It was already noon, and I had been walking around the mansion, receiving knowing stares, snickering, and smiles as they greeted me politely. I don't get why they suddenly gave me such acknowledgement, and since I couldn't hold the confusion, I pulled Allison to the corner.
"Whoa, what is it, my lady?" Allison asked, amused by my sudden action. I think she knew why I'm agitated.
I frowned. "You too? Unbelievable." I sighed, annoyed at the sudden respect they were giving me. But since I needed an answer, I asked her directly. "What's happening? Did something happen, or is something different about me? They're acting weird."
"Oh, they're not acting weird. They were just grateful that you finally mated with the queen," she answered honestly.
"Oh. That one," I said, nodding until it registered to me. Then I asked again, confused, "Wait—what? How did they know?"
Allison looked over my neck as she answered. "Your mark on your neck and your scent became more like a Knightrose."
Instinctively, I covered my wife's mark last night, and I blushed instantly from recollection. Allison smirked, but I glared at her. "They don't have to treat me indifferently. I'm still me."
"But you're mated to the queen, and being the queen's consort, you must be treated with equal respect," Allison answered with a reason that made me sigh.
"But they don't need to distance themselves." I sighed sadly. My shoulder slumped before adding, "They could still treat me like the usual."
"The queen won't allow it," she refuted gently.
"I do." Fraye's authoritative voice echoed around us, and when our eyes met, I smiled, and she nodded.
"Lady Elizabeth." Allison bowed respectfully.
Fraye waved her hand, making Allison stand up straight before saying, "You heard her. Treat her the same, but more polite and with respect." Allison wanted to argue, but my mate is true to her word and more intimidating despite her smile. "No arguments, Allison. Inform the others; I'll stay with her."
Allison nodded and politely excused herself. When she was gone, I went to her side, grinning slightly before saying, "You don't have to intimidate her. She only reasoned because she was taught it."
"I know, but you also had a say in that matter. They needed to respect that," Fraye explained as we headed to the training ground where, potentially, my wife—or rather, our wife—was. Then she continued. "If they were questioning how they treated you, that's the time you'd speak on their behalf." I nodded as we watched the knights train, but as soon as we stepped on the ground, Fraye's mood shifted, and she whispered. "Watch and learn how to use your blood during the fight."
Once I nodded, she was gone beside me. She made a surprising attack with her blood and disturbed the knights' training routine. Some knights were confused, but there were some who knew what to do and began directing their men. They stood on their ground, alert, and started blocking and facing my mate's bloody arrows coming from different directions.
"She's toying with them," I muttered, grinning, but since she wanted me to learn something from here, I bit my thumb, and with a little drop of blood, I imagined a blade. "Whoa, it worked. Let's see if it can cut." I grinned and swung the bloody blade, and it was sharp. Then I tried to reshape it into a thick and long sword, but with a little twist—poison. "Let's try if it works."
The weight was the same with the long sword, despite how bloody it was. I swing it easily as if I were swinging my usual blades. But whenever I do, a powerful impact cuts the ground without touching it. More importantly, the grass on the side died as the poison became a lethal malice.
I nodded, liking the outcome of my experiment. "Hmm, this will work. But let's try something else." I didn't watch Fraye's amusement with the knights because I was already preoccupied with something else—experiments. I began reshaping the bloody blade into a spear, but I made it crystallized. "Whoa, it worked. Hm, let's see if we could make the blade scatter and return to its form," I mumbled as I swung the spear with the intention of making the blade fly around to any area where I wanted it to be before imagining it returning to its usual form. "Hah! It worked. It's making my mind crazy. I wanted to try more."
I began manipulating the blood according to my desired form and decided to move with it. It was difficult because there was only a second to spare to reshape the blood into another bloody blade. I had to fail a couple of times until I made it work by reshaping the blood at each new stunt or swing I did.
But being a perfectionist on my experiment, I tried again until I reached the desired second of reshaping the bloody blade.
I collapsed on the ground, panting but satisfied, saying, "Finally, I've got it." I looked over my palm and released my blood again to check how fast I could reshape it to another form. And for a zero-point per second, I did it. "Good. I've done it."
Then I felt Fraye's presence on my side, saying, "I see you had fun with it."
"I do," I quickly responded, grinning like a kid before adding, "I'll surprise Mirxa when we train again."
"And you will, but for now, let's head to the library because you had to research something," she reminded me.
I quickly got up, saying, "Oh, right. I almost forgot what Sage told me to look for." Fraye chuckled at my hurried walk before I added, "Maybe I could look for it when we go to meet Mycillas."
"About that, can you tell me what they are?" She wondered as we walked down the hall.
"Sure, but for now, I'm itchy and sweaty," I responded before I started running toward our bedroom.
Even though she was behind me, I could tell she was smirking when she asked, "Want me to come along?"
"No, I'm still sore," I quickly responded, not caring how instantly my cheek burned.
