Page 8

CHAPTER 8

B ella looked up from the junction box she was studying to see Malrik standing over her. It was the first time he’d come this close to her and her heart hammered against her ribs, still shaken by his appearance.

He was huge and powerful, but his face was the most unsettling part—unmistakably wolf-like with a long muzzle and sharp fangs, yet with an unsettling intelligence in those glowing yellow eyes that no animal possessed.

He wasn’t just some wild creature. He was a Vultor in full transformation.

She’d heard the stories all her life—whispered tales of the Vultor’s ability to shift between forms—but most humans dismissed them as exaggerations or folklore. Even those who believed rarely saw the transformation. The Vultor kept to themselves, appearing in their more humanoid forms when they conducted business with the settlements.

“What’s next on the tour?” She gestured to the crumbling grandeur around them. “This place is enormous, and I’m not wandering around blind.”

His massive head tilted slightly, as though surprised by her directness. A low rumble emerged from his chest, but it wasn’t aggressive. After a moment, he turned and made a sweeping gesture with one clawed hand toward the doorway.

“I’ll take that as a ‘follow me,’“ she muttered, falling into step behind him.

The keep was larger than it had appeared from outside, with high ceilings and wide corridors clearly designed for beings of Malrik’s size. Everything was built on a grand scale—doorways twice the height necessary for humans, windows stretching from floor to ceiling, staircases with steps so deep she had to stretch her legs to climb them comfortably.

Yet despite the impressive architecture, the place felt hollow. Dust covered every surface, and the few pieces of furniture they passed were broken or decayed beyond recognition. Here and there, she spotted signs of violence—deep gouges in the walls, shattered remains of what might have been statues or decorative items.

They passed what must have been a dining hall, with a table long enough to seat twenty. Most of the chairs were broken, and the table itself was deeply scored with claw marks. A parlor contained the shredded remains of couches and the splintered frames of side tables. A study held a desk that had been split clean in two.

“Did you do all this?” she asked, gesturing at the destruction.

Malrik paused, looking back at her. His ears flattened against his head, and he gave a short nod.

“Bad day?” she quipped.

To her surprise, something like a snort escaped him—almost a laugh. He shook his massive head and continued walking.

“Not much of a talker, are you?” She sighed. “That’s fine. I can talk enough for both of us.”

As they moved deeper into the keep, she noticed the tech integration more clearly. What had appeared to be stone walls occasionally revealed seams of dark metal. Panels that might once have glowed with information displays were now dull and lifeless. In one corridor, she spotted what looked like environmental controls, far more advanced than anything in her village.

“This is incredible,” she murmured, pausing to examine a panel. “We’ve got nothing like this back home. The mayor’s house has some basic tech, but this…” She whistled low. “This is something else.”

Malrik watched her with those unnerving eyes, something almost like pride flickering in their depths before he turned away.

As they turned down another corridor, he slowed, then came to a halt before a set of double doors, even larger and more ornate than the others they’d passed. After a moment’s hesitation, he pushed the doors open.

The room beyond was enormous, clearly a master chamber. A raised dais dominated one wall, supporting what had once been a massive bed frame. The frame itself was broken, the mattress long gone, but in its place was a nest of furs and fabrics—some looking quite new.

“This is where you sleep,” she said softly, not a question.

He rumbled in confirmation, watching her face.

She stepped further into the room, taking in the details. Unlike the other spaces they’d toured, this one showed signs of current use. The dust was disturbed in patterns that suggested regular movement. A few personal items were scattered about—a broken piece of armor hung on one wall, and what looked like a collection of interesting stones sat on a shelf.

The remains of a grand wardrobe stood against one wall, its doors hanging open to reveal empty space. Nearby, a shattered mirror reflected her image in fractured pieces.

“It must have been beautiful once,” she said, turning slowly to take in the whole space.

He made a sound that might have been agreement or dismissal. He moved to a set of huge windows that looked out over the mountains, still remarkably intact, and stared into the distance.

Something about his posture struck her. Despite his fearsome appearance, there was a profound loneliness to him as he gazed out at the world beyond his crumbling domain. The intelligence in those eyes wasn’t just predatory calculation—there was something deeper there, something wounded.

A sudden thought struck her, and her stomach tightened with uncertainty. “Where am I supposed to sleep?”

He turned to face her, tilting his head again as if he didn’t understand the question.

“I mean, I need somewhere to sleep while I’m working on your tech,” she clarified. “I can’t exactly curl up on the floor.”

His gaze moved to the nest of furs, then back to her. He pointed a lethal looking claw at the furs.

“Oh no,” she said, taking a step back. “That’s your… your nest. I’ll need my own room.”

A low growl rumbled from his chest, and he shook his head firmly.

“Look, I agreed to fix your tech, not to share your bed,” she said, crossing her arms and glaring at him. “There must be other bedrooms in this place.”

His eyes flashed, and he took a step toward her, but she held her ground, even though her heart was racing. He leaned down until his face was level with hers, those glowing eyes boring into her.

“Safe,” he growled, the word clearly costing him effort. “With me.”

She blinked, surprised. “You’re worried about my safety?”

He hesitated, then nodded, gesturing around the keep with a sweeping motion of his arm.

“Dangerous,” he managed, the word guttural but clear.

She considered the idea. The keep was in ruins, with who knew what structural issues. There could be vermin, or worse things hiding in the dark corners. And she was in unknown territory, far from help if anything went wrong.

“All right,” she said finally. “But we’re going to set some ground rules. I’ll sleep in your… nest, but you keep your distance. Deal?”

He stared at her for a long moment, then gave a single, curt nod.

“Good. Now, how about showing me the rest of this place? I want to see what I’m working with before I can start fixing anything.”

Malrik turned and led her from the bedroom, continuing their tour through the massive keep. They passed through more grand rooms, all in similar states of disrepair—a music room with a shattered piano, a gallery with torn paintings, a conservatory with broken glass and withered plants.

The scale of the place was overwhelming. It would take weeks, maybe months, to restore even the basic systems. And that was assuming she could figure out how Vultor technology worked.

As they walked, she found herself stealing glances at her bestial guide. Despite his fearsome appearance, there was something oddly compelling about him. The way he moved with such controlled power, the intelligence that shone in those glowing eyes, the glimpses of the person trapped inside the beast.

What had happened to him? And why was he alone in this crumbling monument to past glory?

She wasn’t sure why she cared. She should be focusing on fixing the tech and getting back to her father. But something about Malrik’s solitude called to her. She knew what it was like to be different, to be judged and found wanting by those around you.

Maybe that’s why she’d agreed to stay. Not just for the chance to work with advanced tech, but because for the first time in her life, she’d met someone who might understand what it felt like to be an outsider.

As they continued their exploration of the vast, decaying keep, she found herself less afraid of the beast at her side and more curious about the male he might once have been—and might still be, somewhere beneath the fur and fangs.