The Prisoner’s Princess Chapter 112

Isabelle

Heidi’s phone rang a few times before she answered it. “Izzy I’m a little busy, but what do you need?” She asked. I felt bad interrupting her, but I heard allot of commotion in the background.

“Can you go somewhere more private?” I asked, hearing beeps. It sounded like she was in a clinic….

“About the best I can do is step out, but I can guess it’s about Caleb and Mini?” She asked.

“Yeah, Mini’s having vivid dreams I think are real…. but the problem is that the Lord of Light was in them.” I admitted, and she was quiet.

“Do not let her leave the pack.” She warned. “Can you draw a circle for me… preferably outside.” She said sheepishly.

“Ok.” I said knowing she said that last part from experience… but it didn’t set right with me.

“Is the Second Seat well enough for you to leave?” Asked Mini, and she was silent a while.

“He’s stable… but very weak. He wanted to come home but it’s like…. He’s still rotting...” She said quietly. “It’s slowed down considerably though, but this is more important… Mini’s pup Must be born.”

“But still… come when you can.” She said looking at her hands.

“No. I need to do some things to protect you. I’ll be there in an hour.” She said hanging up. Heidi when it came to us was fearless…

“I feel terrible. The Second Seat needs her, but I do too.” She mumbled. My pups stopped their playing to paw at her legs. They knew she was hurting….

“He’s lived aa long time. I know He’ll make it.” I smiled weakly, not really believing my own words but it had to work. Hopefully…. John would stay an Heir. A mighty force dying like that meant next time it would be him that charged into battle… and I didn’t doubt his power, but we’re still young. Our powers, though awakened are still developing…. “Let’s go.” I said taking her hand.

The pups followed, taking ginger steps down the stairs. Bryson Linked me nearly the moment I left out the door to leave the office; he was registering a strange shifter into the pack. I linked him back that his timing was perfect.

“Wait…. draw a circle with what?” Asked Mini, and I didn’t know…. but I saw a stick.

“Maybe this is fine?” I asked…. It wasn’t perfect and drew in the dirt with a stick, but I went over it a few times to make sure that it looked ok.

“I hope so, the sun’s going down…” Said Mini. It was indeed… how long did I spend trying to make that damn thing perfect. The moment the sun went down... I swear I could feel a heartbeat from the ground.

My pups sat equally spaced on the circle, wagging their little tails. Want. Said Tyson, and the others followed, stomping their little feet on the ground…

“Should we stop them?” Asked Mini, but I held out my hand.

“No… I’ve felt this before. Someone is using them to come here... maybe the Horned One since their stomping their feet?” I asked myself out loud.

“…. I hope that this turns out ok then…” Said Mini.

The circle glowed a deep red, and Heidi appeared. “What the heck?!” She yelled, holding what looked like a candle. “I hadn’t made my circle yet.” She rummaged around in her pockets. “Damn, my familiar is still at home… but thank you little ones, now I can go home without catching a plane.” She beamed.

“But…. they’re wolves.” I said silently.

“Yeah, but they’re also blessed by the Horned One too… I think he used them to call me.’ She mumbled.

“… I don’t know how to feel about that…” I mumbled.

“Well… I mean I don’t either, but I’ve never been forced to do anything I didn’t want.” She said quietly.

Mama! They yipped, running around me, then back to Heidi, jumping on her legs.

Ok that’s rude. I chastised. They’re little feet were dirty, but she didn’t seem to mind.

They came to me, sniffing my feet as an apology. “Mini why do you smell like priest?” She asked.

“So the dreams were real…” She mumbled.

“Were there more?” I asked, and she shook her head.

“Maybe, but the one I remember was last night…It was like I was being summoned.” She mumbled.

“Let’s go inside, I have an idea….. but you may not like it.” Heidi looked up at the sky, and it was close to completely set.

“I’ll do whatever I can for my child. They aren’t even born yet…and the humans try to kill her…” She held her stomach.

