shot back with a glare.

We laughed at our dirty remarks. Eric picked up his goblet to drink just before the same spirit appeared right in front of me.

"He's being poisoned. Won't you save him?"

What was the meaning of this? I faced Eric and saw the goblet so close to his mouth. I wasn't sure if it was indeed poisoned but I wasn't taking chances. My reflexes kicked in and I pushed the cup away. In an instant, The party stopped and all eyes fell on the gold cup as it tumbled on the cobblestones with its content all over the place. Eric gave me a questioning look and I answered with what the ghost told me. A servant went to pick the cup and gasped returning all eyes on the spot again.

"What is it?" Eric demanded.

Everyone kept their eyes on him as he brought the cup back to the King. We both examined the insides of the cup and I noticed traces of a silvery grey liquid; It was definitely not wine. Eric took the words right out of my mouth.

"Mercury."

I watched him turn to his pack members! There was dread in his eyes and I knew why. Half of them had gobbled down the wine. I peeked into my own drink spilling the contents into the table in front of me. Every last drop was wine. No traces of any foreign element. So maybe whoever did this was only trying to kill the king. Eric breathed in relief knowing I was safe before ordering the servant to bring the wine taster.

"Did you poison me?" Eric asked the young man immediately he showed up.

"No, sir." He replied, trembling.

The party was over with this act. Everyone was asking the question "What just happened?" While Eric thought, People's attention including mine were taken back to Eric's pack members who suddenly began to cough and choke. It was beginning to look like they were poisoned. Eric got up and raced to where they sat while I remained seated wondering if this was what the spirit said. I felt the necklace on my neck, I had never experienced the whisper in this manner before. Was this why Lucy handed it over to me? My thoughts were shaken up when a scream erupted from the people and I turned to see one of the poisoned men now flashing golden irises and with a distorted body. They were... Shifting...

***

Eric

I gasped when Reece flashed his golden orbs at me. This was bad. Liquid mercury or any form rather was extremely toxic to werewolves. Them shifting was their body's last resort to save them but I doubted it would be enough and even then, I couldn't have everyone seeing them shift. Where was Anthony when you needed him?

"Reece, Stay strong. I'll lead you and the others away from here. Try to be strong."

I pulled a table spread from one of the tables and hid their faces under the cover clothes. However, Someone had managed to wriggle put and was now in the third stage of transforming. The screams from the crowd made it sure I knew that our cover was blown. It was out. Nodith knew werewolves were back. I faced them and could see the questions in their faces. I didn't know what to say or how to even react but one thing was sure; I faced the culprit. He was going to pay. He tries to run seeing I was pissed but was tripped by Maisy. I picked him and raised him high. My wolf half took over and I could tell he was afraid seeing me transform but I didn't mind. If he didn't confess or give me the name of whoever put him up to this, There was going to be violence.

"Why did you do this? Who sent you?"

"I didn't do it. You have to believe me."

His reply took away the last piece of humanity left in me and I attempted to take his life before someone stopped me.

"Enough." The person growled.

I tossed the betraying bastard in such a way that he would be too sore to even think of escaping and faced the speaker. It was none other than Father Nicholas. Anthony was with him.

"You want to know who put him up to this? well, I did."

"What are you saying?" There was so much going on right now, I couldn't wrap my head around anything. The day wasn't even over and I was already facing something that looked like treachery.

He snickered and pointed into the darkness. I followed his hands and saw the link that put it all together. The chimera walked into the open sending everyone into a frenzy of insanity.

"You're the master. The one responsible for all this death. Why...would you do this?"

Low couldn't even begin to comprehend what I felt. This was the greatest betrayal. What I still didn't understand was why Anthony was by his side. As if that wasn't enough, Maisy took the big reveal personally.

"You killed Tatia..." She didn't even let the words sink before she charged at Father Nicholas, armed with nothing but a ceramic plate.

I watched Anthony charge at her with inhuman speed, In a minute he was right in her face and she was left frozen solid. The ceramic slipped past her hands and crashed, splitting to smithereens the moment it hit the floor. Anthony peeked in my direction and I noticed he was different. He gave me a cold look that sent shudders down my spine. That wasn't Anthony. At that same moment, My lost strength returned. I ran to save her life but I was a tad too slow. I watched him grab her by the neck and raise her up while she scratched and struggled to breathe. I would never forget the snap Maisy's neck made seconds after and how he tossed her aside like he was done playing. His heart has to be made of stone. The evil glint in his eyes and the smell of danger. I forgot all about my vendetta because it wasn't worth it anymore. I didn't know what to fight for... What to question... It all felt like a blur.

I picked Maisy, checking if she was still alive. Her pulse gave nothing. She was...dead.