Chapter 8 Lana
Lana
The shock of seeing the barren land without its creepy mist left me breathless.
I’d seen the dead grey earth when we crossed the void before, but for some reason my mind made me believe it was the mist making it so desolate. Staring at the lifeless stretch of land made me sick.
“It’s so much worse than before,” I murmured.
Storm grunted his agreement. “It’s as if Thames destroyed it even more once he broke free.”
I shivered, the wind caressing me as if urging me through the dead land back to where nature thrived in Brookmere. Nature had always spoke to me, and I wondered if that would only grow in my role as queen. The thought sobered my already anxious mind.
We forged across the mistless void, eyes on the skies and ears open for the terrifying creatures that lurked inside.
“I wonder where the voidlings went?” Jax asked, unable to hide the strain in his voice.
“Scared?” I smirked in his direction.
“Of beasts confined to deadlands for a thousand years? Absolutely I am.”
I laughed at his confession as we ushered the horses forward.
The moment Onyx’s hooves touched Brookmere, the wind pushed at our backs, urging us away from the void and completely onto Brookmere’s soil. My eyes widened.
Storm shook his head. “That’s quite a welcome.”
I blew out a breath. Emotion welled in my throat as we continued ahead into my home. Not just my home, but my kingdom. A kingdom that needed me to be strong even as the pain of what I’d endured suffocated me.
As the Knotted Willow came into view an hour later, my heart leapt with the unfettered joy of being back with those I loved most.
Almost all of them. Almost.
Raya slipped in and out of consciousness our entire journey from the void, making us all anxious to find her a healer once we returned. Whatever evil still lurked inside of her refused to let go.
The leaves of the willow tree next to the inn swayed in the gentle morning breeze. A picturesque moment despite our uneasiness.
We cantered toward the stables and Corbin appeared from around the corner, ready for us. A profound sense of relief appeared across his face as he waved us toward him.
Corbin assisted me off Onyx and grabbed the reins as he bowed his head. “Welcome back, Your Majesty.”
I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled, knowing his unwillingness to address me by anything other than my royal title would always get under my skin. “It’s good to see you, Corbin.” I pulled him into a hug. “We need a healer—Raya is not doing well.”
Jax dismounted, holding Raya in his arms as Storm grabbed the reins of his horse. “Go, I’ll help Corbin with the horses while you get her inside.”
Raya murmured incoherently, trying to push out of Jax’s arms and stand on her own.
“Stop being stubborn,” Jax insisted, assisting her despite her protests.
“Go,” Corbin urged, taking the reins from Storm. “She needs you. I have others who can help me with this.” Corbin took control of all three horses as he called for a young stable boy to assist him so we could get Raya inside.
“Thank you.”
Corbin nodded in return before leaving with all the horses in tow, the stable boy running to meet him.
Upon entering the inn, Jax quickly sat Raya down at one of the tables and went to find a glass of water. Storm sat by her side as she held her head in her hands.
“Raya, I am going to find William and get you a healer,” I told her. “Just hang on a little longer.”
“Thank you, Lana,” she whispered as her head nodded forward. “I felt fine earlier. I’m not sure what happened. It’s like the moment I think I’m back to normal, something grabs ahold of me and brings me back down.”
“You fought well today.” Storm rubbed her back. “But you shouldn’t have had to. We need to get you rested and ready for what is to come.”
I laid my hand on Raya’s shoulder and turned to go in search of William, but a movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention.
Cassandra descended the staircase.
Utter rage overtook my entire body, filling every crack and crevice of my soul. “You.”
I lunged toward her. A blast of light left my fingertips before I even knew what happened. I lost complete control, my light exploding toward the woman I believed responsible for losing Kade.
If she had been more honest with us, more forthcoming, he might be here.
Cassandra held up a hand, splitting my light so it diverted it around her and crashed into the stairwell wall behind her, leaving a singed mark on the stone.
Storm stopped me before I could get any closer to her, grabbing me by my middle.
“Don’t you stop me, Storm,” I screamed. “She knows. She knows what’s happening and is keeping secrets.” I pivoted back to face the seer. “You spoke in riddles, not giving us an ounce of direction. Do you see what happened to us? Do you see who is missing? Who was taken. This is your fault.”
Another blast of light left my palm, again without me even trying. Storm jumped away from me as it careened into a chair next to the stairs. “Lana, calm down.”
I turned to him. “Calm down? You want me to calm down? Her evil mate is free, trying to destroy our very world, and you want me to calm down?” I shook my head incredulously. “Oh no, not while my mate is out there, with only the Fates knowing what is happening to him.”
Cassandra appeared unbothered by my outrage.
The lack of reaction to my words about Kade seemed so unlike the caring woman I’d met those few short weeks ago.
“I’m glad you finally realized he is your mate.
One less thing for me to worry about.” She finally finished coming down the stairs and stood before me.
“But you may want to get all that in check.” She pointed to the incinerated chair before looking me up and down.
This woman was unbelievable. Who did she think she was, acting like she was so unaffected by it all. She cared for us, she loved Kade. I know she did. This wasn’t the same Cassandra who’d healed me at Mount Legion.