“I know. Do you have a tattoo kit by chance like dad?” Heidi asked, and I shook my head.

“No idea. Let’s go ask Bryson.” I said walking ahead of them, and the pups followed. I let them climb the stairs watching them closely, and they did it, complaining the whole way. At first they got scared because I usually was right behind, then they were scared because of the height, but I gave them allot of praise and encouragement.

I knocked on the door, seeing that a shifter shorter than me was in my mate’s office. She bowed, smelling like venison, and fox. “Please allow me to leave.” She said looking as if she were about to shift. I collected my pups, and gave her a nod. She swiftly left.

“I added her to the pack. Wait, how did Heidi- never mind. What did you all need?” He asked a little confused.

“I need to tattoo the Horned One’s crest on Mini. It’s something that will shift with her, and more importantly, with her marked, he will be able to help her if she needs intervention like Izzy did.” She said with a bow. She was afraid of Bryson, and I could feel he didn’t like it through our bond.

“Here.” He pulled out the traditional tattoo sets many Alphas had to honor particular warriors. He had not held a ceremony like that, but he probably didn’t know about it. “No idea why it’s in the desk, but there’s even ink.” He mumbled.

“As Alpha, you have the right to honor any specific Warrior who has your favor. You would put your family crest on their back shoulder.” Said Heidi, and he chuckled.

“I assume then it would be my father’s mark. I think I’ll pass.” He said as a joke, but I knew my mate. It hurt him that he could not do this. Marking them with the Horned One’s crest would make them probably bound for hell…

Heidi shook her head. “I don’t understand, you hold your own crest on your chest.” She pointed, but I didn’t see anything.

“My god’s brand?” He asked. He put his hand to his heart, and a hammer appeared. It looked old, but it was a hammer inside a circle. The emblem on it was a combination of the Horned One and Moon Goddess on his chest in the center of the hammer…

“Why not honor them with that?” She asked.

“After you deal with Mini, I’ll think about it.” He mumbled.

“Alright… also I have one more favor to ask. A drop of your blood in the ink please.” She handed it to him, and before he could, there was a whoosh.

A feeling of dread and power filled the room, along with the smell of matches, but also damp earth… Bryson’s crest glowed red for a second, and I turned around…

“Did you need me too?” He asked, scratching his horns, but we were speechless, frozen in place. The desire to shift was overwhelming, almost painful, but no muscles moved. His aura was one of power and authority, holding no compromise. I had no idea what to make of him…. He cocked his head to the side, and Heidi was the first to react, taking steps from him without turning around, though I felt like nothing would stop him if he decided to become hostile.

He felt almost like the Horned One himself…. “um.” Said Heidi, afraid to turn around from our expressions.

The pups put their little paws on his legs, and he stood there a second with a raised brow. He said nothing else, bending down to let them lick his knuckles. “I thought they would be bigger by now.” He smiled.

The fur of the shift rippled across Bryson’s arms and back, but he held his head high. He walked to his brother, and the High King rose to his full height, shaking his brother’s wrist. “Why have you come?” Asked Bryson, and Xaxas scratched his horns.

“I don’t know. The little ones only said ‘want’. I figured I was needed.” He grinned, showing fangs. His eyes were black as coal, reflecting an image of ourselves in the dying light like a black mirror. Though he looked like a younger version of Bryson. Maybe 20?

“Your majesty… This is the woman that will birth your mate, though the Light attempts to take her.” Mumbled Heidi, turning and putting a hand on Mini’s arm. I didn’t know how she could speak, nor Bryson. As it was, I felt like the first time I met the Horned One….

He looked at Mini a moment, then at us. “Then I request you give her My mark. It will show her soul is claimed, by someone stronger than my mother….” He yawned. “I don’t like that I’m almost up so soon… this feels strange.” He grumbled rubbing his eyes. “Damn Arviel. I am Technically breaking the rules…. But technically she exists already. The soul is cast, the flesh is molding, and what you see is only a flesh puppet. My body is still in the volcano.”

