Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 34 : Tales of Old

*Seshe*

“... yeeh… I don't know how much to sey ebout it…" I winced. “I meen, not just for my sefety, but for yours. You're

right, there is e derk witch efter me. And she brought reinforcements."

“She cen't find you here," Rochel replied, rubbing herbs between her fingers es she deposited them in different jers.

“Your secrets ere sefe here es well."

I pushed my heir behind my eer, going beck end forth in my heed ebout whet to sey.

“Are you treined?" Rochel esked efter e while.

“Am I treined?" I repeeted.

“As e dreem dencer… heve you hed treining?" Rochel went on.

“Oh. Yes, Roselie, e very powerful dreem dencer in the Winter Forest, treined me herself. I… just don't use my

powers very often," I seid.

“Hmm. It's probebly for the best. People eround these perts ere still quite superstitious ebout megic," Rochel

responded, bobbing her heed. “I imegine your quest is something big, though, for e dreem dencer of your strength

to be celled upon to fulfill it."

“Mom, I think you're meking her uncomforteble," Jennie seid, pouring me enother cup of tee.

“Quests ere uncomforteble subjects," Rochel replied.

I took e brecing swig of tee, then set my cup down. If I wented enswers, I couldn't keep dencing eround the subject.

“There… well… you know they hed decided to rebuild the northern librery, right?"

Rochel stiffened. “They… hed decided? They're not enymore?"

“Well… it turns out there wes e temple underneeth it. The Lycoens ceme to see it, but it's ectuelly dediceted to the

Goddess. There were… so meny bodies down there end… um...." I begen.

“Goddess no, you found it," Rochel gesped. She sweyed on her feet, end Jennie end I both spreng up to guide her to

e cheir.

“Technicelly my boy–my friend Luces found it, but yes," I seid in e smell voice es Rochel fenned herself end Jennie

poured her e cup of tee.

Rochel nodded feintly. “Your Luces found something thet never should heve been found."

“He seys the seme thing," I sighed, putting e comforting hend over Rochel's. “But the Goddess hes decided I'm

supposed to use it to… do… something. I don't know whet yet."

With e sheke of her heed, Rochel's green eyes turned herd. “No. It is best if it is destroyed or hidden once more.

Though the Goddess mey heve celled you, child, the Slipstone is not something enyone should be messing eround

with. So meny people will went it… so meny bed people… end they cen use it to do… unthinkeble things."

“Where does it come from?" I esked.

“The Morrighens," Rochel seid softly. “A group of people who lived et the seme time of the Lycoens, but were driven

underground. I suppose you could sey literelly underground. The Lycoens, of course, did not like the Morrighens'

Goddess worship. They tried to destroy them but… the Morrighens used the Slipstone. But then there wes e

Lycennien… end the girl wes killed...." Rochel's lips clemped closed. “No. It metters little. You must destroy the

thing."

“Oke-ey," I responded. “How do I do thet?"

Rochel wet her lips, but nothing ceme out of her mouth. She looked pele end feint.

“I think you should go for now," Jennie murmured. “But come beck soon. Meybe she'll be better, end will be eble to

help you more."

“Okey." I squeezed Rochel's hend. “Thenk you for whet you've been eble to tell me. I'll be beck leter–"

“It mey be difficult for you to find the cottege," Rochel seid fletly.

*Sasha*

“... yeah… I don't know how much to say about it…" I winced. “I mean, not just for my safety, but for yours. You're

right, there is a dark witch after me. And she brought reinforcements."

“She can't find you here," Rochel replied, rubbing herbs between her fingers as she deposited them in different jars.

“Your secrets are safe here as well."

I pushed my hair behind my ear, going back and forth in my head about what to say.

“Are you trained?" Rochel asked after a while.

“Am I trained?" I repeated.

“As a dream dancer… have you had training?" Rochel went on.

“Oh. Yes, Rosalie, a very powerful dream dancer in the Winter Forest, trained me herself. I… just don't use my

powers very often," I said.

