Lumina.
I was in my cottage knitting when my veil shimmered, chimed, and warbled. I looked up, only to see Bram walk through the door.
He wasn’t supposed to be here now, so I was a bit surprised to see him.
“Bram?” I called, surprise written across my face. “Your regular visits aren’t due yet, so what are you doing here?”
The question died in my throat when I saw the bruises on him.
I gasped and rushed over to him.
He kept his head down, his expression was solemn, and he looked as if a carriage had just run him over.
“What in the name of the dawnfather? Oh gods, what happened to you?” The worry in my voice evident.
Swelling affected both his eyes, with one appearing larger than the other. The larger eye—the right one—had turned a nasty shade of bluish-purple.
Bram gave a small smile but kept his head lowered. “I-I just came to see you, Mina. I missed you.”
“Tell me, who did this to you?”
I tried pulling him towards the main room, but he refused to move.
I wrapped an arm around his waist, gesturing toward a stool for him to sit, but he winced.
“Sorry.” I quickly withdrew my hand.
His eyes met mine for the briefest moment, his gaze pleading, as the back of his hand brushed gently along my cheek. “Can we step outside and stargaze instead? I feel a bit choked here… I promise I’ll tell you everything.”
My veil and cottage offered safety, and I feared leaving them. But here was the only person who had been beside me all my life, the only one I trusted, covered in bruises. I couldn’t refuse him.
“Okay, hold on. Let me go get a shawl. It's quite chilly out.”
He nodded and stepped out, limping and wincing as he walked.
When I got outside, he stood next to the trees, his head tilted upwards. I walked over to him and held his hand.
“Bram, please, tell me what happened. Maybe I can help.” I searched his face for anything, for a hint at what could possibly be wrong.
But he lowered his head again and remained quiet.
I sighed. “Okay. Here, let me heal you.”
I raised my hand to his face, but he turned away. He pulled his hand from my grip and stepped back. He’d never reacted that way to me before. A pang of pain hit me in the chest.
“Bram?”
He wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I’m s-so sorry, Lumina.”
His voice was small and almost inaudible.
Sorry? Lumina?
He never called me by my full name unless something was wrong.
“What do you mean?”
His behavior made no sense. My skin prickled, and an overwhelming feeling of dread washed over me.
“Since you got here, you wouldn’t look me in the eye. “What are you sorry about?”
He began backing away from me.
“I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, a man stepped out from behind one of the surrounding trees. Average build, with a warm, golden skin tone, and bone-straight, ink-black hair that seemed as if it devoured light. He instantly locked his gaze on me, and his lips curved in a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Who is that?” I asked, confused.
He shook his head, and tears streamed down his face. “I-I’m so sorry,” he repeated.
My brow furrowed, and my heart thudded. “You keep saying that, but I don’t understand.” I took two steps toward him but he kept backing away.
“Stop, Lumina, please,” he said, his voice breaking. “Don’t make this harder than it already is. Don’t come any closer.”
“Take her,” the man uttered coldly.
Instantly, six men who looked like guards sprang out from behind him, moved past Bram, and grabbed me.
“No! What is this?! What’s going on?!” I screamed as I struggled and fought, trying to break free from their grip, but it was no use.
He wouldn’t look at me, wouldn’t say a word. He kept his head down. The man walked up to him and handed him two huge leather pouches.
“You’ve done well, Bram Calder,” he said, smirking. I enjoyed doing business with you. Duke Fenris will be pleased.
Fenris? Who’s that?
I watched Bram slowly take the pouches from him, and I saw a tear drop as he raised his head. “I have a favour to ask.”
The man stared at him expressionlessly. “I’m not here to grant favours, but let’s hear it.”
He sniffled. “You're the beta to Fenris the Cruel, remember my request that she doesn't come to any harm. As his second in command, you can ensure that, can’t you?”
“You’re not a very smart lad, are you?” The man chuckled humorlessly. “She is on her way to an alpha who has ‘cruel’ attached to his name and reputation. What do you think will happen to her there?”
“Please, you gave me your word.”
“I did no such thing,” he growled. “Besides, I only agreed to your request because I needed to get to her.”
He looked at the beta as if he had just slapped him.
“No. Y-you don't understand. She means a lot to me.”
The beta quirked a brow. “You don’t say,” he mused, staring at Bram as though he were trying to figure him out. “If she means a lot to you as you claim, why then did you just hand her over to me?”
“That wasn’t my intention. I just—”
The stranger waved him off dismissively. “I do not care what your intentions were,” he said impatiently. “I needed a Velari, and you have provided me with one. In exchange, you got ten thousand Threnns. There’s nothing more to be said.”
No.
He sold me for money? Why would he do this?
“How could you do this to me?!” I sobbed. “I thought you cared about me. Why would you betray me like this?! What about the promise you made to my mother?!”
At the mention of the ‘promise,’ his swollen eyes widened. A look of shame and guilt spread across his face, and he looked away.
“Lumina, gods, I’m so sorry,” he whispered, voice cracking. “But my life is on the line.”
The man scoffed. “Making promises you cannot keep, I see.” He turned toward me, watching my futile struggle in the arms of his guards. I cannot grant your request to ensure she won’t come to any harm. I mean, I could give you my word, but that is not for me to decide. “She belongs to Fenris now,” he stated.
“Bring her. We’re leaving,” the man ordered as he turned and started down a narrow path between the trees.
Two guards held me on either side, their grips like vices on my arms as they dragged me toward the path. Pain turned to fear, and I felt my power surge in my chest. I let go, and it erupted—a rush of purple energy burst out and knocked the guards back a few feet.
The man whirled around. His eyes swept over the deltas sprawled on the ground. “Get on your feet and contain her, now!” he barked.
The warriors shot to their feet, and one of them hoisted me up and threw me over his shoulder. I kicked, screamed, pounded my fists against his back. But he held on tight.
That’s when I saw it: a carriage parked not far off, with a steel cage mounted on the open, extended part. The guard dumped me into the cage, and another slammed the lock shut. I scrambled to the bars and raked my fingers down his uniform, but he quickly jerked away.
“Bram! Please, don’t let them take me!” I wailed as I reached my hand out to him through the bars.
But he just stood there and watched, his shoulders quaking and his lips quivering. Tears cut fresh lines through his bruises.
The wheels started moving.
“Bram!”
“Please forgive me, Mina. I’ll find you. I swear,” he mumbled.
The last thing I saw before I passed out was Bram falling to his knees with the leather pouches beside him, his head bowed in despair as the trees swallowed him from my sight.