Sophie POV

The southern territory looked like a different world. The trees grew closer together.

The air was thick. My boots sank into the mud. I stared at the plants. I looked for the jagged leaves of wild ginger.

I searched for swamp lilies. I also needed the sulfur root. It grows in the heart of these wetlands. It provides a savory depth to the broth.

This depth balances the heat of the peppers. Alaric stayed close to me. He moved with quiet power. He didn't act like a king. He acted like my protector.

"Is that what you need?" Alaric asked.

He pointed to a cluster of small pods.

"Yes." I said.

"Those are the marsh lilies. They provide the floral notes for the duck soup. Be careful. The stems have fine hairs. They irritate the skin."

Alaric reached into the thorns. He did not hesitate. He plucked the lilies. He placed them in my leather satchel. His hands remained steady. I saw a small scratch on his thumb. He ignored it.

"We need the blue flowers now." I said.

"They only grow near running water."

We walked toward a creek. The sun was setting. Roland walked ten paces ahead. He scanned the trees. His hand never left his sword.

"We are running out of time Alaric." I said.

I felt the pressure in my chest.

"The journey back will take hours. The competition starts at sunrise. If we miss the opening ceremony, the Moon Crescent Pack wins by default."

"We will make it, Sophie." Alaric said.

He looked at me. His eyes were firm.

"I will not let the clock defeat you. Focus on the herbs. I will focus on the path."

We reached the creek. The water was clear and cold. I saw the flowers. They were small and delicate. They grew in the moss between the wet stones.

I knelt down. The cold water soaked my clothes. I began to pluck the blue petals. These flowers would give the beef its aroma. They were the heart of the first dish.

"I have them." I said.

I stood up. I wiped my hands on my cloth.

"We have everything. Let us move."

The walk back to the Silent Peak was a test of endurance. We did not stop to rest. We did not stop to drink. My legs felt stiffed. My lungs burned.

Alaric asked if he should carry me. I know he was tired too. He just wants me to be fine. He kept a hand on my back. He pushed me forward when I slowed down.

"The blacksmith should be finished by now." Alaric said.

"He must be." I replied.

"Without that cooker, these lilies and flowers are useless. I cannot tenderize the meat in time with a normal pot. The marrow will not release its essence."

"Kaelen looks like a man of his word." Alaric said.

"He knows the stakes. Thomas is there to ensure he does not sleep. No man ignores the command of a king's beta."

Alaric was trying to make me laugh. I smiled. I had called him the King's Beta. Now he is using it to tease me.

We climbed the steep path back to the forge. The smell of coal and hot iron met us.

The sky is now dark. The first stars appeared. We reached the clearing.

I saw Kaelen standing his long wooden table. Thomas stood next to him. They both looked like they had been through a war. Their faces were black with soot. Their shirts were soaked with sweat.

In the center of the table sat an iron vessel. It was thick and dark. It had a lid with a brass locking mechanism. A small weight sat on top of a vent. It was the pressure cooker.

"It is done." Kaelen said.

He sounded exhausted.

I ran to the table. I touched the cold iron. I felt the seams. They were tight. I checked the valve. It moved freely. This was the key to my victory.

"Thank you, Kaelen." I said.

"This is perfect. It is exactly what I drew."

"It was difficult." Kaelen said.

"The seals had to be exact. Thomas helped with the bellows. We worked through the night. The iron resisted. The pressure of your deadline forced my hand."

"You did well, Thomas." Alaric said.

"It is a strange machine, Sire." Thomas replied.

"But it holds the heat. It hissed at us all night."

We were all exhausted. The walk from the south had drained my strength. Alaric looked tired. Kaelen and Thomas had not slept in twenty four hours. The pressure cooker sat on the table like a prize.

"We must rest." Kaelen said.

"The sun will rise in a few hours. You need your strength for the journey and the kitchen."

We moved into the small stone house. I found a corner with dry straw. Alaric sat beside me.

Roland stood near the door for a moment before sitting down. Thomas leaned against the wall. We fell asleep quickly. The silence of the mountain covered us.

