Daughters of Creation

Chapter Twenty-Three: Deracinate (Part Two)

Rena asked a few more questions about Valerian and Alarik before the exhausted werewolf and drained vampiress left. When the Alpha left he paused by her, weary eyes taking her in for the first time. Surprise had flashed through his eyes, but he only turned to Andre and said, "You found yourself a true one. Don't lose her."

Vela hadn't been quite sure what the older man had meant, but it clicked as soon as the door closed and they were gone. Killian Sylvalda knew she was Andre's mate.

"Andre?" she couldn't help turning to him. With everything going on she didn't want to make things worse with his pack knowing his mate was a witch. Worry set in.

Warm, if not a little frazzled, brown eyes blinked at her. A soothing sensation went through her—no doubt coming from him. "Killian is not one to judge, he is fair and honorable. If anything, he probably thinks our knowledge of each other is a blessing in these times."

"Not a curse?"

Millicent growled. "If he thinks it's a curse he's got another thing coming to him."

A weak chuckle left her. She supposed Millicent had a point. No one knew a curse until they were cursed by a witch. (Or Emrie Michele).

"Is it worth going to your territory, Andre?" Rena asked, grey eyes thoughtful. "Will the scents still be there?"

Andre shook his head. "If Tempest—she's Alarik's mother—couldn't pick up the scent when everything was relatively fresh then there won't be anything left by now."

Ezra snarled, fangs flashing. "We fucking let him get away again!"

Emrie Michele, their voice of reason, scowled gently at him. "Ez, it's not our fault no matter how much we might blame ourselves. He's smart. He knows what he's doing. There's a reason he struck when he did: he hit while we were grieving."

"A monster." Dana whispered from the hallway, appearing like an appreciation.

Rosalyn flinched.

Emerson smiled at the wounded girl. "Come join us, Dannie. We're trying to figure out what to do next."

"About the werewolf and vampire?"

Emerson nodded her head. Dana glanced over her shoulder, toward her room that Eytelis now rested in, sighed, then shrugged. "What is there we can do?" she said cynically.

Emrie Michele's scowl deepened, the gentleness ebbing. Her voice was crisp as she said, "Figure out where the sword is located and where Casimir is keeping his wretched self hidden."

Vela bit her lip, her stomach twisting into thousands of knots. Her hands felt clammy and cold all at once. Those two tasks sounded so simple when spoken aloud, but the actuality of them succeeding in the doing seemed nearly impossible. They would need the Mother Goddess watching over them themselves if they were so succeed.

Guide us, Mother Goddess, as we travel further into darkness. Protect those who cannot protect themselves and show us the path to victory. The silent prayer slipped from her as she moved to accommodate Dana on the couch.

"We can probably assume the Spear of Destruction is in Casimir's hands." Hari ran restless fingers through dark curls.

"And the Council probably has the Sword of Creation," Emrie Michele nodded in agreement, seeing where the dragon's mind was going.

"Can we also assume the Shield of Balance is in Miabirion, possibly either in The City of Genn or the Breath of Cea?" Rowan's silky voice joined the fray. The fae's golden eyes looked troubled as they switched between Ezra and Andre.