I fidgeted as I stood in front of the large door with Amelia and Alora, my heart pounding in my chest. They had shown up at my room slightly before sunset with breakfast and a new outfit, informing me that Queen Iris would be making the decision instead of the prince. I wasn’t sure if I could fool the queen the way I had lied to Viktor, and I was still trying to decide if it was a good idea to run when the doors opened in front of me.

“Come in.” A soft voice seemed to flow out of the room, and I walked behind the girls as we stepped into an office. It was orderly and neat, reminding me a lot of the Alpha’s office in my pack. The Queen sat at her desk, looking regal even without a throne, and I chanced a glance at her son who stood next to her. He still seemed handsome in an ethereal way, but his green eyes looked ahead, not even glancing at me as the girls bowed out of the way.

I forced myself to step up, noticing the Queen’s eyes were green as well. Her raven black hair seemed so long that I knew it had to pool on the floor behind her and I wondered how she walked with such weight. My own hair only brushed my shoulders and I could barely stand it. I nervously picked at the edge of my sleeve, bowing my head as I stood in front of her.

“H-hello, your Majesty,” I managed to say, keeping my head down as I heard her chuckle. The sound was soft and gentle and it helped to put me at ease as she continued speaking.

“Hello, Kira. I understand you were brought to us by Virgil.” I laced my fingers together as I stood in front of her, keeping my eyes on her desk as she spoke. Her own hands were lazily resting on its surface, and I noticed she had a wedding ring. There was a King? “Can you tell me more about that?”

“I was fleeing from the Grave Crest Hunters, and I fell onto the one you call Virgil,” I answered honestly, deciding there was no reason to say why I was fleeing the pack. She hadn’t asked after all. “I asked him to help me, and he helped me to cross the barrier before the wolves found us. He then claimed me under the right that I was on vampire lands.”

“Hmmm,” the queen tapped her fingers and I swallowed my heart back down. It was likely I had just gotten Virgil in trouble by admitting I wasn’t on the vampire side when he found me, but all that mattered is that the Hunters didn’t know that. By the time they found us, I was out of Grave Crest lands. “And are you a wolf?”

My heart pounded as I hesitated with my answer, unsure what to say. Would she force me back if I admitted to being a wolf, assuming I was a part of the pack? How well did she understand wolf culture? Would she believe me more if I said I was too young to awaken my wolf? I flinched as I heard her sigh, her hand dragging across the surface of her desk.

‘Tell the truth,’ my wolf advised and I swallowed hard, still torn. My wolf paced in my mind, my own uncertainty affecting him as he moved. ‘It does us no good to lie to her. She will sense it.’

‘Yeah, but being completely honest could see us thrown out.’

‘We–’

“I will alleviate your worry and let you know I have already made my decision,” the queen’s voice interrupted our conversation and I fidgeted, unsure whether that was good or bad for me. “I merely want to understand you a bit better.”

“... yes, I’m a wolf, although I have yet to shift.” I admitted, playing with the edge of my sleeve again. My wolf paced in my mind, his worry making my own worse as I answered the queen. “I am too young.”

“Do you want to shift?” I finally looked up as she spoke again, and her green eyes were watching me intensely. My instinct was to shrink under that gaze and I quickly looked away, unable to help the fear it caused in me.

“I don’t know,” I whispered, and I jumped again as I heard her sigh.

“It is likely the pack will come, especially since they know a member of our court has taken you. As such, I will allow you to stay until the full moon, as I don’t need them to claim I killed you,” the queen finally commanded and relief washed over me. The last full moon was only a few days ago, so that gave me an entire month to find a way to avoid being sent back. “If I find you too useful to dismiss, I will make you a member of the house. If you are too much of a burden, I will give you back.”

“Thank you, your Majesty,” I didn’t even have to fake the relief in my voice as I bowed to the queen again, my body shaking as the tension left. Even if the house didn’t need me to clean, I could definitely find a way to make myself useful. Even if it was just being a lowly servant, I would not let the Queen toss me out. Not until I could go to the human kingdom. “I will not disappoint you.”

“So, what can you do? If you are to stay, you must have a role,” the queen demanded and I took a deep breath, trying to think of something. I could clean, but there wasn’t much need for a cleaner in a house that cleaned itself. I also wasn’t much of a cook, considering I had never been allowed in the kitchen. I fidgeted as my mind raced, trying to think of something I could offer the queen.

“I… can write, your Majesty,” I finally answered, keeping my head down as I spoke quietly. Maybe I could be an assistant, taking notes or something while she worked. I glanced over to the small desk to the right of hers, implying at some point, there must have been a secretary or someone who filled that role. “I have a good eye for detail and history.”

“I see,” I heard as the queen reached into her desk and I chanced a look up as her son finally moved, accepting the object his mother handed to him. She then turned to look at me again, a slight smile on her face. “Many of the books in our library are old and starting to fall apart. Not many of our servants have a clean hand, but if yours is sufficient, it would be a great relief to have our oldest texts transcribed before they are lost.

“My son Viktor will guide you to the library and judge your penmanship. Should he find it passable, you will be our archivist,” the queen commanded and I nodded as I bowed again, my heart filled with relief. I had risked everything to sneak that half empty journal and broken pencil from my brother’s trash, but it allowed me to practice my writing. I knew I likely didn’t have perfect handwriting, as writing in a dark corner under a match hardly allowed for beautiful penmanship, but certainly after years of practicing it had to at least be readable.

“Come.” Viktor’s command was short as he motioned for me to follow him and I chanced a glance at the sisters as I turned. They were both smiling at me brightly, and I could see in Amelia’s eyes that she wanted nothing more than to grab me and enthuse about me getting to stay. I gave the pair a bright smile as I followed the prince out of the office, walking down the dark halls to find the library.