Chapter 168

Basil had tried to keep his mind focused on the path ahead the next morning, no matter how Nimue's scent had seemed to take over his senses and make him dizzy with need and desire. She smelled like fresh blooming flowers, fresh earth, and a hint of fresh sweet bread. It was a distracting, comforting, and maddening scent.

His wolf growled in contentment and want whenever she grew near, so he took to riding further ahead to try and keep his mind clear.

*I hate you*, his wolf huffed and growled. *You and your stupid pride and fear and*

*Not now*, Basil thought, stubbornly. *Focus on getting back to the capital, okay?*

He huffed, *And your need for distraction instead of facing the truth*

Basil sighed, tuning out his wolf's whining. This wasn't the time for thinking about such things. Adolph and Laurel were supposed to be staying at the temple until the baby was born. There was no reason they should have called him back unless the baby was early or something had happened to his father.

Had there been another attack? Some plan that Gavin had tucked away somewhere Basil hadn't known about?

They rode south to the capital at full speed and arrived a full day earlier than they should have. His horse had not come to a stop before he had leaped off of it and rushed into the castle. His heart clenched in terror as climbed the steps.

Maybe it hadn't been Laurel that had called him back this time. Maybe it was his father?

There were only a handful of reasons that his father would call him back to the capital: a funeral, a coronation, or something to do with the Mirabelle estate. He hadn't wanted anything to do with the Mirabelle estate, and Adolph knew that so who was dead or who was being coronated?

Why had he called for a Wiccan to come with him? Why did it have to be Nimue of all people? She was a healer. Was someone sick?

Was it Laurel?

His heart was racing with fear. How did his father deal with uncertainty and run the kingdom with such a sense of calm? He remembered when he married Laura that he'd thought he was ready to take on the throne. He'd thought so highly of himself then, but that was gone now. He knew he wasn't ready to take his father's place. He didn't have the calm for it. He wasn't half the man his father was but he was at least trying to find the man he could be.

He knew he wasn't ready to lose Adolph when they had only just started to build a relationship. It couldn't be about his father, but Basil couldn't think of anything else.

When he entered the throne room, he found no one. He left the room, searching for Chasel who looked sleepless and a bit disheveled.

"Chasel!" Basil said, coming to him, "Where is my father?"

"Prince Basil? How did you get here so quickly?" Chasel asked, "I thought-"

"That doesn't matter," Basil said, "Tell me, where my father is and what's going on."

Chasel looked troubled before he gave him a weak smile, "The Wiccan representative. Are they with you?"

"Nimue Emrys," Nimue's voice drifted from behind him. "At your service."

Chasel looked behind Basil and his eyes widened seeing her. She didn't look at all like the Wiccans who had come before, dressed in breeches and armed with a sword. Her eyes were a flickering amber and blue. Her hair was dark and curly, tied up on her head, and her skin tone made it seem like she spent a lot of time in the sun, like toasted caramel.

He'd certainly never seen anyone like her. He lifted an eyebrow at her, intrigued. Basil growled at him, low and throaty, and Chasel's gaze jumped back to him.

Basil backed up, eyes wide and his cheeks flushed. Chasel looked between the two of them.

"I just My father, Chasel."

Chasel nodded and nodded down the hallway to lead them to the parlor where Adolph, Laurel, and the family were eating lunch. Basil had tried to cover it up with concern for his father, but Chasel was far more in touch with his wolf than Basil was. That growl hadn't been of anger. It was one of possession.

Basil had some interest in the sword-toting Wiccan, and he couldn't blame him. After Laura, who he heard was quite the beauty, then Delia, his heart was all over the place and a strong woman was always appealing.

The Wiccan woman carried herself with grace and confidence though she seemed to be no older than Basil.

He wondered if Adolph would be amused by his son's budding interest in a Wiccan woman. He would at least find it interesting he was sure of that.

Chasel knocked on the door and opened it, ushering Basil and Nimue inside.

"Thank you, Chasel," Adolph said with a sigh. "I am impressed you got here so early."

Adolph looked at Basil then Nimue with a flicker of recognition. He hadn't met her before, but she bore a bit of a resemblance to Eden.

"Are you related to Taliesin, young woman?"

Her lips trembled into a smile, "I am older than you. Hardly, young."

Basil's face turned red and his eyes widened.

Adolph grinned at her, "Of that, I have no doubt."

"To answer your question, he's my uncle"

Adolph couldn't help but be a bit shocked. He would have guessed Taliesin's daughter or something. She let her eyes roam over him silently and let her gaze drift to Basil. Apprehension filled him. Why was she looking at them like that?

"Upon seeing you I can see why he sent me," she said, "And why Eden was so concerned."

"Eden?" Adolph asked.

She nodded and looked at Laurel who worried her lips, looking between the two of them.

Nimue had seen a lot of cursed people in her life. There were so many kinds of curses, most of them had been very small curses. The few large ones she'd encountered were generational.

Adolph's was vicious, feeding on his blessings and eroding his soul. The darkness swirling around him was heady and cloying.

With Basil in the room, that darkness seemed to grow darker and thicker around him.

This wasn't going to be an easy conversation.

"My uncle sent me because I am blessed, you could say," Nimue said tightly. "Before we speak further, it would be best to make sure that everyone who needs to know the basics of the situation is aware."

Adolph looked at Basil and nodded, "Chasel, please guard the door."

Chasel nodded and left before closing the door behind him. Nimue looked around the room and smiled. It was a very secure parlor though she wasn't sure if Adolph knew that or had some instinct about it. The walls were thick and there was just the barest hint of protection carved into the walls beneath the decorations.

"Basil," Adolph began, "I need to know if your grandfather ever mentioned anything about curses."

Laurel stared at Nimue across the room, wide-eyed and nervous. Nimue smiled at her. There was a death aura around her, a gentle almost negligent stream of it that Nimue usually associated with someone who had crossed over into death or had been reborn.

She could see the white wolf seated in her soul as noble and graceful as could be expected.

"Luna Laurel," Nimue said, "I would be happy to speak with you in private while they speak."

Laurel shot to her feet as Adolph looked at Laurel suspiciously. Basil looked at Nimue in shock.

"We'll be back," Laurel said, rounding the table and coming towards her. "I just have one question."

"Wait," Adolph said, "If it is about the curse, then I need to know."

Laurel looked at Adolph then to Nimue, "But I don't know if"

"If you are concerned about Prince Basil, he will need to know."

Basil frowned, "What do you mean?"

Adolph sighed, "Laurel why do I get the feeling that there is more that you didn't tell me about your vision?"

Basil's eyes widened, "I've never heard anything about a curse And I thought only your mother as luna would ever be called... He said it's why my mother was never called."

Laurel threw up her hands, "Olivia was never called because she was a spiteful, obsessed woman!"

Laurel grimaced as the words came out of her mouth. She slapped a hand over her mouth as Adolph's eyes widened. Basil stood.

"You can't-"

"Laurel, what is it that you know?"

Her shoulders slumped, "The moon goddess showed me Olivia's death She cursed you, Adolph."

Adolph turned pale and Basil's face turned red, "You're lying! My mother would never!"

He looked at Nimue, "Tell them that's not possible."

Nimue gave him a tense smile. This wasn't what she expected to happen, but refuting it would only make things worse.

"Werewolves, in general, don't have enough power on their own to lay a curse especially not one like this. From what I can see, Luna Laurel is right."

Basil's eyes widened, his jaw dropped, then he turned and escaped the room.