Chapter 71
*Ethan*
The car is in reverse and I just cannot get out of the place fast enough. And just as I am almost out of the garage, Cassandra appears behind the car, Kyle to the side of her.
“Cass, move,” I order her from my seat.
Cassandra flinches and I realize I must have used the Alpha Aura still. She moves out of the way of the car but comes to the window.
“Please, wait,” she asks, knocking on my window.
I roll it down, fuming.
“Cassey, whatever it is, I don’t have time,” I tell her. “I need to get to Ariella.”
“Its urgent!” Cassandra implores. But I don’t listen further, I roll up my window and start to reverse the last bit out of the garage so I can just leave already.
“Its about Ariella!” Cass calls desperately.
That brings me up short. I stop the car harshly and open my car door.
“What?” I demand.
“I think,” Cassandra says again. “I think it’s about Ariella.”
“Spit it out Cassey,” I grind at her.
“I sent spies into the city,” Cassandra says in a rush. “I had people following Lils. Well, trying to track her and then follow her. The point is that someone saw her. A couple of hours ago, with another woman and a man but,” Cassandra takes a deep breath before speaking again. “My spies said. the man, well, was you.”
I snarl and Cassandra jumps back. Evelyn, it has to be.
“It can’t be a coincidence that Lilith suddenly appears just as Ariella leaves the city,” Kyle speaks for the first time. “And if she’s with someone that looks like you, then magic must be involved and the only one who we know that has a steak in everything going on right now is Evelyn.”
So the man could be Marcus. It’s the only person that fits along with Lilith and Evelyn, especially if they’re after Ariella.
“Where were they last seen?” I demand.
Cassandra frowns.
“I don’t know,” she begins, sounding unsure of herself. “I mean, I know the direction, but I’m not sure how that can be right. Because it really looked like they were heading towards the old ruins. And I know that the palace has been forbidden for centuries.”
Cassandra frowned as she spoke, like she was trying to make sense of it.
“Damn it!” I swore. “The Temple of Sol. They’re taking her to a place of Sun magic.”
The place was outlawed, even going there brought a charge of heresy.
“Are you sure that they’re taking her there?” Kyle asks tentatively. “She was seen leaving with Maya, after all. Maybe they were going there on their
own?”
I snarl at Kyle. Even if that is what happened, the story will be that Ariella was taken there against her will. This is not the time for there to be a treason charge brought against her.
“I’m just considering the possibilities,” Kyle points out. “And wondering why Ariella and Maya would go
there.”
I listen to what he’s saying.
And then it dawns on me. Sun magic would be the opposite of what drives us to shift. Opposite of the Moon.
“Sun magic could be used to stop a wolf shifting,” I murmur. “Or curb a baby’s volatile wolf.
She went there to try and save the baby. This is all my fault. I should never have pushed her to this. I should have known that she would choose anything – even treason, even the damn Sun–over possibly losing her baby. Our baby.
1/3
She went tiere to save the Heir to the Kingdom.”
It will. And if anyone saw them on the road to the abandoned temple, then it is something that we will need. Especially if the council intends on using this against her to claim she can’t stay as the Luna Queen. That is if they are stupid enough after my display of the Alpha Aura.
“But Marcus and Evelyn are there now,” I snarl. “There’s no time to waste. I need to go now.”
But Cassandra only steps closer to the car.
“Let me come with,” Cassandra says, her voice pleading. “Please. I can
help. I want to
help.”
“You’ll get in the way; I can’t protect you if anything happens.”
‘I can protect myself, Ethan! I’m not a child anymore.”
Į curse. And then relent. I can’t afford anymore time to pass.
Cassey climbs into the car and Kyle speeds off. I text a message to my troops to meet us as soon as they can.
Kyle drives at a mad speed, carving a path through the wilderness with extreme haste. I am glad he is my Beta; he knows what is at stake. “I’m picking up her scent!” I exclaim, “take a left down that path!”
The van takes massive dents and damage as we carve through the wilds and come to a place where there is a huge gap in a barbed fence.
I remember this place. It was rendered off limits decades ago. People who wandered off in this area never returned so my grandfather had it fenced off. It looks like Maya got through it with no issue.
We drive through until eventually we come to a cliff. Just near the edge is a parked car. The scent of Ariella fills in to the brim.
“That’s Maya’s jeep,” Kyle says as we all step out of the car.
“They’re close. I don’t smell Lilith, or Evelyn though…maybe we got here before them.” Cassandra points out.
“Witches can hide themselves and others,” I remind her. “Let’s go.”
I take a few steps when my body convulses in pain, driving me to my knees. I roar as I am wracked by suffering I have never endured before.
“Ethan!” Kyle and Cassandra yell.
“It’s Ariella,” I gasp, “Something is happening to her.”
Cassandra looks at me, a mixture of shock and sadness. “She’s your fated mate, isn’t she? That’s why you can sense her even from here.”
I nod. She looks forlorn.
“How long have you known?”
“That doesn’t matter now. She’s in danger and getting to her is all that matters.”
Cassandra wipes a tear and nods, putting on a brave smile. There’s no jealousy there anymore, just a little sadness. She’s grown a lot.
“I think we should wait until our reinforcements arrive, Alpha,” Kyle says.
“We don’t have time,” I growl.
“And what good will it be to fight her on our own, Alpha? The last time we met Evelyn she was basically a one person army, incapacitating us like it was nothing. Now she has Marcus and Lilith by her side. The odds are not in our favor.”
“You might be right but I can’t wait,” I say firmly, “You can remain here and guide the troops once they arrive, but I’m going ahead.”
I turn to my step–sister. “You can stay as well. My promise to your mother still stands, so I’d rather you remain safe,”
Cassandra stands up straight and puts on a brave face,
“I think mom meant that you have to look after me until I’m grown up. As you can see I’m no longer a child…now let’s go save my nephew and future sister–in–law.”
We journey down into the valley, Kyle footsteps soon join us. The path is treacherous and I am filled with concern how Ariella managed this journey.
2/3
I fall to my knees and gasp for air, I can’t even breathe.
SEND GIFT