Only a few hours of sleep. The room was still dark. Someone tapped my shoulder. It was Kaelen. He moved silently. He placed a finger to his lips.

"Someone is coming." Kaelen whispered.

I felt Alaric stir beside me. He was awake instantly. His hand went to his sword.

Roland and Thomas were already on their feet. They were moving silently. The air in the room was heavy.

Suddenly, the silence broke. A small bell near the gate gave a sharp, ring.

Cling.

"Quiet." Kaelen whispered.

He moved toward the iron gear on the wall.

"I have set silver wires in the bushes. They are alarms. They tell me when the perimeter is breached."

Cling. Cling. Cling.

Three more bells rang in succession. They came from different directions.

"They are many." Kaelen said.

His voice was flat.

"And they are coming fast. They have surrounded us. This is not a coincidence. This is an organized hunt."

Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling.

The sound became a frantic chorus. The bells were screaming now. The pressure of the situation felt physical.

"They are getting close." Kaelen said.

"What do we do?" Alaric asked.

He drew his sword. He stepped in front of me.

"Protect the Chef." Kaelen commanded.

"I know how to defend my home. Roland get to the gate. When I give the word, open it wide."

Roland moved to the gate. He gripped the wooden bars.

"Once the gate is open, I will pull this gear." Kaelen explained.

"It triggers the silver tipped arrows. It will clear the entrance."

Cling. Cling. Cling.

"Now!" Kaelen yelled.

Roland threw the gate open. He stepped to the side. I saw a mass of grey fur and dark leather.

Rogue wolves were gathered at the entrance. They were snarling. Their eyes were fixed on me. They ignored the iron. They wanted me.

Kaelen pulled the gear. The mechanical thud shook the ground. Dozens of silver arrows hissed from the walls. They tore through the front rank of the rogues. Many fell. But more took their place.

They were jumping over the walls now.

Kaelen threw a spare sword to Alaric.

"Go! Take Sophie and go!" Kaelen shouted.

He grabbed a smithing hammer.

"We will handle them! Just go, Cassian!"

He used the name of the Beta.

"Keep the girl safe!" Kaelen screamed.

"Someone sent them for her! They do not want anything! They want the chef! They want to end the competition before it starts!"

A rogue jumped from the roof. He aimed his knife at my throat. Alaric lunged. He caught me. He swung his sword. He drove the blade into the rogue's chest.

I fell down to the ground. The impact knocked me. The iron cover of the pressure cooker slid off. It hit the dirt. It rolled into the center of the fight.

"The cover!" I screamed.

"Alaric, we need the lid!"

"Don't worry! I will bring it in time! Just go! Follow the path!" Kaelen yelled.

He smashed the head of a rogue with his hammer.

"The lid is useless if you are dead!"

"Go inside the house!" Kaelen pointed.

"There is a small hole in the back room. It leads to the secret forest trail. Go now!"

Boom!

A cloud of smoke exploded in the courtyard. Kaelen had triggered a smoke pot. It blinded the rogues.

Alaric gripped my hand. His palm felt hot.

"Run!" He roared.

We crawled through the narrow hole in the back of the house. We emerged into a dense part of the forest.

We ran through the thorns. My cloak caught on branches. I ripped it free.

Thomas stopped. He turned around. He looked at the smoke rising from the forge.

"Roland, continue with the Alpha and the Chef." Thomas said.

He checked his daggers.

"I will handle any of them I come across. I will slow them down. They cannot track what they cannot see."

"Are you sure?" Roland asked.

"Yes." Thomas said.

"I am the fast. Go. Keep her moving toward the palace."

Thomas vanished into the dark. Roland, Alaric, and I ran for miles. My chest was tight. Every breath was a struggle.

We reached a crossroad. The path went left and right. Roland stopped.

"Follow the left path." Roland said.

"I will take the right. I will make enough noise to lead them away. I will distract the main group. I will see you at the palace gates."

"Do not die, Roland." Alaric said.

"I have no intention of dying today, Sire." Roland replied.

Alaric and I ran through the left path. He did not let go of my hand. He pulled me along.

