Eleven Nights to Ruin Me

Chapter 59: The Vothraki

Silence followed his words.

Then Hogan slowly sat back down.

Rodrigo said nothing.

His gaze moved through the council calmly, pausing briefly on each face.

"Anything else?" he asked at last.

There were low murmurs before Radeon pushed himself to his feet.

"Alpha, I agree with Hogan," he said firmly. "Informing the people may lead us to the Earthstone faster than we think. Someone may already know where it is hidden." He paused briefly. "Finding it is more important than the chaos the news may cause."

Rodrigo listened quietly.

Radeon’s eyes shifted once around the table before he cleared his throat.

"If informing them is not an option..." he started carefully, "then perhaps we should seek answers in the Vothraki."

The table became still at once.

Rodrigo’s fingers paused against the wood as he slowly lifted his eyes to him.

Radeon straightened slightly under the stare.

"You possess the Vothraki, Alpha," he continued. "If there is any answer to curing the lycans of this hunger, it would be there."

A few council members nodded immediately.

Rodrigo’s expression did not move.

Hogan stood almost at once.

"Radeon," he said flatly, "I did not think you were this slow."

Radeon’s face darkened.

"If the Vothraki held a cure," Hogan continued, "the primordial witch would have cured the lycans instead of placing the curse in the first place."

Radeon laughed shortly.

"You assume she wanted us alive."

Hogan’s eyes narrowed.

"She hated the lycans," Radeon continued sharply. "Why would she want us to continue existing when she could wipe us out instead?" He looked around the council. "The only way to know is to seek answers in the Vothraki."

Hogan scoffed.

"So many people want their hands on the Vothraki for selfish reasons. I did not think you were one of them."

Radeon’s chair scraped loudly against the floor.

"How dare—"

"What occurred yesterday was unforeseen."

Rodrigo’s voice cut through the hall sharply.

Both men stopped immediately.

The council hall fell quiet again.

Hogan sat down first, his jaw tight. Radeon followed after a second, still glaring across the table.

Rodrigo waited until the murmurs died completely.

"Nothing like it has happened before," he said calmly.

His eyes moved through them once.

"We are not yet certain what went wrong. The seers are looking into it." He paused briefly. "However, it is too early to inform the people."

Hogan frowned immediately.

"Then what do you suggest we do, Alpha?"

"The lycans were unprepared for the full moon," another council member added tensely. "Humans were killed. There is already unrest spreading through the cities."

Rodrigo breathed slowly.

"We wait."

Several faces tightened.

Rodrigo looked at them steadily.

"Now we know it is unpredictable, precautions will be taken before the next full moon." His jaw hardened slightly. "However, if it is found that the full moon can no longer be sealed..."

He stopped.

No one spoke.

Then Rodrigo finished quietly,

"We inform the people."

Behind him, Seven lowered his head slightly, his hands tightening behind his back.

"You are dismissed," Rodrigo said, already looking away from them.

The council members stood slowly, speaking in low voices as they filed out of the hall.

Rodrigo remained seated long after the doors closed.

Still.

Silent.

Until Seven finally stepped forward.

Rodrigo stood slowly.

"It seems," he said quietly, "the end is here with us."

Seven lowered his head slightly at the words, his jaw tightening.

There was a moment of silence before Rodrigo finally looked at him.

"How many casualties?"

"Two hundred across the cities," Seven replied. "One hundred and fifty dead. Fifty injured."

He paused briefly.

"There hasn’t been a full moon in months. They did not restrain themselves."

Rodrigo nodded once.

The hall fell quiet again before Seven stepped closer carefully.

"Alpha," he said slowly.

Rodrigo lifted his eyes to him.

"You must regain your memories."

Rodrigo said nothing.

"We need to find the Vothraki," Seven continued quietly. "It is the only way out of this."

There was silence for a moment.

Then Rodrigo looked away toward the far end of the hall.

"I know."

His eyes remained fixed ahead.

Every attempt to remember that night had ended the same way. Endless pain. Sleepless nights. Blood. More blood.

His father dying in front of him, yet he could not see the faces of anyone, him being dragged away, and then nothing.

Rodrigo’s jaw tightened slightly.

But avoiding it was no longer an option.

"I know," he repeated quietly.

...

Nina walked into the dining hall and the guards pushed the doors open for her.

Ruri was already seated at the table in her usual spot.

As always, her bodyguard stood behind her.

Nina paused at the entrance before smiling slightly.

Ruri waved immediately.

Nina walked over and sat across from her.

"You come here every day now," she said, reaching for a plate. "One would think you live here."

Ruri gasped dramatically.

"How did you know?"

Nina looked up immediately. "Wait. You’re serious?"

Ruri grinned.

"Yes. Grandmother asked me to move in until the Hunt." She leaned closer slightly. "I have to teach the noble ladies embroidery. Traveling from home every day would be stressful."

Then she lowered her voice conspiratorially.

"But honestly, I just wanted to escape my parents."

Nina laughed softly.

"They’re strict?"

"A nightmare," Ruri replied immediately. "My mother nearly fainted because I climbed a tree last week."

Nina snorted quietly.

"At least you have parents who care whether you live or die."

The words slipped out casually.

Ruri’s smile faded at once.

"I didn’t mean to—"

"No." Nina shook her head quickly and passed her a plate. "I know."

Ruri accepted it quietly.

"Eat," Nina said, smiling faintly. "You look hungry."

Ruri smiled again and picked up her cutlery.

Then her eyes widened slightly.

"You gave me extra carrots."

Nina shrugged lightly.

"You like them."

Ruri blinked. "How did you know that?"

"You kept stealing them from the serving bowls the last time."

Ruri laughed softly. freewebnovёl.ƈom

"Thank you."

She looked down at the plate for a moment before smiling faintly to herself.

"Rodrigo used to do that too."

Nina’s hand paused slightly.

Ruri smiled faintly at the memory.

"When we were little, he would pick the broccoli out of my food because he knew I hated them." Her expression softened. "He was different back then."

Nina watched her quietly.

"He was loud," Ruri continued. "Always smiling. Always getting into trouble." Her gaze lowered slowly. "Until his father..."

Her words stopped there.

Silence stretched briefly between them.

"Why did anyone want him dead?" Nina asked carefully.

Ruri stayed quiet for a moment before answering.

"The Vothraki."

At the word, Nina stiffened slightly.

Her fingers tightened faintly around the spoon.

"How is it connected?"

"After the late Alpha died, Rodrigo was kidnapped," Ruri said quietly. "They tortured him for days trying to get the Vothraki from him. Everyone believed the late Alpha gave it to him before he died."

Nina swallowed slowly.

"Where is the Vothraki now?"

Her heart was beating harder now.

Ruri shrugged slightly.

"No one knows."

Nina frowned faintly.

"Only Rodrigo knew where it was," Ruri continued. "But..."

She hesitated briefly.

"He cannot remember."

Nina stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

Ruri leaned back slightly in her chair.

"When he was little, he forgot where he hid it." She shrugged again. "I don’t know if he regained those memories later, but no one has seen the Vothraki since the late Alpha died."

Nina’s face slowly drained of color.

Rodrigo didn’t know where it was.

Her heart pounded loudly against her chest.

Her memories were gone.

Her powers were gone.

And the one thing she had been holding onto since waking up here might not even be found.

Nina leaned back slowly in her chair.

Then she felt it.

A stare.

She looked up immediately.

Ruri’s bodyguard was watching her.