Chapter 65

*Grief. Bone chilling, stomach turning, blood curdling grief. That’s all Seraphina could feel. She collapsed and let out a wail that sounded almost demonic. She clawed at her naked skin and screamed into the night. Her screeches loud enough to disturb the heavens. Raging fires encircled her like a protective wall.

*She wrapped her arms around her stomach, feeling empty, hollow, lost. She could hear the sound of laughter, a cruel, demented laugh. Turning her head towards the sound, her eyes reflecting the flames dancing as they were slick with tears. Stepping through the flames, she stalked towards the person laughing at her, her hands partially shifted into the claws of her dragon. Ready to tear out the throats of whoever had dared to mock her.

*“You thought you could take what was mine? You thought I would allow you to live your fairy tale happily ever after? NO! You took my future away from me, my throne! It should have been MINE! By the time I am through with you, I will have taken everything you hold dear! My father took your parents, I took your babies and your Prince and I will take MY son back and you will watch them all BURN!” Briseis eyes were hollow and empty and she spat her venomous words as Seraphina.

*Seraphina’s head whipped back and forth as she tried to dismiss the words Briseis was saying, she knew though, she could feel the promise in her threats. Briseis is going to kill everyone she loves.*

Seraphina shot up from the bed, her hand clutched the sheets to her chest as she panted frantically.

Scrambling across the bed, she dived towards where the crib had been moved to beside her bed. Frantic eyes searched in the crib; her chest tightened as she felt the panic taking root in her. Sweeping her hands across the sheets, she breathed a sigh of relief when her eyes landed on Leo, curled at the bottom of the crib.

As she began to calm, the pounding of her heart subsided and she could finally hear his light, gentle snores. Carefully moving him so he was back in the middle of the crib, she sat back on the bed and blew out a heavy sigh.

Taking a fistful of her hair, she clutched it to her head as she tried to fight back the tears in her eyes.

The door to her bedroom cracked open letting in a dim ray of light, Aurelia’s head popped through blocking some of the light and casting a shadow over her face.

“Oh,” she paused at the door, “I didn’t know you were up; I was just coming to check on you…Is everything okay?”

Biting down on her lip, Seraphina began to nod. A sole tear slipped from her eye and tracked down her cheek, her breath caught in her throat. She turned to face Aurelia and shook her head.

“No, no I’m not okay.”

Stepping through the door, Aurelia rushed over to Seraphina and pulled her into an embrace.

“I..I keep having the same dream or vision… I’m not even sure what it is,” her voice cracked as she spoke the truth that had been tormenting her for almost 2 weeks now.

Keeping her arms encircled around Seraphina, Aurelia tried to ignore the knot that was forming in her stomach.

“What happens in the dream?”

Drawing in a shaky breath, Seraphina looked down into her lap.

“Briseis is there, she is laughing at me, she says she has already taken my parents, my twins and Achilles and she is going to kill everyone else I love…she said she is going to take Leo,” she choked on a sob as the words left her mouth.

Aurelia paled; her mouth hung open as a hand gripped her heart. She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat but a strangled whimper escaped instead.

Turning to face her, a solemn look came across Seraphina’s face, her mouth set in a line as her eyes darkened despite the tears that were flowing freely.

“He isn’t dead Aurelia, I can feel it in my bones, he is still alive, our bond is still there, I know it. And Briseis isn’t going to take anyone else that I love, she will try but she will die trying,” without realising, her hand had drifted to rest over her stomach in a protective manner.

Aurelia’s eyes flitted down, her eyes narrowed. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she paused. Confusion, realisation, joy and sorrow all danced across her face.

“You’re pregnant?” her words both a question and a statement.

Seraphina nodded smiling. In spite of everything that was going on, this was something to be happy about, if she didn’t focus on the good, she knew without a doubt that her too fragile heart would succumb to the cracks and shatter completely.

“Isobella sensed in on the day of the rescue, I didn’t want to share the news until we found Achilles…”

It was Aurelia’s turn to be determined now.

“We will find Achilles, Seraphina; he will be back home and he will get to meet his daughter.”

Seraphina’s eyebrows furrowed together lightly and a small grin appeared on her lips.

“I never said it was a girl.”

She gave a lazy shrug and smirked at Seraphina.

“It’s just a feeling.”

She looked down at her stomach, a sad smile on her face as she wrapped protective arms around herself. Casting a look to the crib next to her, she reached out and placed a gentle hand on the still sleeping Leo.

Aurelia’s smirk disappeared and she took a firm hold of Seraphina’s shoulders.

“Seraphina, we will find him, I promise you this now. On my honour, my brother will return home and Briseis will finally pay for all she has done to you, to us.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, Seraphina’s lip trembled.

“We’ve had the best hunters in the kingdom looking for 2 weeks but, there’s no scent trail. She has cloaked him and none of our spells can locate him, even with all of the mages trying at once, they cannot break through her cloaking,” the words hurt to say. Even to recite the truth sounds like admitting defeat. That thought alone seemed to smother the embers within her.

“Briseis alone is not stronger than any of you, she must have help. We know she practices dark magic; she must’ve made a big sacrifice to cast a spell of that magnitude, we just need to find something strong enough to counter it,” Aurelia’s words didn’t seem to be spoken to anyone in particular, she was just thinking aloud.

Her grip tightened on Seraphina’s shoulders; her eyes lighting up as a grin spread across her face.

“Seraphina! Your blood, your blood was the answer before, it could be the answer now! Remember when Helga suspected you were the same as King Xaveris,” Aurelia knew not to say demi-god, she knew how the term unsettled Seraphina.

“Well when they first arrived, I spoke to Isobella and Seamus and they both said that their blood has never been able to adapt or strengthen a spell. With all that has happened, I completely forgot to discuss it with you. Seraphina, it worked before, it could work again!”

Seraphina shook her head slowly.

“Aurelia, do not get your hopes up…please. I am not special, I am not a blessed one or a chosen one or a demi-god-“

“-You do not know that! Seraphina, you are quite possibly the most powerful person in the world! You aren’t a normal Dhampir, you are of noble vampire blood and you are a direct descendant of the first mage! You have the dragon familiar! Only one other has ever existed, the gods only bestow that upon the purest of souls. You haven’t even begun to explore your power or potential yet! You are more powerful than Kind Xaveris even!”

Seraphina was sceptical, if she was truly as powerful as Aurelia thought, she wouldn’t have lost her twins and Achilles wouldn’t have been taken from her. Though, even she had to admit it was still worth a try.

Her shoulders slumped, the fight in her both alive and dead.

“We will try but…please don’t blame me if it doesn’t work Aurelia. I want him back more than anything. No, I need him back, I will do everything in my power but, if my power isn’t enough, please don’t hold it against me. I can’t lose you too,” her voice was small. It wasn’t often that Seraphina showed her age, or even the scars of her past. She had become exceptionally good as masking them and bottling her emotions up but, right now. She looked and sounded like a hurt and frightened child.

Aurelia’s eyes softened as she pulled Seraphina into a hug.

“I would never blame you Seraphina and you aren’t going to lose me. You’re my sister, you’re stuck with me now whether you like it or not,” she chuckled lightly as she tightened her hold on Seraphina.

“We’ll bring him back, Seraphina. I promise you this now, we will bring him back.” As she spoke the words, her mind wandered to something she had heard when she was a child.

*King Xaveris, the blessed one, the chosen one, the demi-god. Nothing was out of the realm of his power, not even resurrection…*