Erik eyed them but said nothing.
"You are a lycan?" Fiona asked.
"Half." He said. "I denounced that part of me a long time ago."
"He is also from a long line of wolves who can, regardless of the fact when Alphas conquered can, remain as Alphas," Marie said. "He is one of the few hybrids to be born and live."
"We are not talking about me now, are we?"
Erik said wryly.
He did not like being reminded of his Lycan heritage.
"We need the Lyrun herb." She started.
"We can easily get it," Xaden said. "I’ll pull my contacts to find-
"No." She shook her head. "I am not talking about the Lycan herb. Even that one is hard to come by because their body has to have decayed. Hence why Lycans are very few. I’m talking of the original Lyrun herb."
She cleared her throat. "A long time ago, when the Lycans were created, the goddess also gave them the ability to heal. The Lycans could heal people. Other wolves and even witches. Everyone. It was a gift from the goddess; she had seen them as her favorite. You see, the Lycan were the only ones who worshiped the Goddess whilst the other rank of wolves went astray, and for that, she gave them a favor."
They were all intensely listening to her, even Loren, who always minded his business.
"And then it was fine until the people grew greedy. They did not just want to heal people. They wanted to be immortal and live forever. The goddess was furious, and she cursed them. Cursed them, their children’s generation, and everyone with their bloodline. She cursed them all in a rage. She said that when they die, they will produce a healing potent so powerful that people shall haunt them down for it. It was a blessing and a curse. The Lycan king who had begun it, was struck dead and tended immortal himself. He haunts the lycanthrope’s isle and no one is allowed in except he and his people or the undead. If you can kill the Lycan king, then you will receive the greatest and first Lycan herb. Legend says it is not in form of a herb. I don’t know what it looks like."
There was a silence and then an uproar from
Everyone.
"That is just a story they tell us," Loren said. "We are not sure how true it is."
"I brought a solution better than you, who decided on nothing." She snapped back.
"No one has come out of there alive," Loren said. "So how do we know if it’s true."
"For God’s sake, he might wander off to his death and find nothing. We might just be wasting time." Loren argued.
"Erik is an original indigene he knows how credible this story is!" Marie said.
"Ha! How credible the story is! Thank the gods you called it a story!" Loren laughed at her. "It is nothing but a story."
"Do not bring me into this." Erik said, backing himself away from their argument.
"It is just a way for them to find something for her." Fiona said, annoyed at Erik.
Erik glared at her. "You will not speak to me in such a manner."
"I will speak to you however I wish." Fiona said to him.
Whilst Erik and Fiona steamed off in heat, Loren and Marie argued.
Xaden had had enough.
"ENOUGH!" He barked.
And the room went silent.
"How long will it take to go to the isle." He asked.
"About three days," Marie said. "Three days to leave and three days to come back. You should be back on the seventh day."
"This undead Lycan King." Xaden began. "How do I kill him if he is immortal."
She was quiet. "Only an Alpha can face him. And you are one. I believe that your sword. That sword that I gave you will be capable."
The room was quiet. "And if he dies, I will retrieve the healing treatment from him."
"It will drop from him once he falls dead." She said. "But you can not do this alone. The entire journey is not an easy one."
"Are you certain that such a place exists?" He asked.
"I am hundred." She assured him. "Ask Erik."
Erik said nothing.
He sighed and brought down his hands.
"Then that is it. Erik gather the men. We will leave before dawn." Xaden said.
"Yes, my lord," Erik replied.
"Xaden. I need to tell you something." Marie said. "You are tethered to Jasmine, which simply means that as she is dying, you will be too."
Then, the entire room looked at him.
"But you said that it would go at a slower pace for me as an alpha." He said.
"Yes, I did," Marie said. But that does not mean that you will not be rendered weak. You will begin to go weak as you travel, especially as you use your strength."
"You are tethered to her?" Erik asked.
Fiona was lost again. "You have me lost here again."
"Because of their marriage bond, if Xaden dies, Jasmine will too. If Jasmine dies, so will he. Except the effect it has on him is not as adverse as hers." She said.
"Are you sure that you can take this journey?" Loren said wisely. Something could happen to you. What if fighting makes you weak?"
"I shall not remain like a weak man whilst my people fight on my behalf." He said. "I am not a coward."
"But Xaden, this is not about being a coward," Fiona said reasonably.
She was like the little sister he had never had since the day he rescued her from her pack, and her mother had made him promise to keep her.
"It is better than nothing." He said.
And they knew it.
Xaden will not listen to anyone.
He had already made his own decision, and there was no need to change it.
"Then I suggest we go on our way now," Erik said. I will prepare the men, and he left.
"You will take care of Jasmine until I return." Xaden said to Fiona
"Just return safely." Her eyes filled with tears.