Climbing forty flights of stairs was a feat that Cora had never experienced before. By the time she reached the fifteenth, Walder had to carry her on his back so she didn't appear incoherent when facing the Alpha. She had also never been carried by such a large person before, feeling like her weight was inconsequential to him.

She had no idea why she was being summoned, or why Ludovic was not outside her door when she left. Even Asla looked nervous, and that exasperated Cora's apprehension. Every time her anxious mind wandered, she wanted to grip the Walder's woolen shirt, only to have an uncomfortable remembrance that this male was foreign to her, and so was everyone in these halls.

Walder placed her down when they reached a new landing, guiding them through more extravagant stone corridors, carvings along the walls in straight lines with torches casting moving shadows.

She stood before two large wooden doors that were at least twice her height, and of course were elaborately engraved as well. Something as simple as doors made her feel incredibly small in all of this. Two guards outside grabbed the iron handles, pulling to open them with a deep groan of the heavy wood. Inside, she saw a few familiar faces, and many she didn't know.

Cora's blood seemed to simultaneously run cold and be on fire at the same time as all eyes were on her. From behind, Mina reassuredly said, "Go ahead, Cora."

Moving her feet with extra effort, Cora walked into the large room with larch archways carved as windows, a massive table in the middle of the room, a great hearth rumbling to her left. At least she knew Rasha's and Ludovic's face. Unfortunately, she knew Oren's as well.

It was evident that something was going on here, especially when she caught Theran's uninviting gaze. Ludovic's was no warmer, although he was not directing his discontent towards Cora.

The door remained opened behind Cora and Mina followed close behind to stand next to her. Theran spoke to Mina, his voice and the rumbling fire the only sound, although Cora knew these lycans could hear her heart racing through it all.

When Theran stopped, Mina hesitated, her lips parted and her brows furrowed, looking at Cora with wide eyes. Her tone was of disgust and confusion. "He wants a good reason to keep you. I think...I think they want to give you to Steigen."

Cora's body went cold, as if the ocean water from the previous night lapped at her skin once more. "No," she said, lingering her gaze to Theran.

She knew her eyes gave away her utter fear and shock, a dizzy spell spinning the world around her as her gaze fell to the table, able to see it was a map. Her eyes found Steigen territory and she darted her gaze away, panic rising in her chest as she breathed rapidly.

Mina darkly added, "He wants you to defend your honor. To defend why you should stay."

Cora shuddered in despondence. She simply couldn't believe it. They were really were going to send her there. She wanted to find any argument to stay, but it was like grasping at the dark. What should she say? Because she didn't want to go?

She hadn't been here long, but knew enough to know that her wishes for something would not amount to much, not when Grimshaw stalked her shadows. 

"Why?" Cora finally asked. She moved her gaze from the table to Theran. "Why do I have to defend myself?"

He took in a deep breath before speaking, and Mina echoed, "Because Steigen is coming for you, he says, and when they do, it will kill hundreds of us. It is easier to just give you to Grimshaw now rather than risk a war."

The world spun even more, as the worst part was that Cora understood that; she had even thought it over herself, but allowed her mind to assuage any fears when recalling what inspired Hilda all these years --"But the visions," Cora said, her voice shaking, despite how much she tried to steady it. "They said the visions showed a horrible future if I go to him. My parents fled Steigen, and Hilda joined us because of the warnings she got in the smoke. If I go to him, disaster comes for all of you."

Nothing about Theran's expression changed, a callous edge remaining. Mina translated, her own voice shaking, although Cora could tell it was from anger. "He says that they are the visions of a witch that we do not know. For all we know, she is power hungry and wants a place among these packs" –Mina grit her teeth— "He adds that there is always a chance that she is a servant of Steigen, since she is from those lands."

Cora dropped her jaw, the slightest crook of a smile forming as she wanted to laugh at the accusation, although none of the humor reached her eyes. She actually glared at the Alpha. Why would she work for Steigen and bring me here!

Theran spoke again, unfazed by Cora's reaction as Mina said, "He is giving you a chance to beg for why you should remain. What would make you worth it..."

Cora was so tired, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. She had gone through so much to get here, and now this Alpha wanted her to give him some kind of proof that she would be worth the wars.

I am failing Ben. And Hilda. And mother and father.

She could find no reason as to why she should ask these lycans to risk keeping her alive. If they didn't believe Hilda, then who else would they believe? She thought to the younglings playing on the way here and realized more children would lose their parents, just as she and Ben lost hers.

All so she could avoid Grimshaw. If they didn't believe Hilda, then there was no point in keeping Cora here. If they ignored the witch, then she truly had no recourse for defense.

She sighed, staring at the floor before realizing she had one last chance to save one of them. "Fine. You win. I do not have a good reason, aside from the visions, for why I should stay and have your kind risk your lives for me."

Cora looked up at Theran. They respond to strength, and I am tired of begging. "I only came here because Hilda told me that if Steigen gets me, then it will bring even more deaths to the world. Plus, I personally don't want to go, but that doesn't weight against everyone else. So, I understand. Nothing I will say will convince you, if you refuse to listen to Hilda, then I just ask that my brother and Hilda get to go back to Kamas, or to a new village. Offer me that, and," she paused, her voice catching in her throat, "And I will go to Steigen."