We ran for a long time. The forest remained silent. The only sound was our footsteps.

Then, I heard the sound of snapping branches.

Six rogues stepped out from the trees. They had surrounded us. They did not look at Alaric. They did not care about the King. They looked at me. Their blades were leveled at my stomach.

Alaric stood his ground. He planted his feet. He took a defensive stance. He began to fight. He was really good with a sword. He fought with one hand. His other hand stayed firmly on my arm. He kept me behind him.

"Stay behind me!" He commanded.

He parried a blow from an axe. He spun. He cut the throat of the rogue on his right. He was fast. He was lethal. But there were too many. They attacked from all sides.

The pressure of the ambush was overwhelming.

A rogue lunged from the shadows. His sword was inches from my neck. Alaric roared. He pulled me into his chest. He drove his sword into the stomach of the attacker.

I saw a flash of silver. A rogue's blade caught the shoulder of Alaric.

"Your Majesty! You are hurt!" I yelled.

"I am fine!" Alaric said.

He did not slow down.

"Before they can get to you, they must pass through me!"

One rogue was faster than the others. He was violent. He lunged for my stomach with a dagger. Alaric did not have time to parry. He jumped in front of me.

The blade pierced his side. I heard the sound of the sword cutting through his tunic and skin. Alaric groaned.

He stumbled. But he did not fall. He swung. He killed the man who stabbed him.

I looked at the blood. It was dark and thick. I looked at the forest.

The weight of the last three days hit me. The fear for Alaric was the final blow. My knees became weak.

My vision blurred. I headed for the ground.

Everything went blank.

Chef Fenris POV

The sun hit the stone floor. I woke up. My chest felt heavy.

The palace was loud. I heard silver plates clatter. I heard heavy footsteps in the hallway.

Today the competition begins. Two kingdoms wait for the result. I stood by the window. I looked at the courtyard. Servants carried long tables. They draped them in silk.

The air smelled like cold stone. It smelled like nervous sweat. I thought about the night before. I thought about the message. I gave it to Silas and Martha. I do not know if they reached the Beta in time.

I do not know if the Chief Royal Chef is alive. I washed my face with cold water. I needed to move. I needed to check if she was back.

I left my room. I moved through the servant's stairs. I stayed in the shadows.

I saw the Great Hall. It was busy. Workers polished chairs. They set thrones for the judges.

I moved toward the royal kitchen. I reached the heavy doors. I did not enter. I pressed my ear to the wood. I heard copper clanging. I heard sharp voices.

"Silas, the Chief Royal Chef is not back." Martha said.

"I know." Silas replied.

"We have no poultry." Martha said.

"Chef Sophie has not return. She has the supply list."

"She is not here, Martha." Silas said.

"The sun is up." Martha cried.

"The competition is hours away. Where is she?"

"We must prepare the ingredients and wait." Silas said.

"I believe she would return before the competition starts."

"Are you sure?" Martha asked.

"We cannot compete against the Northern Chefs without her." Martha said.

"She has the recipes. She has the plan. We are just hands without a head."

"I'm worried too. Where did she go?" Elspeth asked. Her voice was thin.

"She left to get supplies." Silas answered.

"We are doomed." Elspeth said.

"The Northern Chefs brings fire. We can't stand them."

"I am scared, Silas." Young Chef Pip said.

I heard him sniffle.

"What if the Alpha gets angry?"

"The Alpha is not here to be angry, Pip." Silas said.

"That makes me more scared." Pip whispered.

"If the King is gone, who will protect us?"

"We have to protect each other." Martha said.

"Let's get everything ready. We do not stop until the mark is hit."

"I will" Pip answered.

Silas tapped his shoulders. Martha sobbed silently.

I pulled back from the door. My stomach twisted.

Sophie was not in the palace. The Chief Royal Chef was gone. The kitchen was a ship without a captain.

I turned. I walked toward the guest quarters. I turned a corner. I heard voices. I stopped.

I heard Grand Prince Magnus. He spoke to some people. His voice was loud.

"It is a tragedy." Magnus said.

"The Alpha has disappeared."

