Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 989

Chapter 40 : Little Girl Lost

*Sasha*

Lucas was clever, but not clever enough, in hiding the orb under the floorboards of the stateroom. He must have forgotten the pitch and roll of the ship.

The thing had rolled around like a penny in a hurricane collection jar, and it had taken mere minutes of him being locked out for me to pry up the right board and have the orb in my hands.

I felt a bit bad working with the orb behind his back, but since he wouldn't let me do it in front of him, I felt I had little choice. For the two days, I kept Lucas away, I used my dream dancer powers to watch the people who had the orb in ancient times.

They kept preparing to go through some portal. There were also whispers of using the orb to keep Lycaon from ever leaving the Light Realm and spreading like dark fire across the Dark Realm.

Since Lycaon had definitely spread across the Dark Realm, I was getting the impression the orb hadn't worked as hoped. That and the many bodies that were found at the northern library convinced me something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

In between sessions with the orb, I poked my head out the door and found a tray for every meal. I also heard the padding of paws and whuffling under the door at night. I might have sent Lucas away, but that didn't mean he was staying away.

When I went to work with the orb the morning of the third day, I was surprised to find it brought my vision back in time again, but not very far. I didn't recognize the location. I could tell I was in a mansion. The decor seemed dated in recent history.

A young girl with pigtail braids was skipping down a hallway that seemed vaguely familiar to me. She was completely carefree.

I followed behind her, curious as to why the orb had brought me here to see a child.

“Anna!" someone was calling.

The girl giggled and hid behind a, yes, honest-to-Goddess suit of armor.

“Where are you?" a portly woman asked, huffing and puffing as she looked here and there, ladle in hand. “I swear, when I find you this time, I'm gonna bean you good!"

Anna stifled another giggle with her hands.

Luckily for Anna, the portly woman didn't hear her and waddled off to a new location, calling her name.

Anna pumped a fist in the air in victory, then began dancing around the suit of armor, hanging off its parts as though it were a jungle gym.

“Anna," came a different voice, masculine this time.

A chill ran down my spine. I knew it was ironic coming from someone in the middle of a vision, but the voice sounded disembodied, not a real person's voice at all.

“Anna."

The girl looked up, then down the hall where we both knew the voice was coming from. She stopped playing with the suit of armor and began heading down the hall.

“Anna."

I wondered if Lucas thought I was as completely stupid using the orb as I was thinking Anna was following this voice.

Damn fool girl… I had to do something. There was something truly sinister behind that voice, and Anna needed protecting. Where was that mean old portly woman, anyway?

“Come here, Anna. Come to me...."

I wanted to bang my head against the wall when Anna did, skipping down the hall toward the darkness.

“Don't do it, Anna!" I called, wondering if I could be connected enough this time for the girl to hear me.

Anna didn't pause, but the voice did.

Then a roll of darkness filled my vision, surrounding me on all sides.

“Dream dancer," the shadow hissed.

Oh Goddess, I was screwed. “Um… hi… just visiting...."

The darkness cackled. “I'm not afraid of you. Save her if you can, you weak thing."

Then the darkness sucked itself back down the hall, dragging a screaming Anna with it.

A panel in the wall across from the suit of armor slid out of the way, revealing a secret passage.

Anna clawed at the walls to get out of the grip of the… something.

I ran forward, but it was too late. Anna disappeared into the darkness, and the secret entrance slammed shut behind her.

“Anna!" I called, feeling around the entrance, trying to figure out how to get in there myself.

I searched in vain for a way to get to Anna until I heard Lucas's voice.

“f**k!" came Lucas's voice from a distance.

I decided to use my dream dancer powers to take me back to the ship. Lucas sounded like he was in pain.

When my eyes focused, I saw Lucas laying on the floor by the door, rubbing his head. A few quick questions later, and I knew something else about the orb, or at least the darkness. It didn't like Lucas.

“You know, usually you say 'Sasha' not 'f**k' when you're trying to call me back," I said slowly.

“The orb doesn't usually throw me across the room when I'm trying to call you back," he grunted, standing and dusting himself off.

“Oh." I blinked slowly, still coming out of my trance. “You shouldn't have touched it while it was active."

“No s**t," he said, but I could tell he bit back any more harsh words and as he came to sit beside me, careful not to touch the orb again.

“Are you mad at me?" I asked cautiously, clutching the orb closer to my chest.

I sighed and kissed her temple. “No, princess, I'm not. I'm just scared for you."

I relaxed slightly and set the orb aside, wrapping it back in the silk. Then I leaned my head against his shoulder and looked up at him with hesitation about what I should say.

“You might as well tell me everything," he said, reaching up and stroking my hair.