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

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

elder was right… it looked like a map of an area in

could be the

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

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, I didn't have a lot of

want to get back to Jared," I

weren't ready, though. I had to wait for them to change into dresses that matched

There was a bonfire crackling

My stomach growled.

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

into the lamb shish kabob.

up with

mouth was full, so I shoved the shish kabob

the best food I've had

stray juice

They played slow, soft music at first and

most were embellished

been a place witches were hunted and somehow one

was an interesting

Jared and saw his eyes

the village leader stopped talking, the musicians began

tightened his arm around my shoulders. There was

“What's going on?"

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

into you?"

enjoying this festival." He

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

the music while the villagers danced around the fire. Eventually, the rest of the Saboreef missionaries joined

me," I pleaded with

hands and pulled him out into the twirling figures

We spun around each other and got caught up in the fray

I smiled. I skipped and hopped, feeling like I was

was no real pattern to the dance. I felt like I could just run and spin around with the

I could just

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

danced until I thought my legs would

need something to drink," I said, fanning myself with

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