"He is not in his chambers." Someone said.

"He took his Beta." Magnus said.

"He took the chef. Why would he leave on the day of his defense?"

"It looks like cowardice, Grand Prince." The man replied.

"Perhaps he is not fit for the crown." Magnus said.

"A leader stays with his people. He does not flee when the North arrives. We must consider the succession. He is not here for the match."

"The laws are clear." A second voice spoke.

"A King who abandons his people, abandons the throne."

"I do not wish to believe it." Magnus lied.

"But the evidence is before us. The throne sits empty. The people are confused. We need a steady hand."

"We will wait for the fifteenth hour." A third man said.

"After that, we discuss the crown."

"You are wise, Elders." Magnus said.

"The kingdom needs your wisdom now."

Magnus was building his throne on Alaric's absence. I moved past them. I did not want them to see me.

I felt like a ghost in a trapped house. The hours moved. The sun climbed. Everyone gathered in the great hall.

The Northern chefs were there. Skade sat on a stool. She sharpened her silver knife. The sound was a scream.

Shhh-tack. Shhh-tack. Shhh-tack. Shhh-tack.

I looked at the platform. The hall was full of Elders. They looked at the sundial. I looked at the Alpha's empty seat. I looked at the empty space for Sophie. I looked at the empty spot for Cassian. The silence was loud.

I saw Silas and Martha. They stood by their station. Their faces were pale. They looked at the gate every ten seconds. They wanted a miracle.

Chef Damien stood behind them. He looked angry.

"Maybe it is better she is not back." Damien said.

"Quiet, Damien." Silas firedback.

"She is the cause of this." Damien said.

"She brought the challenge. She took our King away. She has ruined us."

"Stop talking rudely about Sophie." Silas said.

"She is the Chief Royal Chef. She is our leader. You will show respect."

"Respect for a ghost?" Damien asked.

"She left us to face the Northern Chefs alone. We will lose the harvest rights."

"She would not leave us." Pip said.

His voice was shaking.

"She already did, boy." Damien snapped.

"Look around. Do you see her?"

"She is coming." Martha insisted.

"The King is with her."

"The King is probably dead in a ditch." Damien said.

"Shut your mouth." Silas growled.

"You do not speak of the Alpha that way."

Skade heard them. She stopped sharpening her knife. She looked at Silas. She laughed.

"You cannot stay still without your Chief Royal Chef." Skade said.

"We are ready." Silas said.

"How do you plan to win?" Skade asked.

"You look like frightened children. Give us the rights to the harvest now. It saves us the work of cooking. It saves you the shame."

"A true chef is known in their attitude." I said.

I stepped toward Skade.

"It is not just about the meal. You lack the grace of a master."

"Grace does not fill bellies, Fenris." Skade sneered.

"Speed does. Skill does. Look at them. They are shaking. They are already beaten."

"You talk like a butcher." I replied.

"A chef respects the craft. You only respect the win."

"The win is everything." Skade said.

"The win brings the harvest. The win brings the power. Your grace is for losers."

"We shall see." I said.

"A meal made with hate tastes like ash."

"Then I will serve them the best ash they have ever eaten." Skade laughed.

I felt anger. I am a Northern chef. This was not a fair fight.

The crowd grew restless. The heat was heavy. The shadow reached the fourteenth mark on the stone.

Alpha Stone stood up. He looked at the empty throne.

"The time has come." Alpha Stone shouted.

"The chairs are empty."

"We should wait." I said.

"The King has fled." Alpha Stone said.

"The Beta has vanished. The Chef is gone. They know they lost. We should begin the competition now. Why wait for them?"

"It is only the fourteenth hour, Alpha." I said.

"We agreed to start at the fifteenth hour."

"Look at them, Fenris." Alpha Stone pointed at Silas.

"They have nothing. They are shaking. They are waiting for a savior who is not coming."

"We all agreed on the fifteenth hour." I insisted.

"We are guests. We must follow the law."

"The law serves the strong." Alpha Stone said.

"And I am strong. Magnus, what say you?"

Magnus smiled.

