Melvina smiled, grateful that Maya had released some hateful brunt on her son’s shoulders, although she knew that things were far from being over, until they found Emma.
According to Anthony, Emma had flown back to her place in the United States. Well, that was better since it narrowed down their search.
She felt her hand enclosed by her mate’s and breathed out, seeking to relax herself further. She understood his gesture because it was something that he had over the years whenever he senses she was troubled.
It told her that everything would be okay, and that they would always find a way to fix everything, no matter what. And just as always, she believed him. They would find Emma, and they would fix their son’s relationship, and they would win this war which was approaching, which she remembered now that Emma had foretold, when she had confided in them about her dreams.
Yes, it was true that they had made mistakes, but they will surely overcome it all with persistence and determination, working hand in hand with time. But for now, she knew she would have to bear the consequences of her actions, and she proposed to also do that well, making sure to amend things with her best friend.
She wondered what Tempest would say if she was here. Was Sheila aware that Tempest was dead? Melvina didn’t think so. Well, as always time will tell.
She perked up when she heard Sheila’s entrancing voice again.
That was also another feature to Sheila, her voice. It could be anything anytime, but it remained ever entrancing, just like the ancients.
Wait!
Melvina paused her thoughts. Could it be…? No, that was not possible. If Sheila was one of them, then they would have known.
Even though Sheila’s family was dead before they had met for the first time, except for Anthony’s mother who had died some years back, Sheila had given her a rundown of her family’s history. There was no trace of ancient-cy in her bloodline.
Melvina shook her head, choosing to relegate this feature of Sheila to another gift given to the latter by the goddess, and focusing on the conversation going on between Maya and Sheila.
“Alright then, Maya. So, what happened in the forest?” Sheila asked Maya. They were still standing in the same spot.
“Well, Derek had followed us, to utilize the moment to make up with her.” Maya continued, ignoring the ahhs and ohhs from the audience.
“I left them after sometime, to go to the falls and bask under the sun, since Derek knew the way to the waterfall, but then after some hours there, and I had failed to see them, I had gotten around to searching for them. Not finding them after many had me calling for help. I think at this point, Derek will be in a better position to tell the rest of the story.” She concluded, her eyes training on Derek who sighed, before standing up from his seat.
He still remembered the event. After all, it had been the first time he had shifted, a premature shift before his birthday.
Sheila turned to Derek, after Maya handed the story baton to him.
Although she was angry that he had rejected her daughter, she still was curious as to why he had done so and what was in it for him? If he was going to reject her, why had he strung her along, why had he bothered to explain when she had caught him kissing another girl in a drugged state?
“In the forest, we had been accosted by a little girl crying. Out of concern, we had asked her what the problem was, and what she was doing alone in the forest. She hadn’t said a word, but had rather pointed in a particular direction in the forest. We had followed her without asking any more questions, believing then she had been traumatized by something happening. But when we got to the spot where she had kept pointing at, we had found nothing. We had been shocked a few seconds later, when the little girl metamorphosed into a ghoulish being.” Derek paused here, as if seeking the dramatic effect to seek into the minds of his audience.
It achieved the desired outcome. The people were akin or more, including the group of seven.
They had heard of phantoms; as a matter of fact Freya knew of the phantom, knew specifically that the phantom Derek was about to talk about was the one that answered to the beck and call of Leonarya. She also understood now the witch’s obsession with her and her sisters, but she was curious about what the phantom had said, and how Emma and Derek had managed to escape from it.
From what she knew about phantoms, they always deliver on errands. They never make mistakes. So why had the phantom failed this time around?
When Derek saw that his story was achieving its maximum effect, he continued. “The phantom had said that she had been sent by the black witch to retrieve Emma, but she hadn’t given the reason. When she had tried carrying Emma, who had fainted after seeing the transformation of the little girl, I had shifted to my wolf version, even though it hadn’t been time yet. I just couldn’t let the phantom take her.”
There was awe in the murmurings this time around.
“Are you a Lycan?” Sheila aked, needing a confirmation. She knew from books that only lycans could shift prematurely and still remain vigorous enough to fight.
“Yes.” Derek answered, aware of the increased intensity of the murmurs, and the slight relief that was visible in the relaxing of Sheila’s shoulders. It abated the tension on his shoulders a bit.
“Then what happened?” Sheila asked, folding her arms across her chest.
“I managed to fend her off for sometime, until my parents and a witch came around. My mother was able to put the phantom away by recalling an oath that the phantom had made to her. That had been the only way we had been saved.” Derek finished, looking at his mother, whom he noticed looked like a deer that was caught in tail lights. Why?