The Alpha's Temptation

Tania dragged herself to where her mother was standing. Kinshra had opened the Yunabi and placed it on a fallen, moss covered log after dusting off the snow from it. The Yunabi yawned open and sighed as soon as it felt the familiar touch. Kinshra went to the page where they had left. She glanced at Tania who was appearing too tired. So, after putting a small stone as a weight over the page, she walked to her.

"Turn," she said and Tania turned her back to her mother. Kinshra opened her daughter's hair and raked her fingers through them to remove the knots. As she did that, she used her magic to calm down her nerves. "I know you are very tired, Tania," she said. "If at any point you feel that you are unable to take it, let me know and we will stop. Okay?"

Tania felt great when her mother raked her hair with her slim, tall fingers. In Sgiáth Bio, the magical abilities were limited, but small magics like these were fine. "I will," she said with a lazy smile.

"Good. We will be over in less than an hour." Kinshra opened her hair and tied them in a tight braid that fell down till her hips. "You have such lovely hair," she remarked. "Just like my mother's."

"No, mines are like yours," Tania said.

Kinshra couldn't help chuckling. This was the first time she was braiding her daughter's hair. Suddenly, she realized that braiding hair is more like bonding. She was going to do more of that on Tania.

When she went back to Yunabi arcana, she saw that the stone was trembling as if it had life. Some of the text had climbed it and was making a gnawing sound. Kinshra shook her head and removed the stone from there after jerking off the symbols, which went back to their place. In the next one hour, slowly, one by one page, Kinshra asked Tania to chant. If she wanted, she would have ordered the entire text of the page to go to her in one go, but by reading it out, the symbols languidly made their way in her. As soon as she would be surrounded by them, Kinshra would cast her magic on her daughter. The symbols would turn red hot. They would pulsate a fiery orange and red and with a hiss get absorbed by Tania's body.

At the end of the tenth page, Tania felt something strange in her body. When she looked back, she saw that her right wing was flared wide open and was brushing a low branch of a tree. Surprised, she gasped and thought that the wing would come down crashing. So she braced for the impact and the pain that followed. However, the wing flared taut in its place. She snapped her gaze at her mother who was smiling.

"Don't be shocked, my dear," said Kinshra as she started to pack Yunabi. "By the end of it, your other wing should also respond in the same way and then you would be ready for your first flight."

Tania's mouth fell to the floor. "Really?" She had waited for ages to fly. It was a natural instinct that always bubbled in her chest.

Kinshra smiled and nodded. "Yes!" She extended her hand to Tania. "Come, let's go back. I am sure Flora must have cooked something for us."

"Mother, I have a question," said Tania as she took her hand.

"Ask away."

"The High Priest of Cetus Monastery pinched a piece of my soul and that is why I couldn't develop the way I should have. He would send me into dungeons and keep me there for the smallest of the mistakes. He had a spy. No. He has a spy who has a hunch back. He used to beat me for mistakes..." A shiver ran down her body. Kinshra squeezed her hand as she narrowed her eyes. "But was his magic so strong that he could lock my wings? I do feel that he couldn't have done it..."

"Hunchback?" Kinshra asked, stopping in her tracks.

"Yes, he is cruel and stays hidden from everyone. But I knew about him because he was my handler when I went to Eltanin's palace to spy on Prince Rigel."

"There was a hunchback who accompanied Murel when he used to come and visit Sirrah. What did he look like?" She tugged Tania's hand to start walking.

"Dark hair till his shoulders, round face and his upper teeth were slightly protruded. I hated him from the core of my heart. His eyes were so black it was like they contained all the malice of the world!"

"That's him!" Kinshra exclaimed. "He used to come with Murel all the time. Does this man have magic?"

Tania was shocked as her stomach twisted in knots. "I don't know if he has magic, but he can't shift into his wolf." After a pause, she said, "But he is loyal to Menkar and not Mureal."

Kinshra let out a rough exhale. "It is possible that Mekar came under the disguise of Murel."

"It is, but can he change his face? That kind of illusion is too strong. I remember Eltanin mentioning that King Rolfe of Galahar could do it on Morava, and that no one in Araniea could do it."

"Even faes can do that magic. Ileus stayed under that illusion for almost a year when he was in Vilinski, taking the identity of his friend Kaizan. But Murel possessed dark magic. He must have learnt that art somewhere." They reached the cave. "One thing is clear. Menkar's spy is the common link here. I would love to meet that dimwit now!" She gritted her teeth. "I want to meet him!"

Tania laughed softly, sensing how much her mother needed her revenge.

Kinshra peeked at her and saw that she was much relaxed even after being exposed to magic. Her strategy worked well.

"Where will you go once, we are in Araniea?" Tania asked curiously.

Kinshra pursed her lips as a pale blush dusted her cheeks. "Pegasii."