Chapter 58

Cameron's point of view

As I watched Asher leave my office, I felt more at peace. And I was thankful that he was the one the moon goddess had chosen for my princess.

“That went well,” My favorite person walked in, her blue eyes sparkling with relief as she shut the door behind her.

She sauntered around the desk and settled into my lap.

“What did you think I'd do?” I wrapped my arms around her waist, burying my face in the crook of her neck. I could never get enough of her scent.

“For starters, scare him to death.” She chuckled softly, and it was a sound of music to my ears while she ran her delicate fingers through my hair.

“Believe me, I tried. But he didn't budge. That kid has changed greatly.” I had felt that earlier, but I couldn't figure out exactly how until now. And I wasn't talking only about his new Alpha aura. His other half has awakened.

“How's our daughter?”

Davina inhaled, pulling away only a little to meet my gaze. “She's with her friends. Rhona and Dr. Vera had checked on her. She has so much magic in her that she needs to learn how to control it and how to reawaken her wolf.”

I breathed out. For some reason, I couldn't feel her wolf earlier. It needed to be reawakened. “The next full moon is a few days away; it'll do. She would be able to shift then. The next few days are going to be hard for her.”

“I know. We just have to give her a little space to get comfortable.” I could feel the heavy pain coming from her.

Giving our daughter a little space is not something we should be doing. We were supposed to be making up for times lost, but Davina was right. She needed to come to terms with the sudden change. She had been through a lot, and the last thing she needed was to feel pressured.

I planted a kiss on her chin. “Okay. However long she needs,” I kissed her lips this time, pulling her closely and my eyes connecting to hers.

“Tell me now, Davina. What did that witch do to you?”

She almost stilled in my arms before she reached for the pocket in her jacket and pulled out Cyrene’s crystal stone.

“She used the last of her magic to show me her visions. Everything she couldn't say, I saw it all. It's worse than I imagined, and I hope it isn't too late to stop what's coming for us.”

My jaw clenched and my arms tightened around her as I forced my eyes closed, knowing deep down that things were only about to get worse.

*****

Cirilla's point of view

I was running through the endless woods in the darkness, pushing past the thickness of the spawned trees. I knew I was getting closer and closer; I could feel the gut-wrenching and aggravating feeling of his darkness and magic rubbing off even in the darkness.

I pushed the branches and leaves of yet another tree out of my view, stepping out into a plain, and right before me, only a few steps away, was the man I loathed so much, Mason Hartley, resting against a tree trunk, a hand on his chest, and as his obsidian gaze leveled on mine, an exhausted smile loosed from his lips.

“Hello, love!”

My eyes snapped open as I jerked off from the bed and landed right into strong arms. Asher's.

“I'm here, princess; I'm right here.” His words poured on me coolly as I leaned even further into his stronghold and warmth.

It was morning already. I remembered Asher being with me all through the night, but I wasn't sure at what point I fell asleep.

“How are you feeling?” He placed a finger under my chin, leaning close until his lips took mine.

I couldn't answer his question at all. Not because I didn't want to; I just couldn't. I didn't even know exactly how I was feeling. All I could recognize was the rage I had for Mason and something else. Something deep and hurtful Something I felt last night with the two people who were my parents.

I winced at the word, burying whatever emotions came with it. What was more important now was that Kali was dead. Mason killed her, and the dagger that could potentially end him was destroyed by him.

“Princess,”

Asher's call was like a bell, pulling me away from whatever was going on in my head. As I stared into his emerald gaze, I could see the questions in there. He had a lot to tell me and to ask, but right before he could, his phone on the bedside table rang out loud, and the caller ID was Daemon.

He ignored it, bringing his gaze back to me.

“Ciri—” The phone rang again. Still Daemon.

“It might be important. Answer it; I'll be in the bathroom.” I left the bed and glanced between the two doors in the room. The first door I opened led to a walk-in closet. I closed it, opening the other one, which led to the bathroom. I shut the door behind me, leaning against it and sliding down to the marble floors as my mind was filled with more thoughts.

I tried to shut out as many as I could as I stripped, going into the fancy shower box to wash off.

