Rise of the Warrior Queen (Kaia and Silver) novel Chapter 40

HAPTER FOURTY

SILVER’S POV

Neither of us spoke for a while, both caught in the haze of everything that had just been shared.

I didn’t want to push him too much tonight. Not after the emotional conversation we just had.

He looked like he was battling his own issues right now, and I really wished I could give him some space.

But my thoughts wouldn’t rest.

There was too much I needed to know. Too many questions without answer.

I turned back to Dr. Grayson. “Why do you think Eli called me Leander?”

“That, I would like to know myself,” he replied. “I’ve been trying to figure out the answer to that question since it happened, but so far I’ve not been able to get my hands on anything. I can’t come up with a single clue as to why he would call you by that name.”

My brow furrowed. “But you do know who he was referring to, don’t you? Or at least you know someone by

that name?”

I was jumping to conclusions based on his reaction when Kaia told him back at the pack house that Eli

called me Leander. I may have gotten it wrong, but a part of me was fully convinced he knew something.

Dr. Grayson didn’t answer right away. He stared off for a moment, then finally gave a single nod.

“There’s only one man I’ve ever known by that name. And I can’t tell for sure if he’s the one Eli is taking about.

It’s not likely.”

That was all he said.

Then, without warning, he stood up and walked to the door.

I blinked, confused. “Wait–where are you going?”

He paused at the doorway and looked back at me. “You coming?”

I hesitated, caught off guard, but nodded slowly and stood. “Yeah… sure.”

I followed him out into the hallway, still unsure what was happening.

“Doc, where exactly are we going?” I asked after a few steps.

“To the basement,” he replied.

I frowned. “The basement?”

Dr. Grayson glanced sideways at me as we turned the corner. “You said you wanted to know who Leander

was, didn’t you?”

I frowned but nodded anyway. “Yeah, but–what does that have to do with the basement?”

He gave a dry chuckle, shaking his head. “Eli might be referring to someone else, but as far as I know… there’s

only one Leander I’ve ever heard of. And that one’s been buried a long time, with only his name and memories catching dust in boxes no one’s touched for years.”

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That only made me more confused.

“What do you mean ‘burled‘?”

“You’ll see,” he said. “Just… keep an open mind.”

We reached the basement door, and it creaked as he pushed it open.

Cobwebs covered the ceiling, and every step on the wooden stairs groaned under our weight. The basement smelled of time–dust, wood, and memories.

I doubted anyone had been here in a while. I highly doubted it.

Dr. Grayson moved through the clutter, stepping over crates and forgotten furniture. I trailed behind, watching

as he scanned the room, clearly searching for something.

“This place has been a graveyard for forgotten things,” he murmured, moving boxes aside. “But some ghosts

never stay buried. They always find a way to crawl back to the surface. I should know. I’ve been dealing with them for ages.”

I had no idea what he was saying. He just left going on and on about pasts and ancient whisper, and ghosts of the past.

I could hear him but I couldn’t for the life of me make a single sense out of it. I don’t think he actually meant

for me to hear it either. It was almost like he was stuck in his head, having the conversation with himself.

He knelt beside a large sealed box tucked beneath a sheet, coughing as the dust billowed up, and gave the

top a few knocks. “Found it.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Come on, son. Help me carry it,” he said, standing. “It’s heavy.”

Still completely lost about what exactly was going on, I nodded and moved beside him. Together, we lifted

the box and set it down on a table in the center of the room. The legs of the table creaked under the weight,

but it held.

Dr. Grayson cut through the seal and pried the box open.

More dust burst out, and we both turned our heads, coughing.

When it cleared, he reached inside and pulled out a thick object wrapped in cloth. He unwrapped it slowly and

handed it to me. “Here you go, son.”

I looked down, and frowned.

It was a photo album. It was old, its cover worn and brittle. I opened it carefully, and my eyes met pages filled

with black–and–white photos. The people in them were dressed in clothing that hadn’t been in style for at

least a hundred years.

Formal portraits. Ceremonies. Warriors lined in rows. Leaders seated on thrones.

None of them looked familiar.

I turned each page slowly, unsure what I was supposed to be seeing. “These… these are really old.”

“Royal records,” Dr. Grayson said. “Some of the last ever taken of the old bloodlines.”

Hooked up. “Royal?”

CHAPTER FOURTY

He didn’t respond. Instead, he was already walking toward a far corner of the room.

Another box.

“Come on, son. Give me a hand,” he called over his shoulder,

I set the album down and joined him. Inside the box was a large, rectangular object wrapped in protective cloth.

Together, we pulled it out and carried it back to the table.

It was heavier than I expected.

We laid it flat, and then Dr. Grayson carefully turned it around and pulled the cloth away.

It was a portrait. A large and regal portrait. A man sat proudly in a carved chair, dressed in formal robes and

a long embroidered cloak. His features were sharp and commanding, and his hair was dark at the temples and silver near the roots.

But it wasn’t his face that made my stomach twist.

It wasn’t the crown on his head either.

It was the ring on his hand.

I moved closer, narrowing my eyes to get a better look.

Sure enough, I was seeing clearly. It wasn’t a trick of the light. I wasn’t seeing things either. It was really it.

Same shape. Same symbol carved into its surface. That strange crest–half wolf, half flame. I remembered

every detail.

Because it was the same ring that bird had dropped on my window the night before.

The same one that was now tucked in the back of my drawer.

“Who… who is this?” I asked, even though some part of me could already guess the answer, judging by his dressing and the crown on his head.

Dr. Grayson sighed deeply. “King Leander Aurelian the Fifth.”

My brow furrowed. “Who?”

He nodded and continued, “He was the last Alpha King to sit on the throne in ages. He was a powerful man. Feared, even worshipped by some. But after he died, the throne remained vacant for years. Until recently- when Alpha Gareth started pushing to claim the seat for himself. Goddess knows where he got the idea that

would make a good King. May the moon goddess save us all.”

I stared at the portrait, frozen.

The necklace around his neck caught my eye, and I leaned closer to get a better look at it. It was gold, with a

black stone in the middle.

To be honest, it looked more like an amulet than a fancy necklace.

My eyes moved back to the man’s face, and a thousand questions flooded my mind at once.

King Leander Aurelian the Fifth…

That ring…

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CHAPTER FOURTY

That name…

I couldn’t make sense of it, but it all felt too disturbing to be coincidence.

“I don’t understand,” I whispered, letting my voice trail off as the question kept repeating in my head.

Why do I have his ring?

Why did the bird bring it to me?

And, why does Dr. Grayson have a portrait of the last Alpha King in his basement?

I stood there, silent, as the image of the king stared back at me.

And then I sighed, shaking my head in confusion.

Something wasn’t adding up…

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