Chapter Eighty-Two

Delanie POV

The air in the forest was dense it was hard for me to breathe but I pushed forward. Ajax didn’t look like he was struggling. He had the bag of things we needed slung over his shoulder.

We didn’t know what we were looking for but it was supposed to be something unique with a symbol on it and maybe a little blood. Ajax would track the blood easily.

“Are you okay?” Ajax asked.

“I don’t know. It’s kind of hard to breathe. Do you feel it?”

He shook his head. He reached out, grabbed my hand and squeezed.

“We can stop if you’re feeling well.”

“I’m fine. I can do this.”

He pulled me close and kissed my forehead. I felt his anxiety but if we didn’t do this now we never would.

“This place feels dead. Weird.”

A forest like this should have some wildlife, birds, and insects infesting the earth but the ground was hard and the soil was black as if a fire had gone through it.

“This isn’t a natural place, Delanie. I should have thought about how it would affect you.”

“I’m fine. We just have to keep moving.”

He didn’t believe me but we spent the next few minutes searching for a symbol or blood. With each step I took it was getting harder for me to breathe but I didn’t let Ajax see me struggle. We’d gotten this far if we stopped when would we find another opportunity to get here?

Ajax stopped suddenly.

“This way,” he said.

I struggled to keep up with him. Please, let this be Mom’s hiding spot because I felt a headache coming on and my throat was dry. How was he not affected? Because he’s an Alpha male and I’m just human.

Ajax knelt in front of a smooth silver rock. He picked up the dirt and smelt it. This must be where General Max used his blood to open the seal. The rock was smooth but the closer I looked at it I realised there was a faint marking of a crescent moon and a planet. I had a feeling it was Venus.

“Okay, baby this will only hurt a little bit,” Ajax said.

This was where I had to give my blood as a substitute. Harvey said my blood wouldn’t be enough of its own so he found us some magic neutralizers, sea salt and seawater. There was a chance that it might be enough to bust Alexandra out of here.

Ajax pulled the knife from the duffle bag, he took my hand and held my gaze. It was a big knife of course it was going to hurt.

“It’s alright, mate,” he said soothingly.

“I know,” I winced.

“You know Venus is supposedly the Moon’s enemy so when they gave birth to the goddess and gods the offspring were always at odds. Though, the moon’s always had an advantage which only fuelled Venus’s rage.”

I looked at the marking on the stone and then the blade cut through my skin. I yelped.

Ajax took my hand and headed it over the sea salt so my blood could drip on it.

“Ouch! Did you just make that up?”

He smirked. “Of course not.”

Ajax handed me a cloth to stop the bleeding.

“Let me help with that,” he said.

He took my chin and crashed his lips against mine. He had my wounded hand in his. Ajax lingered on my lips, teasing and tasting. It felt good I wanted to meet his tongue in a longer and sensual kiss, but he pulled back.

“I didn’t have to kiss you it was just an excuse.”

“Ugh, look at you.”

It worked my wounded hand was completely healed.

“What now Ajax?”

“We wait.”

He tucked me under his arm and I rested a hand on his chest. I hoped the rock would roll back and reveal my Mother’s aged face. I’d only seen her in pictures and envisioned her in her letters. I had to tell her that her Mother had been killed and her Grandmother died too. It was just me and her but we were total strangers. We had Annika too maybe that would straighten our bond.

“Get back!” Ajax yanked me back. He used his body to shield me from an explosion. The ground quaked and bits and pieces of rocks went flying.

“What’s going on?” I shouted.

“The rock exploded.”

I swallowed. Was that supposed to happen?

It stopped raining rubble but the ground hadn’t stopped shaking. The massive silver rock was gone, revealing a warm red room hidden behind it.

“She’s in there,” I said.

“Wait, Delanie—”

I wiggled out of Ajax’s hold and ran to the threshold. The earth was quieting down but I still struggled to gain my footing. My eyes darted to every corner of the room. It looked like any modern home. It had a brown furniture set, and a glass coffee table, the ground was made of smooth black rock and so was the ceiling. It felt like a modern cave home but not a prison.

“Who’s there?” A strong feminine woman demanded.

A woman in a white robe stood staring at me. Her emerald eyes gave her away. She looked just like she did in her photos. I was suddenly tongue-tied.

Ajax wrapped his arms around my waist and tugged me back.

“Alexandra, we’re here to save you. I don’t think we have much time until something else happens,” Ajax said.

Alexandra took a step forward, scrutinizing us.

“How did you get here? You broke the seal,” she pointed at the hole where the rock was moments ago.

“A lot’s happened over the years but General Max can no longer keep you captive. Your daughter Delanie—”

“My daughter?” Her hand went to her throat. “My daughter is dead!”

“No,” my voice cracked. “I’m not. Not for a lack of trying on Max’s part but because someone was brave enough to spare me.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks. “This can’t be. I don’t know what to think.”

“We can think once we’re out of here. The air’s changing,” Ajax said through gritted teeth.

“Of course, it’s changing. You broke the magic that holds this place together,” Alexandra said matter of fact.

The ground shook again but this time the trees came down with it. Alexandra looked alarmed.

“We have to go,” Ajax urged.

He grabbed my arm and led me out of the cave but Alexandra lingered by the threshold. She looked confused and scared. She hasn’t been out in the real world since the day I was born over twenty years ago.

“It’s okay. You’re free now,” I said.

“I don’t remember what that feels like,” she said.

“It’s wonderful and you won’t be alone ever again. I want you in my life.”

Another tear rolled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”

I shook my head. “It’s Maximus’s fault. His jealousy and ego caused all this.”

I held out my hand. After wiping her tears, she took my hand and gripped it tightly.

“Great now we can get out of here,” Ajax said, relieved.