Chapter 42 - The Fool

She looked at the wolves in the kennel and then at Calhoun, his unblinking eyes looking at her. She gulped softly, and the little action was followed by him. Madeline didn't know what was going on in his head. She was not used to the wolves presence, less touch and pat it. Her brown eyes moved to look at the black wolf which Calhoun had been patting.

He had said that the wolf wouldn't do anything to him because he had them since they were cubs, but that wasn't the same for her.

"Go on," Calhoun coaxed her, and she looked at the black wolf that was looking at her with its black eyes silently. She remembered how the wolf had snapped open its eyes like a ghost, its teeth almost taking a bite at Sophie; and she said she used to feed the wolf!

Madeline moved as subtly as she could, her hand moving from her lap towards the grilled doors of the kennel.

Internally her heart was thudding with every inch she moved her hand closer to the wolf that was watching her. Just when she moved, her fingers passing through the gaps, the wolf opened its mouth baring its teeth that had her pull her hand away from there. The wolf continued to growl.

Madeline who had brought her hand back to her chest closed her eyes, her heart thudding in her chest. She was sure her heart had almost jumped out of her chest. Calhoun chuckled, the sadistic King enjoying the little show.

"You didn't pat him," Calhoun reminded her as she hadn't completed the order he gave her.

"I think he's quite content with the pats and ear rubs you gave him," was he planning on making her lose her fingers?!

Calhoun could hear her heart thudding in her chest, "What a pretty little heart you have. I can hear every little beat," he whispered, his words meant only for her to hear, "Now Maddox has memorized your scent."

Was that why he had asked her to go near the wolf? Somewhere it felt daunting to think that he knew she was planning to run away from this castle. She was still in the planning, and she was glad to know that there would be ferocious wolves roaming the grounds of the castle at night. Did that mean running away in the morning was more feasible? Madeline questioned herself because that made sense. Thieves never entered the mansion during the time of the morning, which made the security weak in the morning compared to the time of night.

Seeing him stand up, she stood up too.

When she looked at Sophie, the vampiress looked pleased that the wolf had given the same reaction to Madeline as her.

"You shouldn't go near the wolf, Lady Madeline. It didn't let me close, it would have torn you to pieces and you are new to this place," stated Sophie, trying to act empathetically towards Madeline.

Madeline knew what Sophie meant to say. That she was a person who was new and wouldn't stick around but then Madeline wasn't planning to stay here.

"Maddox is hostile the first time he meets people. If he doesn't like someone he won't mind tearing them," agreed Calhoun, placing his hand on Madeline's small back to say, "You did well though. The first time Sophie was introduced to him, she cried for an hour," his gaze shifted to look at the young vampiress who looked embarrassed.

"T-that was the dust that went in my eye," Lady Sophie tried to save herself.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, lady," one side of his lips was pulled up, and he turned his attention to Madeline, "Did Sophie take you to the Pleasaunce?" he asked her.

"Pleasaunce?" asked Madeline, unaware of what it was.

"Seems like Sophie didn't tour you well," Calhoun commented. Sophie clutched the sides of her dress and she quickly said,

"I asked her if she wanted to go there, but she said she didn't want to go," the young vampiress quietly glared at the back of Madeline's head.

If Calhoun had not accompanied them to the kennels, she would have opened the doors for the wolves to come out and feast on the human. Sophie would have later cried on how she had tried to save the girl but was not successful with it. She was supposed to be the future queen and not a guide to a lowly human as she wouldn't have spared a breath of hers. Right now, she gritted her teeth, because of this dull human Calhoun for the first time had indirectly called her a tour guide.

"Pleasaunce is the open garden in the castle," Calhoun enlightened Madeline. Wasn't the word garden not enough that they used a fancy word to make it look complicated, asked Madeline to herself.

"I think I must have seen it-"

"You think a lot of things, don't you," stated Calhoun, his eyes on her, "Trying to get away from my company? You will end up rotting in the room."

"And whose fault will that be?" asked Madeline.

Calhoun's lips twitched, his eyes calm, "I would have never thought you could speak back. Where did the shy girl go whom I met in the morning?" he took a step forward, and Madeline quickly took two steps away from him. Her eyes slightly wide, to see him smile, "There she is. I thought she got lost."

This was like he wanted her to speak, but at the same time, she was not allowed to speak her mind out as it would land her in trouble.

"I am used to going to the forest and not gardens," Madeline said, her head turning to look at a statue that was built not too far away from where they stood.

"Then that makes it more of a reason for you to see it. You won't be disappointed," he promised and she looked back at him, the smile had disappeared from his face as he stared at her.