Evette was born in the fall, her body strong and hardy. She could see the same strength in the seven men that stood around a deep pit in the largest hall she had ever seen. She could feel the coldness of the dirt beneath her boots, and it reminded her that the weather had indeed turned brisk, her eighteenth name day had unnoticeably turned over into the next.

Hundreds of eyes watched as she walked beside Jade and Joseph. Narcisse fell back behind the others, drinking in his surroundings. There were tunnels, and halls, and large round holes burrowed in the high dirt walls that were so far above his head, he felt dizzy when he stared up for too long. It was a great hall, one carved by ancient wolves that had once lived beneath the surface for their entire lives, not once seeing the light of day. They locked themselves away, in fear of what they were and how they could hurt others. They gave themselves the freedom to express their feelings in the murals that spanned around the hall, leaving all to wonder who had decided to carve lifelike people into nothing more than dirt and rock.

Eve felt a shiver claw its way up her spine, and instead of acknowledging it, she instead turned to Jade and whispered, "You can do this, I have faith in you. Just remember what I told you. Stay low, and be quick. They're bigger than you, so they move slower." She rolled her shoulder, wincing at the feeling of soreness that she felt in her shoulder blade. Jade had landed a few punches during the time she spent helping her, and to Eve's surprise, Jade was not as bad as one would have thought. Sure, she was weaker than most, but like Eve, she had the upper hand. She could transform at will, and she held magic as a half Guardian that was unique to her.

"Josia was right. I should leave the fighting to the men," Jade shrugged away, turning back before she would even reach where the crowd gathered. Evette reached for her arm, catching her before she could walk away. "I know most of them. I don't want to hurt them." She said, covering her eyes with her other hand, afraid to look at the seven men standing in the center of the now parted crowd.

"This is not about hurting your opponent because you dislike them, it is about proving to yourself that you can do the things others say you cannot. Violence plays a part, but honor does also. Do you want your brother to be your king? Or perhaps your uncle?" Evette was serious, and her eyes were fierce. She was not about to allow Jade to give in to doubt. Eve saw hope in her teary eyes, and unlike Collin, Josia, and Jamie, there was something about her that reminded Evette of herself. If she let the girl give up, it would be like telling herself to give up, and she could not bear to think about entertaining that thought.

"Collin could be a good leader. If you let go of me, I can let him out of the room we carried him to. Perhaps he is awake now." Jade pulled away, but Evette was not going to let her go.

"No," Evette growled. "Stop trying to run away from me. Instead of making excuses, why don't you look me in the eyes and tell me that you really do not want to do this. Tell me you want to leave the future of this clan in someone else's hands."

Jade struggled to find words, because she knew that she wanted to be strong, and wanted to prove that she could take on opponents twice her size, but she feared the idea of taking a life. The life of the man who her mother had loved dearly.

"Tell me you want me to allow you to walk away. To give you the freedom to hide away until some brute takes Joseph's place and makes a mockery of you and the others who refused to challenge him. Some of them may be vengeful. You said it yourself, the groups must usually be separated. Transition wolves live closer to the surface, while the others—lunar wolves— live below. The level below the room we are standing in is just the second. Out of this entire underground, how many men do you think want to be a leader? A king? A lot. There are many people in this world that are not good people, Jade." Eve said quietly.

"Why do you care so much?"

Evette released Jade's arm, and stood in front of her. "Because, I don't want you to give up. I want you to believe in yourself."

"I never wanted this. . ."

"I know," Evette blinked. "But sometimes we are not dealt a lucky hand of cards. We want better, but we cannot make this life better for us or anyone else unless we go out and do things that test our strength in every way. We just met, but I would tell the same to someone who I know well if they were faced with a challenge like this."

Jade hesitantly peeked over Evette's shoulder, eyeing the tallest man that stood between the two large crowds on either side of the hole in the ground. "You think I can beat that?"

Evette turned, and her heart practically skipped a beat. He was the tallest man she had ever seen, and after failing to notice him push through the crowd on the right, she watched confusedly as the group behind him cheered. Jade was frightened, and Evette suddenly knew why. After taking one long look at the beast, she herself was afraid for the girl who would have to fight him.

