Chương 61: I Come For The Young Wynter

[GRANT]

Saying goodbye to the hound and the vampire warrior of Asteta was obviously the easiest part of Grant's journey. And it wasn't because he was scared of traveling alone or that the warlocks would sever his head from his neck.

He knew he would have to hit the highway that linked Acrod and Greroth; the road that smelled of his once broken heart, which was obviously still broken. Granted, he had accepted Nour as his mate, and was wishing Alanor the best, but it didn't mean that he wasn't hurting.

"Deep breaths, and positive thoughts, Grant," he convinced himself once the scent of the flowers Alanor had planted hit him. He had told himself he would never make the trip down to Greroth, and yet here and now, he was headed there because of someone so important to him.

He was slowly learning to love Nour, but his heart was somehow attached to Alanor. Grant felt his tears show the longer he rode the horse toward Greroth, and wanted to convince himself that it was because of the wind and dust, but he knew it was a waste.

He could feel the love in the flowers.

He could feel the emotions that were invented to bring to life the once-hated road in the whole of the Midlands. Everyone knew the road between Acrod and Greroth was the most dangerous one in all aspects.

Other than it leading to the deadly warlocks, it had the kind of dust that could blind anyone. Not to mention the winds that were crazy and the unexpected sandstorms which were weirdly stationed there.

Maybe it was the world of the warlocks but still, seeing the difference made Grant feel alive, even for a while.

"Halt!!" a voice interrupted Grant's line of thoughts and memories of the boy he'd never have, but one who'd always be deeply embedded in his heart. He lifted his head and looked forward, only to realize he had reached Greroth.

It hadn't taken him even half a day, or even Zelina's estimation.

'How fast was I riding?' he asked himself when he halted and saw the warlocks walked towards him. He remembered Zelina's warnings and messages and hoped to the goddess that this wasn't his last day, because it would be a little hard to explain to his mate.

"State your business in Greroth, wolf," Celia said to Grant who was still marveling at the structure beyond the warriors. Greroth was a beautiful palace with the castles and everything looked like the house of peace Ulrike the stench of death that surrounded it.

"I—" Grant began but he realized he was still on horseback and it would seem impolite to talk to the warrior on horseback so he gently got off ZeLina's horse and walked towards Celia, the high priest's junior warlock who was waiting to hear from him.

Behind Celia was a team of seven warlocks, both men and women alike. They looked ready to blow Grant's head back to Acrod, but he was determined to make it through them. He didn't find this for Acord. He was doing this for Alanor.

"Greetings, I'm Grant Hindley, the werewolf of Acrod. And I come to Greroth on behalf of Navali. She says she has a message for the high priest, Heide, and the high priestess, Criselda. She insists that I do not leave unless I pass the message only to the two," Grant spoke confidently.

However, he could feel his own heartbeats in his ears. Everything the rumors had said about Greroth was true and now that he was standing here in front of the warlocks, he couldn't help but remain amazed. He was living his dreams.

"We do not know of a Navali. Go back and tell her to come and seek an audience on her own," Celia said before she signaled the warriors to walk back with her beyond the Gretoth walls. They were unfriendly, but this was how they dealt with people.

"I won't leave, not until I get an audience with the high priestess," Grant insisted but Celia wasn't going to listen to him.

"That is your problem, werewolf. Goodbye," Celia said before shouting at the warriors, "Open the gates!"

Grant knew that once they went through the gates, no one would ever be able to listen to him, and he knew it was time to improvise of course what he was about to say would most likely get him killed but he had to try, right?

"Criselda will want to hear this!" Grant shouted and Celia ignored him. One by one the warlocks walked into Udrad and Celia, being the leader, was to get in last, but she paused once she heard Grant talk again.

"Dammit, this is about the young Wynter!"

At Grant's words, the gates of Greroth instantly and angrily opened to reveal more warriors who marched back towards him, the swords their hands making a show and with Celia in the middle. They looked at Grant like he had just declared war on Greroth.

Grant stood there, confused as to what the whole thing was about, but he was certain not to speak it out loud, because he could finally understand why Greroth was dangerous. He was slowly beginning to feel the impact of magic on him and for a moment he was scared.

Celia and three other warlocks had their hands spread, like they were ready to strike him down. The skies were suddenly so black, despite the morning having been blessed with the harsh sun and the dust still being existent.

The clouds were gathering and a rumble of thunder was heard, not once but thrice. Zelina's horse was slowly getting subjugated by the magic, but the warlocks seemed to be keeping it stable just for the moment, until they figured out what Grant's intention was.

'Damn, all that for Alanor?' Grant asked himself as he watched his surroundings change and it turned out that all he had to do was to talk about the young Wynter; the boy he had loved but also the boy who had rejected him.

He was also the boy who seemed so important to the warlocks though.

"What did you just say?" Celia asked once she reached Grant. She looked at his feet and wild ropes began circling him from the ground, tightening their hold on the wolf, but he maintained his eye contact with Celia.

"I'm here for Criselda, because of Alanor," Grant said, though Celia didn't believe him. Instead, she just continued choking him, and watching life leave him.

"We're worried about him, and the longer you choke me out, here the longer it takes to know what's really happening to him in Udrad. So if you are to kill me, do it fast, but we both know Alanor will have your head on a spike if you do," Grant added and Celia looked at him again.

The only people who would be THAT brave when talking about Alanor defending them, had to be so close to him. So Celia released her grip, just a little to let Grant take a breather, but not to free him completely.

"What's stopping me from killing you?"

"I'm his mate, well, he did reject me though, so I don't know if that counts, but yes. I'm here because Zelina and Ulrike are worried. No one has heard from him in six weeks and we're hoping that Criselda and Heide could help out," Grant said right as the warlocks created a pathway between them to reveal the woman of the hour.

"Criselda," Grant breathed out, relief filling his lungs before he added, "Finally," and fainted.