Sapphire A Huntress no more (Sapphire Book 1)

The hourglass was half empty. In the dining room the servants were taking care of dinner preparation with utmost care. The table was in the middle of the room, a blue cloth on it, the dishes, finely arranged for eight people, had a floral design made by hand. One of the walls had a mural painted on it, making the room lighter under the candle light. There were no windows and the floor had wooden titles, each had a name engraved on it. On the wall facing the hourglass, on the right side of the door five portraits hung proudly.

Everything was arranged as per my specification. The king wanted to redecorate the dining room in memory of his father. The mural on the wall had been painted by one of the best and it represented the Great War. It was a memory never to be forgotten, a token of what was and what could be once again. The chamber doors flew open and Charles came through in his diner attire. He was imposing and emanated power no matter the look on his face. Some said he was as powerful as his father but I knew better, Charles Harrington long passed his father in strength and wisdom.

‘Saul my friend, you did a marvellous job with this room.’

‘Thank you, Charles, it was my intention to please you my king.’

‘You know I am first your friend before your king so do not mock me.’ He was right, me Charles, Stephen and Levi were the best of friends. We stood looking at the mural together, something in the room seemed to disturb my wolf as he was pushing the barrier of our mind to take control.

‘What seems to be the matter Luas? Why this need to take control?’

‘There is this smell, something about it…’

‘I noticed, but we cannot go chase after ghosts. Before you say anything else remember about the prophecy, what we want does not exist.’

‘That is not all the oracle said Saul and you know it, you just lost hope.’

My wolf was right in a way, I did lose hope, but he had too much hope, what the oracle sees is never wrong and what she saw was me being mate less.

‘Saul I have a favor to ask.’

‘What is it? Why the serious tone so out of the blue?’

‘My friend, you know another war is about to start, more than anyone you predicted this since Cole Bates took power.’

‘Yes, a grim day that was for our species.’

‘Yes, that is why I want you to go to ask the help of the witches who dwell in the Swiss Alps. If Cole is indeed coming for us once and for all we need all the help we can get.’

‘Yes, even if the help comes from your fathers great enemy.’

‘My father’s yes, not mine or yours do not forget.’

‘It will be done.’

Fog was covering everything wherever you looked. Tree lines grey as they were gave some sense of space in the void I was in. Something in the distance whispered unrecognizable words. Following that voice was the only option as nothing else was more logical. With small steps I walked the dusty path, which was never ending and never straight. If I looked back the path would disappear after each step so turning back, to who know where was not possible. The voice was lauder and clearer as I walked and walked the fog getting to my bones or so it felt in this dream.

After a while I reached a clearing, the fog was lifted but still around me and the cold I felt was gone. Warmth came through me as a figure approached me from the trees. As it came near the figure was actually a wolf, an amber wolf. Its fur was white with amber ends, the eyes were as mine, full of life and human. It was as big as a horse if not bigger with the fur it had.

Hmm…a wolf, a pretty amber wolf…but still a wolf, these dreams I have get weirder as I keep on sleeping.

‘I am not just a dream my human self.’

‘Of course you are not, why would anything be what I want them to be, and how did you…oh right human self, wolfy something.’

‘You are…more understanding than I expected you to be.’

‘Well yes, but you know why so…what is your name?’

‘I am called Nire Egas, just like you are only backwards.’

‘That’s unique but my name is Alice Bates. Shouldn’t yours be Ecila Setab instead?’

‘Child that is the name Cole gave you, but your name, our name is Erin Sage Cunningham.’

Cunningham? I heard that name before, not sure where, in one of the books was something mentioned about a family with that name but then again it is possible I saw it somewhere else.

‘Everything will come around in time, the fog cleared after all.’

‘The fog?’ Only then did I see we are at a waterfall in the woods. The water was blue and clear no trace of fog but there was still something missing.

‘It is very beautiful, but there is something missing I can’t put my finger on it.’

‘Yes, the sky…the vibrant colours…’ She seemed sad, the spark she had in her eyes a moment ago was gone. It was strange to see a wolf sad instead of fierce. I felt her sadness and longing for something and it made my heart skip just imagining what it could be.

‘You can trust the king, he is a kind soul so are his most trusted men.’

‘Really Nire how would I know who to trust?’

‘You’ll see, things are simpler now than before I was awoken, you will feel things and see things differently.’

‘We have to talk about that also…’

Having a conversation with your wolf in your head is not strange at all. Who am I kidding? It is as weird as it gets. People will think I am nuts if I tell them such a thing. But the people here are all supernatural creatures and that make me sane, does it not.

‘We are sane, don’t worry.’ Nire chuckled.

The hallways were cold and dark, only lit by the torches from the outside walls. No furniture and no portrait, there was nothing on the walls than white paint. The castle seemed smaller on the outside, the cave made it look less complicated than it was. Taking right, the halls changed from dull, to nature like colours and decorations. It was a labyrinth of hallways and finding the dining room was not easy as no one wished to help a hunter.

Endless corridors and many pointed looks later I found the room I was looking for. A mural on the wall caught my attention. The colours and images were of an important time in history. A long time ago, before our time a Great War had shaken the world. Supernatural creatures and humans alike lost their lives. While looking at it I remembered where I had heard the name Cunningham before, it was written in one of the books I took from Cole.

‘A magnificent painting, is it not?’ People around here were too silent for my taste.

‘Yes, it is. I saw pictures of this battle before. Why would you have it here though?’

‘I asked my dear friend to put it here in order to remember the loss and the victory we had on that day.’ Looking at him one could almost see the years that passed by him. He was tall and strong built, almost human. He had a kind, nostalgic smile as he looked at the mural on the wall, but at the same time he emanated power.

‘They advised me not to be alone with you.’

‘Why did they? Were they scared I might kill you if alone together?’

‘Like you said only in many other words and they were certain of it too.’

How he was so calm about it make me wonder about his intentions. People did not just tell you were suspected of a crime you had not even thought about.