"He is the man Joseph was talking about. One of the forest folk who stands with the lunar wolves. I don't stand a chance." She heard Jade whisper from beside her, but Evette could barely hear her over the commotion happening in the center of the hall. She could not take her eyes off of the twin swords at the man's belt, their hilts crafted similarly to the handle of the dagger that she had lost. She recognized the light metal, and her breath hitched at the realization.

Evette had not realized that she was staring, and by the time the man met her gaze, she could not avoid his. Magnificent green eyes stared back at her, and as she witnessed him pull his swords free of their sheaths, she realized that his long, braided blonde hair held the same light hues as the man whom she had witnessed the Maker shoot three arrows into in the forest, just days ago. This man's eyes and hair were the only things about him that were similar. He was sure of himself, unlike the dead man whom she had stolen from against Narcisse's knowledge at the time.

His strides were long, and as his body shifted, more of the long scars on his fur-covered chest were revealed. The pelts swayed, brushing against his pale, thickly muscled torso as he walked. He was standing before Evette and the others beside her in an instant, bowing his head toward Joseph, who spoke words that Evette could not hear. She was too distracted to realize that he had hobbled away, clutching his cane as he made his way toward where his sons stood in front of the crowd on the left, leaving Evette and two others beside her.

"You must be the newest wolf to join us," The man's guttural voice tore through the momentary silence. He stared down at Narcisse, who glanced up at him with a tense expression. Evette was short, but the scrutinizing gaze of the tall warrior made everyone look just as short as she was. His size put every man in the hall to shame, and few could see past his appearance. "When Joseph told me that ye' were an outsider, I wondered if ye' were one of us, but I ken your scent. You were bitten by a gifted wolf, unlike those of us who live beneath this hall. Ye' smell of magic." His deep, grating voice was starting to become annoying to Evette, and there was something about him that sent waves of mixed energy through her, warning her of the intent behind his eyes. Heat pooled in her belly when he turned to her, momentarily ignoring Jade and Narcisse.

"Dark magic." He said, eyes roaming over her. Evette was thankful that Jade had allowed her to borrow her hairbrush, so she could coax the knots out of her mangled hair. It felt refreshing to wash her face with water from one of the springs in the far area of the underground, the droplets naturally falling from a water vein between rocks in the walls. She was no longer covered in ashen soot, and she looked presentable, not that it mattered to her if she was or not. "You have done us a great service. Ciren will not be missed."

"So I have been told." Evette said, her feelings hidden behind the serious look on her face.

"What is your name, sweetling?"

"What's yours?" Eve answered him with a question, which she could tell did not irritate him in the slightest. It was a test to see how he would react, and he had yet to fail.

"You may call me Chesare, sweetling."

"What is your full name?" Eve pushed. She was trying to see if she could make him look at her with anger in his eyes, instead of curiosity.

"If you must know sweetling, my name is Chesare Alaric Raudevere."

"Please do stop calling me sweetling." Evette could feel eyes staring at her from all directions, and she realized that Jade and a few in the crowd were watching her, surprised by her forcefulness. She was trying to get a rise out of Chesare to see just how he would react, but she instead caught the surprised glances of everyone around her. Narcisse simply smiled, knowing that she was trying to read the man.

The tip of his unsheathed swords were pushed into the dirt further as he stood, leaning his large head against them as he bent down, gripping them tightly with hands that were larger than Evette's small head. His blades were as tall as she was, and twice as sharp as her mind. Chesare paused a moment before bowing his head kindly, eyes bright with green magic that she had provoked within him. "As you wish."

"My name is Evette, since you were wondering."

Chesare smiled, a smile that Eve was not expecting to see. He reached up with one hand, gently tapping at the side of his face where his hair covered the area of skin underneath. "They are bonnie." He said, referring to Evette's uncovered ears. She had not realized that her hair had shifted away from them, no longer covering the precious reminders of who she was. She watched as the man swept his fingers through his locks, uncovering the sides of his head where his ears once were. They were both completely gone; only scars and two small holes remained. "Twas born deaf. My wee brother cut them off in my sleep when I was a boy. Figured they were useless anyway."

Evette covered her mouth with her hands, glancing up at the man with sad eyes. She covered her ears with her hair quickly, not wanting to draw attention to her pointy tips.

"He should not have." Said Evette, fighting back a few unshed tears. The sight of his  missing ears reminded her of Avá. She wondered if he was an elf, but she decided against it. He was surely a human, one the size of a giant.