“This is your fault,” I said, pointing at her. “You did this.”
Cassandra faltered for one moment, a flash of guilt, before steeling herself back into this new hardened version. “You touched the amulet. As did Kade. What’s meant to pass did. No use being upset over it,” she retorted.
I screamed, grabbing for her, only for Storm to wrap his arms around me again.
“Lana, it will do us no good if you cannot have a productive conversation,” he whispered to me.
I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths, slowing my breathing and my racing heart. Tears flooded my eyes at how angry I felt, and I hated it. Hated the reaction that would let her know how much her actions got to me.
Several moments passed before I opened my eyes, letting some of the rage dissipate enough for rationality to return. Unclenching my fists, I nodded at Storm. I could behave. My anger must have visibly simmered to an appropriate enough level because he felt comfortable to release me from his grasp.
“You have not fulfilled your destiny,” Cassandra said as she met my gaze. She moved across the room toward the bar top. Kalliah appeared, and she gasped. “Lana.” Hurriedly, she set the cup of tea she carried down on a table by Cassandra and ran toward me.
I choked back a sob, sweeping her into a hug.
“We were so worried,” she said, pulling back and looking me up and down. “Ian is travelling to gather your army.” She squeezed my arm before letting go.
I swallowed down some of the anxious energy I’d felt seeing her again.
Once I put eyes on Ian things would be better.
Then we’d find a way to Kade and I’d know everyone I loved was here.
Safe. I adjusted my tunic, my gaze shifting back to Cassandra.
In order for us to get Kade back though we needed answers.
Giving myself a moment, one steadying breath, I faced the seer again, refraining from cursing her for good.
“What else aren’t you telling us? There must be more about the prophecies you can share. You must have seen something else.”
Her eyes narrowed in my direction as she sipped the tea. “You do not ask the right questions.”
Frustration didn’t even begin to come close to how I felt at the way she continued to act. I clenched my jaw tight to keep from spewing hateful comments. Storm stayed close to my side, ready to intervene again if necessary.
Before I could fire back a retort, Jax finally returned, trailing behind a flustered William. “What is all the racket going on in here? I leave for two minutes and there’s screaming. Sounds like absolute pandemonium, and you know I never want to miss a fight.”
Somehow Jax had found another damn apple, and bit into its juicy red skin.
“Do you ever stop?” I huffed, rolling my eyes.
“Me? Never.” He winked at me before moving to Raya, who still sat slumped in her chair.
“A healer can be here in twenty minutes.” William grunted. “We’ve just sent your stable hand to fetch her. Room three on the left is clean. You can meet with her in there.”
Cassandra had turned her back to the room, slowly making her way toward the stairs, clearly trying to escape unnoticed.
“Cassandra, we are not done here,” I yelled, trying not to get riled up all over again. “Don’t you walk away from me.”
Raya’s head lifted and she looked around the room, her expression hopeful that her pain would be over soon.
She took a deep breath and anchored herself against the table for support before she tried to stand slowly.
Her body swayed and she leaned so far right, Jax had to catch her.
He delicately placed her limp body on the floor.
Grabbing a towel thrown over a nearby chair and lifting her head to form a pillow.
“You should be more worried about your friend here than me,” Cassandra snapped. “Can’t you see she is unwell?” Gathering her skirt, she hurried to Raya’s side. She leaned down and placed her hand on Raya’s forehead, and the seer’s eyes widened. “No ordinary healer can manage this.”
My throat constricted and I froze. Jax, Storm, and I all exchanged a look. William threw his hands up, leaving the room muttering to himself about the constant headaches we’d caused.
“Move, move, out of my way,” Cassandra growled, waving for us to take a few steps back from Raya’s body. She sat by Raya’s head, hovering her hands over our friend’s forehead as she chanted something unrecognizable.
We sat in silence as Cassandra used her magic on Raya. The minutes crept by, stretching into endless time. Still, Cassandra sat entranced over Raya’s body.
Small beams of a green-hued light floated over her.
Raya gasped loudly and tried to sit up. “What did you do?”
“Now, now, dear, lie back down. You’ve not been well,” Cassandra instructed in a soothing tone. “Your mind has been riddled with torture over the years, and what you did in the end to fight Dargan? Well, it will take some time for your body to return to normal.”
Raya shivered and reached for Cassandra’s arm. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Storm, dear,” Cassandra said, looking at him. “Take her upstairs to rest. I will continue healing her mind and body there soon.”
Storm and Jax helped Raya stand and assisted her up the stairs.
They left me standing with Cassandra, the version of her I recognized. “Thank you for healing her.”
She peered at me. “There is much work still to be done, but she should be feeling better soon. You are not the only one who will need her.”
Just like that, she shifted back into her unwelcome new facade.
Her cryptic words made it hard not to go back to being pissed instead of grateful.
“Me and you have unfinished business, Cassandra.” I ripped the white dagger from its sheath and slammed it down on the table next to us.
“Now, before you go anywhere else, tell me what you know about this dagger. And I mean everything.”
A shuffle of steps echoed behind me and a whisper of a breeze grazed the back of my neck.
“It’s not my sister you need for that,” Vivienne said, a half-smile gracing her lips. “It’s me.”