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.

hair, I turned my

my hair pulled out, and saw the lines from

of an area in the Light Realm. How had I never seen it

be the

heart raced and my stomach fluttered excitedly. I wanted to get back to Jared and tell him about this new map. New hope swelled in my chest, threatening to take

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 made the connection. But being out in the wilderness,

to Jared," I said, too eager

though. I had to wait for them to change into dresses that

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

My stomach growled.

been eating quick snacks here

the fire and got me a plate full of delicious feast food. I tucked right into the lamb shish kabob. The meat was so tender and juicy, I couldn't stop eating. It hit my stomach so satisfyingly that my

met up with

mouth was full, so I shoved the shish kabob at him. He

is the best

sucked some stray juice off his

music at first and the village leader told a story about the history of the

Local stories, though most were embellished or

witches and how Saboreef had been a place witches were hunted and somehow one of the

an interesting

through, I glanced at Jared and

soon as the village leader stopped talking, the musicians

and tightened his arm around my shoulders. There was a new look

“What's going on?"

words. Jared pulled me against him and kissed me hard on

you?" I

just enjoying this festival."

enjoyment and determination, but we were here to have a good time. I wasn't

the villagers danced around the fire.

with me," I pleaded

him out into the twirling figures as they moved

We spun around each other and got

cheeks stung as I smiled. I skipped and hopped, feeling like I was floating over the grass as

the dance. I felt like I could just run

felt like I could just run and spin around with

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

until I thought my

I said,

headed to a table with drinks on