The Lycan King's Healer
The Lycan King’s Healer – Chapter 19

The only explanation behind the glowing garden was him, but there was no explanation behind the witchcraft.

I desperately looked to him for answers. When did he recognize me? How did he create the glow?

His eyes looked farther away as he launched into his tale, his voice low and soft. “When I was young, I was lost in the forest and almost died because of a warrior’s betrayal,” he said, his hazel eyes darkening, “A beautiful healer found me. She healed my body and my mind and then gave me a crystal stone.”

I started at that, opening my mouth.

“Yes, the glow is from the crystal stone,” he confirmed, “I don’t know why she gave it to me at that time. But when she left, she told me that something useless might be something useful in the future.”

He presented it to me right in his hands, and my eyes saturated with tears when I realized I recognized the stone.

“She’s right, Cathy,” he whispered, and he kissed me again, our lips tasting like my tears.

And I knew she was right. Because my mother was always right when she was alive.

As I looked at Aldrich, I realized any traces of hate I had left for him disappeared within the glow of the roses. My own mother saved his life. He used the crystal stone on me. He rescued me and then presented me with a show for the second time.

I had been fighting fate for too long. As the garden gleamed and the stars watched us, I knew we were unfortunately destined for each other.

He returned to war a couple days later. My worry began to grow more than the decaying of the flowers outside, the crisp air slowly killing the garden. The willow next to the cottage turned a hue of a coppery orange, fluttering like tendrils of red hair in the wind.

Aldrich did not leave us unattended. His second in command, Alan, was deemed more important here than there. He was sworn to protect Theo and I; I would’ve scolded Aldrich for his undermining of my protection, but I was secretly glad to have a male figure to protect us that did not mildly irritate me.

One day, as we were watching Theo target practice, I noticed he limped outside. The weight in one of his feet seemed dead, crunching the fallen leaves underneath.

“Alan, what’s wrong with your leg?” I asked.

He winced as he attempted to straighten it, struggling to a comfortable standing position. I quickly assisted, stabilizing him by anchoring his arm.

“I was shot by a sharp arrow with wolfsbane, unfortunately,” he admitted, shifting, “son of a bitch got me in the last war, and now I’m deemed disabled.”

“Aldrich never told me you were injured. I would’ve tried to help immediately,” I frowned, not liking that he did not warn me of his friend’s struggle.

“Well, usually I slow down to avoid being discovered,” he shrugged, the young man’s copper hair glowing in the autumn sun, “but recently as the weather is getting colder, it’s worsened the injury. I can’t even sleep at night.” He seemed ashamed to admit it.

I insisted on helping him. Later that day, I concocted a medicine laced with my b***d. His pain was relieved quite swiftly, and gradually as a couple days passed; he was no longer limping. When he stepped into the backyard with not one trace of a limp, I grinned.

He grinned right back and said, “I’ve got to report this back to Aldrich and let him know he picked a good one.”

In assumed gratitude, Alan provided me with books the next day. One even had recorded treatment for wolf related conditions, which I had been adamantly searching for a few months. It was hard to attain books related to werewolf medicine, especially as an outsider to the palace tucked away in a cottage.

On the fourth day since Aldrich’s departure, Alan returned with another stack of medicinal books. I laughed in delight as he plopped them on the table, breathless.

“This is all amazing,” I assured him, beaming with pleasure. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” he insisted, “thank Aldrich. He’s the one instructing me to bring these books to you.”

I frowned in puzzlement, and he laughed.

“Let me recite his exact words,” he cleared his throat before deepening his voice a few octaves, “Encourage her hobby and give her the freedom to do whatever the hell she wants. Am I clear?”

I hadn’t felt such joy in a while. Tears pricked at my eyes, and even the wolf in me felt happy. She urged me to run to Aldrich immediately, wanting to speed on her animal legs to her lover. But I refused, the common sense battling the urge. That did not mean I did not think of him every day. His eyes that looked like the forest soaked in a golden dawn, his hair blowing seamlessly in the wind over his strong shoulders. The way he kissed me after I discovered my mother saved him.

I felt like the garden that night as I thought about him, glowing.

Our wolves must have come to an agreement the night we connected, because my mind suddenly felt like it was becoming a tunnel. There was one end that led to another.

First, it started in small flashes of words in Aldrich’s voice. My name, Theo’s name, flattery. It all occurred in dreams—I thought I was merely dreaming of him until I starkly heard him talking in my head one day, like it was from the other end of something hollow.

Cathy, can you hear me? It sounded, and I realized with a startle that we must have mindlinked.

I paused for a moment before responding. When did you mindlink me?

I heard his sweet chuckle rattle between my ears. Right before I left. I needed to be able to communicate with you.

I considered this, then shook my head with a smile. I’m listening.

I don’t want you still living in the cottage I locked you in, his voice traveled somberly, how would you feel about moving into my estate near the training grounds? Theo will have all the room to play, you will have a bedroom larger than the entire cottage. And you can have control of the grand garden.

At first, I laughed. Why would I want to do that? I liked my humble abode, decorated with nothing but flowers and privacy. But as I watched Theo playing with Alan outside the window, I knew he would soon grow to hate the small space. He was already large for his age; he would outgrow it sooner or later. Plus, then, we would be closer to Aldrich, and Theo was happiest with his father.

I’ll consider it, I begrudgingly responded, which was Cathy language for yes.

After a couple days, it was done; Alan, Theo, and I had transported all the books, potted plants, and cupboard contents into Aldrich’s estate. Where I was supposed to live four years ago.

I had never seen it before the day we moved in, and I wished Aldrich was by my side for the reveal so I could scold him for harboring such wealth. The estate grounds were massive, rolling hills and trimmed meadows greeting you. A cobblestone path directed to the main building of the cluster, the one Aldrich instructed us to move into. Pillars the size of small towers sliced into the sky, and all the balcony railings were gilded. It was white stone contrasted against gold; all the window shutters were gilded as well, along with the entirety of the front doors.

Theo did not look at it for more than a moment; he went hurtling inside like a bullet, gripping his backpack, and exclaiming with glee. I laughed, watching him disappear into our new home.

Emily

The bribed servant reported this information back to me with sheepish reluctance, as if he was telling me I had several more days to live.

I snarled at the news, raking my nails across my skin as I perpetually did to satisfy the itching. How dare she move into my future home, taking my future position as hostess to Aldrich’s estate? I clawed at my skin as I would claw her eyes out, gritting my teeth.

“Who is that bitch to run Aldrich’s estate?” I growled. “Only I am meant to do that. I will make her life a living hell,” I swore to myself, distracted at how hard I was scratching the rash. I soon after discovered b***d caked in my fingernails.