She giggled, and I knew it. She's thinking about it. But she defensively said, "I'm not saying we'll do it in the tub."
"I know, but being alone with you there, please, I knew it could happen." I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my towel and clothes that I had prepared earlier.
"Touché, but admit it, you're getting addicted to me," she teasingly said.
I sighed, and I turned around to peck her lips before saying, "Pretty much I do."
Then I dashed into the bathroom before she could pin me.
***
When I was done, I didn't see Fraye around the bedroom. I shrugged my shoulders and went to the library. But before I could open the door, I heard some voices that were familiar to me.
I sighed and entered the room. "Still talking behind my back, my dear wives?" my voice echoed around the library with such demand, making them flinch. Without them noticing, I dropped my blood, cloaking it with ice to hide its scent as it went to its position behind them, ready to punish them for being secretive. Then I warned them, "Well, if the issue is not about me, then I won't mind, but if it is, I'm not sure how my blood around you will strike you."
They looked behind them and jolted. But Fraye, being Fraye, giggled sweetly and said, "You're getting the hang of it."
"I can't stop whenever I want to accomplish something." I corrected her as I put down my swords, the journal, and the necklace. Mirxalyn tilted her head, confused why I brought them with me. "Don't ask when you're busy."
"Baby, don't say that. I'm not that busy when you're in trouble." Mirxalyn's voice sounded hurt, which made me realize that my tone was harsh.
I sighed. Then I apologized. "I'm sorry; I'm just annoyed that you two were hiding something from me."
"I told you." Fraye sighed, but there was amusement in her tone as she leaned by the table, arms crossed.
Mirxalyn glared at her, but I can't tolerate being hidden in the shadows. Then I demanded. "So, spill it before I rearrange the library tables."
"HAHAHA! That's my darling." Fraye laughed.
"Fraye, shut up," I said firmly before I directly looked at my wife, demanding answers. "Speak or go on your duty."
Mirxalyn clenched her jaw before sighing. When she looked at me, her gaze was serious but softened, and she said, "The night you collapsed, Fraye and I talked about the telegram I had received. It was a reminder of Fenrir's reawakening. Mycillas invited you to come with me."
My temper was still there, but quiet as I listened carefully to my wife's explanation before asking, "Did she state why I was needed?"
"No, but she did mention your spirit wolf," she answered before continuing, "She even mentioned checking my conquered place before we go to her."
"Does she explain why?" I wondered as I stared at the swords that seemed to be telling me something. I could see the magical stones that I infused in them.
"Sadly, no. I talked with Fraye about it, but Mycillas is like talking to my mother." She answered with a sigh as she stood up straight.
"Oh, I get it." I nodded before I wondered about the letter. "May I see her letter? I want to check it myself."
She hesitated a little before giving the letter to me.
As soon as the paper touched my hand, I felt the power from it, and I saw a cave with different types of symbols carved in the wall. Then I saw an elder woman who seemed not to have aged since she turned fifty, and when she touched a frozen crystal, my knees buckled.
"Babe!" Mirxalyn quickly grabbed my wrist, pulling me up a little.
Fraye, on the other hand, appeared on my side, supporting my weight before asking, "Are you okay, darling?"
I heard them but could not answer because at the moment, I saw images from an orb with a mystical feather, a sword stuck on a stone, a teardrop somewhere in nature, and a shield of a knight stored in the dark.
'Find them. You'll find me. Collect them. You'll wake me.'
Then the familiar face of a woman showed, and its bluish mauve eyes opened, piercing my soul. I gasped and immediately returned to my wives, panting.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Mirxalyn asked worriedly as she cupped my face.
"What did you see?" Fraye's question made me look at them.
I looked slightly disoriented, but I heard them clearly before answering, "Mycilla's message for me." I tried to get up as they supported me before reassuring them, "I'm fine now. I know what to look for." I was about to search for the books that would tell me about what I saw. I glanced at Mirxalyn and softened, saying, "There's nothing to worry about, babe. Trust me. I get the message, and you should go now before something becomes an eyesore again."
Mirxalyn nodded, but she still needed an assurance, and Fraye could give that. "Fraye, please, stay with her."
"Always. Go. We'll be here," Fraye assured her, and Mirxlayn kissed our lips before vanishing. "She could use the door."
"I've been telling her that to her," I agreed as I began my search before adding, "She has been doing that whenever she was in a hurry."
Fraye chuckled as she followed me, saying, "Typical vampire."
"As if you're not," I teased because she sounded like she was not a vampire.
"At home, I move sophisticatedly and gracefully. I don't pop out like that unless my mate is in danger," she defended, making me chuckle.
"You're funny, honey," I commented honestly as I grabbed books that called me.
"If Mirxa is the stoic one, I'll be your chill vibe." She cleared smugly, and I was amused.
I gave her the books that could help me before kissing her cheek, saying, "I could see that already."