The Lycan King's Healer
The Lycan King’s Healer – Chapter 21

Cathy

The unease I felt in the garden that day continued. I watched as the trees slowly died, the ivy green dwindling to autumn hues, like paint brushes dipped in crimson and orange smudging over the horizon. I often missed the willow outside of the cottage; it was not only beautiful in the fall, but felt like a protector, as if it was always watching over us.

Now, it felt like we were being watched in a different way.

The silhouettes of gowns and coats in the closet suddenly seemed more alarming, and the weight upon my skin felt heavier, not only the hair standing up but eyes. Eyes in my window, eyes in the garden, eyes in the trees. I often found myself peering around walls I did not care for prior, slowly counting each step and breath walking into a dark room, and jumping each time a servant or guard spoke a word into the silence.

I also missed Aldrich more than I thought I would. He provided a sense of masuculine protection that Theo and I eventually grew accustomed to. Alan, who took his place in that department while he was gone, wasted no time in getting back to battle condition. Once I healed him, he returned right to the training grounds. I hardly ever saw him in the estate, only to pick up Theo to bring him to the grounds or maybe sometimes for meals.

I was always awake before breakfast was announced. Now, with the feeling of eyes grazing my skin even in bed, I watched the night melt into early morning light through the once sheer curtains that I replaced with opaque shutters.

“Long time, no see,” I muttered to him at breakfast one morning as he was stuffing an omelet in his face, truly emanating his wolf form even as a human in the way he ate.

“Yes,” he replied around a bite of food, “I figured you’d like some space settling in. You seem like the type to prefer solitude over company.”

I looked down at the apple in my hand. “You’re not wrong,” I sighed, wanting to reprimand him that a woman never truly wanted to be alone in a big place like this. But I did not want to seem needy.

When I finished breakfast, I began to trek back to my chambers to change then accompany Theo to the estate grounds. Theo said he missed me from training with Alan so much, and wanted me to watch him instead today. I could not deny the flattery, and most of the reason I was suddenly lonely and paranoid to begin with was because of my lack of Theo time.

On my walk back, servants and guards were scurrying about busy in the early morning hours. I could never interpret their expressions toward me. People generally seemed to like me as their hostess, but others did not seem to warm up to the change. Especially the women. Some maidservants were extremely kind, when others gave me dirty looks.

Threading the crowd, I smiled at the people who greeted me and bade me good morning. As I was stepping past a group of maidservants, their arms adorned with towels and laundry, I heard a nasty voice slither past my ear.

“You should skimper back to that dirty cottage like the rat you are,” the unknown woman sneered, disappearing into the crowd before I could even turn around.

I froze where I stood, stunned. By the look on Alan and Theo’s startled faces, they heard it too, whirling around to spot who said it. But there were so many people passing through the foyer, an array of employees of the estate, mostly unfamiliar.

“Whoever said that will be lucky they don’t get two hundred and one lashes from Aldrich’s whip,” Alan roared to the crowd, who all turned to look at him like he shot a gun at the chandelier.

Theo added in his outraged, tiny voice: “Anyone who bullies my mommy will pay!”

Great. Not only do I have to nurse the paranoia of imaginary eyes on me, but now hundreds of real weary ones. I already saw the way they carefully stepped around me after Alan made a show of it, as if I was a grenade.

“Alan,” I hissed, nudging his arm and walking quickly through the foyer to duck away from the attention, “I don’t need any more attention than I already have.”

“But that woman was mean to you, mom,” Theo protested, walking with a little hop in his step to keep up with us.

“It’s alright, Theo,” I said, exasperated. “Not everyone in life will like you without reason to. Especially when you’re new.”

He frowned, pouting his little lips. “Why wouldn’t they like you?”

“We are different,” I reminded him, “we come from another place and upbringing than them.” I didn’t want to make him nervous or detect any of my unease, but being cautious of new people would do no harm.

He didn’t look at me, only frowning at the marble. I gave him a pat on his head, noticing the dirty blonde from the summer was turning darker like Aldrich’s. “I will meet you outside after I change, alright, little buddy?”

Theo nodded with the same serious look on his face. “I miss Dad,” he muttered, turning away to walk out with Alan. He did not even notice his accident.

That startled me. I watched him walk to the estate grounds with Alan, incredulous. Was it a mistake?

After I changed into one of my more forgiving gowns, one that allowed for me to run and move around with ease, I returned to the grounds. The grass was already mostly dead despite the perpetual landscaping. The breeze was more brisk, and I hugged my shawl to me. Alan set up a target stand in the field and Theo prepared his arrows. I scanned the open field, appreciating the presence of the watching guards.

I walked down the rolling hill from the estate to the grass, trying to hide my worry. I began to hate being outside. Theo let out a shrill of laughter as his arrow hit the target, and he had one eye closed.

“Look, mommy, look!” he yelled, jumping up and down in triumph.

But I couldn’t. I was too busy watching the woods bordering the field, a dark figure sinking back into the trees.

Emily

As the servant recalled every event occurring at the estate, my hatred deepened, sinking into every groove and pore of my skin. He addressed Cathy discussing forgiving Aldrich with her sister, the feminime disapproval of her at the estate, and my favorite part: she was the one behind my rash.

I paid for the most expensive doctors in the kingdom. They resolved the rash, but not the scars the scabs would leave. My face was warped by scars, and I was almost ugly as Cathy.

Clearly, I was incapable of harming her. She won each battle, even when I tried to kill her. I was not going to do any damage by merely targeting her.

But I could target the people around her. People much more tangible.

I smiled to myself as my servant discussed what Cathy was doing right now, feeling one of my scars interrupt the way my lips moved.

I was unable to harm Cathy, but I could easily hurt who she loves.