How could she ask others to die for her, especially if they didn't trust her witch? Cora could feel regret at the words she uttered, but she also knew that her priority was Ben. She'd go to Steigen for him, if that's truly what these wolves would subject her to.

Cora also couldn't tolerate the idea of being with Theran now, just for the sake of him giving up so easily. That was weak, and if Cora could do all of this for her brother, then Theran could trust not just a witch, but his Seers as well. How else was she supposed to trust him in the future?

Many murmured once Mina translated – who spoke with pride in echoing Cora's words – and Cora looked around the room. Rasha seemed shocked, and Ludovic watched on with some kind of burning thought, but one that she could not decipher.

The room immediately silenced once Theran spoke until Mina said, "He says that Steigen will not allow him to harbor your brother and your witch. They would have to go too."

That angered Cora, who re-positioned her stance. Her under eyes raised as she glared, no longer respecting an inch of this lycan. He couldn't even give her that? She was willing to go to Steigen on her own, and he was afraid to harbor a boy and a witch? She reasoned, "What, why? You can just send them away, right now, before Grimshaw even gets here. Send them to the hunters in the south. Grimshaw won't chase after them once they're there."

Theran shook his head and Mina seemed reluctant to translate as she said, "He affirms that they must go with you."

Cora's glare turned to a glower, her mouth and jaw fidgeting as she sucked her tongue to the back of her teeth, slowly shaking her head. He was no better than the young lycan that attacked Ben. She gave it one last attempt, "Please. I ask you, my liege, to give my brother a chance of refuge and a normal life."

Before Mina was done translating, Theran interrupted with, "No."

Cora felt like she wanted to run at Theran and hit him with everything that she had, but to her surprise, Oren took over and spoke quickly to Theran in their tongue. Mina piped up and challenged Oren, who interrupted her in return. Cora wasn't sure what was happening, but it seemed that the translators were engaging in a spat.

Mina responded in English to Oren, "I will not back down, Magna Oren. You are twisting her words to Theran, and you know it. She has the courage to stand up to Grimshaw, so I will stand up for her."

Oren said, "Too bad. It's not as if any of them know."

Rasha spoke up, her words as sharp as her eyes cold. "We can speak the human tongue as well, Ashmore. In case you forgot. I don't like what I am witnessing, either."

Theran shouted a command, and Mina let Cora know that he demanded to be spoke to in Danesh.

A new female took a step towards Theran; she wore red robes and had the skin complexion and hair color as the Alpha. Mina told Cora that it was his aunt Naila, who was also a Seer. 

With no clear transition, everything escalatd.

Mina and Rasha spoke quickly in Danesh as Naila spoke to Theran. Cora got the impression that Rasha and Mina were contsting whatever the Reiger Seer was saying to the Alpha. Cora's pulse beat with such ferocity that she feared her heart would explode. Theran silenced them all and walked around the table to face Mina, speaking harshly to her.

Mina looked down and muttered.

Theran slapped her. Hard. The sound of skin on skin contact echoed in the room, and Cora's blood boiled to a new level.

Cora ran over to the only friend she has made while being here, holding her hand out as Theran had raised to hit Mina again. "Stop!"

Theran's eyes glowed amber and although he had raised his arm to strike Mina, he clearly decided it would strike someone.

He backhanded Cora.

She tumbled, the strength in his arm disorienting her. Many in the room mumbled and Rasha cried out, yelling at Theran. Cora steadied herself, looking around for Ludovic, although he only watched on. What Theran couldn't see, however was that Ludovic's eyes were amber, and he glowered at the back of Theran, as if he might attack.

Cora faced Theran; alone if she must. There was no alliance here. There was nothing she owed him, and anger swirled like a firestorm inside of her chest. "Mina, please translate..."

Mina nodded, touching her bleeding lip.

Cora spoke through the mirrored busted lip, pressing past the pain. She glared at Theran and if her eyes could glow amber, they would burn like magma. Cora warned, "If I go to Steigen, then I will do what I can to come back and give you something to fear myself. You're too much of a coward to save a boy, so I would never trust you to become my mate."

He raised a hand once again as Mina spoke, Ludovic taking a step towards them.

Cora was not phased. She knew Hilda could get Ben out of here if something happened to her, and she was done. Cora said, "You harm me" –Theran hesitated as Mina translated—"and you know that Grimshaw will harm you in return. His witch is watching; I saw the shadow myself. You're too arrogant, or afraid, or whatever it is that you are to see that that shadow did not belong to my witch. I will try my best to prevent unnecessary life from being lost, but if Grimshaw comes for you, any blood spilled here is on your hands. So, go ahead. Strike me again. I'll return it tenfold once I get my claws."

Oren translated for her as Mina stared at Cora with shock. Cora added, "Obviously I don't want to go to Grimshaw, but you're not worthy of an Omni like me. You hit Mina for no reason and cannot help my brother. I worry for your people."

Theran went to strike Cora again, his hand in a mid-shift as a claw formed, and Cora was ready to brace herself, closing her eyes and holding an arm up.

But someone interrupted, and when Cora opened her eyes, she stared at the long, thin dreads of Ludovic, his back to her, and Theran slamming into a wall to crack it.