“Then give her a drop of your blood and go back.” Said Bryson with crossed arms.

The King shook his horns. “I’ll just nap for two or three decades or so. Also I will not give that. I don’t know what it would do to her…. Instead pass me the ink.” He was passed it by a still surprised Heidi…

“This won’t take long, and I’ll put it somewhere no one will see… raise your arm.” He instructed.

“Like my birthmark?” Heidi lifted her arm to show under her left armpit was a patch of skin that made the Horned One’s mark. He nodded, and tattooed Mini slowly, being careful not to hurt her. Caleb came in, standing at the threshold of the door silently, but his gaze could slice meat. His wolf was out, stone-faced, and displeased that we didn’t tell him what was happening… but he was so powerful I don’t think he would’ve allowed linking. The High king felt more than strong enough to keep messages from sending. I also knew my brother. He would have been against it, and it would have swayed Mini’s willingness to do this.

“I too wish to be marked.” He said suddenly.

“It is for her child, this will disappear once the pup is born.” Said Heidi. He relaxed.

“Oh…Then continue.” Said Raakshir, convicted to literally go to hell for his mate…

“Then what of me?” I asked, and Heidi’s eyes grew wide.

“Only if you want… but know you Will go to Tartaron.” She warned.

“It is my mate, and pup’s destination… I wish to be with them.” I said with confidence.

“Isabelle…. You don’t have to do that.” Said Bryson.

“Brother let her choose. However, I will not allow your wolf. It isn’t fair to mother. If they are allowed passage, that would be Her choice, since she made them.” Said the High King, leaving no room for negotiation. Glitter agreed with me. She would still get Ven then.

“Even still….What’s the point of having a mate bond if the other half of our lives, we will be eternally separated?” I asked, and no one could retort me, because I was right.

Mini was done, and I was next…. With his power he grabbed me, lifting my arm, and began working on my armpit. Bryson was about to say something, but the glare from Xaxas stopped him. “I would Never hurt your mate. I know how much pressure to place on a mortal.”

“I thought you didn’t.” Said Bryson, and his brother raised a brow.

“You believe the Champions too much.” He grumbled. “Granted it took me a moment to remember, but I wouldn’t have tried if I had doubt.”

“It seems so.” Said Bryson. “I have many questions while you are here.” He said, but he was denied.

“And I only came because soon I will be missed, but when I wake and get situated I will come again.” He smiled. “It is done. However, this also means that the hunter priests of the Church will sense you much easier, and they will not hold quarter if they catch either of you.”

“I don’t care. I don’t intend to leave this pack unless I have to, and honestly…. This solves a big problem.” I looked at my mate, who I could feel was relieved… We would not be separated, and there was no need to pick a side even in death if this took…. He still could though, but I doubted it. Caleb looked alert when he said this. The King released her to her mate, and me as well.

Bryson said nothing as he held me, but Caleb looked like he was trying to gather words. We weren’t used to magical encounters like This….

“I’m fine Caleb. They’re trying to keep me safe.” She said quietly, and he hugged her tighter, pressing her to his chest.

He let her go, kissing her on the forehead. “When I felt all that power… I worried for you. No link could go through… Now I worry of the Church.”

“You could not get past my aura.” Said the High King. Tyson wiggled to his knuckles, followed by the others, playing blissfully unaware of the power of the uncle they summoned. “Also now I will know if she is in danger. For now, all but you in this room are ignorant of my rise. So long as it stays that way, I doubt anything will be an issue.”

“Of course.” Said Caleb with a bow.

As soon as he came, he was gone. He didn’t even say goodbye or anything. I don’t know how he managed it… but I couldn’t feel his presence anymore. It was like he didn’t exist. It was like everything that had just happened didn’t if not for the slight soreness of a healing tattoo, that went away almost immediately. That was who the Goddess paired my niece to. He felt like no one could stop him regardless of their intentions …. But something didn’t sit right with me.

Why was he so calm? I expected a Tyrant.