Keeper of the Wolves (16 page)

His laugh roughened the edges of my
composure. I was an animal, and despite the reflection in the
mirror, that was what I would continue to be. I walked to the door
and put a hand on the doorknob.

“
Keeper, where are you
going?”

Rasmus’ cautious tone made me turn. His brow
was lined as if he guessed my thoughts.

“
Probably away from this
room,” Joven said. “It’s a bit stifling in here, isn’t it? It
couldn’t hurt to brush up a bit on etiquette while we’re at it,
anyway.”

He led the way out and I followed him. My
thoughts raced. I hadn’t known the answer to Rasmus’ question. I
had been without my freedom for so long that turning a doorknob and
leaving on my own should have been intimidating. I wondered if it
was the clothes, the upcoming ball, or Master Muir’s ministrations
that created such a whirlwind of chaos to make me forget my place.
The problem was that I didn’t know my place, exactly.

When I followed Joven into the ballroom and
saw Koya standing there, all thoughts left my mind. She had her
back to us, her long golden hair free of its circlet and brushing
across her back. She wore a green evening wrap over a pale blue
sleeping gown as though she had been dragged from bed to assist
with the decorations. Her feet were slippered in green silk and she
looked as though she floated gracefully over the polished marble
floor as she directed servants in the placement of a silk banner on
the wall that showed the Vielkeep symbol of a black hawk with a
torch in its claws.

“
It would be better near the
head of the table,” a woman who looked like an older version of
Koya said with a click of her tongue. Despite the late hour, the
woman wore a long peach-colored dress with a train that required
two serving girls to follow her and make sure it didn’t get tangled
underfoot.

Koya gave a quiet sigh and nodded to the
servants fitting the banner. They scrambled down to reposition it.
Koya turned away and her eyes fell on our group. Her forehead
creased slightly when her gaze met mine, then her eyes widened and
her mouth opened. My heart climbed into my throat and I couldn’t
bring myself to walk toward her. Joven and Rasmus continued into
the room oblivious of the way Koya’s eyes held mine.

I felt rooted to the marble floor. Koya
walked toward me with such grace I swore her feet didn’t touch the
ground. Where her blue eyes had looked tired before, now they were
bright and searching, curious and warm. I felt as though I fell
into the blue sky.

She reached me sooner than I realized and
stood watching me with a slight crease on either side of her lips
as though she held in a smile she didn’t think I was ready for. Her
eyebrows lowered thoughtfully. “Are you really our keeper of the
wolves, or an imposter?” she asked softly with a hint of teasing in
her tone.

Warmth brushed across my
cheeks.
An imposter either
way
, I thought, but I couldn’t bring myself
to speak the words aloud. Her hand lifted of its own accord and
touched my cheek as though she couldn’t help herself. I had to
fight my wolf instincts that wanted to shy away from her touch.
Instead, I held still, barely able to breathe as her fingers
brushed stubble that hadn’t been there before, another human
characteristic I would have to learn to deal with. “You might want
to shave before the ball,” she said quietly.

My cheek seared with the heat of her touch
and my heart thundered so hard I thought she would hear it. I
lowered my eyes and spoke carefully, “Y-yes, my lady.” My voice was
rough and gravely from lack of use, severely missing the eloquence
and finesse of Joven’s fine speech.

She withdrew her hand as though she had been
burned and stared at me. “Keeper, I-”

I shook my head and she paused. I swallowed
and tried to form the word that made my wolven name. It refused to
come out properly. I took a breath and closed my eyes, then said,
“Victus.”

I opened my eyes to find her watching me,
her face awash in a soft glow as if I had just given her a gift.
“Your name is Victus,” she repeated. My heart leaped at the way her
mouth formed the syllables of my name, soft and tentative as though
she was afraid of saying it wrong. “Victus,” she said again. “What
does it mean?”

I studied the floor at our feet,
remembering. “It’s old tongue . . . before the animals spoke. It
means . . . survivor of two worlds.” I was amazed at how quickly
speech came to me. The words flowed as if they made sense even
though my mind still struggled to keep up. I felt the meaning of
the sentences before I knew the shape of the syllables. I glanced
at her hand, wondering what it was about her touch that made me
more human.

