“So, in other words, there is no way to know which of them is the prophecy, till tomorrow then, right?” Shane inquired, folding his arms across his chest, his mind also going out to Emma who would be alone on her eighteenth birthday.
He could swear that her family, the one at Florida, won’t understand what was going on with her. He wondered what she would be doing now. Was she at home yet? Did she miss Derek? He glanced at his alpha, and sighed. Dude looked so lost.
“Most likely. But I can say that it is Emma. The way she tackled and killed Casper, the wizard that Leonarya had sent after us, was bizarre and magnificent at the same time. It was like she was a combination of sorts, forces moving in perfect sync. I have never seen anything like that.” Julius answered, his mind obviously reliving the event.
“Who is Casper?” Sheila asked, not entirely pleased that her daughter had made her first kill, but being that it was to protect herself, she relaxed a bit.
“Well, after Derek had exiled her from the pack, we had decided to head back to her place and rest, and pack up and leave the next day. But on our way, we had been ambushed. Seems like it had been part of the plan. Exile the girl and kidnap her on her way back. Yet they hadn’t factored us into the equation, they didn’t know that we were part of the fight now, they thought that we were on their side. Well, when they came out of their hiding place, one of the wizards approached Emma familiarly. Turns out that he was an old friend, an old friend who was actually acting as a spy for Leonarya even then. But Emma had thought him like a big brother. She had loved him, and so out of anger, she had pledged to battle him only. If she won him, the rest of wizards were to go home, and if he won her, he could take her captive. We all had thought she was crazy, but she promised us that she had it under control. We decided to play along with her. The fight was fair from the beginning, not until the guy, Casper, had used magic on her. She hadn’t expected that. She had thought they would be fighting with fists alone, as she had taken taekwondo classes whilst growing up. When that happened, well…” Freya paused here, and accessed her listeners with her eyes.
They were all drinking the information hook, line and sinker, especially those that weren’t present that night. Derek for one, was staring at her like she had the whole answers to the world. She didn’t blame him, she actually pitied him.
“That was when it happened.” She continued. “She changed. I’m not sure what she changed into, but her eyes and body were glowing in different colors, her hair flew up and stayed still, while her body possessed some feral strength. She was still Emma, human like, but her agility was something else, part wolf, part something else. I think Julius was right. She was a combination of sorts. She killed Casper. But she regretted it the next minute, especially when he apologized before he gave up the last breath. She had refused to leave his body while crying over him; she still loved him. Prescott had to promise to take him to Zipfarah for a benefiting burial, whilst concocting the tale that he died saving her. That was the only way that she had left his body.”
Derek huffed. The guy deserved it.
“You deserve worse.” He heard Maru mutter, and sighed. He was a hypocrite. And yes, he deserved worse. He had put her in a dangerous situation. He didn’t deserve the alpha or mate title at all.
He would have loved to return to his room and wallow in his guilt, but for the fact that this private meeting was meant to reveal more clues that will help them win this war.
He noticed now that his parents were extraordinarily quiet, the whole table was, until his little sister spoke.
“So, Emma was exiled. But you told me that she travelled to see her family.” Eva mentioned, anger and confusion including her little face, as she stared up at Freya, who sighed, but said nothing.
Derek winced, when Eva glared at him afterward. He hated being on his sister’s bad side either. “I am sorry.” He muttered, but Eva huffed, before turning to Sheila.
“We have to find her before she is kidnapped. They still have eyes on her.”
Sheila nodded, not bothering to ask again why the girl always sounded older than her age, like an old sage.
“We will find her. I promise. But will still make the necessary confirmations tomorrow. A party for you guys as you are turning eighteen?” She asked her daughters.
They both shook their heads. This was no time for a party.
Luille for one, just wanted to see the sister whom she had heard so much about, her sister who had suffered at the hands of this pack. She wanted no party with them.
“A private party like this would be fine.” Freya said at last, seeing that Sheila was looking at her to elaborate their shaking of heads.
**
“How long are we staying this way? You know we can’t maintain a magic this strong for long. The camouflage will dissipate with time, as we are being drained.” Ketura asked Tempest from within the bird.
The bird that is Tempest shook her small neck, refusing to change eye contact with those on the table. “We will stay for as long as there is. If this camouflage is too draining, we can fly and come back as cockroaches.”
Ketura laughed, stomping when it sounded like a shriek which attracted the attention of the people down.
“Can you keep the laughter to yourself? In case you have forgotten, you are a bird now.” Tempest cautioned.
“That’s your fault; bringing jokes to a serious conversation.” Ketura muttered.