Chesare shrugged, unbothered by the memory of his distant past. "Will you join me in watching the first few fights commence?" He unexpectedly asked.

Evette reached for Jade's shoulder first. Placing her hand gently at the small of her back, so she could nudge the girl forward gently. "I'm afraid I cannot, but she could sit with you," Jade glanced at her skeptically, but she knew that a push was what she needed to further ponder if she would indeed fight for herself, and her family, even if they sometimes did not appreciate all that she did for them. "It would be kind of you to sit together, as she may choose to fight. It would mean a lot to me if you did."

Chesare sized up Jade, eyeing her with a sharp gleam in his green eyes. "I don't think that would be best. You do not smell like the gifted wolves, and if a wolf like yourself refuses to accompany me, then I will sit alone amongst the others. It would disturb our peace if I sit with her." He ignored Jade, refusing to spend another second looking her in the eyes.

Evette frowned. She understood why he disliked transition wolves, but it still saddened her to think that the groups disliked each other simply because of something they could not choose or control. It seemed frivolous.

"I'm not a wolf."

"Then, what are ye'?" He tilted his head, instantly curious.

She scratched the back of her neck, her fingers brushing over her shoulder that was barely sore. She had tucked the edges of her torn collar over, making it seem that it was the style of her shirt and not a wolfish accident. The two long slits in the back of her overshirt and the scars at her back were harder to cover up.

Jade elbowed her gently, turning to her so her back was facing Chesare. She smiled slyly, momentarily forgetting all about why she and the others were standing in the great hall. "Show him." She mouthed silently to Evette.

"Stand back." Evette said audibly, and Jade backed away, along with Narcisse. Chesare did not move, he simply stayed where he was, blades in hand.

"You're going to demonstrate?" Chesare asked, his brows pinching together in confusion. He had not eyed the movements of her lips when she warned everyone to move away.

Evette stepped back, nodding silently. She lifted her arms, holding them out on either side of her body, eyes shut tight. Everyone turned their attention toward her now, watching intently as she focused. Alight veins started to appear beneath her skin as a familiar heat surged from her head, all the way down to her toes. The tips of her wings peeked out from her back, and as they grew, she heard everyone fall silent. No one cheered, or looked to the pit. She was suddenly the main attraction.

"Heavens above!" Chesare whispered under his breath when the length of her wings kept expanding until they were twice as tall as him, reaching up to touch the air above her head. They caught fire, and so did the palms of her hands. She opened her eyes and smiled to herself when she saw that her hand was no longer marked, silently thanking the creature from her wicked nightmare for removing it.

Eve felt stronger. She felt more in control of her emotions, and content in knowing that she did not have all of the answers. She had made progress, but still realized that there was much more to work through. Still so many hurdles to overcome.

She reached up with one hand, her palm facing the tallest peak in the dirt ceiling above. A forceful flame rose from her hand until it was tall enough to illuminate all of the dimly lit engravings on the walls. It was a brighter flame than all of the thirty torches hung. As gravity forced the flame to finally descend, she realized that she had yet to figure out how to extinguish the fire her hands created. She panicked, her expression one of worry as the ball of fire continued to fall.

Just before the flames could go barreling down to the ground, rolling right passed her, she reached up and grabbed the ball of condensed fire in her hand. She squeezed it tightly, and closed her eyes again, afraid that she would not be able to make it stop swirling down around her arm, inching closer to her face. She felt no pain in allowing it to move closer, but the sight of her hair catching fire was startling.

Evette stood still for a moment, unburnt, but still afraid that she would start to feel pain from the flames at any moment. Narcisse was the first to take a step forward, even though Chesare was the one standing closest to her. When he kneeled, she smiled awkwardly, watching as his head bowed in respect. The red marks on his forearms lit up at the sight of her, calling to her being as fire dared to touch her torn clothes.

Many whispered amongst the crowd, and Eve realized that most were seeing her for the first time. The night she had arrived, only a few wolves who had the privilege of living closer to the tunnel entrance had seen her. Had chased her.

Chesare looked down at Narcisse, a look on his face that spoke the words he refused to. They were wolves, most, if not all, burdened by magic, and they had never seen anyone or anything like her. She may not have been able to see her own beauty, but they saw it amongst the light that shone over the dark shadows cast over the crowds.