I grabbed one of the white towels hanging close by, wrapping it around me as I stalked back to the room. I was expecting to see Asher or prepared to face anyone else, but not the smooth, delicate, and beautiful face of the woman on the opposite side of the room, placing some neat, clean clothes on the couch closest to the walk-in closet.

Everything within me froze as our gazes met. The air became oddly chilled, and I couldn't seem to breathe it in.

“Good morning,” Even the sound of her voice was flawless, and her smile was deep and perfect.

“Good morning.” I cleared my throat, still fixated a few inches against the bathroom door, wondering where Asher had gone. I couldn't handle being alone with her.

“I brought some clothes. I'm not sure if all of them would be the right fit, or if you'll like them; I had to guess, you can just use a few until you can go get some clothes yourself.” Her smile was constant all the way through. And those perfect blue eyes of hers were brilliant, and I could feel the warmth in them. They were perfect. She was perfect.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I wanted to say something, but what I could get out was merely a ‘thanks’. And her smile never wavered.

She moved from the couch, taking a few steps closer to me, but left some considerate distance between us. “I’ll leave you to dress; breakfast is almost ready. Would you like to come downstairs and join us?”

Us? I couldn't fight the alarm that was raised within me. I didn't know why, but I didn't want to meet anyone else right now.

A chuckle vibrated from her. It was the closest thing I'd heard to a sweet lullaby. “It's just your father, brother, and some close friends,” she explained, and all I could take from her words was the reminder that they had a son. My brother.

“I… uhm… not hungry,” As the words left my lips, what followed at the worst time was a loud grumble from my stomach, blending smoothly into the short silence.

Her smile ran deeper and took more steps further as if wanting to kill all distance between us but at the same time trying to give as much space as needed.

“Your stomach disagrees, so instead, I'll send the breakfast to your room,” She said, turning for the door.

“Thank you…” The words rushed out from my lips as she grabbed the doorknob. They stilled her, and she slowly turned her gaze to me as I continued. “...for helping me last night,” I added, and once more, the look in her gaze back in Ardgal flashed in my mind.

“You don't have to ever thank me for anything.” I missed the smile on her face, and the pain that conveyed her words matched the one in her eyes.

It broke me. And even seconds after she left, I was still frozen on the spot.

I was almost done dressing when Asher walked into the room in a hurry with his phone in one hand and his jacket in the other, his face looking almost pale and worried.

“Are you going somewhere?” I moved inches closer as he dumped his jacket on the bed and closed the distance between us, and I was in his arms.

“Something happened with Daemon and the Conclave.”

“Is your uncle alright?”

He kissed me on my lips. “I don't know, he's alive—”

“But there's something else?”

He nodded briefly, and suddenly I got a cold feeling. “I hate to do this, but I need to go see him. I'll be back real quick, I promise.”

“Be careful, Asher, please,” I begged as he released me and placed my old phone in my hand.

“I'll call, and Lyra and the others are still here.” We kissed again before we parted, and he left.

It didn't take long before Lyra and Kayla joined me for breakfast, and an hour later, I was restless, and it just wasn't because of Asher's absence. I told the girls about Mason and everything that had happened with Kali right before she died. While Lyra was still in suspended shock that my ex-boyfriend was exactly the devil himself the prophecy had spoken about and was the darkness claiming the lives of the ranking Council members, Kayla was helping me figure out where Mason's powers could be since Kali didn't have them right before she died.

Fuck! I wish she did; just maybe she might have lived.

I shut my eyes as the memory of her death haunted me once more, and the rage and pain were more brutal than ever, lighting me up like a torch. I couldn't think about anything else but making sure Mason ended up in hell.

I knew he would be scouring through the earth in search of his powers; I had to find it before he did and had enough magic to tear the veil. I owed that much to Kali.

“I don't know what could be going on in a thousand-year-old witch's mind, but if she wanted to hide it where Mason couldn't find it, it would be in something dear to her and something fully cloaked. So he can't sense the magic at all,” Kayla's voice pulled me from my thoughts, and my attention was on her.

“And that was the problem. Kali didn't have anything on her when we got to Ardgal, and now Ardgal is in ruins. There was no way I'd ever find out where she stowed his powers,”

“Isn't there someone from Ardgal we could ask? A few witches survived the attack, and the Alpha King brought them to the pack.” Lyra said as I stopped pacing and turned to her.

“Where can I find them?”

