Chapter 8 Glimpse of Strength

Camilla's Point Of View

The wolves' growls filled the air, and in the fog, their bright eyes looked like fire. That is how I held the papers Marta gave me. With the other hand, I kept my knife close. The dark person with the bow stood in the dark with their arrow aimed at us. As my heart beat fast, I stepped in front of Marta and pushed her back. "Stay behind me," I said in a strong, shaking voice.

"Get away, Camilla!" Marta hissed at me and grabbed my arm. I tried but failed. That paper showed the council lied about me, which is why Lucien thought I was cursed. I was not going to leave without them.

The wolves got closer, their fur bristled and teeth bared. My legs were shaking as I raised my knife. Though I was not as strong as I used to be, I was not weak either. There was something hot inside me, like a spark ready to light on fire. It made me taller, but I did not know what it was.

"Get away!" I yelled at the wolves. When my voice echoed in the clearing, they stopped moving and their ears twitched for a second. Their face was hidden by the fog, so the person with the bow did not move. I could feel their cold, sharp eyes on me.

Behind us, a branch broke. I turned around with my knife ready, but it was Lucien. He popped out of the woods with his axe raised and his eyes wide. He yelled, "Mira!" but dropped his voice when he saw Marta and the wolves. "What is going on?"

The wolves barked more, but they did not attack. The person with the bow put down their weapon and disappeared like a ghost into the fog. With their eyes still on me, the dogs moved away and then turned around and ran into the trees.

My knees were shaking as I let out a breath. I hid the papers by putting them in my coat. Lucien put down his axe and tensed up his face. His voice was sharp as he asked, "Mira, Marta, why are you here?"

Her voice was shaking as she said, "I was... showing her the forest." She looked at me and told me to be quiet with her eyes.

Lucien looked at me with a frown on his face. "In the wee hours of the morning? When there are wolves around?" He took a step closer and looked at my face. "You might have gotten hurt."

My heart was beating fast as I said, "I am fine." He was so close, and I could tell he cared by the way he worried. I did not trust it, though. Not after everything. "I was unable to sleep. "Marta was there to help me."

He did not seem sure, but he agreed. "Go back to the village." You both. "This area is not safe." He turned around and led the way with his axe still in his hand.

As we went along, Marta grabbed my arm and whispered, "Do not tell him yet." The government is also keeping an eye on him.

I gave him a nod and ran my hand through the papers in my coat. They were heavy, like they held all of my anger and pain. I had to wait until I was by myself to read them and see for myself how false they were.

Luis stopped at my door back at the packhouse. He said in a low voice, "Lock it." "No more walks at midnight." He looked at me for a long time, like he saw something he could not place. I said "yes," snuck inside, and locked the door.

I got up from the bed and got the papers. As I spread them out, my hands shook. The ink was worn out, but I could still read it. It was clear that the words "curse" and "threat" were about me, Camilla, not Mira. They told me I was dangerous and that my blood would kill the pack. They wrote everything as a lie to scare Lucien. Even though it hurt, I blinked the tears away. It was not me crying. Not yet.

My heart was heavy as I hid the papers under the bed. They did lie to him, as Marta said. It did not change the fact that he believed them and let me burn, though. The knife was under my pillow, and the necklace was in my bag. I could not fall asleep.

The morning was cloudy, and there was a lot of fog outside. I read so much that it made my head spin as I went to breakfast. Elin was sitting at the table with her stuffed dog by her side. Hi Mira! "Again, you look tired," she said with a frown.

I sat next to her and said, "Just did not sleep well." Even though I tried to smile, my eyes kept going to Lucien. He sat at the head table and looked serious as he talked to Torren. Marta sat close by and looked at me with her sharp eyes. She gave me a small nod, as if we were keeping a secret.

Lucien got up and clapped his hands after breakfast. He used a louder voice to say, "Listen up!" "Today is the day to train the young wolves." Things are getting messy. Mira, you are very strong. Do you want to help?"

Everyone looked at me. My heart jumped. I had to show off my skills while training, but I also had to get closer to the pack and learn who I could trust. I kept my voice steady and said, "Sure."

We went to a field outside of the town, where a line of young wolves had formed. The kids were just a bit older than Elin. They played with sticks made of wood like they were swords. He put us into groups, and I was put with Finn and Lila from yesterday. He gave me a stick and said, "Teach them how to move."

I nodded, but my stomach hurt. I had to watch out. No one here knew how strong I was, even though I did not look it. They might figure out who I was if I showed too much.

Finn began by teaching the kids how to swing their sticks. Their moves were sloppy as they laughed and tried to copy him. Lila went next, and her swings were quick and steady. The kids tried to keep up as they cheered. After that it was my turn. With my stick light in my hands, I took a step forward. I slowly swung it back and forth to show them how to balance and move their feet.

"Go faster, Mira!" One kid yelled and smiled.

With a smile, I swung the stick a little harder. The kids clapped as the air hissed. Then, though, something hot and crazy happened inside me. Too fast and too strong was my swing. The stick hit a wooden post and broke, cutting it in half. The kids let out a gasp and opened their eyes wide.

The cold made my heart race. I made a mistake. As I stood at the edge of the field, I looked at Lucien. He looked at me with still eyes, like he had seen a ghost. He moved closer, and his eyes were heavy. His voice was low as he asked, "Where did you learn to do that?"

My voice was shaking as I said, "I...practiced a lot." "Back home."

He said yes, but his eyes never left mine. "Mira, you always surprise me," he said, almost to himself. Even though he looked away and told the kids to keep practicing, I could feel his eyes on me. It was like he was trying to figure out who I was.

We trained quickly after that, but I kept my swings slow so I would not show that spark again. Finn and Lila did not say anything, but they looked at me with interested eyes. If I made one mistake, I felt like I would fall through the thin ice.

When we were done training, I helped bring the sticks back to the main building. Elin ran up with her toy in her hand. She told Mira, "You are so strong!" Her eyes were shining. "Like a hero!"

I laughed, but it was not real. "Just practice," I told her as I messed up her hair. She ran off, and my mind was racing as I went to my room. It was too much-Lucien's look, the broken post, the papers under my mattress. To figure out what to do next, I had to read more.

I sat on my bed that night with the papers spread out in front of me. Now it was easy to see that the council had been lying. They had written pages of lies about me and a curse that never happened. As I read, my hands shook and I felt angry inside. They took my love, my life, and everything else. I was not just going to charge them. I was going to make them say what they did.

There was a soft knock on the door. I grabbed my knife and pushed the papers under the mattress. "Who is it?" When I called, my voice was rough.

He said, "It is me," in a low, uncertain voice. My heart stopped. I opened the door just a bit and saw his tired face in the dim light. He asked, "Can we talk?"

As I stepped back, I nodded. Before he walked in, he slouched and looked at the floor. He spoke softly and said, "I saw you today." "That strength made me think of someone."

I held my breath. A sharp, close howl broke the quiet outside before I could answer. Lucien's eyes got very big and his head snapped up. He ran to the door and said, "Stay here." But as soon as he opened it, he saw a figure in the hallway. It was hooded and quiet, and the knife it held had a strange green glow to it.