"She is an angel." Evette heard a woman's voice from the crowd on the right. They were two groups torn by their dislike for each other, but they could all agree on that very obvious fact. Eve was an angel, one that had yet to allow herself to earn the white wings at her back, and the halo that lingered above her head, leaving enough room for another adornment. For she would one day have both, a diadem to rule over men, and a halo to rule over all others.

"She is." Narcisse said simply, rising from the place where he bent the knee before her. It calmed her to know that he was not afraid to show that he had chosen her as his queen, and not a human king, or any other. He was once loyal to the king, but those days were over, as were the ones when he wished he could return home to his small living quarters in the back of a sordid brothel, and apologize to the man who had burdened his thoughts until the day he had met Evette. He still needed to make amends with some from his past.

"You flatter me," Evette calmed her throbbing heart, and breathed a sigh of relief when the flames began to flicker. They were suddenly gone, and Eve glanced confusedly at her hands once the flames had stopped burning, but no one seemed to notice the surprised look on her face, as they were too mesmerized by the sight of her wings. "I'm no angel." She whispered.

"I have never seen anything quite like that. You are something else, lass."

Evette hid her wings behind her back, folding them away so her body could try to heal the scars. If she would continue to re-open her wounds again and again, they would never fully heal, and it would keep her from having to force her wings to tear away at her flesh.

Narcisse hugged her back with a smile as she slid into his arms, smiling happily. "You're getting better at not burning things down." He said, staring down at her. She placed a single finger over her lips, silencing him, a smile playing on her lips as she did. Her eyes flashed a fiery orange. The image of her in that moment was one he wished he would never forget, for she was a vision. Perhaps it was the way she pressed her finger to her supple lips, or the knowing sense he had of her emotions, but the joy he felt turned to fear the moment the creeping thought that perhaps he was growing too familiar started to make itself known. He was too unlovable; too broken, even for a femme fatale as searing as Evette. She was a daring enchantress, one that simply did not understand the full meaning of the word.

"Well, I still don't know what I'm doing fully." She whispered, her arms falling back to her sides when Narcisse pulled away.

"You did well. Better than last time. Those trees sure were flammable."

Evette turned away from Narcisse, ignoring him. "You wanted to know what I am," she stared up at Chesare, who's humbled gaze met hers instantly. "I'm a Guardian, like Jade."

Jade sidled up beside her, smiling brightly as she took her by the hand and led her away, disappearing amongst the crowd as they turned their attention back to Joseph and the men who were discussing amongst themselves, unconcerned with the show Evette had put on.

"Alright, settle down," Evette heard Chesare's voice over the noisy whispers. "The lass put on a wee show for us, but we must remember why we are here. Four wolves from each group will be chosen on this very eve." His words were followed by an impatient cheer from those of the group who's loyalty was with him and the others who were against the generational rule of transition wolves.

"For a moment, I actually began to convince myself that I could actually fight against the others and win. I cannot do this." Jade leaned over and whispered in Evette's ear. She pulled Jade aside, away from any who would have cared to listen.

"I have got an idea; it could work if you change your mind." Eve released the girl's arm from her grasp. "I'm assuming that Chesare must be a very visual fighter. His sense of perception is different than ours, as he is reliant on his sight."

"He's deaf; that is no secret. Why would that matter?" Jade wondered.

"Would it be alright if I demonstrated? Put my hands over your eyes so I can show you what I mean?" Evette asked, stepping behind Jade hesitantly.

"Sure," Jade nodded. "If it will help you explain your idea."

Eve gently reached around so she could obstruct Jade's line of sight, placing her hands over her closed eyes. "You can't see," she said from behind her. "Now, keep your eyes closed." Jade obeyed her command as she removed her hands and placed them over her ears instead. "If you could not hear, and you suddenly could not see, then you would be in a lot of trouble. You would have no way to navigate your surroundings, or see if your opponent was about to attack." She removed her hands and stepped around to face her. "If you can use something to obstruct Chesare's vision, then you will have the upper hand."

"There is no guarantee that I will have to fight Chesare if I agree. We have to all collectively choose who from either group will fight, but I know the others will choose him. One of the others may beat him when it is his turn to fight, but just because the others are weaker than him, it does not mean that they will be easier to beat. Joseph refused to allow all of the wolves on the level below ours to come up to help decide. He didn't want anything to get out of hand." Jade turned to Evette, the light in her eyes fading.