Lyra's gaze drifted to Kayla for an answer.

“They are at the guest house close to the North Border,” Kayla was up from the bed. “I'll take you,”

I followed her lead out, and we made it out of the mansion through one of the exits in the mansion, heading to the guest house.

The pack wasn't as I had imagined from my window view. It was way larger and had more beautiful structures than I could count. And with each breath I took, I could feel the magical essence around me seeping from the earth into the air.

“You can feel the magic, can't you?” Kayla spoke with a smile. “The pack has a witch cemetery within the pack, where we consecrate witches who have left us. It's a way of honoring them and guiding their spirits to the other side, yet they remain with us, and we can feel even their magic. I heard the cemetery has been there for a very long time, even before Alpha King Gregory's reign,”

“Alpha King Gregory?”

She paused, sending a glance my way. “Oh sorry, that was your great-grandfather.”

And the silence that followed didn't last much longer as we burst out of the woods and a set of buildings crept into our view.

“I guess we are here,”

She led us into one of the buildings where a few people from Ardgal were staying. Among the women who were seated on the couch in the lounge, I recognized a face from the entourage of witches who had come to welcome Kali and me in the woods.

Her eyes met mine. And a sad smile came through.

I went up to her. “Could we talk?”

She nodded and set her cup of coffee on the table, leading us to one of the rooms down the hallways.

“What is this about?” She strutted to the open window, staring out.

Lyra settled on the edge of the bed while Kayla stood at the door, and I moved closer to the witch.

“Kali,” At the mention of the name, her eyes fell on me. Almost filled with tears.

“I can't believe she's really dead.”

“I'm sorry” was all I could offer.

The witch’s gaze on me was fixed. “She always felt it.” I let her continue. “...that something would go wrong. That's why she relentlessly searched for you after she was zapped out of the void. Now she's dead. And Idalak has gotten exactly what he wanted.”

“Not everything yet. He didn't get his powers from her.”

My words seemed to shock her, as she instantly pulled away from the window. “What?”

“Kali had stowed them somewhere, and Mason confirmed it himself. If you have any idea where she could have stowed his powers, tell me. I need to find it before Mason does.” I couldn't stop the fast thumping of my heart, and the look in her eyes shattered my last hope.

“I really don't know where she could have stowed them. But she trusted you, and I'm sure she must have said something to you.” The witch took a step closer.

“She didn't—”

“Kali never did anything without planning for the worst. She must have mentioned something, showed you something, or you could have felt the powers somewhere. Think,”

The fast beat against my chest slowed as her last words seemed to ring louder in my ears. I took a step backward, remembering the unusual magic I felt back at Lily's home. “Wait a minute,”

The witch took a step further, and Lyra was up from the bed, and I could feel Kayla almost behind me.

“Do you remember something?”

“Is it possible for Kali to stow Mason's power in someone who doesn't have any magical roots or connection to the supernatural world?” I asked cautiously, hoping at the same time that it was true and that it wasn't true. Otherwise, Ria would be in danger.

“A human?” She confirmed and I nodded. “Yes. It's possible. Why?”

“Oh my gosh, I know where she had stowed his powers, or rather, whom. It has to be in Ria, a teenager back in the orphanage she was managing. But I don't know where they are right now.”

“Lily's home?” She asked, and I nodded. “I don't know where they are but you must find this child before Idalak does, because if he does first, he’ll kill her and take his powers, and then there'll be no stopping him.”

Her words kept echoing in the corner walls of my mind even as we made our way back to the mansion.

“So we know where the powers are; what's next?” Lyra cleared her throat, distracting me from my thoughts.

I stopped walking. “We must find Ria. I have to speak to the Alpha King and Queen.”

“That's a good idea, but I don't think that would be possible now,” Kayla spoke up. “They're in the Courtroom, in a serious meeting.”

Before I could speak, the loud sounds of roars and growls interrupted us.

“What's going on there?” I asked too quickly as we took a couple more steps towards where the sounds came from. It was a training ground, with a large crowd split into groups sparring against each other.

I noticed Julia and Niko in one of the small groups watching Dorian against some girl. I was about to look away when I felt the heat of someone's gaze and focus on me.

