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

my hair pulled out, and saw the lines

a map of an area in the Light Realm.

be the key to

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

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 made the connection. But being

Jared," I

wait for them to change into dresses

village. There was a bonfire crackling away and the delicious,

My stomach growled.

just been

tucked right into the lamb shish kabob. The meat was so tender and juicy, I couldn't stop eating. It hit my

met up with

so I shoved the shish kabob at

this is the best food I've had

Jared sucked some stray juice

They played slow, soft music at first and the village leader told a story about the

were embellished or exaggerated, did have some roots

were hunted and somehow

was an interesting

at Jared and saw his eyes glazed

talking, the musicians began playing a

of his daze. He smiled and tightened his arm around my shoulders. There was a new look of fierce

“What's going on?"

Jared pulled me against him and kissed me hard on

you?" I

enjoying this

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

music while the villagers danced

with me,"

his hands and pulled him out into the twirling figures

my hands tightly. We spun around each other and

and hopped, feeling like I was floating

I felt like I

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

Now and then, I

danced until I thought my

drink," I said, fanning myself with my

to a table with drinks on it. He grabbed a beer