Epsilon [Werewolf]

Chapter 68

As Azriel led me away, I couldn't help but give him a side-long glance. His features were hard, but nothing that gave away any immediate fear or concern. 

But then I thought back to Azure's sapphire gaze, piercing right through my soul, as if she could hear every thought and feeling. Did she have an inclination of what was going on? Was she starting to suspect and, if she was, were others beginning to notice, too? Azriel had said people were getting suspicious, but I never thought it would get to that level.

If it were the case, Azriel's hard face and tight-lipped mouth revealed nothing. I kept my head down and kept my mouth shut, still wondering how he'd known about me talking to Azure, and why he'd constricted my words to the point where I couldn't speak.

We emerged into the courtyard and, of course, no one was there. I was really starting to wonder what kind of magic Azriel was using to keep his people magically away from the courtyard when he wrenched open the wooden trapdoor, motioning for me to get inside.

I moved before the invisible bounds could make me. There was no point in resisting, not when his grasp was so strong it prevented me from talking. We strolled in silence down the catacombs, my eyes hanging on the marble altar a moment too long before we turned a corner, opening the metal door that led right to that dreadful, dark corridor. 

Azriel still remained silent even when we happened upon my cell. With white knuckles he pulled it open, and I walked inside, flinching as he slammed it shut behind me. When I turned around, he was gone. 

Zion and Alia shot me quizzical looks, but I had nothing to offer in return. In all honesty, I was just as perplexed as them.  

*****

Days had passed, and I knew something was definitely up when I hadn't been permitted out of my cage, not even to present as Luna before the court. Even Zion was still locked up, and the Gamma who delivered our soups offered no explanation for as to why it had suddenly gone so silent. 

It seemed Zion was the first to snap, because by the fourth day, after getting our umpteenth delivery of cold broccoli soup, he turned to me and asked, "Did something happen?"

I kept my eyes on the soup, my stomach lurching at the smell alone. I'd found myself hating the stuff more and more of recent. In all honesty, I didn't like how its chunky texture slipped through my teeth. It reminded me of the human gore. It assisted in my starving, if anything. 

The silence dragged on for a few more moments. "Well, something happened, but I didn't really think it was that significant."

I raised my eyes to his. It was the truth... somewhat. Azure's behaviour had certainly been out of character, and maybe even a little concerned, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. I'd been let down far too many times to think that, maybe, we had a shot at escaping.

Zion opened his mouth to speak, but Alia beat him to it. "What happened?"

I eyed the soup again, its thick consistency reminding me of vomit. "Azure cornered me, saying something was up. She... she knew something, or at least she was putting the pieces together. Azriel jumped the gun and stopped me from talking, and before you know it, he's standing right behind us, smiling."

I paused. "I don't know if he thought I was going to say something, or if my body language would give it away, but he got me out of there. At first I didn't think it was a big deal, because Azure is always the scheming type. But... but something about it definitely troubled him."