I swept through the crowd, and it wasn't hard to pinpoint him in the crowd. Tall. Messy black hair. The broadest shoulders. A masterpiece of perfection and a handsome face that could most probably get away with anything. Round eyes that had me in focal view, and lips curled into a lopsided smile.

“Who's he?” I didn't shift my gaze from him as I asked Kayla.

“Him? You mean the one with perfect round eyes and a creepy smile?”

I nodded, shifting my gaze to Kayla for barely a quarter second, and by the time I looked back into the crowd, he was gone.

I couldn't find him in the crowd, but instead, I felt his presence behind me. I spun around and thanked the heavens, just in time to dodge the heavy blow headed my way.

My eyes widened in alarm as I heard Lyra mumble words. “What the fuck are you doing?”

He didn't answer but instead came to me stronger with force and a remarkable speed, and what made it worse was the constant twitch of his lips into a smile. He was enjoying this.

“What the actual fuck is your deal?” I dodged a few more of his attacks. He moved so fast. Really fucking fast.

His deep eyes only twinkled, and his smile ran deeper, and with an insane speed, he crashed into me, sending me against a tree.

I groaned at the stinging that coursed through me, and my eyes flicked back to him, still wearing a boyish charm. But I was done playing nice.

“Come on, Theo, stop messing around,” came Lyra's voice, and Kayla's laughter filtered into the air.

“Not yet; I'm kind of enjoying this.”

I jerked away from the tree and using my fast speed and fists, I lunged at him. He matched my strength, and even as I managed to jab him a few times, I couldn't peel off the grin on his face. It was infuriating and, at the same time, entertaining. I didn't know what the fuck was his deal, but he was enjoying whatever this was.

He didn't want to hurt me; he was after something else, and I was beginning to love the rush of excitement to hand his ass over to him and wipe off that smirk.

His attacks were steady, but mine were fiercer. I flipped him over, and soon he was up, spitting out some blood with a grin and raised brows that seemed to be asking, ‘Is that all you've got?’

I cocked my head to the side, and I couldn't stop the smirk that shaped my lips. I didn't know the last time I had this much fun.

My smirk ran deeper, more evilly, as I sourced from my magic, steering the air into the wild wind. I flung him against a tree and used my magic to pin him against it.

But surprisingly, he broke free from my magic effortlessly, and I couldn't hide the shock from my face.

“What the hell?”

He dusted off the dirt carried by the wind off his hair and clothes, his smile still constant and his eyes twinkling brighter as he approached me.

“Magic doesn't have a hold on me.” His voice was deep behind the low chuckle. His eyes were a deep shade, and he was even more handsome up close.

“I'll keep that in mind next time, Theo,” I called him by the name Lyra had earlier, and that seemed to make him chuckle again.

“You seem to be in an oddly good spirit; what the hell was that?” Kayla was a few steps away from him, asking.

His eyes traveled from Kayla back to me. “I heard she was quite a badass; I wanted to experience it firsthand.”

“Who are you?” I couldn't take the curiosity any longer.

"Oh, sorry about that; I'm Theodore.” He flashed a smile. Damn, he should have been named Charming instead. “But you can call me Theo instead, and by the moon, I've been dying to meet you.” He hesitated. “Sister,”

A strangled breath left my lips as I straightened instantly. My eyes are on him, and his are on me. “My brother,” The word barely escaped with a breath.

His grin remained, despite the twinkle in his eyes having cooled off. “You have no idea what it means to have you back home with us.” And I felt his arms around me. It was warm and comforting. “Thank you for staying safe.” His arm tightened some more, and without even thinking, I enclosed an arm around him.

I didn't realize I had tears rolling down my eyes until we pulled apart.

“Where were you off to?”

Kayla stepped forward. “We were actually heading to the court. I tried mindlinking Alpha Cameron, but he's closed off.”

“Is something wrong? Are you okay?” His gaze came back to me.

“I’m fine, but it's about what happened back at Ardgal. It's important; do you think I could speak to either of them for a minute?”

“Of course, anytime. They’ll be thrilled. I'll take you.” He led us to a fancy building, through

the hallways, and stopped in front of two large golden double doors.

I could already hear the heartbeats of several people behind those doors.

Theo sent me one of his endearing smiles as he opened the door, and I followed behind him, only to be greeted by pairs of several eyes.