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 arm toward the light and I studied

head as far as I could, without getting my hair pulled out, and saw

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

be the key

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

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 out in the wilderness, I didn't have a lot

I

women weren't ready, though. I had to wait for them to change into dresses that matched mine in elegance and

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

My stomach growled.

a good meal. We'd just been eating quick snacks here and there while we worked on

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

met up with

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

the best

sucked some stray juice off

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

stories, though most were embellished or exaggerated,

been a place witches were hunted and somehow

an interesting

glanced at Jared and saw his eyes

talking, the musicians began playing

and tightened his arm around my shoulders. There was

“What's going on?"

Jared pulled me against him and

gotten into you?" I asked

this festival." He

the sense there was more to his enjoyment and determination, but we were here to have a

with the music while the villagers danced around the fire. Eventually,

me," I pleaded

him out into the twirling figures as they moved

each other and got caught up in

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

no real pattern to the dance. I felt like I could

the dance. I felt like I could just run and spin

and then, I looked at him and saw that

thought my legs

need something to drink," I said, fanning myself

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