Chapter 4
Txälina
The guard gripped my arms as he dragged me out of the cell shackles. We strode down the hallway, walked upstairs, and wandered through so many hallway that I wouldn't be able to find my way out, even if I tried to escape.
We entered a dim hallway. There were no guards, and it was silent, save for our footsteps. The grip of the shackles was tight, digging into my skin.
I stared at the guard, and the memory of that night filled my head. I still remembered the feeling of Mätxin's blood splashing on my face, the clean cut of the dagger slicing through his neck. Täneli had given me the dagger, already sharpened. Did she give it to me for the purpose of murdering Mätxin? Or was it simply just a gift?
"Don't you look at me like that, filth," he warned, tightening his grip.
Through the open windows, I could hear the sound of women crying, their moans of agony as the men inflicted pain on them. The occasional crack of a whip on their backs made my fists clench.
Some of the women here were accused of drawing powers from the moon, not that they could anymore, given that the men were manipulating everything to their advantage.
My heart sank as I thought about the punishment waiting for me. Would they hang me? My stomach coiled at the thought. I had no doubt that such punishment would mean death.
At last, we stopped at a set of red double doors guarded by two warriors. They pulled the doors open to reveal the Alpha's throne room. It was filled with warriors and Elders of the Säli pack. Even the Elders, as old as they were, were ruthless, men who looked at females with nothing but disgust. I swallowed tightly. There wasn't a single woman in sight.
Feeling lightheaded, I turned to the red wooden throne. An older man in his early fifties sat there. He was the Alpha of the Säli pack. Standing close to him was a young boy, no older than four or five.
My heart squeezed tight. That was my son. He had grown into a beautiful boy.
"This is she?" Alpha Wyränkla asked.
My head whipped toward him at the sound of his voice. We stared at each other without speaking.
"How dare you stand in my presence without bowing, creature?" Alpha Wyränkla roared from his throne.
He looked sickly. His tanned skin was marred by scars that crossed his face. Eyes the color of gold assessed me with disgust.
Before I could respond, footsteps approached behind me, and a sharp kick landed at the back of my knee. Pain slammed through me, and I collapsed to the floor. My legs ached, my body threatening to fall, but the guard held me down.
"This is how you greet your Alpha," the guard growled.
My eyes met Alpha Wyränkla's. I had seen him five times before, each time when women and children were allowed into the throne room to be presented to the King. After the King left, Wyränkla would slap and hit us, calling us rats and creatures.
"I hear rumors," Alpha Wyränkla said. "And rumors are like rot."
His face twisted with anger.
"My men informed me of an incident that happened a few days ago," he continued. "They say you killed your husband, my brother."
I didn't say anything. Speaking before the Alpha was finished would be considered disrespectful, and I would be punished. Pain still throbbed in my leg where the guard had kicked me.
"When they told me you killed him, I expected to see a giant, not this. But we'll get to that. First, you'll tell me how you managed to kill my brother with just a small dagger."
"What?" I hissed, biting my tongue as i realized I'd interrupted him.
The guard struck me across the face, and I winced.
"You are not allowed to speak, rat," he growled.
"You'll tell me who taught you how to fight. You'll tell me everything, leave nothing out. When you're done, I might consider giving you a lighter sentence."
I swallowed hard.
"Go on," he glared. "Speak."
I turned to Mätlitu. He wasn't the only boy there. There were others, standing and dressed in fine clothes. They were well taken care of, but the lies planted in their heads made my stomach turn.
"You do not want to delay me, rat," Alpha Wyränkla said, pulling me from Mätlitu's gaze.
"I can get the truth out of her," a voice suggested. My blood ran cold. I turned slowly It was my brother. "Just a few minutes alone with her in the dungeon, and she'll tell me everything."
"No one taught me how to fight. I taught myself," I lied.
"You lie," Alpha Wyränkla said. "You know I could rip the truth out of your filth mouth?"
"I already told you the—"
The guard's hand struck my face again, and a cry escaped my lips. I collapsed, but he dragged me up. I felt the skin near the corner of my mouth split, and I tasted blood.
