Chapter 50 Fifty
Still lost in confusion, Danica just watched as Martha looked around the room at everyone before finally resting her gaze on her.
"I'm sorry for keeping so much from you." Martha said, moving forward and placing a hand on Danica's cheek. "I know it wasn't fair to you, but I did it for your own good."
"What are you talking about?" Danica asked, grabbing ahold of Martha's hand.
Mason, who was still holding her, let a low growl escape him, clearly now seeing Martha as the enemy that put his mate through torture.
"Mason..." Danica warned as Martha simply chuckled.
"It seems that he cares deeply for you." Martha said, looking happy. "I'm so glad you've managed to find your one person."
"Why are you talking like that, Martha?" Danica asked.
The way she spoke, it was beginning to sound like this may be the last time she were to see her. It wasn't like she would be disappearing from her life, right?
"Danica, my love." Martha said sadly. "All will be revealed soon."
"Could you get to talking?" Nigel urged, clearly growing impatient. "Who are you, woman?"
"My name is Martha Ansley." Martha spoke slowly. "I am the crone of the Sarff clan."
"Crone?" Nigel repeated, his eyes growing wide. "Why is the crone living in the human realm rather than in the darklands?"
Martha chuckled. "I was kicked out of the Sarff clan the day I decided to take Danica in as my own."
"What?" Danica asked as Martha's words sunk in. "You were thrown out of your home because of me? Why would you do something like that?"
"Because I fell in love with a tiny little rogue girl in the middle of the woods many years ago." Martha responded with a smile. "From the moment I laid eyes on her, she instantly stole my heart."
"That child being Danica." Nigel chimed in, trying to get Martha back to telling her story.
"Right." Martha confirmed as she closed her eyes. "I remember the day very well. I was in the forest searching for a few herbs to take back to the dakrlands; after all, we didn't have them available there. As I was walking, I saw smoke pluming into the air. Out of curiosity, I moved forward to try to figure out where it was coming from."
"Smoke?" Ash asked in confusion.
"My parents burned to death." Danica offered before Martha could explain. "I'm guessing this was right after their home finished burning."
"Right." Martha confirmed. "It led me to the very center of the woods; there I found the smoldering remains of a home and a tiny little creature snarling and howling in front of it."
A snarling and howling little creature... Danica couldn't help but shiver at the thought.
"You okay?" Mason whispered in her ear, tightening his grip around her.
"Yeah...." She responded, keeping her gaze fixed on Martha. "Are you saying that I was feral when you found me?" She asked now.
Martha nodded, "That is correct," she responded. "When I found you that day, you were in a feral state; that is why I put that spell on you."
"So, it wasn't a curse; rather, it was a way to keep her inner rogue contained." Nigel murmured, scratching his chin.
"I know it wasn't the best of decisions, but at the time, it was the only option I had." Martha continued. "With the mark in place, Danica came back to her senses and was nothing more than a little girl who had become orphaned and needed someone to care for her."
"Did you not think of what would happen when she turned 18 and her wolf half would awaken?" Mason demanded. Even if everyone else was understanding of Martha's actions, he most certainly wasn't. "She went through such hell during the first full moon after her 18th birthday!"
"Mason, that's enough." Danica said, frowning. "She said that she had no other options."
"Then she could have lifted it sooner!" Mason continued, anger flaring. "As the crone of the Sarff clan, she is aware of how werewolves are; she knew that you would be going through your first change and that what she did would stop it!"
"Mason!" Danica growled. "Let Martha speak!"
Grumbling to himself, Mason snapped his mouth shut and fixed his glare on Martha.
"Danica, do not get mad at the boy." Martha said. "He is correct; what I did was wrong."
"You did it for my well-being," Danica insisted.
"That may be so, but I did it spur-of-the-moment and wasn't aware of all the consequences." Martha said, frowning.
"Water under the bridge." Danica shrugged; no matter what, she would not blame Martha.
"You mentioned a feral child; are you saying that Danica has feral blood?" Nigel said drawing everyone's attention to him. "Could that explain the strange darkness you told me about before, Mason?"
"Looks like." Mason sighed. "Now that we know what it is, is there anyway to contain it?"
"No," Ash said, slowly seeming to be lost in his own head. "She would have to accept it and merge with it as one."
"Merge?" Danica asked in confusion. "What do you mean merge?"
Before Ash could respond, Martha took a sharp breath. Turning her gaze to her adoptive mother, Danica had just enough time to see her collapse on the floor before she was moving, prying herself free of Mason's hold so that she could kneel beside her.
"What's wrong?" Danica asked in a panic.
Martha took in a shaky breath. "I'm afraid my time is up."
"What?" Danica demanded, not quite sure if she had heard right. "What are you talking about? Why would it even be up?"
"She depleted her life force." Nigel said, coming up behind them. "Though sorcerers are able to use magical powers, it doesn't mean that doesn't come without a price."
"No," Danica growled. "No...."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Martha whispered, placing a hand on her cheek. "It seems that my job here is done, and now you will have to move forward with your new family."
"Don't say that." Danica said as tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. "You're just tired; that's all that's wrong. After you get some sleep, you'll be fine."
Chuckling Martha shook her head. "I'm so sorry; I have to go now."
"NO!" Danica yelled, pulling Martha against her in a hug as her tears began to freely flow. "You aren't going anywhere, Martha; I won't allow it!"
"I love you, Danica." Martha murmured as her eyes drifted closed.
Letting out an agonized scream, Danica began shaking Martha, trying to rouse her as Martha's body began to fade. Sobbing, she continued to hold on until where Martha had been previously in her arms was completely empty.