Ciera closed the door behind her. She listened as the sound of the heavy footsteps echoed up the stairs and down through the halls. Shivered at the feel as the house emptied, leaving only those left behind within.
She pressed her hand to the closed door. Her eyes closing as she prayed to the goddess above, and to whatever good and light might be left in this world, for her brother and all those who marched against the dark.
Turning slowly she observed her friend. Aislinn stood against the window, the harsh winter Artic landscape silhouetting her outline. She looked like a figment of the world beyond, lost and beyond this simple room. Her silvery hair loose and shining around her. Her lithe and willowy frame outlined by the newly covered whitened wonderland. Silver and grey, stark and cold, they flowed together until you could almost imagine they were one.
She belonged to this land, to this world.
Ciera knew she would have heard her enter, and yet Aislinn did not react or turn, her arms remaining wrapped around herself. Her thin fingers clutching at her sides as if she was trying to physically hold herself together.
"Aislinn." Ciera started, unsure what words of comfort would be enough, could ever be enough.
"There is nothing to say Ciera." Her voice felt like the wind, insubstantial and fleeting.
"We can keep trying." Ciera said, refusing to accept what they had been fighting against for days.
"Have you finally found something in the books you keep reading? In the journals you hunted down in the council house? Did you find the answers that not even the most powerful of our kind held?" Aislinn asked gently, her tone gentle and at odds with her bleak words.
Ciera felt tears build in her eyes, but refused to let them fall. "There are places we haven't looked yet. People we can still ask. Pack Solani perhaps." Ciera offered desperately clinging to the most far-reached of their ideas.
They both knew Ciera had found nothing in her searches. That the books they had so hopefully taken from the council house library had been useless dead ends. That the riddles Clifton had given them had led to nothing, that every medical book and journal she had borrowed and stolen from Ethan had offered not even a clue to how to get her wolf back, to undo what had so seemingly irreparably cleaved her soul in half.
"And how shall we find those which are hidden when we are on the brink of war? And besides that, we both know I don't have the time or energy to search for them."
"So call them to your aid, ask them to answer like you did with pack Tenebris." Ciera argued stubbornly.
"To call to the aid of the crown, you must be the crown." Aislinn answered wearily.
"There must be a way. You cannot die, not after everything."
"And why not?" Aislinn argued, finally turning from the window to stare at her friend, open and honest curiosity on her face. "Why should I not die?"
"Because you deserve to live. Because Kaiden needs you to live. Because I need you. The world needs you."
Aislinn smiled softly, her eyes softening. "The world doesn't need me and neither do you."
"I refuse to accept this."
"And that is one of the kindest things you could offer me." She smiled at her friend, no fear or anger on her face, only sad and resigned acceptance. "Do you think they'll win?" Aislinn asked returning to her vigil at the window.
"I know they'll try." Ciera said, moving to stand beside her. Their shoulders brushing softly. "I don't know if that will be enough though."
"It's always enough Ciera. Always enough."
YOU ARE READING
Revenge of the Luna Queen
Werewolf[IMPORTANT SEQUEL ALERT: Book #2 of 'The Lost One' Series] Love. That's what they had. He loved her and she loved him. Kaiden had never been as proud and complete as he did with his mate safe in his arms, his mark on her skin. She was his and he w...
