Finally, we reached another door, and Bastien returned me to my feet.

The guard pushed the door open, and we stepped into a vast hall with a high, round ceiling. The place was windowless except for the wall to our left, where a wide window stretched the entire length of it from roof to floor. Shafts of evening light spilled through the glass, casting pale rays upon the rough walls, adorned with the hides of wolves hung like trophies. Conquered enemy wolves, I supposed. Wooden chairs surrounded the hall, and directly in front of us at the opposite end were stone steps leading to a raised altar upon which stood two black thrones, one larger and more elevated than the other.

A young man sat on the grander one. He didn’t share any likeness to Bastien with his stark blond, straight hair, and he wore a silver crown. An older man with a long white beard sat on the throne next to him. He appeared to be blind. A group of ten men surrounded them on lower chairs. Apparently they had been in the middle of a meeting.

As we barged in, they whirled to face us.

“Detrius,” Bastien breathed, his eyes fixed on the younger man.

“Bastien?” Detrius almost yelped in shock. As he shot to his feet, I could see that he was tall like Bastien—perhaps even taller—though his physique was narrower.

The two men’s gazes locked for several moments, and a chilling silence descended on the hall. Then Bastien gathered me to him before moving forward, while Detrius descended the stairs and approached too. Now that we were closer to Bastien’s cousin, I could make out his dark maroon-colored eyes.

Detrius’ expression was a cocktail of shock, alarm and… did I even detect panic? His eyes darted over his companions before he cleared his throat and forced a smile. He reached out and pulled Bastien into a hug. But Bastien didn’t return the embrace. He simply stood there, stiff, until his cousin let go of him.

When his cousin stepped back, Bastien’s eyes were on the crown atop Detrius’ head. His grip on my arm tightened. He looked more disconcerted than ever.

“What happened?” he asked. “How are you all here?”

“The humans left,” Detrius replied, his voice a tad raspier than Bastien’s, “and they didn’t return. We still don’t understand why, but having taken you, your father, mother and siblings they just… cleared off. We could only guess why, or where they took you.”

Bastien’s jaw clenched.

“We are so very sorry,” Detrius said softly. “We have done nothing but mourn since your departure.” He glanced over Bastien’s shoulder, toward the entrance of the hall. “Is your father back also?” he asked. “And what of your mother and siblings?”

Bastien swallowed hard before shaking his head grimly.

Detrius bowed slightly. “I’m so terribly sorry, cousin.”

There was another span of silence as Detrius moved forward to embrace him a second time. Bastien’s breathing was becoming steadily more uneven. He stepped back, forcing distance between them.

“But at least we have you back.” To my surprise, Detrius raised his hands to his head and, gripping the crown, pulled it off and placed it in Bastien’s hands. “This crown belongs to you, cousin. As does the throne.”

I glanced over to the empty throne and to the blind man next to it, still sitting, his face panned vaguely in our direction.

“My father and I were left with a crumbling kingdom,” Detrius went on. “We have done all that we can to organize ourselves since you left… How did you escape?”

“I managed to overpower the two hunters as they transitioned me from one cage to another,” Bastien replied.

Huh?

Finally, Detrius’ attention fell on me. “And who is this young woman you have with you?” He frowned deeply. “A human?”

“Yes,” Bastien replied stiffly.

“Who is she? Where did you—?”

“I found her among the humans, and I have since made her my concubine.”

My jaw dropped. Concubine? I stared at Bastien in bewilderment, but his eyes were still trained on his cousin.

Detrius nodded slowly, even as he himself looked rather confused. “I see,” he said, even though he clearly did not. Still, he did not press further.

Why would Bastien say I’m his concubine? And why lie about his escape?

“Now, if you would like—” Detrius went on.

“I would like to retire to my quarters,” Bastien interrupted again. “That is all I wish for right now.”

“Of course,” Detrius said. “Your quarters remain as they were—nobody has occupied them, at least not to my knowledge… your father’s, however, are being utilized by my father. I’m sure you understand,” he added. “We believed none of you were coming back.”

Bastien did not respond to this. Instead he just swept me toward the exit, leaving Detrius to hurry along after us. “Allow me to escort you,” he said.

My heart was hammering in my chest as I gaped up at Bastien, wishing he would meet my eyes. I did not know this man at all, and I found myself wondering whether I had gotten completely the wrong end of the stick regarding what he had intended me for all along. But too many things simply didn’t make sense to jump to that conclusion. I had no choice but to stay silent as we made our way upward through the levels of the mountain castle, until we stopped at what I guessed was the very top, in front of a mahogany door. Here, Bastien set me down on my feet before turning to his cousin, his father’s crown still gripped firmly in his right hand.