“
It’s a beautiful name,” she
said, but her gaze was troubled as she searched my face.

I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but
Joven’s cedar scent alerted me that he was approaching. I looked up
and found both he and Rasmus watching us with great interest.
“What’s beautiful?” Joven asked.

“
His name; it’s Victus,”
Koya replied. A slight blush colored her cheeks and she dropped her
gaze as if embarrassed by something. I would have asked her what
caused such a bother, but then she smiled at her brother and waved
a hand to indicate the room. “We’ve much to do according to
Mother.”

Joven gave one of his perfected sighs. “If
Mother had her way, the entire castle would be pink and the
servants would wear mirrors so she could make sure her hair didn’t
have a single strand out of place.”

Rasmus gave him a flat look. “You might
appreciate one at the moment, my Lord.”

Joven put a hand to his perfectly combed
hair; dismay washed across his face. “I shall return shortly.” He
rushed from the room.

“
Well done, General,” Koya
said with a pleased smile. “Shall I assume you’re here to help
Mother pick out the perfect arrangement for Cook Tamus’
masterpieces?”

“
I apologize, my lady,” he
said with a smile that twisted the scar down his lip and didn’t
look the least bit apologetic. “Joven asked for an update on the
Viel and now I’d best return to the gate to see that my men are
ready for our guests.”

“
Thank you, Rasmus,” she
replied. He bowed and walked toward the doors that led from the
ballroom. A shadow swept across Koya’s face and she hurried after
him, “General?” He turned and she closed the remaining steps
between them. “What is the status of the Viel?” she asked quietly.
My wolven hearing picked up their words, but they spoke softly
enough no one else in the room heard them.

Rasmus glanced around, then replied in a
troubled tone, “More of them are breaking through the lines. The
Valley Guardians say they are amassing in the mountains outside
Rala valley. I worry they are preparing to attack.”

“
Why?” Koya asked, her face
pale.

“
To take back what they feel
is theirs.”

“
We’ve lived here without a
quarrel since the founding battle,” Koya said.

Rasmus shook his head. “I know your father’s
views of Rala’s ownership of the valley were unwavering, but the
Duke’s history left out the Valley Guardians’ continued skirmishes
to keep the Viel at bay. Without their efforts, we would have been
overrun long ago.” His brows drew together. “But I fear there may
be more than we’ve accounted for,” he said in a musing tone as if
speaking to himself.

At Koya’s troubled look, he realized he had
spoken the words aloud. He shook his head and gave her a small
smile. “Now my Lady, don’t worry yourself over matters of the
guard. I shouldn’t trouble you with the details. We have the safety
of Vielkeep as our highest priority. It looks like you have
pressing matters to attend to.” He gave a pointed look to where the
Duchess was running servants around in a frantic haste to
straighten napkins that had already been straightened twice.

Koya’s brow creased with worry. “Is the
Gathering Ball ill-timed with the Viel so volatile?”

The General smiled reassuringly. “The
Vielkeep soldiers are well-equipped to handle the threat should one
arise. We’ll be ready, I promise.”

She nodded and he turned away with another
bow just as Joven came back through the door. He shot Rasmus an
irritated look and followed Koya back to me.

“
That was unnecessary,” he
said.

“
He’s just giving you a hard
time. You may have rushed out a bit more quickly than a hair
emergency called for,” Koya teased.

He rolled his eyes and turned to me. “We
need to return to business. You don’t have to worry about dancing,
but it will be expected that we have instructed the ambassador in a
few of the more delicate social protocols.”

“
By protocols, you mean
peculiarities,” Koya pointed out.

Joven chuckled. “You’re on a tangent today,
sister. What’s gotten you so worked up?”

“
I just spoke to Rasmus
about the Viel. I’m a bit distracted,” she said. Her eyes drifted
to the door and I found myself agreeing with the want to leave the
room. I felt way out of my element amid roses and silk, polished
floors and rushing servants.

