Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 40 : Little Girl Lost

*Sasha*

Lucas was clever, but not clever enough, in hiding the orb under the floorboards of the stateroom. He must have forgotten the pitch and roll of the ship.

The thing had rolled around like a penny in a hurricane collection jar, and it had taken mere minutes of him being locked out for me to pry up the right board and have the orb in my hands.

I felt a bit bad working with the orb behind his back, but since he wouldn't let me do it in front of him, I felt I had little choice. For the two days, I kept Lucas away, I used my dream dancer powers to watch the people who had the orb in ancient times.

They kept preparing to go through some portal. There were also whispers of using the orb to keep Lycaon from ever leaving the Light Realm and spreading like dark fire across the Dark Realm.

Since Lycaon had definitely spread across the Dark Realm, I was getting the impression the orb hadn't worked as hoped. That and the many bodies that were found at the northern library convinced me something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

In between sessions with the orb, I poked my head out the door and found a tray for every meal. I also heard the padding of paws and whuffling under the door at night. I might have sent Lucas away, but that didn't mean he was staying away.

When I went to work with the orb the morning of the third day, I was surprised to find it brought my vision back in time again, but not very far. I didn't recognize the location. I could tell I was in a mansion. The decor seemed dated in recent history.

A young girl with pigtail braids was skipping down a hallway that seemed vaguely familiar to me. She was completely carefree.

I followed behind her, curious as to why the orb had brought me here to see a child.

“Anna!" someone was calling.

The girl giggled and hid behind a, yes, honest-to-Goddess suit of armor.

“Where are you?" a portly woman asked, huffing and puffing as she looked here and there, ladle in hand. “I swear, when I find you this time, I'm gonna bean you good!"

Anna stifled another giggle with her hands.

Luckily for Anna, the portly woman didn't hear her and waddled off to a new location, calling her name.

Anna pumped a fist in the air in victory, then began dancing around the suit of armor, hanging off its parts as though it were a jungle gym.

“Anna," came a different voice, masculine this time.

A chill ran down my spine. I knew it was ironic coming from someone in the middle of a vision, but the voice sounded disembodied, not a real person's voice at all.

“Anna."

The girl looked up, then down the hall where we both knew the voice was coming from. She stopped playing with the suit of armor and began heading down the hall.

“Anna."

I wondered if Lucas thought I was as completely stupid using the orb as I was thinking Anna was following this voice.

Damn fool girl… I had to do something. There was something truly sinister behind that voice, and Anna needed protecting. Where was that mean old portly woman, anyway?

“Come here, Anna. Come to me...."

I wanted to bang my head against the wall when Anna did, skipping down the hall toward the darkness.

if I could be connected enough this time for the

pause, but

darkness filled my

the shadow

Goddess, I was screwed. “Um… hi…

darkness cackled. “I'm not afraid of you. Save her if you

sucked itself back down the hall, dragging a screaming

panel in the wall across from the suit of armor slid

clawed at the walls to get out of the grip of the…

too late. Anna disappeared into the darkness, and the secret

around the entrance, trying to figure

vain for a way to get to Anna until I heard Lucas's

came Lucas's voice from a

dancer powers to take me back to the ship. Lucas sounded like

by the door, rubbing his head. A few quick questions later, and I knew something else about the orb, or at

not 'f**k' when you're trying to call me

room when I'm trying to call you back," he grunted, standing and dusting

I blinked slowly, still coming out of my trance. “You shouldn't have touched it

he bit back any more harsh words

mad at me?" I asked cautiously, clutching the orb

temple. “No, princess, I'm

orb aside, wrapping it back in the silk. Then I leaned my head against his shoulder and looked up at him with hesitation

me everything," he said, reaching up and stroking my

me?" Lucas asked again as it took me a

going to be mad at me?" I replied

hand and threaded his fingers through mine. “No. I'm done being mad at you. I'm

Good." I recounted the tale of

in that orb has its

think it always did, or was always going to. And I don't think it's part of the orb. It's… something to

go around meddling in the past. You could change the whole course of

being an overbearing brute?" I asked sweetly. I wasn't sure how I knew the second was true as well, but the way Lucas's

replied, his tone measured. “I'm mad… at the situation, I guess. I'm definitely mad at whatever force has you tangled up in all

I

me the whole time?"

Sort of? I'm not sure." I looked up at Lucas. “You

good to know," Lucas said, breathing out

you know if we're mates? You're twenty-seven now. You're past where you'd be able to

was quiet a long time. “I can't be sure until you've had your twenty-first

something, right?"

know I

really confusing, Lucas. You're kind of all over the place with how you treat me.

until your birthday. It's not that far away, you know,"

Much to my delight, he automatically wrapped his