Defying the Lycan King (Kira and Derek) novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88: The Boy with the Amber Eyes

When Kira cracked her eyes open again, it was morning, and the morning sun was pouring in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. She groaned and turned over, only to find Derek’s part of the bed empty and cold. Sitting up, she wondered if she had only dreamt of his presence.

Checking her phone, she saw it was past eleven o’clock.

"Oh, no," she muttered, sitting up abruptly.

Derek had said they were leaving for Dravengard today. She swung her legs off the bed, ready to get moving, when she almost had a heart attack.

Maya was standing quietly by the closet door, watching her.

Fear instantly formed a lump in Kira’s throat, and a cold shiver crawled down her spine as she stared at the child, wondering if she was even real or some lingering hallucination. She blinked, but the girl was still there, quiet.

How had she gotten into the beach house? How had she slipped into their bedroom without making a single sound? After the Umbra attack last night, Kira wasn’t sure what was real and what was not anymore.

Swallowing the lump of fear in her throat, she forced her lips into a shaky smile. At least, if the girl was real, she wouldn’t want to scare her.

"Hey, Maya. How are you doing this morning?" Kira asked cheerfully. She reached for her robe draped over the arm of a nearby chair and shrugged it on, tying the belt with trembling fingers.

The girl stayed silent, just watching her with those big, serious eyes.

Kira shrugged off the creepy feeling and stood up. "Did you sleep well?" she asked, keeping her tone cheerful despite the way her skin prickled. "I didn’t realise you were in the house. I suppose I’m quite a heavy sleeper."

Silence.

Kira moved about the room, gathering a few stray items, but stayed on high alert. "It’s a real pity we didn’t get to spend more time together, Maya. I would have liked to get to know you better. But we’re leaving today, you see." She paused and looked at the girl. "You should know that you’re welcome in Dravengard whenever you wish. You can come and visit me if you want."

"I could?"

Kira paused, completely shocked to hear the girl’s voice. Flora said the girl went mute after her parents’ death. She recovered quickly, her smile becoming more genuine as she knelt to the girl’s level. "Yes, of course you can. I’m going to leave my contact details with your grandparents. Whenever you want to visit the capital, you just have to ask your grandma to bring you."

To Kira’s surprise, a bright smile spread across Maya’s face. "I knew you would make a great queen. That is why the fates chose you."

Kira’s brows creased in confusion. "Fates?"

Maya nodded seriously. "You are stronger than you think. The battle has only just begun, and you must never trust anyone."

"What do you mean, Maya?" Kira asked in total confusion. "I don’t understand—"

"Maya! Maya, darling?" Flora’s voice rang out from the hallway. "Maya! Where are you?!"

Maya gave Kira a tiny, subtle wave and turned towards the door just as it burst open. Flora stood in the doorway, her face pale. She lunged forward, grabbing Maya by the arm and pulling the girl towards her.

"Oh, Your Highness! I am so sorry," Flora cried, her eyes darting between Kira and the child. "I am so sorry for the disturbance. We had to bring her with us late last night—with everything that happened at the pack house, Alistar and I couldn’t leave her behind. We had to keep her safe. I didn’t mean for her to wander into your bedroom."

Kira stood up, smoothing her robe. "It’s quite alright, Flora. Truly. She wasn’t a bother."

Flora offered a final, harried apology before ushering the girl out and closing the door. Kira stood there for a long moment, turning Maya’s strange words over and over in her head. She walked to the small desk, picked up her diary, and opened it. She turned to a fresh page and began to list the things that were haunting her:

1. Could Father be the reason for the blood feud between Lycans and werewolves? Why had he betrayed them?

2. Alpha Braxton looks way too familiar to me, even though I have never met him before. (Crystal Pack. Derek says it is a weird pack.)

3. The Umbras attacked the Snow Crest pack house last night, and I almost got killed. (They want a Nexus. But why attack the banquet party)

4. Maya is not mute after all. But she scares me so much. And I can’t help but get drawn to her.

She stared at the words until they blurred. Closing the book, she took a deep breath and headed downstairs.

The kitchen was filled with the comforting scent of sizzling bacon and toasted bread. Maya was already seated at the kitchen island, quietly spooning cereal into her mouth as if the conversation upstairs had never happened.

"Your Highness," Flora said, looking up from the stove. "How are you feeling? Any pain from those scratches?"

"I’m much better, thank you," Kira replied, glancing around. "Have you seen The King? What about Alistar?"

"The King left early for an emergency council meeting with the other Alphas," Flora explained, stirring something on the stove.

"Alistar drove him. They should be back soon. His Grace was very adamant that we shouldn’t wake you. He said you needed the rest."

Kira’s mind drifted to darker thoughts. What if the werewolves are aligning with the Umbras again? The thought made her stomach turn. What if my father is behind this attack, too?

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