"How does some food sound?

" Penelope asked after labeling the vials of blood and dropping them into her pocket.

"Any requests?

"

August grimaced thinking about what might sound good as her eyes drifted back over the ceiling. Her stomach felt a little off.

"Maybe just… crackers?

"

"Crackers?

" Penelope repeated.

"That's it? Are you not feeling well? You should be starving,

" she chuckled.

"Maybe some soup or tea if you have some,

" she added, and Penelope noticed the sour expression on her face.

"Okay, no problem. I'll see what I can do,

" she squeezed August's arm and walked out of the hall.

On the other side of the door, Zagan was waiting. His hair and eyes had started to take on a dull gray appearance in the 24 hours since she had seen him last. Penelope's gaze darted away from him as she continued walking down to the lab he had shown her the day before. There was a lifeless quality to his stare that completely unnerved her.

"What was all of that about neuroscience and pandemic research?

" he hissed.

"And we agreed you would use a different name.

"

"When you have to lie, it is best to stay as close to the truth as possible. You don't know that?

" she asked, not looking at him as he stalked behind her, making the little hairs on her neck instinctively raise.

"Careful, little one,

" he cautioned her, not appreciating the condescending tone. No one dared talk to him like that around here. Why did she think she could get away with it?

"Besides, you must have heard that the enchantment is working. She doesn't remember, just as you wanted,

" she ignored him.

"What is the harm in telling her my name? I was not a significant part of her time there to be able to suddenly jog her memory. That's not how it works.

"

Zagan continued walking behind her, fixing his deadly gaze upon her back. Penelope was not going to be an alyko that was easy to control like his others, but since they discovered that their goals were the same, he decided to allow her more freedom than he would under normal circumstances. But they were still working on the fine details of their joint mission. Penelope thought it best to handle the Luna one way while Zagan preferred to go about it differently.

"Does this mean the enchantment worked on the Alpha as well?

" he asked, his long black jacket dusting the floor as he walked.

"Most likely, yes,

" she answered, approaching the heavy arched wooden door that passed into the lab area.

All of these doors were unnecessarily heavy, and the metal rings intended to help open them were in fact no help at all. She pulled on the ring, grunting a little with the effort of it before standing to the side in defeat as Zagan came to pull it open for her. He wore an arrogant, highly amused smirk on his face that made her roll her eyes behind his back.

The interior of this room was dark. The natural light that shone through the hallway's angled glass ceiling and long windows stopped abruptly at the door.

The infirmary, which really looked more like a greenhouse, and the hallway leading out of it were the only parts of this entire castle that she had seen graced with rays of sunlight. Despite their tall arched windows, the rest of the rooms were shrouded in nearly constant darkness.

Zagan explained how over hundreds of years he had trained the trees around this castle to arch over top of it, effectively obscuring the entire structure from view. The only thing that could be seen from the air now was a mass of green overgrowth. There was only one circular area cleared of trees in the very center of the grounds that allowed the infirmary exclusive access to the sun's direct rays. A bird flying over might look down and see a large green eye with a shimmering pupil at its center where the infirmary's glass ceiling reflected the sun.

"Must I follow you everywhere to open doors for you?

" he asked as he stood back and allowed Penelope to walk through.

"If your doors weren't so heavy, then no,

" she said through gritted teeth.

"Are all the Winter alyko so petite? I recall the few I have collected to have this same quality,

" he thought aloud.

Penelope clenched her fists as she avoided answering the question. How could he talk so casually about those who had been taken as if they were collector's items?

"Really? Perhaps I could see them to judge for myself,

" she turned with a fake smile, making him chuckle darkly.

"Nice try.

"

So far when Penelope tried to get information about the current state of all the alyko he had taken over the years, where they were kept, what he had them doing… he had quickly shut her down. She didn't entirely understand why. He had been forthcoming with so much else during the short time they were in each other's company.

"How do we know if your enchantment worked on the Alpha?

" he pressed. This was something he was particularly concerned about.

"We won't know unless you have someone keeping an eye on the pack. I suppose you could call them up and ask,

" she shrugged, adding August's blood samples to the diagnostic machines in front of her as she did.

Zagan didn't laugh at her joke.

"Will there be any indication in her blood?

"

"Of the enchantment? No,

" she chuckled.

"It doesn't work like that.

"

This was the first time he had acquired an alyko who was so scientifically adept. Penelope was, in fact, a neuroscientist in the human world. Her ambition was impressive. He was eager to see what all she was capable of, particularly when combining her strength as a notorious Winter with her scientific skill. Zosime had also been of an impressive scientific mind, but he created her that way. Unlike Penelope, she had not come to him with the ability.

"What makes you so concerned about Graeme trying to come after you? You said there was no way any of them could find us here.

"

"I am not fond of the fact that our Luna has a mate. I have never had a mated alyko,

" he explained.

"For that reason, it has always been fairly clean—the process of separating alyko from their packs.. Mates are quite another story… one that I don't have experience reading.

"