30. Wrapped Up in Love
30
WRAPPED UP IN LOVE
*Raven*
I blink a few times and am glad the Luna hasn’t handed me the picture to hold because I would probably drop it and shatter the glass all over the packed-earth floor.
“What did you say your daughter’s name is?” My voice is a whisper, and I hope that it doesn’t betray the emotions that are welling up inside of me.
“Her name is Raven.” Luna Delaney speaks as if she believes her daughter is still alive somewhere.
I believe she is, too.
“King Gavin said he found her?” Kieran asks, his voice stronger than mine.
“That’s right, and from the description he gave of the location and who she was with, he was convincing. To my husband, at least. I suppose it was my prayers that she made it to our allies that has prevented me from accepting that fact.” She lets out a sigh. “For years, I’ve been searching for her in our own territory. But the border between our lands and our allies, Dark Valley, is filled with rogues. Most of the people who survived the attack from Dun’s Crossing were children and their caregivers, not our warriors. Most of them were poisoned when Gavin dropped an overwhelming amount of wolfsbane in our main water supply to the primary villages. Thankfully, the castle and some of the outlying areas were not affected, or else we would all be dead.”
I shake my head, unable to comprehend the cruelty the man I thought was my father for all of those years inflicted on these poor, innocent people.
My people.
“After the Alpha King was taken, Gavin burned everything. You likely saw the desolation on your way here?” Luna Delaney asks.
I manage to nod, but I don’t try to speak for fear I’ll begin to cry.
“With no other options, we relied on our animal friends to help us. No one else in the pack has control over the large animals like Cole did, and many of the animals didn’t survive the fire, but those that were left, the smaller ones that we could influence, those of us with noble blood like myself and my sister, Nola, whom you met, we were able to get them to help us. The rabbits, moles, voles, and some of the other tunneling animals helped us start this system of underground dwellings. After that, we secretly cleared out some of the lands furthest from our shared border with Dun’s Crossing. We started growing crops and herded up some of the farm animals that had survived so that we could feed everyone. We did all of it while fearing for our lives. It’s been a long process. In the beginning, many people became malnourished because of the lack of food. We have managed to survive, though.”
“And your water? It comes from another source?” I ask.
“That’s right. We’ve tapped into a natural spring we wouldn’t have been able to easily reach above ground. It feeds the river that was poisoned, but the water originates below any levels that could be tampered with.”
She continues to talk about how difficult it was to start over, how they don’t have many warriors, and how so many of the citizens are young and don’t remember their old way of life. When she speaks of Escuro before the war, her dark eyes twinkle in the lamplight. “We were a thriving kingdom, but even better than our riches and vast amounts of natural resources was the way our people flourished. We were peaceful, with our focus on gaining knowledge and creating beautiful works of art. It was only because Gavin thought we may someday become a threat that he tried to destroy us. He was afraid we’d rise up and use our powers to conquer his lands. That was his reason for destroying all of the kingdoms around him using underhanded means and going to any lengths necessary to kill even the most innocent.”
I’ve listened to her speak about her kingdom for almost an hour before we get back to her family. “They kept Mr. Blake in silver chains at first.” I tell her what I’ve heard from Kieran. “So he wouldn’t be able to use his powers.”
A giggle escapes her lips, and it’s the first note of amusement I’ve heard from her in a while. “He’s far too powerful for a bit of silver to stop him. No, Cole stayed there because he must’ve thought our daughter was being held there, but I don’t think that’s possible. If she never made it to Dark Valley, I’m afraid… well, I’m afraid it was the worst for her. I hate to think of it. She was only a few months old when we had to send her off in the dead of night.”
I swallow hard, thinking of Kieran’s theory. He nudges me with his knee, and I give him a slight nod. “Luna Delaney,” I begin, wondering why the same thought that is in my head hasn’t occurred to her yet. Perhaps she’s too forlorn. “I was a few months old at the time of the attack,” I begin.
She tilts her head slightly to the side and doesn’t blink as she stares at me. Nor does she say anything.
“I’m obviously from Escuro, since I have the mind-link powers and look like the vast majority of citizens here.”
This time, her head rocks back and forth, and I hear Kieran inhale sharply next to me as if he is bracing himself for what I am about to say.
“Do you think it’s possible that Mr. Blake was staying there, doing what was asked of him by King Gavin because… of me?” I can’t bring myself to say the words I actually want to. I hope that she will do that for me.
Her eyes widen. “For you?”
Taking a deep breath, I blow it out slowly, and nod. “That’s right. Even though I told Mr. Blake my name many years ago when I first started visiting him as a small child, he never called me Blanca. Never. He invented what I thought was a nickname for me. He always had these birds perched on the window ledge at the top of his cell. I thought maybe it was because he was so fond of them, or maybe it was because of my dark hair. But he always called me… Little Raven. He called me Raven, Luna. Do you think…. Do you think I might be….”
I don’t get the rest of the sentence out before Luna Delaney sets the picture aside and flings herself at me, wrapping me up in a tight hug. “Oh, my baby girl,” she says. “I didn’t dare dream that it could be you, even though I recognized Cole’s eyes the moment I looked into yours. After all this time, you’ve come back to me. My sweet, sweet, Little Raven.”
She’s holding me so tightly that I can barely breathe, but I don’t even care. I have a mother–one that loves me. One that has been dreaming about me returning to her since I was a baby. Images flash through my mind of the reality of my life–my alleged mother having me beaten, calling me names, even pushing me down the stairs–but they mingle with what might have been, and I see myself as a little girl running through the castle to hug my beautiful mother who embraces me the way she is now. I see myself sitting at a royal dining table with both of my parents, Mr. Blake clean, well, and smiling. I see a lifetime of missed memories unfolding before my eyes and find myself sobbing in my mother’s arms.
I feel the warmth of Kieran’s hand as he rests it gently on my back, reminding me that he is here, that as horrible as my past has been, that is all over now. I have a mother. I have a father. I have a mate. I have a future .
Finally, the Luna–my mother–lets me go and cups my cheek with her hand. “Raven, I can’t believe I have you back. We have so much to catch up on. I love you so much, my beautiful daughter.”
“I love you, too… Mama.” The word falls from my lips like a promise. I turn to look at Kieran and see tears in his eyes.
And that’s when I know there are two people in this room that love me.