Vanished Sisters: The Lycan King's Slave Island Chapter 161

Davelina's POV

The next day.

The full moon hung heavy and bright in the night sky, casting silver light over the path from Ashclaw to Howling Citadel. I walked alongside Lucy, our footsteps crunching on the frost-covered ground, our breath forming small clouds in the cold air.

"I can't believe we're actually going to the feast," Lucy said for the third time, her voice filled with wonder. "A real feast! With music and food and everything!"

I smiled at her enthusiasm, though my own feelings were more complicated. "It is unusual," I agreed.

Unusual was an understatement. This morning, King Mordred had issued a decree that shocked every household on Ashclaw: for the first time in Lycan history, slaves were invited to participate in the New Year's celebration. Not to serve—to actually attend as guests.

The announcement had sent ripples of disbelief through the servant quarters. Some thought it was a trick, a trap of some kind. Others were simply too afraid to accept the invitation. But Lucy had been insistent.

"We have to go, Davelina!" she'd pleaded. "When will we ever get another chance like this? To see the citadel, to be part of something beautiful instead of just cleaning up after it?"

And so here we were, dressed in the cleanest clothes we owned—simple dresses that had been mended and re-mended, but clean and presentable. Lucy had even managed to find ribbons for our hair, pale blue ones that caught the moonlight.

Natasha would be there too.

She'd managed to get a message to me yesterday through one of Caelan's servants, warning me that she'd be attending as a woman, as Caelan's companion. She'd told me not to react if I saw her, not to give any indication that I recognized her.

"Look!" Lucy grabbed my arm, pulling me from my thoughts. "You can see the citadel!"

I looked up and caught my breath.

Howling Citadel rose before us like something from a dream—or a nightmare, depending on your perspective. The massive stone fortress was ablaze with light, torches and lanterns strung along every wall and tower. The main courtyard, visible through the open gates, was transformed into something magical. Colorful banners hung from every surface, and I could hear music drifting on the night air—drums and pipes and stringed instruments playing melodies both haunting and beautiful.

"It's incredible," Lucy breathed.

We joined the stream of people flowing through the gates—mostly slaves like us, dressed in their best clothes, eyes wide with wonder and fear.

The courtyard was enormous, easily large enough to hold hundreds of people. Long tables had been set up along the edges, laden with food—roasted meats, fresh bread, fruits and vegetables, even sweets.

"Come on," Lucy said, tugging me toward one of the tables. "Let's get something to eat before it's all gone!"

We filled our plates with trembling hands, hardly able to believe this was real, that we were actually allowed to take this food. Around us, other slaves were doing the same, their expressions a mixture of joy and disbelief.

I scanned the crowd as we ate, looking for Natasha. Would I even recognize her dressed as a woman? It had been so long since I'd seen her as herself.

"Davelina!"

I turned to see Xavier approaching, a warm smile on his face. He was a fellow slave I'd met about three months ago, assigned to work in the stables. He was kind, gentle, with soft brown eyes and a quick laugh that made even the hardest days a little easier.

Lucy elbowed me in the ribs, grinning. She'd been teasing me about Xavier for weeks, insisting he had feelings for me. And maybe he did—I'd certainly noticed the way he looked at me, the way he always seemed to find excuses to seek me out.

But I couldn't return those feelings. Not when my heart was still tangled up with someone else. Someone I could never have.

Lord Fergus.

Even thinking his name made my chest tighten with a complicated mixture of longing and shame. I hadn't seen him for about three months.

He'd stayed away. No why. No message.

And I should be grateful for that. Should be relieved that he was keeping his distance, protecting both of us from a connection that could only end in disaster.

But instead, I just felt... empty.

"You look beautiful tonight," Xavier said, pulling me from my thoughts. His cheeks were slightly flushed, and I wondered if he'd been working up the courage to approach me all evening.

"Thank you," I said, managing a smile. "You look well too."

"Would you..." He hesitated, then pressed on. "Would you like to take a walk with me? Away from the crowd? It's a bit overwhelming here."

Lucy gave me an encouraging nod, practically pushing me toward him.

"Alright," I agreed. "A short walk."

We left the main courtyard, following one of the paths that led into the gardens surrounding the citadel. The music and laughter faded behind us, replaced by the quiet sounds of night—wind rustling through bare branches, the distant hoot of an owl.

"I'm glad you came tonight," Xavier said as we walked. "I wasn't sure you would."

"Lucy convinced me," I admitted. "She was so excited about it."

We walked in comfortable silence for a while, the path winding deeper into the gardens. The trees grew thicker here, their bare branches creating intricate patterns against the moonlit sky.

"Davelina," Xavier said suddenly, stopping and turning to face me. "I need to tell you something. I've been wanting to say this for a while now, but I never found the right moment."

My heart sank. I knew what was coming, and I didn't want to hear it. Didn't want to hurt him by rejecting feelings I couldn't return.

"Xavier—" I started, but he pressed on.

"I care about you," he said, his voice earnest. "More than I probably should. I know we're both slaves, that we have no real future to speak of, but... I can't help how I feel. And I thought maybe, if you felt even a fraction of the same—"

"We need to go back," I interrupted, looking around nervously. We'd walked much farther than I'd realized, deep enough into the gardens that I could barely hear the sounds of the feast anymore. "We've gone too far. It's not safe out here."

Xavier's face fell, but he nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's not that," I said quickly, feeling guilty for the hurt in his eyes. "I just think we should stay closer to the others."

We turned to head back, but before we'd taken more than a few steps, I heard it—rough laughter, slurred voices, the sound of multiple footsteps crashing through the underbrush.

Xavier grabbed my arm, his eyes wide with alarm. "Run," he whispered urgently.

But it was too late.

Three Lycan men stumbled out of the trees ahead of us, blocking our path. They weren't guards—their clothes were too ragged, their movements too uncoordinated. Vagrants, perhaps, or low-ranking workers who'd gotten into the feast wine.

But drunk or not, they were still Lycans. Still predators.