“
Our guests will be arriving
tomorrow,” Joven pointed out. “If we don’t go over this tonight,
Keeper, or Victus, will be out of his element.” He shot me an
interested look. “If you were a wolf, how did you have a name? Or
do all wolves have names?” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “I
wonder what my wolf name would be.”

“
Joven, focus,” Koya said
with a laugh.

He grinned and I realized he had been trying
to lighten the mood. Amazement at how easily he had accomplished
his goal filled me. I wondered if I would ever be fluent enough to
draw such a light-hearted laugh from Koya.

“
Focus, right.” Joven
cleared his throat and brought his ankles together dramatically.
“As an ambassador, you will be expected to bow at the nobility.
There are various levels of social standing that dictate different
bows of respect. Allow me to demonstrate.” A smile tugged at my
lips at his first very low bow. “This,” he said, turning his head
to address me while still in the bow. “Is appropriate for the Lords
and Ladies, also known as the Heirs who will inherit the five
duchies. You could bow to Koya and I, but because you are our
guest, that is not necessary.” He stumbled forward and caught
himself against a table before he fell over. He rose and put a hand
to his head. “Now I know why talking and bowing at the same time
isn’t part of the protocol.”

Koya smiled. “Don’t put too much pressure on
your brain, Joven. There’s not much to work with.”

“
Haha,” her brother replied
dryly. He straightened his jacket and brought his heels together
again. “Now pay attention,” he said with a mock-serious look. “This
is the bow for the Dukes and Duchesses of the duchies.” He bowed so
low his hair brushed the polished floor and his cravat fell forward
to sprawl across his face. He tried to blow it out of the way, but
it fell back into his face as he addressed us from the ridiculous
position, “If you can smell the polish on his Dukeship’s shoes, you
know you’re bowing low enough.”

Koya laughed. “You are utterly ridiculous. I
don’t think anyone is learning anything besides how much of a fool
a Lord can make of himself to entertain others.”

“
Quite right,” Joven agreed.
He stood back up with a red face and tucked his cravat in once
more. He then took an inordinate amount of time straightening his
hair and the golden circlet around his forehead. He glanced at me
as he smoothed his collar. “Can’t be spotted in disarray around the
ladies,” he said. He winked at the serving maid who was setting the
table next to us; the girl giggled and upended the stack of plates
she was carrying.

I caught the four that fell before they
could hit the floor and shatter. I felt their stares on me when I
set the plates back on top of the girl’s pile.

“
Th-thank you, Sire,” she
said with a furious blush coloring her cheeks.

“
Minstra, remember your
betters,” a skinny woman with only one arm called from across the
floor.

The girl gave a quick bow and hurried
away.

“
Huh,” Joven said with an
amused expression. “I guess I needn’t demonstrate the appropriate
bow for a hurried departure.” Koya rolled her eyes, but he ignored
her and looked at me. “Do plates fall often in the wild? Because
you’ve got a knack for catching them. You probably just saved that
girl a lashing.”

A shudder ran up my spine with the memory of
lashings at the hands of the Cruel One. I gritted my teeth and
turned away.

“
Quite right,” Joven agreed
even though I hadn’t said anything. “It’s late and you can only bow
so many times before the floor begins to look comfortable enough
under such close observation that you are willing to sleep on it. I
will catch you two in the morning.” He spun on his heels with a
flourish that made his coattails flair out and marched back across
the ballroom loudly enough that his footsteps echoed off the walls.
Servants bowed or bid him farewell with respect, while the maid in
the corner who had been reprimanded blushed prettily when he
passed. I could only assume he winked at her with his confident,
casual air. I wondered how one became so comfortable around women.
They confused me to no end.

I looked at Koya, suddenly reminded of my
new station of protector while she slept. She watched Joven’s
retreating back with a look of fond frustration, her usual
expression when she observed her brother. “I’m surprised he didn’t
show you the appropriate bow for excusing oneself to use the
necessities,” she said in an unusual tone.