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.

brushing my hair, I turned my

I could, without getting my hair pulled out, and saw the lines from a

an area in

the key

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

seen the marks in a mirror, then I

I said, too eager to

wait for them to change into dresses

village. There was a bonfire crackling away and the delicious, mouthwatering scent of roasting meat

My stomach growled.

We'd just been eating quick snacks

food. I tucked right into the lamb shish kabob. The meat was so

met up

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

best food I've had in

some stray juice

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

stories, though most were embellished or

place witches were hunted and somehow one of the witches survived and became a powerful

an

glanced at Jared

stopped talking,

his arm around my shoulders. There was a new look of

“What's going on?"

didn't answer with words. Jared pulled me against him and kissed me hard

into you?" I

this

was more to his enjoyment and determination, but we were here to have a good time.

more food and I clapped along with the music while the villagers danced

me,"

and pulled him out into the twirling figures as they

each other and got caught up in the fray of villagers as they

I smiled. I skipped and hopped, feeling

felt like I could just run and spin around with the rest of

was no real pattern to the dance. I felt like I could just run

kept my hand tightly in Jared's. Now and then, I looked at him and

thought my legs would

I said,

bodies and we headed to a table with drinks on it. He grabbed a beer and