"The people are tired of waiting. But we must be fair. One more hour will not change the outcome."

"Fine." Alpha Stone grumbled.

"One hour. Then we light the fires and take what is ours."

I went to my station. I did not look at Skade. I watched the gate. I watched the sundial.

The minutes felt like years. The shadow moved. It crawled across the stone. It approached the fifteenth hour.

I looked at the empty spaces. I looked at the stoves. I looked at the gate. My heart hammered. I felt a cold truth.

"They are not coming." Skade whispered.

"They have five minutes." I said.

"They are dead, Fenris." Skade said.

"My blades are sharper than their luck."

"You did something." I whispered.

"I did what was needed." Skade said.

"The Moon Crescent Pack needs that harvest rights. Sophie was an obstacle. Obstacles get removed."

"That is not cooking." I said.

"That is murder."

"It is the same thing in the end." Skade replied.

I looked at Silas. He held a cold pan. I looked at Martha. She gripped a towel. They had no fire. They had no hope. Pip was crying silently now. Elspeth looked like a statue.

"It is time." Alpha Stone said.

He stood up again. He looked at the Elders.

"The shadow is on the mark." Alpha Stone said.

"Light the fires. The Blackwood Kingdom has no champion."

I looked at the gate. It stayed closed. I looked at the empty chair of the King. The Elders stood up.

They prepared to speak the words of forfeit. Magnus stood up. He adjusted his rings. He was ready to take the palace.

"Wait." I whispered.

But no one heard me. The shadow touched is about to touch the line.

Then it dawn on me that The Chief Royal Chef is dead.

Alaric POV

I fought hard to protect Sophie. The rogues circled us like vultures. I felt the heat of her breath. Her small hand gripped my tunic.

I swung my blade in arcs. Steel met flesh. I heard the wet sound of impacts. There were too many of them.

I saw Sophie's face. Her skin was pale. Her eyes rolled back. She headed for the ground. I caught her before she hit the dirt. My heart stopped.

"Sophie!" I roared.

She did not answer. She was limp in my arms. Seeing her fall changed something inside me.

A hot fire burned in my chest. My bones snapped. My skin stretched. I did not care about the pain of the change.

I became very angry. I shifted into my wolf form. My clothes tore. My vision turned red. I let out a howl that shook the trees.

I tore most of the rogues in pieces. I used my claws to rip through their bones. I used my teeth to crush throats. I moved with rage.

They came from every side. They tried to overshadow me. They wanted to reach for Sophie.

I stood over her body. I was like mountain. They would pass through me before they can get to her.

I snapped at the air. I felt the warm spray of blood on my muzzle. I killed three rogues in one lunging bite. Still, they kept coming. They were like a tide of shadows.

Soon they were too many. I was tired. My wounds bled. I looked at Sophie. I prepared to die here to keep her safe. Then the air changed.

Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip.

I just kept hearing arrows flying in the sky. They whistled through the leaves. Many of the rogues fell to the ground.

The arrows were precise. They were palace grade. Most of the rogues were on the ground now. The remaining few turned to run. They were cut down before they reached the brush.

"Your Majesty! Sorry I am late!" Cassian shouted.

He rode a black horse. He led a line of palace guards. Their armor gleamed.

They jumped from their horses. They drew their swords to finish the fight. Cassian jumped down before his horse fully stopped. He ran toward me.

"You came just in time." I said.

I shifted back to my human form. The transition was fast. I did not care about my nakedness.

A guard brought me my tunic. I wore my tunic. I was a king again. I grabbed one of the rogues still breathing. I pinned him against a tree. His eyes were wide with terror.

"Who sent you?" I asked.

My voice a growl.

"Who ordered the hit on the chef?"

The rogue did not speak. He looked at me with hate. He brought out a hidden dagger. He cut his own throat before I could stop him. He slumped to the ground.

"These are trained assassins." Cassian said.

"They would rather die than spill the truth."

He looked at the bodies. "They are professionals. This was not a random attack."

"But who would have sent them against Sophie?" I asked.

"She is a chef. She is not a politician. Why do they want her dead?"