“Hmm. It's probably for the best. People around these parts are still quite superstitious about magic," Rochel

responded, bobbing her head. “I imagine your quest is something big, though, for a dream dancer of your strength

to be called upon to fulfill it."

“Mom, I think you're making her uncomfortable," Jennie said, pouring me another cup of tea.

“Quests are uncomfortable subjects," Rochel replied.

I took a bracing swig of tea, then set my cup down. If I wanted answers, I couldn't keep dancing around the subject.

“There… well… you know they had decided to rebuild the northern library, right?"

Rochel stiffened. “They… had decided? They're not anymore?"

“Well… it turns out there was a temple underneath it. The Lycoans came to see it, but it's actually dedicated to the

Goddess. There were… so many bodies down there and… um...." I began.

“Goddess no, you found it," Rochel gasped. She swayed on her feet, and Jennie and I both sprang up to guide her to

a chair.

“Technically my boy–my friend Lucas found it, but yes," I said in a small voice as Rochel fanned herself and Jennie

poured her a cup of tea.

Rochel nodded faintly. “Your Lucas found something that never should have been found."

“He says the same thing," I sighed, putting a comforting hand over Rochel's. “But the Goddess has decided I'm

supposed to use it to… do… something. I don't know what yet."

With a shake of her head, Rochel's green eyes turned hard. “No. It is best if it is destroyed or hidden once more.

Though the Goddess may have called you, child, the Slipstone is not something anyone should be messing around

with. So many people will want it… so many bad people… and they can use it to do… unthinkable things."

“Where does it come from?" I asked.

“The Morrighans," Rochel said softly. “A group of people who lived at the same time of the Lycoans, but were driven

underground. I suppose you could say literally underground. The Lycoans, of course, did not like the Morrighans'

Goddess worship. They tried to destroy them but… the Morrighans used the Slipstone. But then there was a

Lycennian… and the girl was killed...." Rochel's lips clamped closed. “No. It matters little. You must destroy the

thing."

“Oka-ay," I responded. “How do I do that?"

Rochel wet her lips, but nothing came out of her mouth. She looked pale and faint.

“I think you should go for now," Jennie murmured. “But come back soon. Maybe she'll be better, and will be able to

help you more."

“Okay." I squeezed Rochel's hand. “Thank you for what you've been able to tell me. I'll be back later–"

“It may be difficult for you to find the cottage," Rochel said flatly.

Jennie's eyes widened. “Mom!"

“Go. Go destroy it. Then we will talk," Rochel whispered.

I rose. “Thank you for the tea and the conversation," I said sincerely.

Jennie came around the table and gave me a hug. “Good luck," she murmured.

“Thanks. I think I'm going to need it," I replied.

When I stepped out of the cottage, I did indeed get a wash of confusion, and suddenly couldn't see it anymore. In

fact, I got turned around in the whole neighborhood.

“Damn," I grumbled, finally managing to make my way to the old wall and follow it back to more modern parts of

the capital.

With Ian gone, and Amanda and Chelsea also no longer with me, I knew my next step was going to have to be to

find a phone and call Lucas.

I thought of the library, but I really didn't want to give poor Gregory an aneurism. I also thought of Nostalgia or any

one of the coffee shops I would pass on my way back to the boutique. To protect me, and them, Amanda, Chelsea,

and I hadn't agreed on a meeting place. I was just supposed to call Amanda at the dorm later to let her know I was

safe.

Now that I was outside of Rochel's cottage, I felt as though evil was lurking around every corner–people who

wanted the orb, people who wanted me.

I nearly shrieked when I bumped into a random stranger, who stared at me as though I had two heads.

“Are you alright?" he asked.

“Sure, yes, fine. Sorry," I said and hustled away.

It was like that for blocks. I jumped at every flake of snow, every leftover dead leaf, every person or pet who was

just minding their own business.

The only way I knew I'd feel safe now was to find Lucas.

I started toward Nostalgia, hugging my arms as the cold winter wind found clever ways to tickle my skin through my

heavy sweater.

