"Want to take a walk?" I offer to Duncan, which in response, the eagle above us wails to the sky. Duncan creases his brows, getting more confused about the eagle. It's obviously an abnormal reaction from an animal.

"It's like the eagle is overhearing our conversation," he says with a light scoff. "Tell me, does the animal have a crush on you?" He's half-joking.

I can only blink multiple times and fake a smile. Then I tilt my head, gesturing for him to follow me. Soon enough, he falls into step beside me as we walk off the dock. Grey follows us from behind in just a few steps. Unlike with Ganesh, this time Grey sticks closer to me, not giving me the privacy he gave before.

"Is it just me or is that eagle following us?" Duncan asks.

"It's just you," I answer quickly before I redirect the conversation to what it is supposed to be. "Anyway, you want me to take out the cannula, right?"

"Oh, about that..." He opens his shirt to reveal the spot where the cannula was placed. There is only a thin plaster now. "I've taken it out myself once I feel like my breathing has returned to normal."

I put my hand on Duncan's right chest, to the eagle's horror. The bird is shrieking nonstop as it glides above our heads. "You still have very little air trapped here. I can help you." My hand glows as that image of a raccoon appears in my mind. Soon, I imagine siphoning the little air inside his chest and I can see the raccoon sighing in relief.

Duncan inhales long and deep. "I can't believe I took breathing for granted," he whispers, as his hand envelops mine on his chest. Our eyes meet as soon as the glow in my hand fades.

Just like the raccoon in my mind, Duncan has charming light blue eyes.

"Are all werewolf females enchanting like you?" he asks.

I can only blink at the sudden question. Before I can answer, the eagle swoops in between us and almost bites off Duncan's head if Duncan doesn't step back fast. Again. Then the eagle soars to the sky with a mocking caw, as if the bird is laughing at Duncan.

"Goddess," Duncan curses, "Maybe I should go hunting today before that eagle harms the children going here to play."

"I'm pretty sure the eagle will disappear after today," I say, "Anyway, we're done, right?"

I half turn my body to walk away, but Duncan grabs my hand, which makes the eagle caws madly in the sky. Again. I wonder if the eagle is truly Lyall shifting into a bird, or is it just magic in the form of an eagle.

"Wait," Duncan tightens his grip on my hand but immediately lets it go when he sees the hesitation on my face. "I'm... sorry... for what I said before. I didn't know you ran away from your pack. We thought you met the king in the forest and asked him to take you so you can be spoiled."

I stay silent. Honestly, I don't know how to respond to that. It baffles me how my story has gotten twisted like that, too.

Duncan scratches the back of his neck. "Umm... the females that the king usually picked to spend the night with him are usually like that. They usually jump at the opportunity because they know the king will provide for them."

Lyall brought females to his chambers before? I shouldn't be surprised, really, but I am. I thought I was the only female that could make him feel after his curse. So then why did he bring all those females?

"Our theory is that he is trying to feel," Duncan continues to explain, "Or perhaps he needs a quickie even with the curse, since he couldn't do it with Adina anymore after everything."

"What exactly happened between them?" We continue to walk off the dock and in the village's direction.

"Umm... I think it's best if he tells you about it himself," Duncan sneaks a look at Grey before returning his stare to me. I know then that he doesn't want Grey to report to Lyall that Duncan is telling me things about Adina. This also means that Lyall wants it to be a secret from me.

I don't want to get Duncan in trouble, too. So instead, I ask him, "Can you tell me how Adina became your benefactor?"

He proceeds to tell me that years ago, Rembrandt, which is where Fidre village is located, is the poorest area out of all the areas in the lycan kingdom. Adina's family has helped Rembrandt to grow into what it is today for generations. So, naturally, their father, following their grandfather and great grandfather, has pledged loyalty to Adina's family.

"Have you pledged to Adina too?" I ask.

"I haven't. But Roy has, because... well, he has his own story and Adina personally helped him."

"I see..." I keep in my mind that I would need to find out what is it that makes Roy so loyal to Adina.

"Again, I'm sorry for how I treated you," Duncan says, "And thank you for saving my life."

The old Mars would have said, 'No problem,' and just smiled. But this Mars, this girl that needs to pave her own path in a foreign territory, instead says, "If I can make Lyall send more supplies to this village, you should be indebted to me, don't you think?"

My words make Duncan's jaw falls open. Soon enough, however, he bursts into laughter right in front of me. He even needs to bow slightly with his hands on his stomach because of how hard he is laughing. Then he kneels before me and kisses the back of my palm. "My Lady, I already owe you for helping a lot of my people."

"Will you pledge to me then?" I ask light-heartedly.

But Duncan smiles and says, "If you keep surprising me like this... well, we'll see."

I try to contain my smile. But it's hard to hide the pride blooming inside me at what I have just achieved.

