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“This building is Monster Isle Court territory,” she informs me. At my confused stare, she elaborates. “There are many cultures and technologies that King Njord has accrued within his court over time. You’re from the Elite City, but that’s not the only kingdom in this realm.”

I nod. “I’m well aware,” I say. It’s important that I’m honest with Ulara, as long as I don’t divulge anything that might give my true weaknesses away. “Where I come from, the region is primarily run by two royals. King Cain and Queen Helia.” I don’t elaborate that trains very similar to the one that had picked me up are used to transport citizens and slaves across territories. Cain is an extremely powerful monster, one that is so revered that many citizens pray to him as if he’s a god. But I know better. He’s a monster, just like the rest of them. I reserve my prayers for the Gods who don’t feel the need to show themselves. That just seems less pompous.

“Are they different in the kinds of technology they possess?” Ulara asks. Her question is genuine. It might be easy to forget that the citizens I encounter here have literally grown up on an island and may have no knowledge of the other realms, even ones they trade with.

“Yes,” I confirm. “I’ve traveled to Monster City before, where Queen Helia is in charge. It’s more modern than where I live. And the food is different, too. I do prefer the sponge cakes back home in the Magic Sector.” I lick my lips just thinking about them. “And the high-speed trains and towering skyscrapers in Monster City are impressive,” I add. “Still, I prefer the gothic atmosphere of the Elite City, and I especially love markets. There’s a magic shop every two feet, and while the trains aren’t quite as speedy, they’re quaint and filled with finger foods and bubbly drinks.” Maybe they didn’t have entire bath cars, but they had nearly everything else.

All that is over.

“That sounds nice,” she says with a soft tone, and I don’t miss the pity clouding her voice. Ulara gently takes the half-downed water bottle from me and replaces the cap. She tucks it into a sack, then slings it over her shoulder. “I’ll get you back to Godric’s tent. You’re to rest there, and wash up with the masking soap since it’s clearly starting to wear off, until we begin combat training.” I blink at her a few times at the mention of the masking soap wearing off. Was that why Godric and Arwan were acting so funny? “I’ll get you some food from the pack tent, too,” she adds.

My mind swims with dread at the idea of being stuck in a tent all day. “I feel fine,” I counter. All the talk of cultures and cities has calmed my libido, or perhaps it’s the absence of powerful males in the room. Either way, I can’t stomach the idea of having nothing to do for the entire day. I didn’t see any books in Godric’s tent, which would be how I’d normally pass the time if left to my own devices at the manor back home.

This is my home now, I correct myself.

Because, clearly, I’m not going back. At least, not anytime soon.

I have to survive combat, another evaluation, and who knows what else before I can even think of finding my sister.

But at the very least, it’ll buy me time. There is no greater currency than time itself.

“You were just injected by the venom of two monsters that began life on this isle,” she states flatly. Something about the softness in her phrasing makes me raise a brow.

Not just DNA. Venom.

“Why both?” I ask. It’s not just curiosity that pulls the question out of me. Information is power, and now that I’ve won over time, I’m going to keep my lucky streak going.

“Because the Monster Games are for both shifters and vampires,” she states, but it sounds like a rehearsed response.

“The royals are hybrids, though,” I counter. “Is it to see if I’m compatible with any of these ‘sponsors’ of theirs?”

Ulara’s elongated pupils dilate. I have a feeling I’m getting close to answers I’m not supposed to know. “These are questions for a pack master, not me.”

It’s still not clear to me what, exactly, her role is in the pack. She called herself a guardian to the female girls, and now she is acting like some sort of medic, or scientist. But she’s also in charge of my “combat training,” which makes her role seem rather broad. Not to mention she talks to Godric as if they’re very close. Not romantically. I feel like I would have picked up on that, but rather a sort of father-daughter relationship that is built on mutual respect.

I mull her words over in my head.

Two monsters…

And life.

“Were they a mated pair?” I guess.

Ulara’s flash of surprise confirms that I’ve guessed correctly. She schools her expression with impressive speed, but it’s too late. I already know how Monster Isle was born. I just don’t know how it reached this point and why humans are needed to procreate.

“It’s time to get going,” she says instead. She gestures to the door. “Let’s go.”

Easing off the medical bed, the room swims and I nearly fall over. Ulara is there to steady me. “If you prefer, you can stay here for a short rest before your training,” she concedes.

But I don’t want to rest. There’s something far more important.

“Can I ask a favor of you, instead?” I propose with a small smile that I hope is endearing and disarming.

She narrows her catlike gaze at me. “You are in no position to be asking for favors.”

I shrug. “I’m sure it’ll be on the way. If I’m able to see my friend, it’ll get all this human gossip out of my system. Who knows—maybe it’ll help me make sure I’m not too talkative with Godric and tell him anything stupid, like how Arwan was alone with me this morning and took out his Alpha guards, or that you knew and you forgot to tell him.” As Ulara glowers at me, I add, “I’ll certainly forget all this nonsense about the original mated vampire and shifter pair who birthed all of Monster Isle.” I laugh. “What a tale!”

“Okay, fine,” she growls at me. I’m playing with fire, and I’m sure she’ll make me pay for it later, but it’s worth it. “Which human did you want to see?”