"Maybe you won't, but it could help if you do. Sand does irritate the eyes."

"Why did you ask if I could sit with him?" Jade asked suddenly.

"I wanted to see if it would irritate him. Thought maybe he would have said yes if I asked nicely."

"You can be quite irritating. Especially when you're trying to remain positive, but know that you hold no hope in the situation. Don't think I didn't notice." Jade laughed, eyeing Evette nervously. "But, really, thank you for your encouragement," Jade smiled. "And I'm sorry about your shoulder."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it."

Jade glanced back over her shoulder, searching for someone amongst the crowd. "I'm going to go find Joseph, and tell him that I don't want to fight. I'm not going to do something that I don't want to do, even if it means that I will have to defend myself and the others against a new leader in the future. Come what may."

Evette nodded. She respected Jade's decision, even if she herself would have chosen differently. "I admire a woman who knows what she wants. Consequences be damned energy."

"If you see Jamie anywhere, please tell me. He's probably off sneaking around the halls, lurking in shadows like always. I haven't seen him for a little while, and I want to make sure he's alright." Jade said before backing away, leaving Evette to stand alone against the dark wall at her back.

"I'm sure he's just fine, but if I see him, I will tell you. Go on." Evette watched as Jade smiled back at her and walked away.

Her back slid against the wall as she sat, knees pulled up to her chest under the dim torch above. Eve sat alone, watching the bodies in the hall shift around as they stood, rowdy and obnoxious in their candor cheers for which men they thought were the ones fit enough to lead. Of course, most of them were tall and strong, which helped their chances. Evette could guess who most likely were going to be chosen. All she saw from her place on the cold floor, were men too rough and muscled to not be the ones chosen by the people. Evette was not intrigued by their appearances, and put off by most of their banter, but she could not keep her eyes from wondering toward Chesare, who she realized had been staring in her direction the entire time she was trying to read the others from afar. He was the only man who sat impatiently, the heel of his boot digging into the side of the deep pit he sat at the edge of, his other knee bent.

"So, this is where you've been hiding." Narcisse's voice was a welcome sound that graced her ears. He bent down after pushing his way through the crowd, an eyebrow raised curiously.

She looked up at him. "You've found me. I was hoping I could have hidden in this uncomfortable corner a bit longer."

"I have something to tell you," He said as he bent down to sit beside her. "Well, I have many things to tell you, but I'll start with one thing at a time."

"Ooh, tell me more." Evette leaned her head on his shoulder as she waited to hear what the man had to say.

"You may want to sit up for this one," He warned. "It may come as a shock."

Evette lifted her head from his shoulder, her expression one of seriousness. "Have you grown tired of me? Want to leave me because I betrayed your trust when I bound your life to mine?"

"No, of course not."

"Then, what is it?" Eve asked impatiently.

"I know about everything. I overheard most of what you told Jade in the dungeons." Narcisse confessed.

"You were pretending to be asleep the entire time?"

"I was unconscious, but when I woke up, I realized that I had actually heard you both talking. My head was spinning from all of it, you know? I never realized that you were dealing with so much. I'm sorry that I never asked about any of it." He sighed.

"How were you supposed to know? I was not going to tell you that I killed my stepmother and am now on the run, and that my skin glows under water and moonlight, because you would have thought that I was crazy— you probably think I'm crazy now. I don't want you to think that, and I certainly don't want you or anyone to pity me. I always regret what I say after the words come out of my mouth."

Narcisse reached for her hand, but pulled away at the last second. "We all have demons, and insecurities. Fears that are hard to talk about."

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"No, not exactly. I wanted to tell you that there was more to the group that ambushed us in the woods, than I let on." Narcisse said seriously. "The name of the young man who led the group was Cayden Ramsey, the son of Cane Ramsey, who is the General of the King's Second Army. I know his father, but I swear that I have never agreed with what he believes in."

Evette's head perked up, her eyes wide. "You knew the man who's son tried to kill me? Tried to kill us? And didn't tell me?"

"Yes, but hear me out. Cane only wanted humans and elves to live separate lives away from the each other so bloodlines could be kept pure. I know that he would never plan to kill innocent women in cold blood. His son on the other hand, held a stronger feeling of hatred toward elves for other reasons, and he had always been the rebellious type. Always running away from home and causing trouble."