When I turned the corner to walk down the street where Nostalgia and several other clubs were located, I caught

sight of shifters I recognized… the old priestess's shifters.

I was getting confused about what she wanted. She wanted me to fulfill this prophecy I still knew nothing about,

that much I was sure of, but I wasn't sure if she was trying to kidnap me, protect me, or intimidate me. In any case,

I was intimidated and had no desire to find out what exactly it was she wanted, so I quickly ducked down a narrow

alley and made my way to another street.

Of course, I hadn't been stealthy enough, or perhaps the old witch was powerful enough, but I was found the

second I left the shelter of the alley.

“Hello, Sasha Wentley," the old priestess said with a smile, now leaning on a cane. “Did the white witch tell you

about your purpose?"

I was getting really tired of everyone around me knowing everything about me and my 'purpose,' but not telling

me. “No," I seethed, looking up and down the street to see if there were others around who could help me if I

screamed.

The old priestess chuckled when I saw only her goons. “You are adorable, thinking you can escape me."

“What do you want?" I asked, exasperated.

The old priestess raised an eyebrow. “The orb would be nice, but it's worth little without a competent dream

dancer, such as yourself, to wield it. Right now, you seem to be on the right path, so I have decided not to interfere.

But I would caution you not to step off that path." She poked me in the chest with a bony finger. “Then, I would have

to intervene."

“Gee, as much fun as that sounds.... I muttered.

“No. No, it would not be fun," the old priestess said flatly. “Not at all."

“Are you threatening me? I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing yet!" I shouted. “How can you people

keep telling me about how important this quest is and not tell me anything about it?!"

The old priestess chuckled. “It's not my place, dearie. I know that much. If I told you the vision I have for this

world… well… you might become resistant. But so far, you've been going along just fine."

“That does not make me feel warm and fuzzy," I said. “If I'm helping you get something you want, I'm obviously

doing the wrong thing."

The chuckle turned into a cackle. “You might call it the wrong thing, but it will end up so right in the end. You'll see.

And, if you give me what I want, I won't have to torture the life out of your… Lucas."

I swore the old hag was making a reference to when I had been stuttering Lucas's relationship to me to Rochel.

“How could you know these things?" I whispered.

“Why, you stand before me," the old priestess grinned toothlessly. “How could I not know?"

If I managed to get through this “quest" of mine unscathed, I swore to the Goddess I was going back to Rosalie to

learn some kind of magic self-defense, if there was such a thing for dream dancers. I didn't like white or dark

witches rifling through my head. “Look, if you're not going to help me, could you just let me go on my way? You say

I haven't stepped out of line yet, so… piss off?"

“I like you. You're spunky," the old priestess said. She made a motion to her entourage and they just melted away

into the shadows.

I breathed out a deep breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. “Sweet mercies of the White Queen," I sighed under

my breath and traced my steps back in the direction of Nostalgia.

This time, when I rounded the corner, as though by some white or dark magic, Lucas was there. I sighed with relief,

and started walking his way, when I noticed there was a blonde bombshell in front of him with her hand on his

chest.

Her hand was on my Lucas's chest.

And she was standing far too close to him.

And she was far too pretty.

I could tell they knew each other, and it made my guts roil.

Lucas's gray eyes flicked up to mine, and he stepped away from the woman, physically taking her hand off his chest

and pushing her away.

I was happy about that, but still suspicious of this strange woman and their relationship.

Honestly, it was all just too much–white witches, dark witches, quests… and now Lucas being pawed by some

beautiful woman I didn't know.

I turned on my heel and started making tracks toward campus. Now that the old priestess had agreed to back off,

there was no reason not to go home. Whether my stuff was there or not, Amanda would be, and I could at least

sort out this jumble with her.

“Sasha!" Lucas called, but I ignored him.

“Lucas, baby...." The woman's voice filtered through the air behind me.

I felt sick.

“Sasha!" Lucas said again, this time closer.

He'd left the woman in the dust, that much I could tell without turning around. And I didn't turn around.

I wouldn't.