Eternal

Chapter VII - Sibylline

Sibylline – (n) mysterious; cryptic

Origin – Greek

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Dark blue eyes stared back at her from inside the frame hanging on the wall. The portrait was dated back to two hundred and seventy-three years ago. It was ancient, just like every other painting in the hallway. Faces of countless lycan rulers stared back at her as she moved slowly across the path, eyes admiring the hanging frames spread all over it.

The curving hallway was littered with ancient portraits of myriad rulers of the past. Kings and queens, frozen in the past, trailed Adelaide's steps as she continued down the same path until she reached a point where the corridor split in two. Taking a left, she discovered several doors coated along the sides. All were closed except for the one closest to her right.

The door was slightly ajar, and voices were floating from inside. They were loud and harsh, tempting the princess to lean in closer and listen. Her feet unconsciously moved near the opened frame as her hand touched the wall beside her mindlessly. She was shocked to discover that the booming and angry voice belonged to none other than her furious mate. He appeared to be arguing with someone inside.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed that she was standing in outside his home office. The elegant sofas peeking from the room, and the large bookshelf looming in front of a desk, were proof of that. The neatness and luxuriousness of the place called out to her despite the fact that she grew up in similar surroundings. However, this place here meant something to her wolf. Of course, Adelaide had an idea why, and she couldn't hate herself enough for it. This was her mate's place, his home. All the luxuries and priceless things were his, and one would expect nothing less from the king.

Yet, Adelaide hated that her wolf sought him. She wanted nothing to do with him, but the creature that was part of her thought otherwise.

"Don't interfere with something that you have no business in, Orla," Theodore said. "Stay away from this topic." He added.

Frustration was laden heavily in his words. It was evident that whatever he was discussing with the woman was pushing him to the edge. His voice was charged with anger, and it only made Adelaide that much more curious. She leaned in closer, trying to catch the words flowing out of the lycan's mouth, making sure to stay out of their sight. She only prayed that her body wouldn't betray her with sudden movements and expose her.

"You can't keep her in the dark, Theo. She deserves to know the truth!" Orla yelled in exasperation. Her blatant displeasure sounded all through the surrounding hallways, ringing loudly for whoever wanted to listen. Adelaide's interest peaked, and she wondered what was going on. Who was that woman, daring to yell at the king?

"I told you to stay out of this. Don't make me repeat myself." Theodore's weary voice sounded. It seemed that he knew what was coming next, and he was aware that he wouldn't like it in the slightest.

"All right then. If you won't tell her I will." Orla determinedly stated.

Adelaide could hear the determination in the lycan's voice, and she could almost picture the adamant expression marring her face; even if she couldn't see her.

What were they talking about? And who did they mean by her?

"Orla," Theodore said. The warning was unmistakable in that single word.

Adelaide trembled from the force by which it was spoken. She couldn't imagine how Orla has managed to hold on that long. Who was she? A mistress? A friend? A family member?

"It's her right to know about the situation. Her life is in danger, Theo!" Orla screamed angrily. A hand slammed down on the desk, making Adelaide jump in surprise before she regained her composure.

"Dammit! I forbid you to tell her anything! Do you hear me?" Theodore said fiercely. The striking anger was blatant in his tone, and Adelaide thought that if Orla intended to keep her head, she'd back down immediately. It would be the wise thing to do. "And don't you think that I'd let that pass that easily. You don't want to test me on this." Theodore added with finality.

From the way he said it, it appeared that the discussion was over. He won't accept any other word from her, and if she did say anything, the consequences would be dire.

A long pause followed his words as both lycans tried to recover their breaths from the intense shouting match that took place seconds before. Their heavy breathing was so loud that it reached outside the room, right to where Adelaide was unashamedly listening.

She didn't know what was going on. She could only imagine, but if whatever they were discussing was as serious as it sounded, Adelaide was sure that it would come into the light eventually. She merely hoped that no innocent souls would be caught in the crossfire.

A squeaking sound resonated, indicating that someone just sat down before a sigh broke the silence. "She'll find out someday. One way or another." Orla said quietly. She sounded defeated but adamant at the same time. She may have lost this battle, but that wasn't the end of it. She won't give up easily.

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Her mind was reeling. When Adelaide arrived at the palace, she expected some secrets to be hidden. It was the way in every kingdom. What she didn't expect, however, was to be a part of this kingdom even though she didn't want it. Theodore had his secrets, and she couldn't guess why she wanted to know what he was hiding. Was it because she didn't want that secret to clash with her duties? Or was it that she was curious about him? Better yet, was it her wolf aching to know everything about her other half?

No. She shouldn't be curious. She wanted nothing to do with him. Theodore was her enemy before he was her soul-mate. Curiosity shouldn't be an option, especially regarding him.

Adelaide didn't notice where she was going until she landed in front of a staircase leading to the western tower of the castle. She had escaped before the lycans caught her, and she briefly remembered one of the maids telling her that this tower was forbidden to everyone. Nobody told her the exact reason why no-one entered that area, and when she saw that no soul was in sight, her interest in the place peeked. Before she thought it through, Adelaide started ascending the stairs, mindful of her surroundings.

The round stairway was as enchanting as the rest of the fortress. Despite her hatred for the lycans, she could admit that they had a great sense of decoration. The marble stairs, covered by lush carpets, muffled the sound of her feet as she slowly went higher.

Finally, she reached the top, only to be met with a long corridor sealed by a single set of large double doors at the end. She quietly walked along the hallway, noticing the empty walls along the way. It was evident that picture frames were once hanging on these walls, and for some reason, they were removed. Her nosiness climbed higher the longer she walked alongside the empty walls. Only lanterns, which were lit for some reason, were in sight. She approached the double doors at the end and hesitated.

Should she do it? What if the thing hiding in there would make her regret her choice? What should she do?

The ornate brass handles called out to her, and without thinking it through, she gripped them tight and opened the doors. To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. What she saw was nothing of what she expected to encounter, and she briefly wondered why something so ordinary was locked away from everyone.