Evette sucked in a breath. "Are you saying that you believe his father had nothing to do with the attack? That he didn't help his son plan it?"

"Yes." He shifted, turning on his side so he could better see Evette. "Cane is from the mountain lands, and would be known amongst men like him as a man of the forest folk. There are many tribes, not just the ones who plundered materials from the mines in the Silver Mountains years ago. The groups only trade with each other, and usually keep to themselves about the fact that few of them still possess the makings of the materials they stole from your people during the time of the war. The King of Drogen has enforced a law, that states that a man may carry no weapons or items forged from stolen metal, as it is a punishable crime. No one quite cares that Cane covers the hilt of his sword with a cravat that used to belong to his great grandfather, as they don't dare turn him or his son in for their crimes."

Evette's eyes shifted casually to Chesare, who had stopped staring for a moment long enough so she could admire the twin swords at his belt once more.

"Chesare's blades are from the mountains, and I know that you were smart enough to figure that out, and that is why you spoke to him in the way you did. I recognized Cayden's dagger in the forest, and I placed it in the hand of a fallen elf, so if his father or anyone were to find Cayden's body, they would believe that the blade had not been stolen, which would keep Cane from having to cover up the fact that his own son had an illegal weapon in his possession. The king would not imprison his own general, but if truthful rumors spread, then he would be shamed and berated for his son's actions." Narcisse said quietly, lifting his hand so he could gently tilt Evette's chin in his direction, forcing her to look up at him instead of Chesare.

"I took that dagger," Evette whispered. "And I lost it when Ciren and I were fighting in the forest. Along with my sword."

"I know that now." His eyes held a kindness, and Evette was grateful that he was not upset with her. The last thing she wanted was for him to be disappointed in her action. "I lost my blades also."

"I never thanked you for saving me. That little blade did come in handy after all."

"It was a gift." Narcisse's thumb brushed over the side of her face before his hand fell away from her.

"From who?"

"Jameson and Montgomery. We were on a circuit for a while. Did some underground shows that the king funded in Burrow Town, before Greece Leviathan took a liking to our show and offered us room and board at a brothel in exchange for our services." He glanced away.

"Your services?"

"Saddle switching is a sport that my father taught me before he retired from the circuit. I won the ultimate trophy, a saddle that the king had engraved for me after I proved that I could compete against Jameson and Montgomery. We were the only men to ever be recognized by the king for such a foolish sport. He named Jameson the Farceur, Montgomery the Droll, and I the Jester." He met her gaze once more, staring into her eyes.

"I didn't know. I understand now why you were loyal to the king, and wanted to obey his commands."

Narcisse shrugged his usual, charming shrug. "I didn't do it for the king's approval. I enjoyed the steady flow of coin I earned for teaching some of his soldiers how to ride with a saddle meant for experienced men who are familiar with specially trained war horses. I felt like I belonged; like I mattered, but I realized after I retired from the circuit, that the king quickly lost interest in our talents, and so I have always tried to help support Jameson and Montgomery even after they were no longer employed by the king for a long while. I still call that brothel home, and I still do odd jobs at the king's command. He wanted us to be the three to escort the girls from Tigerstar, and he knew that we needed the money, so he offered us an amount we couldn't refuse. I hadn't seen James or Monty for a while, and so I was happy to be able to see them again. They are the only two people in this world who have ever truly accepted me as I am."

Evette moved in closer. She hugged Narcisse tightly, and he welcomed the gesture. He breathed in her scent, unnoticeably smiling after she had surprised him with her kindness.

"Looks like someone isn't so happy to see you hugging me." Narcisse interrupted before Evette could reassure him. They moved away from each other once more, and Eve lifted her head from where it rested on his chest to glance at the man who had been staring. She could not tell if Chesare was incredibly unhappy to see them together, or if he was angrily staring for another reason. The second was unlikely.

"I really do not know what his problem is. He's been staring at me since I sat down."

"He likes you; probably finds you to be attractive." Narcisse said, his expression unreadable. He reached for her hand, and laced his finger through hers.

"Eh," She smiled awkwardly, stifling a laugh. "I don't think he is staring because of that." She peeked over at Chesare again, stealing a quick glance. "He does kind of have a nice face though." Evette realized what she had said a moment after the words came out of her mouth to flood the silence that floated around Narcisse and herself.