"Someone wants to win the competition by all means." Cassian said.

"They targeted her specifically." I said. "They ignored my throat to reach for hers."

"And how do you know we are in danger?" I asked him.

"Silas and Martha, the palace chefs came to me." Cassian explained.

"They had a rare message. It was a blank paper. It required the heat of a candle light to see the writing. When I saw the write up: The Chief Royal Chef is in trouble. That is what the message said. I knew I had to move. I left the palace at night so no one would notice. I gathered the fastest riders."

"Who gave them the message?" I asked.

"They don't know. They said the man dressed like an assassin. He covered all his body. They couldn't recognize him." Cassian said.

"He risked his life to send the word."

"You have done well, Cassian." I said.

I turned back to Sophie. I grabbed her in my hands. I sat on the ground. I pulled her head to my chest. I felt a sob rise in my throat. I did not care that my guards were watching. I did not care about my dignity. I began to weep.

"What happened to her?" Cassian asked.

He sounded really concerned.

He knelt beside us. He looked at her pale face. He reached out to check her pulse.

It seemed like he had grown to love Sophie. He never liked Elara like this. He treated Elara with duty. He treated Sophie with genuine care.

"I don't know." I said.

My voice shook.

"She just fell to the ground during the fight. I think the stress was too much on her. She hasn't slept. She hasn't eaten properly."

"She has been stressed for a while because of this competition." Cassian said.

"She has been working for days."

"She is the strongest woman I know." I whispered.

"She is." Cassian agreed.

"But even steel breaks under too much heat."

"I am the one who caused this." I said.

I looked at the satchel of herbs beside her.

"I brought her here. I put this burden on her shoulders."

"You gave her a chance, Alaric." Cassian said.

"She took it."

"I gave her a death sentence." I said.

"It is almost time." Cassian said.

He looked at the sun.

"They might start the competition without us. The Elders will be restless. They would be whispering by now."

"I don't care about any competition." I said.

I stroked Sophie's hair.

"Let them take the land. Let them take the crown. I just want her to wake up."

"The kingdom needs its King." Cassian said.

"The King needs his heart." I replied.

Ahem-kough. Kough-kough.

Sophie coughed. Her eyelids fluttered. I grabbed her hand. I squeezed it gently. Her fingers were cold.

"Ouch." She whispered.

She raised her hands to her head. She winced.

"My head hurts." She said.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You went unconscious." I said.

"You fainted while I was fighting."

"Oh Alaric." She said.

She looked at me. Her eyes were glassy.

"I am still here. I thought I had died. I thought I returned to my home."

My heart felt a cold squeeze. I could not hear her say she returned back. The thought of her leaving this world was worse than the thought of her dying. I gripped her tighter.

"No." I said.

"You are still here. You are still in Blackwood. You are here with me."

"It was so quiet there." She whispered.

"Stay in the noise with me." I said.

"I thought you would not be able to fight them all." Sophie said.

She looked at the bodies in the clearing. "There were so many. You were so good with the sword."

"Cassian came in time to help me." I said.

She looked around. She saw Cassian. She saw the palace guards in their capes. She saw the horses. Her eyes went wide. She realized the time.

"The pressure cooker!" Sophie jumped to her feet.

She stumbled. I caught her.

"Easy." I said.

"You are weak."

"Where is it?" She asked.

She was in a panic. Her eyes searched the dirt.

"Is it broken? Is the iron cracked?"

"It is here." I said.

I pointed to the iron vessel.

"It is intact. It did not break. The impact did not dent it."

"What about the cover?" She asked.

"The lid is the most important part."

"Kaelen said he would bring it in time." I replied.

"He is a man of his words. I believe he will do as he has said. He will meet us at the palace."

"We cannot cook without the lid." She said.

"The pressure will not build."

"Trust him, Sophie." I said.

"Where is Thomas and Roland?" Sophie asked.

She looked at the forest edge.

"Sire! We are here!" Roland shouted.

He emerged from the trees. Thomas was limping. He held Thomas by the shoulder. Thomas had a deep gash on his leg. His tunic was soaked in blood. Roland looked tired. His face was covered in soot.

