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.

my hair, I turned my arm toward the light and I

head as far as I could, without getting my

looked like a map of an area in the Light Realm. How had I never

the key

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

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

to Jared," I said, too eager to wait

ready, though. I had to wait for them to change into dresses that matched mine

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

My stomach growled.

like ages since I'd had a good meal. We'd just been

shish kabob. The meat was so tender and juicy, I couldn't stop

up with

kabob at him. He grinned and took a

swear, this is the best

some stray juice off

side of the bonfire. They played slow, soft music at first and the village leader told a story about the history of

Local stories, though most were embellished or exaggerated, did have some

been a place witches were hunted and somehow one of

an

at Jared

the village leader stopped talking,

his arm around my shoulders. There

“What's going on?"

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

you?" I asked

this

his enjoyment and determination, but we were here to have a

I clapped along with the music while the villagers danced around the fire. Eventually, the rest of the

dance with me," I pleaded

pulled him out into the twirling

my hands tightly. We spun around each other and got caught up in the fray

stung as I smiled. I skipped and hopped, feeling like I was floating

I could just run and spin around with the rest of

to the dance. I felt like I could just run and spin around with

Now and then, I looked at him and saw that he was smiling

danced until I thought my legs

I said, fanning

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