Evette heard Narcisse's low chuckle a moment before she saw his lips turn up into a subtle smile, the dimple at his cheek showing as he did.

"I'm sorry," She said nervously. "I did not mean to make it weird."

Narcisse squeezed her hand tighter, which made her feel more at ease after feeling like she had completely ruined the mood. "You didn't make anything weird. You said how you felt. You were honest."

"Does it bother you to know that I think he's handsome?" Evette asked, scrunching her nose at her own question, clearly embarrassed.

"How can it bother me when I too find him to be good-looking."

They had shared talkative moments, but the silence that now enveloped them both spoke more words than they ever had. They both heard loud voices sound from around the fighting pit, but they were too caught up. They drowned out the people, and the sounds around them as they once again drew closer, unconcerned with who was watching this time.

"Say something." Narcisse said in a breath, his fingers still laced through hers.

"I have too many thoughts to put into words." Evette touched the side of his face, her right hand feeling his inviting warmth as he placed his other hand overtop of hers.

"Try to find the words, love."

"When you were trying to get to me, and ended up breaking down that door," She leaned in closer "I felt afraid. I felt terrified of the uncertain, but when I made the decision to be bound to you, I accepted that I would never be able to hold all of the answers. I cannot tell you why we are here, or why we have been led down this path of magic, but there is one thing that I know for certain," Eve leaned her forehead against his, and Narcisse let out a shallow breath. "I know that I died for you, and I know that I would gladly die again for you. If you believe that I am going to distance myself from you for telling me the truth of who you are, and what you like, then you are mistaken."

"What did I do to deserve you." He unlaced his entwined fingers that grasped Evette's left hand and snaked his arm around her waist, squeezing gently at her hip.

"I do, however, still have one little question." Evette smiled happily, her body pressed against his. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I don't want you to feel pressured to give an answer."

"I'll tell you anything you want to know." He gave in. He let his guard down, the guard that was meant to protect Eve. She knew what she was doing. She knew how she was affecting him.

"Do you feel the same way about me, that I feel about you? Do you care for me?"

He held her close, suddenly intoxicated by her scent. The lustful look in her brown eyes was not helping either. "I am attracted to both men and women equally, but in all of my years, I have never known a woman as alluring as you. I care for you, but I'm constantly asking myself if I should. I mustn't act on my feelings, because I know that you deserve better. You deserve a family who loves you, and a place to call home, and a man who can care for you in ways that I cannot."

"I'm not asking for a lifetime," Evette shook her head slowly. "I just want this moment."

"Then take this moment. Take what you want from me."

Evette tilted her head, her lips pressing against his, stealing a chaste kiss that ignited a flame in both of their pounding hearts. They gripped each others' clothes, fisting the fabric until they were both breathless.

"I want to kiss you until he can no longer bear to even look in our direction." She pulled away and glanced over Narcisse's shoulder at Chesare, who's expression was still pained, his hands balled into fists.

"You're such a tease, you know that? I think I know why that green-eyed boy followed you around for so long. You pushed him away, but your eyes beckoned him closer. I'm glad that he's not here, for his sake. If he saw his love kiss another, it would surely destroy him." Narcisse brushed a few stray strands of auburn hair out of her face, his back turned to the man she eyed momentarily.

"I owe Noel nothing. I made no promises."

Narcisse said nothing. He was silenced by Evette's soft lips, and as she pushed him onto his back, she allowed their tongues to dance, which pleased him. Her body slid between his legs as she leaned over him, trapping him between her arms. He smiled into the kiss they shared, purring deeply.

When they were sated, they pulled away from each other, their chests heaving. Narcisse's lips were sensitive from Evette's gentle bite. She did not nip him hard enough to draw blood, but he could still feel the sting at his bottom lip. As they allowed their hands to slip away from where they had tightly held each other, they were no longer under a trance. Sound loudly touched their eardrums, their brains processed their emotions; acknowledged their adrenaline, and somehow made sense of the mix of loud voices in an instant.

"Four lunar wolves have been chosen from the group, and now we must choose which four transition wolves will challenge them." Chesare stood, and Evette realized that Joseph and the others had already chosen half of the contenders.

