Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

Chapter 36

“Niko,” my mother said, smiling at me and battling her disgust. I went to sit on the second chair at the table.

“I see you look better,” I said, trying to make it less awkward.

“Gezel and Erica did a great job. They call me Queen, you know,” she said, smiling, and I nodded.

“Were you able to get the kingship?” she asked eagerly, and I sighed and shook my head.

Just then, Gezel and Erica brought our meal.

My mother smiled lovingly at them, and I wondered if she knew the kind of scum they were. I kept them around so they wouldn’t divulge my conduct to the people outside Forest and hurt my chances of being King. Otherwise, I would have sent them away.

I was silent until they finished bringing the food. My mother touched Gezel’s hand gently and thanked her with a smile before they left. I wondered if she would feel so grateful when she found out that Gezel and Erica were one of the people that underfed her and kept her like a wild animal. I doubt she would be happy.

“How have you been, Niko?” my mother finally asked, and I sighed.

“Fine,” I said, and her smile dissipated.

“You can’t have been fine, my love,” she said, reaching for my hand. You were just ten,” she said, and tears began to well in her eyes.

“I failed you. I should have listened to you and returned to our cave. I am sorry, Niko,” she said, tears streaming down her cheek. “I wanted you to have meat that day. I knew you liked meat and wanted to get it for you. Please forgive me for being unable to hold on to my sanity long enough,” She said, and I patted her hand.

“It is okay, Mother, you are back,” I said, and she shook her head.

“I missed nineteen years. It is as if a huge part of my life has been taken from me,” she said and began to weep. I rubbed her hand gently to calm her down.

“Why didn’t you bury a blade in my heart,

“Niko?” she finally asked me, and I remembered the silver blade she sharpened every fourth night while we were in the woods.

“I couldn’t,” I confessed, telling her the truth.

“Then you should have left me for the hunters and saved yourself,” she said, and I shook my head.

“You told me you didn’t want to be left at the mercy of the hunters, and I was hoping the feral episode would be like the others and you would snap out of it in no time,” I said, telling her the truth.

“Only that it wasn’t, and you had to care for a feral wolf for nineteen years. Moving me about while you tried to accomplish something for yourself. I am sorry,” she said, and I continued to rub her hand so she would know it was okay.

“How did you manage to keep me? You were only ten, Niko,” she said, realising how it would have been impossible for me to subdue her.

“You came at me, and I ran back to our cave. You chased me there, but I was fortunate to hang the silver chain on your neck, forcing you to change back to your normal form and weakening you; then, I secured you on the tree you normally tied yourself to. We were deep in the forest, so we didn’t have hunter issues. I cared for you there until I got my wolf and started building a pack,” I said, and she was shocked.

“You are a true Alpha and a true King,” she said with respect, and I should feel great about it, but I didn’t.

“How did you take it all back?” she asked me, and I sighed and looked at our empty plates, then started to plate the food for both of us.

me five years to build an army and nine years to conquer every part of Forest,” I told her, and she was

venison,” I said, and she nodded slowly with her eyes on me in shock while she absentmindedly picked up

she appreciated the

that she knew the truth. She must have had a lengthy discussion with Gezel

working towards it,” I said, not giving away that I knew

What did he say his reasons were?” she asked, and I shrugged, still

and that the only heir the Forest King has is living with him. He said he won’t support

say such a thing?” she asked, and I

birthright?” she asked me, and I shrugged. “I fought for this place. It is my prize, and I plan to claim it in whole,” I said,

take it, but I doubt the werewolves had a king,” She said, and it was clear

I said,

about Aleksander, the coward?” She asked,

far but is unwilling to go against the Snow King for my sake,” I said,

He fears Fredrick,” she said, looking away from her plate and

do it then?” She asked, trying

I said, and she shook

breaking the Lycan Unity laws, treating werewolves a s if they are our equals and sleeping with the daughter of

What is wrong with treating them with some kindness?” I asked, and she

same path your father did? Your father trusted them, and look what

but you left out the part where Gabriel set you free and sent you to your brother so you will be safe,” I said, and the shock on her face and the shame that replaced it let me

can return when I am of age to

but he also hunted us,” she said, still trying to lie. I did not know if it were to pursue her revenge or out of shame, but

not lie to me, Mother. Nineteen years is a long time to dig,” I said, and she looked at me with misty eyes, unwilling

Fredrick’s doing, not Gabriel’s,” I

said, and I

to tell King Aleksander that you called him a liar,” I said, and

haven’t even spoken to the man,” I told her, and that was true. Other

he did not kill your father, none of this would have happened. We would have been happy; Mathias would have been here. It is all his fault, and you should be ashamed of yourself, Niko. Fucking his daughter and keeping him around when both of them should be dead and forgotten just like he killed your father.” She

about politics, Niko; these wolves would betray

she nodded with approval and sighed. “Obey the Lycan unity law, and the committee will side with you against Fredrick and his halfbreed heir,”

because I never told her the heir was

of him?” I asked her, and she

things, Niko. There is no point soiling his image with things of the past,” she said, pushing

resolving past issues and killing people for it. Why is your story selective, Mother? It is almost as i f what you have against the werewolves has nothing to do with my father because clearly, he loved them too,” I said, and she

be king!” She said

boy long before he married you?” I asked her, and her eyes

with his lies,” She said,

birth to their son, who was declared a stillborn but has miraculously surfaced. How do you explain that?”

son. I know nothing of it,” she said, telling the truth for the first time. I could feel it.

sighed and looked at me

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