Chapter 48: The Daughters of Artemis

Maeve

I followed the group of women down into a steep, rocky valley. Myla and Pete flanked me on either side, still in their wolf forms. They were beginning to tire, their breathing heavy as we made it to the base of the valley, the sun beginning to set over the mountains to the west.

We approached a wall of vines growing up the side of a rock wall. The trail we had been walking on ended abruptly at the wall, and I looked around, confused.

But then the women walked into the vines, one by one. I followed them, holding back the vines and entering a long, lightless tunnel.

“What?” I murmured, apprehension tingling across my skin. Light began to trickle in, the tunnel opening up to a valley of green, rolling hills and towering cliff faces. I gasped as I stepped out into the light, seeing the buildings carved into the rocky mountain behind me and the waterfall flowing into a wide creek in which several bridges weaved over the water.

“Welcome to the city of Dianny,” the woman said, her dark eyes creasing into a smile. She hadn’t yet told me her name, but based on the fact that her pack mates were coming up to her, bowing their heads in greeting, I assumed she was their leader, or at least their Luna.

The city was ancient, the buildings built into the mountains were totally carved out of stone and towered high above our heads. All of the facades had carvings on them, symbols etched into red stone. The lower levels were painted in colorful, sweeping murals, telling some story I didn’t understand.

I heard a yelp behind me and turned, watching as Myla and Pete were surrounded and led away.

“Hey!” I called after them, but I lost them in the crowd.

“Don’t worry,” the woman said kindly, “They’re not in danger. We will give them clothes and food, and reunite you when they’re rested.”

“Who are you?” | asked, my tone brass and slightly bitter. I was nervous.

“My name is Una. I’m the Alpha of the Daughters of Artemis.”

“The Alpha?” I looked around at the crowd of people that had begun to gather, ripples of hushed conversation surrounding us.

“Yes,” she laughed, waving her hand in dismissal, “Much like the White Queens, we are led by a female line. Come, I will take you to your mate.”

“He’s not,” I shut my mouth, biting my lip to stop myself from saying anything further.

The crowd parted for us as we walked across the soft grass of what looked to be a market square, and soon we passed under the entrance of one of the tall buildings built into the side of the mountain.

It was cool inside the building. It was lined with archways leading back outside, a cool breeze wafting through the open space and as we turned down a hallway, several children ran past us, squealing in delight as they tossed a ball back and forth.

So many people, I thought, how did I not know about this place?

Una motioned me to follow her as she turned a corner. I walked beneath a large, ornately decorated archway into a courtyard bursting with fruit trees and tropical flowers.

“Troy?”

He looked up from the book on his lap, his eyes blinking as he straightened up, looking at me as though he’d seen a ghost.

“Maeve?” He stood, running to me but stopping short of Una, his eyes narrowing suspiciously on her for a moment before stepping forward and pulling me to his chest away from her.

“You were right in saying she would come,” Una smiled sincerely, no hint of cruelty in her eyes.

Troy nodded once, then bent his mouth to my ear, “Who are these people?”

“The Sisters of Artemis,” I replied, looking at Una. She smiled again, nodding her head.

“That’s impossible,” Troy said, looking Una up and down.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“He knows the legends, the myths,” Una said, her voice lifted as she began to walk around the courtyard.copy right hot novel pub