Evette and Narcisse hurried to their feet, pushing through the crowd until they could see Joseph and the others standing at the edge of the pit, ready to choose the final four wolves who would fight. Chesare and three other men Evette did not recognize were the lunar wolves that had been chosen, and the nervous look on Jade's face was all Evette needed to see to know that she was shivering with fearful anxiousness. Josia was beside her, eager to announce that he wished to be the wolf who would fight for his family's honor. He was young, but that did not excuse the fact that he had hurt the girl who cared for him and his family. He made her feel like he did not care, and for that, Evette disliked him. Perhaps he was naive, or simply blinded by a false sense of pride, but it did not matter now.

"Following tradition, each of the four wolves who have already been chosen may challenge a a single transition wolf. This does not mean that whoever they challenge will be chosen, but they may announce who they wish to fight." Joseph announced. "Who will you challenge Chesare?" He asked the first man.

Evette looked for Jade, who mouthed the words, "We must get Collin. He has to be the one to fight." The girl tried to slip away, but Chesare gripped her pale arm, stopping her from leaving the place she stood beside Joseph and the challengers. "It's too late to stop them. They already believe Joseph is unfit to rule." Evette heard her silent voice, and Chesare had also.

Eve turned away, and took a step forward, only to be stopped by the sound of Chesare's voice. She could not move, or breathe, or run to find Collin unconscious in a room down the winding corridor.

"I challenge the new wolf." Chesare held out his arm, a single finger outstretched in Narcisse's direction. The action caused the crowd to part, fully revealing Evette and Narcisse who stood side by side, one with their back turned, and the other staring angrily at the man who challenged him.

Joseph leaned heavily on his cane so he could catch his breath. "I object to your request. The new wolf will not be staying with us here. He must return to the surface and complete his quest, along with the girl."

"You have made it clear that ye' believe a new leader should be chosen. You're clearly unfit to lead, as you've grown old and weak. Who are you to object? Let the man speak for himself." Chesare growled.

"I will remind you that you are speaking to your king. You will speak to him with respect!"Jade barked from beside him.

"I only spoke the truth. If you are offended by my honest words, I apologize." Chesare glanced down at her, releasing her arm.

"I will not fight you. The crown is not mine to take." Narcisse interrupted.

"You're only saying that because you know that you won't win. You're cowardice if you dinnae wish to prove that you are worthy of this woman's affection." Chesare provoked him, stepping around the pit so he could face Narcisse. His eyes shifted to Evette, daring the flames within her to scold him.

"I do not need to fight you to prove anything. I have her affection, and she has mine." Narcisse murmured.

"In my culture, men take what we want. Forest folk slaughter small men like you for standing in our way. I am a wolf now, but that does not separate me from my beliefs. I take what I want, and I want the sweetling at your side."

Evette was more shocked than she was angry. She noticed Narcisse's sure footing, though he was standing precariously on the edge of the fighting pit. Chesare forced him to step back without touching him, and for the first time in a long while, Eve felt helpless in her actions. If she tried to pull Chesare back, she would not be able to get him to back away, as he was all brawn. If she pushed him, he and Narcisse would fall right into the pit, violently landing on the hard ground. All she had were her words.

"I'm standing right here." She said. "Stop trying to provoke him. You seek to possess someone who will never be yours, just like how your people pillaged and plundered the mines on the land that my father ruled over, and believed you could take what did not belong to you and not face any consequences for your actions."

She caught Chesare's attention, and everyone else's. He turned his attention toward her with a slow swivel of his head.

"You heard the lady. You will never procure her heart, even if you tried to be charming, instead of being disrespectful." Narcisse had said it before Chesare could comprehend what Evette had said. He now realized who she was.

Chesare reached for his swords, quickly pulling the blades free from his belt. "Perhaps, but if I carve out your heart, then she will never possess it." He swung the blade without turning his head, and as he did, Narcisse ducked, stepping away from the edge. He pivoted on his heel, now standing in front of Chesare.

Evette watched as Narcisse thrust his leg toward the man. The sole of his boot collided with the scarred muscles of his chest as he pushed him back, catching him by surprise. As the tall man began to lose his balance, he loosened his grip on the hilt of his swords. Narcisse pulled them away from him, grasping the sharp edges, blood dripping from his palms as he did.

"You will do no such thing." Narcisse groaned as the man began to fall backward, the force of his kick sending him over the edge.

• • • •