At least one of Adina's followers has a big prospect to turn to me. If I can persuade Lyall to send more supplies, that is.

***

When we reach the village again, I see that most of the students have gone back. There are only several royal and local healers still addressing patients that need 24-hour surveillance. A few students, including Lola, however, are helping the healers in packing up the medicine and tools.

I say goodbye to Duncan because the next person I need to talk to is Lola.

"Can I see you again?" Duncan asks me, stopping me in my track.

At the horrifying shriek of the eagle above, I give Duncan my most seductive smile. I bite my bottom lip a bit and say, "I'll come back to collect what you owe me." Then, without waiting for him to reply, I turn to approach Lola quickly.

Lola is cleaning up a table full of medicine when I suddenly sit on that table and grab her phone from her scrub pocket as fast as my werewolf reflex would allow me. The girl tries to grab her phone back, but I bare my fangs to her and she freezes on the spot.

"Give me back my phone!" Lola cries out as she tries to reach for the phone again. Her fingers are slightly shaking when I catch her hand quickly. White light glows on my hand and submerges on Lola's skin. The image of a sparrow appears in my mind. But this sparrow cannot fly. It can only hop around its nest without ever leaving it to the sky.

That's how I know.

I gasp. "You're wolfless–I mean lycanless... You can't transform."

I see her eyes shrinking in fear. Her face turns pale like a ghost. Immediately, I soothe her fear and panic with my magic.

"It's okay," I turn to a whisper, then I let go of her hand. "I won't spread the gossip as you did me dirty this morning." Raising her phone, I wave the electronic device with my hand.

Lola grabs the phone fast. This time, I let her have it, now that I have something else to bargain for.

"What do you want?" she hisses in a whisper. Her eyes look around us, worried that someone else is listening to us. Fortunately, Grey stays at the outer end of the tent this time. And the eagle somehow is already gone from the sky.

A slight feeling of loss attacks my chest. But I bury that feeling as I keep telling myself it shouldn't matter.

"That's why you're not showing your fangs and claws when I show you mine," I say, "I can't imagine how it feels like not being able to transform... How are you able to keep this a secret?"

"My father paid a lot of money to keep my inability out of the radar," Lola sighs in defeat, "That was why my family got bankrupt."

Ah, I see now. That was also when Adina came to save their family from bankruptcy, and now Lola feels indebted to Adina.

The old Mars would pity the girl and hope that we can start over. This new Mars, however, thinks that it's time Lola feels indebted to another. Someone who can truly help her instead of just giving her family money.

"I can help you transform," I whisper in her ear, "You've seen how I could treat all those people today. I bet I can help you transform too."

Lola gulps hard, but she doesn't get away from me. I can tell that every fiber of her being wants to be able to transform.

"Why... would you do that for me?" she asks, "I thought you would..."

"Blackmail you with your secret?" I finish the sentence for her. "Yeah, that's not really me. My strength lies in taking the higher way. But the next time you cross me, I'd consider spreading this secret of yours because I won't fall for the same hole twice. So, hopefully, today will be your last day testing my patience, hmm?"

Lola gulps again.

"Yes," she then adds with a hoarse voice, "Please... I'll do anything."

"Good. We can schedule to meet for thirty minutes every time we are done with academic activities. In exchange, I need you to really show me the ropes as an academic student. No more sarcasm, no more attitudes, no holding off important information, and include me in your discussions. Deal?"

"Deal."

My smile blooms in correspondence to my proud heart.

I have hooked the hearts of two out of Adina's supporters. And at the same time, put them in their places.

***

Back in the palace, a maid greets Grey and me. "Miss Mars," the maid says while curtsying, "you must be tired. Please allow me to escort you to the king's room–"

I cut the maid off with one raised hand. "I'd like to meet Nari. Can you escort me to the royal seamstress's chamber instead?" I feel like I have to address this problem soon instead of delaying it until it becomes too rotten.

"But–"

The maid stops her words when she sees my serious gaze. I am not playing around. The maid looks at Grey, who is only standing behind me.

"Nari's chamber," I repeat.

"Of course, Miss." The maid then leads me to the right corridor from the guest room. We pass the kitchen to a smaller hallway until we reach the second room from the last. The maid knocks for us, announcing my presence.

There is only silence greeting us back for a few seconds. It's too early for anyone to sleep at this hour, so it is either that Nari is ignoring us or she is not inside.

"Come in." A deep, intimidating voice appears behind the door.

My heart leaps to a drumming beat when I recognize the voice.

Lyall.

Why is he in Nari's room? As the question settles in my mind, my heart lurches to the earth at that same time. My tongue becomes bitter and I freeze in my spot as the maid opens the door to Nari's chamber.

I hate to say this. But I am actually grateful to see that Nari is kneeling on the floor, shivering with fear, in front of the king instead of being in the bed with him.

–to be continued–