CHAPTER 31: HEIRBIND RITE

It was the day of the Heirbind Rite.

I woke up feeling hollow. My throat was dry, so I reached for the glass of water by my bed and took a slow sip.

Beyond the drapes, the sky was washed in a pale blue, calm and clear, so at odds with the weight in my chest.

I had been restless the whole night, turning over thoughts until my body felt bruised by them.

The pill I swallowed yesterday still sat in the back of my mind like a stone. Would it do anything when the moment came? Would it truly help me escape, or had I been foolish to trust a stranger’s word?

I hadn’t seen the crow again.

No note, no scratch of claws at the window, no message. And I still did not know the man’s name. A bitter smile tugged at my lips thinking how desperate I must be, to trust someone whose face and name I barely knew.

The rite would not take place until twilight.

Still, the hours before it were bound and shaped by tradition.

By the time I rose from the bed, a group of maids had already arrived.

Their steps were quick as they moved in and out of the room carrying linens and folded garments. I let them fuss over me, there was little else I could do.

The first step was the sacred bathing.

They draped me in a white robe and guided me silently down the corridors of the manor until we stepped outside.

The sun was climbing higher, and its light touched the trees, the roof tiles, the glittering surface of the lake that waited beyond.

The Lake of Nightshade. It lay within the Alpha’s estate, its waters dark and still, almost black where the shadows of the trees pressed against it.

I had grown up hearing it was holy, that the Moon Goddess herself had blessed it, but standing at its banks I felt only unease.

The priestesses were already waiting.

Their pale robes shimmered faintly. The High Matron, Nyren, stood at the edge of the dock, her white eyes fixed on me though I knew she could see better than most.

"You will step into the water, girl," she said, her voice carrying over the quiet ripples. "Let it cleanse you. Let it strip what is not yours to carry."

I obeyed. The robe slipped from my shoulders, and the cold air brushed my skin.

The water was shockingly cool, even as the sun warmed the air above. I lowered myself in until it reached my chest, my breath catching.

The lake swallowed sound, making everything muffled. I dipped under fully at their instruction, and when I surfaced, my hair clung to my face and shoulders.

The maids rushed forward with towels as I climbed out. They wrapped me carefully and led me back to the manor.

The next step was prayer.

The chamber of the Moon Goddess was quiet, heavy with the smell of incense.

The statue stood at the center, carved of pale stone, the goddess robed in flowing garments with her hands raised to the sky.

Candles flickered at her feet, their flames bending when the doors closed behind us.

I knelt with the priestesses, the stone floor cold even through the thin cloth beneath my knees. My head bowed when theirs did.

Nyren’s voice filled the chamber as she spoke the prayers, the words old and steady, passed down through countless rites like this one.

I repeated what I was told, my voice blending with theirs, though the words felt like ash in my mouth.

I wondered if the goddess listened, or if she had long ago turned her face from me.

Time blurred. Perhaps an hour passed, perhaps more. My knees ached, my back stiffened, but I kept still. When at last Nyren rose, we all followed.

"You are ready," she said simply.

I wasn’t.

But the preparations had been made.

And it was now twilight.

Dread filled me.

But I still dared hope.

I was relieved when I received another message from the crow earlier, just after the prayer in the Moon Goddess’s chamber.

It said, "Wait for the right time and trust me."

And I was left with no choice but to trust a stranger with no face and name.

***

The ceremony took place in the garden of the Alpha’s estate.

By the time the sun had dipped low enough to stain the sky with gold and orange, the garden was filled with people.

Long rows of benches had been set for the witnesses, and every seat was taken.

The Alpha himself sat at the front with the elders of the council, their faces solemn. Behind them stood the warriors, lined in neat rows.

Beyond, the important families of the pack filled the remaining spaces, all in hushed silence, their eyes fixed on the dais.

I stood at the edge of it until the priestesses beckoned me forward. The dais was raised above the garden, its floor draped in white cloth.

The priestesses stood in a line on either side, each of them robed in white.

Only Nyren was different, her garments blended white with pale blue, and the way she stood at the center of them made it clear she alone guided the rite.

At their direction, I knelt in the middle of the dais.

The white dress they had given me felt too thin, too plain, as though it left me exposed despite covering me.

My hair had been left loose, falling over my shoulders without adornment. I kept my gaze lowered, fixed on the ground beneath me, as the ceremony began.

Nyren’s voice rose, firm and authoritative despite her years. She spoke the old words, her tone carrying across the garden.

The priestesses followed in unison, their voices a low chant that filled the air.

I barely listened. My heartbeat was too loud, pressing against my ears.

The sky dimmed slowly as the chanting went on, shadows stretching long across the garden.

Then came the procession of symbols.

A bowl of water from the Lake of Nightshade was placed before me, and I dipped my fingers in it when Nyren instructed. A thread of silver was wound lightly around my wrist.

I felt detached, like I was watching myself through a haze.

I kept my head bowed. I did not dare look at Finn or anyone.

The chanting grew softer, slower, until at last Nyren lifted her hand for silence.

A priestess stepped forward, carrying a silver chalice. From where I knelt, I could see the faint shimmer of the liquid inside.

The sacred wine, mixed with drops of Finn’s blood.

The last part of the ceremony. The binding sealed with drink.

My heart was so frantic it became hard to breathe.

No... I don’t want it...

Nyren’s voice rang out again, "Drink, and your womb shall be blessed to bear the Alpha’s heir."

The chalice was lifted toward me. My hands trembled as I reached, my breath caught in my throat.

And then a shout tore through the silence before I could touch the chalice.

"FIRE!"

Every head turned at once.

Another voice, louder, frantic, carried from the gates of the estate.

"THE TOWN IS ON FIRE!