"Ahhh! They are alive!" Sophie said.

Joy lit up her face.

She tried to run to them. I held her arm to keep her steady.

"What about the competition?" Sophie asked.

She looked at the sun.

"The sun is up. It is almost the Fifteenth Hour. We cannot get to the palace in time before they start. We are miles away."

"Forget about the competition." I said.

"I have to make sure you are well, Sophie. You can barely stand."

"And what if we lose?" she asked.

"I will bear the responsibility of my failure." I said.

"I caused this. I gave you limited time. I gave you a task that should take weeks to prepare for. I am the King. The blame is mine."

"We haven't lost yet." Sophie said.

"You can't even walk straight." I replied.

"I can cook sitting down if I have to." She said.

Thomas and Roland reached us now. They collapsed on a log.

"Thank goodness you are well, Sophie." Roland said.

He looked at Thomas. He punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"If not for me, this idiot would be dead." Roland said.

He was gesturing to Thomas. He was teasing him to hide his own fear. Thomas looked at him and rolled his eyes.

"Will you shut up?" Thomas asked.

"Is it not because I was trying to save you, this weak man, that I got injured?"

"Hahahaha!" Roland laughed.

"You were trying to save me? I am not hurt. You are hurt. Your leg is a mess. Who saved who?"

"I saved your life three times." Thomas said.

"I only count twice." Roland replied.

"The third was when I didn't let you eat those poisonous berries." Thomas said.

They continued to mock each other. We just stood there and laughed at them. The tension broke for a moment. It felt like we were a family.

Cassian moved to Roland. He brought out a leather kit. He began to treat the wound on Thomas's leg. He indeed knew what we were going through. He had prepared for every injury.

I checked Sophie again. I looked for any signs of the assassins' blades. I saw a thin red line on her palm.

"Sophie, your hands are wounded." I said.

"You are more injured than I am." She replied.

She pointed to my shoulder. The deep cut was still oozing blood. I looked at the scratches on my chest.

"I am a wolf." I said.

"I can heal. I will be fine. You are human. You need treatment. You need rest."

"The kingdom needs that harvest." She said.

"The kingdom needs a chef."

"Can you still compete?" I asked.

"I can call off the whole thing. I can tell the Elders there was an assassination attempt. They will have to delay."

"No." Sophie said.

She gripped the iron cooker.

"If you call it off, they win. They will say you made up the attack to cover for my failure. I will compete. In fact, I think we should leave now. We can meet them halfway."

"Are you sure, Sophie?" Cassian asked.

"I am sure." She said.

Cassian stood up. He whistled.

"I brought enough horses to carry us all." Cassian said.

"We do not have to trek back to the palace. If we ride hard, we might make it."

I took one horse. It was a sturdy brown stallion. I mounted it. I reached down and pulled Sophie up. I carried her on my horse. I placed her in front of me. She felt small. She felt fragile. I wrapped my arms around her to reach the reins.

"Is everyone mounted?" I asked.

"Yes, Sire." The guard captain said.

Cassian carried Roland. Thomas followed one of the guards on another horse. The rest of the guards formed a circle around us.

I looked at Sophie in front of me. She sat on the saddle. She held the pressure cooker so tight. She did not look at the blood on the ground. She looked at the road ahead.

"I am so sorry for putting you through all this." I said in my heart.

I leaned forward. I kissed the top of her head. She leaned back against my chest.

"Hold on." I whispered.

"I'm holding." She said.

We rode to the palace as fast as possible. We pushed the horses. We ignored everything. We ignored the pain in our limbs.

We reached the palace borders. I saw the towers. I heard the sound of the people.

"We are too late." Sophie whispered.

"Not yet." I said.

We reached the palace gates. The palace was a sea of faces. I saw everyone. I saw the High Elders raising their hands.

"It is time!" An elder shouted.

The guards were about to hit the Great Bell. The hammer was inches from the bronze.

The bell would signify that the competition starts. It would signify our forfeit.

"Don't you dare hit that bell!" I shouted.