Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 78 : As Soon As Possible

*Eliza*

The elder women led me away from the village into the woods a little way. I glanced back, but Jared was already

out of my eyesight.

They brought me to a sacred temple. There were statues of the Moon Goddess in the doorway.

Mesmerized by the temple and the carvings, I totally forgot about Jared being far away.

“What is this place?" I gasped, placing my hand on one of the carvings.

“A holy, sacred place of the Moon Goddess," one of the elders said.

I sighed and shook my head. Well, that was obvious. I was kind of hoping for a little more than that.

Inside the temple, at the center, was a large opening in the floor. Water bubbled up from a natural spring

underneath.

“You can bathe here. We have fresh clothes when you're ready."

I nodded but walked around the pool to the shrine at the head of the temple. There was a statue in the shrine that

looked like it was meant to be the Moon Goddess. She had features that seemed familiar but that weren't usually

associated with the Moon Goddess.

Where had I seen this woman before? It felt like a distant memory or a dream, something I should remember but

couldn't quite grasp…

There was a stone placard in front of the statue. It read, “Luna of Blackfire."

“Miss Eliza," an elder called to me.

“I'm coming."

I stripped down and got into the pool. The women came in with me. They washed me and tamed my hair. Once I

was dried off, they handed me a gorgeous dress, nicer than anything I'd seen or worn in a long time.

It was satin, dark emerald, and perfect for this kind of tropical night warmth.

“These tattoos," one of the elders said, running her fingers up my arm with the curse marks. Her eyes were distant

and glazed over as she studied them.

“What about them?" I asked, creasing my brow.

The elder frowned and ran her thumb over my arm. “Is this a place in the Light Realm, a map?"

“A map?" I gasped.

The elder nodded. “It is familiar to me, like the lines of a map, something from the Light Realm."

All I could do was shrug.

As she started brushing my hair, I turned my arm toward the light and I studied the lines.

I tilted my head as far as I could, without getting my hair pulled out, and saw the lines from a different angle.

The elder was right… it looked like a map of an area in the Light Realm. How had I never seen it before?

This could be the key to everything....

My heart raced and my stomach fluttered excitedly. I wanted to get back to Jared and tell him about this new map.

New hope swelled in my chest, threatening to take over.

I still couldn't believe that I hadn't seen the connection before. Maybe it was because I'd been looking at it upside

down all this time. If I'd seen the marks in a mirror, then I probably would have made the connection. But being out

in the wilderness, I didn't have a lot of mirrors to look into.

“I want to get back to Jared," I said, too eager to wait any longer.

The women weren't ready, though. I had to wait for them to change into dresses that matched mine in elegance

and style.

They led me back to the village. There was a bonfire crackling away and the delicious, mouthwatering scent of

roasting meat filled the air.

My stomach growled.

It felt like ages since I'd had a good meal. We'd just been eating quick snacks here and there while we worked on

repairing the village.

The elder women brought me around the fire and got me a plate full of delicious feast food. I tucked right into the

lamb shish kabob. The meat was so tender and juicy, I couldn't stop eating. It hit my stomach so satisfyingly that

my toes curled in the grass.

Jared met up with me.

My mouth was full, so I shoved the shish kabob at him. He grinned and took a big bite.

“I swear, this is the best food I've had in days!"

“Agreed." Jared sucked some stray juice off his thumb.

Musicians started playing on the other side of the bonfire. They played slow, soft music at first and the village

leader told a story about the history of the village.

I listened intently. Local stories, though most were embellished or exaggerated, did have some roots in actual fact.

He was talking about witches and how Saboreef had been a place witches were hunted and somehow one of the

witches survived and became a powerful Luna.

It was an interesting story.

Halfway through, I glanced at Jared and saw his eyes glazed over.

As soon as the village leader stopped talking, the musicians began playing a louder, faster tempo.

Jared snapped out of his daze. He smiled and tightened his arm around my shoulders. There was a new look of

fierce determination in his eyes.

“What's going on?"

He didn't answer with words. Jared pulled me against him and kissed me hard on the lips.

“What's gotten into you?" I asked breathily.

“I'm just enjoying this festival." He grinned.

I got the sense there was more to his enjoyment and determination, but we were here to have a good time. I

wasn't going to question him.

We got some more food and I clapped along with the music while the villagers danced around the fire. Eventually,

the rest of the Saboreef missionaries joined in the celebration.

“Come dance with me," I pleaded with Jared.

I grabbed his hands and pulled him out into the twirling figures as they moved around the fire in a rhythmic circle.

Jared laughed and held my hands tightly. We spun around each other and got caught up in the fray of villagers as

they danced and laughed.

My cheeks stung as I smiled. I skipped and hopped, feeling like I was floating over the grass as I danced.

There was no real pattern to the dance. I felt like I could just run and spin around with the rest of them.

There was no real pattern to the dance. I felt like I could just run and spin around with the rest of them.

I kept my hand tightly in Jared's. Now and then, I looked at him and saw that he was smiling too.

We danced until I thought my legs would collapse.

“I need something to drink," I said, fanning myself with my hand.

Jared pulled me out of the dancing bodies and we headed to a table with drinks on it. He grabbed a beer and

handed me one.

“That was fun."

“I've never danced like that," I admitted.

“Me neither. It was very… freeing."

The old male elder and the women that had waited on me joined Jared and me at the drink table.

“Eliza, this is one of the Saboreef elders. He's been around a long time, ever since I was a kid," Jared said,

motioning to the old man.

I bowed my head to him. “It is nice to meet you, officially."

The locket on my neck fell away from my body, dangling down and glinting in the firelight.

When I looked up, I noticed the elder's eyes were locked on the pendent. His face was a little pale, eyes wide and

transfixed.

It was hard to figure out what he was thinking or feeling because of how wrinkled he was, but if I had to guess, I

would have said he was spooked… or really scared. Instinctively, I reached for Jared's hand.

“How long have the two of you known each other?" one of the women elders asked.

Jared and I shared a look. My cheeks flushed and I bit my lower lip.

“A while now. Though, sometimes, it feels like a lot longer."

I gaped at him. “Hey!"

Jared gave a sheepish look. “I didn't mean that in a bad way! We've just gone through so much together that

sometimes it feels like you've been in my life a lot longer. And I like feeling like you've been with me longer."

I scoffed and shook my head. Well, he did know how to save himself when he needed to.

“You two are so great together. A vibe like yours… you've got to be mates, aren't you?"

My stomach twisted.

Jared put his arm around my shoulders and I tucked myself up against his body. I floundered for a moment to come

up with the right explanation.

“Yes," Jared answered quickly, pulling me into his side.

“Eliza… you're from the Light Realm, aren't you?" the man elder asked. He seemed to have recovered from his

shock at seeing the pendant.

“Um… yes, I am," I nodded.

“Are you a witch from the Light Realm?" one of the women asked.

“I am not a witch. I am from the Light Realm and related to the White Queen, but not in the direct line.

The male elder pursed his lips. “Is that so?"

Jared and I nodded.

“Then there is someone you must meet, as soon as possible," he insisted.