Chapter 341 Chapter 341
“I have to leave?”
Konner spun around to see Terah and Rayne standing in the doorway. She was wearing a long floral print dress. The top of it was fit close to her form, then it flowed out from her waist. She looked amazing in it. To any other woman, it would be too light to wear during this cooler season, but one of his wouldn’t be bothered with the temperatures. He noticed the panicked look on her face and realized he hadn’t answered her. “I’m taking you back to the Sanctuary.”
Terah looked at Rayne, then jerked her head back to look at him. “I can’t. I can’t go. I can’t do it again, be without water.” She clutched her waist as if she were remembering the pains that were a result of being out of the water too long.
“I’m going to plan a route so there are...”
She sucked in a breath and shook her head. Spinning around she ran out of the room.
Konner went after her. If she went outside and managed to get down to the water, he’d be chasing her around for days. He caught up to her just as she reached the door. Reaching over her head, he placed his hand on it so she couldn’t open it.
“Please let me go.” The panic in her voice broke his heart.
“Terah, I will not make you go without water.” He touched her shoulder and felt her trembling beneath his hand.
She turned and shrunk back from him until her back was pressed up against the door. “Please. I can’t do it again. You do not understand...”
Leaning down, right in front of her face, he made sure she had no choice, but to look right at him. “Calm down.” The terror in her eyes only enhanced his need to find Aiden Tomas and stick a knife through his heart. “Terah, stop.” He allowed his voice to vibrate, in a way that resembled communication under the water. It was painful to do, and he’d likely need to drink an entire bottle of water after doing it, but it did settle her enough to look right at him. “Take a deep breath, through your nose,” lifting his chin, he leaned closer so she would be sure to pick up his scent as she did it.
She sucked in a breath, her blue eyes rounded, and were staring at him when he looked at her again. “You are like me.” Her voice was filled with amazement. “I thought I was the only one that remained.”
As he went to step away from her, she grabbed him around the waist and clung to him. He could feel her shaking and smell her tears. Wrapping his arms around her, he cradled her against his chest. “You are not the only one.” She sobbed and he thought his heart was going to shatter inside his chest. To live as she had and think she was the last one of her kind, he couldn’t imagine it. No matter how dire things had felt in the decades of searching, he’d always had his great aunt with him, he’d never been completely alone.
Terah pulled back and looked up at him, her cheeks shimmering where the tears had fallen, “are there more?” She was unlike any other woman he knew, not even bothering to wipe them away.
He brushed the hair back from her face and nodded. “Yes, so far there are thirteen more of us at the Sanctuary.”
“What is the Sanctuary?”
“It’s our home. It’s private, safe, and secure with a huge lake and rivers running through it.”
“And fish? It has fish?”
Konner laughed, “it has a never-ending supply of fish.” He wasn’t lying, they had their own fishery.
Terah made a noise that was close to a squeal and spun around.
Devin and Rayne stood there. Rayne wiped the tears off her cheeks.
“Endless fish,” Terah said and went quickly back to Rayne. She stopped in front of her. “I will send you some.” She told her in a serious tone.
Devin looked over their heads at him, an amused expression on his face.
Konner lifted one shoulder as if to say they could probably do that.
Terah spun again, the material spiraling out from her body, she stopped and looked down at it, smoothing her hand over it. “Rayne gave me this dress.” She smiled at him.
“It’s lovely.” He motioned to her bare feet. “We’re going to have to find you some shoes to go with it.” The happiness left her face, he smirked, she really didn’t like footwear.
“Are we going now?” She looked from him to Rayne and then back again.
Konner began walking back to the office. “I need to plan a route with a lot of lakes and water on along the way, but we can leave in the morning.”
“Okay. Yes. A lot of water.” She nodded and followed him into the office.
He leaned on the table and looked down at the map. Terah stood beside him looking at it as well, he was doubtful that she had any idea what she was looking at.
“We need a name for here?” Rayne said quietly as she came into the room with her mate.
“The house?” Devin came over to the table.
“Not here, here.” Rayne nudged him with her elbow, “here, the campground.”
Devin frowned and looked from the map back to her. “It’s the campground.”
“What was it called before when it was used for actual campers?”
Konner wanted to ask if he could borrow a pen, but with the intent look the princess was giving Devin, he didn’t want to interrupt.
He shrugged, “Pine River campground.”
“Because of all the trees?”
Devin shook his head, glanced at Konner for a second before answering Rayne. “No, because the Pine River runs along the edge of the land.”
“Well, that’s boring.” Rayne crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the floor. “It needs to be something, peaceful,” she shrugged, “so many are here to heal and recover.”
“Is this something we need to discuss now?” Devin gave Konner an apologetic look.
A line appeared between Rayne’s brows as she looked at him. “I think so yes. I hear ‘we’re going to the campground’ or ‘at the campground’ and many others twenty times a day. If we’re living here and people are here, it should have a name.” She glanced to Terah, “don’t you think so?”
Terah looked at her and nodded. “Everywhere should have a name.” She smiled at Konner, “like the Sanctuary.”
Devin inhaled a breath so deep that Konner watched his shoulders rise and fall when he exhaled. “What name would you like?”
Tilting her head to the side, a focused look on her face. “What projects peace?” When her mate didn’t speak, she frowned hard, “what about Tranquility?”
Devin jolted like she’d just smacked him. “I don’t think I can call out over the radio ‘send them to Tranquility.” He shook his head.
Rayne surveyed him silently for a moment, then the expression on her face eased. “Serenity.” She nodded.
Devin shook his head, “big no to that one too.”
Blowing out a long sigh, Rayne put her hand over her mouth, her gaze moving randomly around the room. “Arcadia.” She nodded. “That one works.”
“Arcadia campground?” Devin asked cautiously.
“No.” She smirked, “just Arcadia. Let’s go home to Arcadia.” She nodded looking quite pleased.
Devin glanced over at Konner for a moment, a look of acceptance slowly coming over his face. He turned back to her, “Arcadia it is.” He cleared his throat, “isn’t there somewhere else with that name?”
“Not in our world, our kind will know it as here.” She smiled at him. “I’m going to call your mother and tell her.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek and then walked from the room.
Devin rubbed his hand over his chest and turned back to him. “I guess I live in Arcadia now.”
Konner smirked, “as opposed to Tranquility?”
“Right. Arcadia is good.”