Chapter 9

Some time passed in the day, before there was the lightest knock on the bedroom door. Dawn did not wake up, exhaustedly sleeping against the wolf that was the duke.

Atlas's head lifted to attention at the noise. Carefully, he slipped from Dawn's grasp and silently jumped to the floor. He shifted back to his human form and looked at Dawn still on the bed, gently moving her to lay comfortably before going to answer the door.

A young man stood on the other side looking up at him eagerly. His face was all angles, similar to Atlas but thin with age making it not quite as sharp or handsome yet. What was lost in good looks on his face shape, was made up for by the large grin and sparkle in his deep brown eyes. He was a young and foolish Atlas and atop his head was a set of black-grey wolf ears.

"Is she in there?" He whispered, trying to peer around Atlas, who slipped out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"She's sleeping. Put those goddamn ears away Silas you look like a fucking idiot." Atlas reprimanded but it was a tired statement, clearly something he said a lot.

"You're no fun!" He whined, but did as he was told. "So, are the rumours true then!?" He asked, excitedly bouncing on the balls of his feet, looking at the door longingly, wanting to go in.

"Keep your voice down. What rumours?" Atlas asked, brow furrowed in concern.

"The only rumour that matters! Everyones saying that you brought a fox woman home yesterday!" Silas grinned but Atlas looked grave.

"Where did you hear that?" He demanded and Silas only shrugged.

"A friend of Kiri was flying and saw you camping with a girl that had fox ears." He pantomimed fox ears, by using his index fingers and pressing his hands to the side of his head, wiggling the fingers lightly.

"I'm not telling you a damn thing. You can't keep your mouth shut." Atlas sighed heavily, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, he had hoped to keep her existence quiet.

"Oh come on!" Silas whined. "Everyone's saying it anyways, what's it matter if I'm the only one that knows it's true." He grinned up at his brother but, seeing that his best pleading look got him nowhere, he looked back to the door.

"Where did you find her!?" He stepped closer to the door putting a, once again wolf, ear to it, trying to listen inside. Atlas swiftly hauled his brother away from the door, by his shoulder.

"You are not to go anywhere near that room without explicit permission from me or Dawn. She has gone through a very traumatic ordeal and I don't want you to scare her. Do I make myself clear?" He was being stern, he only hoped it'd be enough to make him listen. Silas pouted dramatically but nodded before perking up again quickly.

"So her name is Dawn..." He hummed, thinking the name over.

"Yes. Her situation is delicate. When you hear these rumours, it would help for you to shut them down. Dawn deserves to have some privacy after everything." He turned from his brother, beginning to make his way around the corner and down the hall to his office. He didn't bother to ask him to follow, knowing he would. Silas easily kept pace beside him, with a bit more spring in his step, gravity seeming to affect him less than Atlas.

"Hard to shut down a rumour that you found an alive member of an extinct clan!" He said excitedly. "Can she read your mind? Can she control you and make you do things?" He asked lifting his arms, pantomiming a zombie-like creature. Atlas sighed watching his brother bounce around him.

"Have I recently told you how atrociously annoying you are?" He asked, nearing his office. Silas grinned and turned, walking backwards to face him as they approached his office.

"Last Thursday." He confirmed without a shred of shame.

"Well, I'm telling you again. Today. Right now." Atlas opened the door to his office. He walked to his desk and sorted through some papers, picking certain ones up before leaving once more. Silas followed him, used to the situation of keeping up with his brother.

"Noted. So you still haven't told me anything yet!" He asked again. "Was she mind controlling you to bring her here or something?"

"I said it once and I'll say it again. I'm not telling you a damn thing." He closed the door to his office, going back towards Dawn's room. He had work to do that he couldn't postpone any longer but he wanted to stay with Dawn in case she needed him.

"The rumours will only get worse if you don't tell your most favourite brother anything." Silas said dramatically and Atlas rolled his eyes. When they rounded the corner, a woman about Sila's age was at the door of Dawn's room. She was kneeling and looking through the keyhole with one eye closed.

"Get away from that door Kiri!" He snapped, his patience for the two of them running thin. She jolted from the door to standing, embarrassed for having been caught spying.

"You have one warning. Stay away." Atlas growled at the two of them and went into the room, shutting and locking it behind him.

"What's he so grumpy about?" The girl's voice said from outside the door.

"He wouldn't tell me anything." Sila's voice piped up a moment later to answer. The girl's voice answered.

"Maybe he's in love with her!" She exclaimed sweetly. "Your brother, in love! It'd be so nice for him!"

"That or she's mind controlling him like the stories." Silas responded but their voices were starting to fade as they walked away down the hall. Atlas sighed in relief at the newfound silence and plopped himself in the chair he had claimed as his.

Dawn rolled over to face him still asleep. She looked serious if not sad even as she slept peacefully. Her nose was pointier than his, tilting up at the end, and her chin too, ended in a softened point. Aside from those, her face was made up of smooth curves.

His eyes lingered on the slowly healing bruise of her cheekbone, and he cooled the anger inside he felt every time he saw it. He looked over at the untouched food on the nightstand still and made a note to get her to eat when she woke. Perhaps she would feel better after a bath as well. He called a maid to fill the tub and keep it warm, should she want a bath when she woke.

She slept for a while longer, before waking as the sun was starting to set. She was groggy and sore and immediately sad not to feel fur beside her. She opened her eyes hoping to see Atlas nearby at least.

He had pulled a small table up next to her bed and he was working at it. He heard her breathing change and it drew his attention to her.

"Good afternoon. How are you feeling?" He greeted her for a second time that day with a warm voice and smile

"Somehow still tired." She said, sitting up and wincing. "... I didn't fall asleep on you did I?" She asked sheepishly remembering how comforting he was while she cried. Atlas only smiled more.

"You needed the rest. I'm relieved that my presence was comforting enough to help you sleep so deeply." He set his pen down and turned in his chair to face her better.

"I haven't slept well in a long while." She commented looking down at her dress. She had trouble making eye contact with people, something she was sure he had noticed. She was always worried that, whoever was looking at her, would see right through her. Her gaze stayed on the wrinkled and not entirely clean dress she wore.

"Is there somewhere I can clean up?" She asked softly without looking up and he nodded.

"There is a bathing room just over there." He motioned to it. "I had the bath filled and kept warm for you. Should I ask a maid to assist you?" He asked.

"No. Ill be fine." She said slowly bringing her feet over to the edge of the bed. Her body ached from several bruises, some old, some new, as well as the stinging cuts and rashes from the belt. She remembered the bottle at her bedside and paused looking at it. Atlas tried not to make it look like he was interested but he silently held his breath. He wanted her to drink it, wanted her to take that step towards healing and believing him about herself and the magic she was a part of.

She was hesitant but reached out for it, picking up the bottle, its size easily fitting in her hand. She looked at Atlas, she would trust him. He had done more than enough to earn it, even if her anxiety screamed to not make herself vulnerable to him by trusting him. She lifted it to her lips, smelling the sweet liquid before drinking it in one mouthful. He watched and let out his breath quietly, relieved. They were making progress.

She got up from the bed not feeling any immediate difference from the elixir. She didn't say anything as she went to the door Atlas had motioned too and closed it carefully behind her.