The Beast Within

A King's Game: Chapter Fourteen

I woke from troubled sleep with one thought on my mind:

Is the whelp alive?

As much as I wanted to stay away from the dismal place, I knew I would have to visit the dungeon once more. What would I find there, a wolf or a corpse?

The prince attended the meal, and I could see by his gloomy expression that his night had been difficult. I wondered if it had something to do with his missing companion. If the whelp was gone, would the king look for another to take his place?

I expected Roland to take me to the dungeon to see the result of our experiment.

Instead, it was the king who pulled me aside.

"Fate's been kind," he said when we were tucked into a corner of the dining hall. "Your bite was successful, and I've been told the whelp transformed."

A world of weight lifted from my heart.

"That's...good to hear."

The king slapped my shoulder. "Look cheerful, boy! You've proven your bite is the key."

"What's going to happen to the whelp?"

The king ignored my question. "I've arranged a meeting with you and the prince. When the hall is cleared the doors will be closed and you'll have privacy."

"Privacy?"

"Can't have a dull peasant witnessing the bite. The court will learn of the prince's miracle when I wish it to be known."

"I'm to bite him now?"

"Make it quick and clean. I don't care where, as long as it gets done. There will be a great reward for you when the prince is strong."

"What if he won't let me near him? What if the wolf frightens him and he runs away?"

"The doors will be locked to keep him from leaving the hall."

The image of a wolf chasing a scared boy did nothing to ease my unsettled stomach.

"And after I bite him? Should I call for help?"

"Roland and I will be posted on the other side of the door and listening in. When we hear the prince's cries we'll unlock the door and tend to his wounds. If you wish, you may visit my brides after." He smiled, his eyes glimmering with excitement. "We're changing history today. One bite is all we need to save the future of this kingdom."

When breakfast concluded the hall was emptied. No servants were allowed to stay for cleaning, and once the door shut the prince and I were alone. The king had said little to his son, only briefly explaining that he was to play with me again, and we were to remain in the hall to avoid a potential fit of sickness.

"I don't like the dog," the prince scoffed but his father shrugged.

I kept my eyes on the door as it rattled with the clink of a heavy lock being turned. Silence blanketed the room, and I tried to formulate a plan on how to go about biting my playmate.

The prince was standing in front of the wedding tapestry. It had been moved from the center of the room and now hung above the king's table. I rose from my seat and joined him, but kept my eyes away from the horrible image.

Change and get it over with, I thought.

Something kept me from giving in to the wolf. I sensed the animal had its own trepidation, and wondered if I had influenced that. 

"Are you going to say anything?" The prince broke my concentration.

He was scowling at me, waiting for entertainment.