"Unless…" Alpha Wyränkla rose, and the Elders stood with him. "Unless you have access to moon powers."
"I don't understand," I said to Alpha Wyränkla, who was now walking towards me.
"What is there not to understand, rat?" he asked.
"I know Säli women once held powers from Säli, but—" it was hard to know what to say. I was confused. The men had blocked us from accessing the moon powers a long time ago. Did I mistakenly tap into Säli powers that night? What if she'd been the one in my head? Did she seek revenge for the women? I shivered. If that were true, telling the Alpha could get us in trouble.
"But what?"
I fell silent.
"Säli women were once daughters of Säli, the moon goddess. Harming them could mean provoking Säli herself. They had the power to command men to do their bidding, and when the women realized how much powers they had, they turned into monsters. The women killed men, but the men soon had the powers to fight back."
"That's a lie Alpha," I snapped.
The guardsman raised his hand to hit me, but Alpha Wyränkla stopped him.
"The rats are plotting their revenge, are they?"
"I swear it to the goddess, Alpha Wyränkla, we are innocent. We do not seek revenge."
Alpha Wyränkla hissed. "They want revenge. They want their powers back. How are they planning to get it?"
"I already told you, Alpha—"
"More lies!" he barked. "Tell me the truth. Are the rats tired of being slaves and breeders?"
"I… I don't know what you're talking about."
"It seems Säli rats are fools," he sneered, turning to the Elders. "There is nothing to be afraid of. What threat are they without the moon?"
"So long as we are in power, Säli women pose no real threat. We'll do nothing but drink wine and abuse them for fun," an Elder spoke out.
Alpha Wyränkla laughed, turning back to me. "For a second, I thought the rats had some sense in them."
"Now back to the real topic, you killed my brother, and you must be punished according to the laws of our pack."
"What say you all? What should we do to her?" he asked the crowd.
"Kill her!"
"Give her to me! I'll deal with her!"
"She should be burned to death!"
"She should be hanged!"
Footsteps dragged across the stone floor. The murmurs in the room ceased. Alpha Wyränkla turned his head, and his face twisted at the sight of the old man. He was dressed in red robes, his hair silver-blond. He was an Elder, and Säli's Oracle.
"The Oracle sees," he declared. He had been blinded many years ago during the war that tore the women and men apart, which was centuries ago. They say Säli herself made him blind in exchange for visions. He moved slowly, guided by a servant.
"What is the meaning of this nonsense?" Alpha Wyränkla frowned. "You are interrupting judgment, old man."
"The goddess must be obeyed, lest the Säli pack falls!"
"Txälina does not die by your hand. Kill this girl, and the wrath of Säli will be upon us."
"What should an Alpha who loved his brother do, then?" he asked. "Allow the criminal who killed him to walk freely among us?"
"Exile her instead, and there may yet be peace from the goddess."
My heart sank. Being exiled was worse than death. You'd be branded as Free Folk. They were dangerous people, those without loyalty to any pack after exile.
I shivered, praying Säli had something else in store for me. She wanted me to be exiled instead? But why?
And I would leave my son. I would never see him again. Being exiled from this pack meant I would never step foot here again.
"She murdered my brother."
"The goddess must be obeyed, lest ye bring her wrath upon this pack!" the Seer cried.
Alpha Wyränkla clenched his fists as he fought to control himself. Then he turned to the crowd.
"Who am I to argue with Säli herself?"
"Our Oracle, Nläwank, has reminded me that such matters must be handled according to fate. For this, the rat will be exiled!"
My stomach coiled with sickness. Exile meant shame, rejection, and banishment into lands plagued with wild creatures and untamed beasts.
"She will not go unmarked," he said. "She shall bear the mark of Free Folk. The mark will be branded on her flesh, so no pack can accept her."
"No… please…" I begged, turning to Mätlitu. He didn't move. He just stared at me. Did he even know I was his mother?
Alpha Wyränkla turned to the guard. "Take her away. Make sure she feels every burn of the branding."
My legs kicked as I tried to fight, but they dragged me away. I screamed and cried.