Chapter 63 – Friend In Disguise

Esma’s pov.

One hour earlier...

I winced as I tried to move my wrists. Trying to loosen them up from the ropes. Though they were laced with silver and wolfsbane, I was getting numb to pain. It may be the alpha blood flowing in my veins that was keeping me alive all this time. If I was a normal wolf, I would have died long ago.

I winced once more as the blood slowly oozing out from my wrists. Or maybe not. The silver was started to get mixed with my blood now. The ropes had already started eating my skin due to silver and wolfsbane. It was acting like an acid for me.

Michael was out as soon as he heard commotion outside, I know better than anyone who was behind it.

He was here. I knew it. he will find me. Reed. I sensed him before I saw him. I know he was here. He was coming for me. Slowly the distance between was getting shorter with every passing every second.

“You think he will save you?” I heard the voice in the dark. It was cold, devoid of any kind of emotion. Just empty. I tried to blink; my eyelids felt heavy. I don’t know why.

“Try not to inhale too much poison in one go. You will not die but you can surely get paralyzed.” This time I know who the voice belongs to.

I heard the chafing of the footsteps and before I could register, there she was. Hecate. Goddess of the underworld. The strongest witch ever known, the mother of the witches, standing in front of me, in her full glory.

“Esma.”

“Hecate.” I acknowledged her now. I know all about her. how she fell from grace. Why she is now like this. I feel guilty to blame her for all that before, though it was not her fault. I demonized her just like that, without any reason.

“If I could stand, I would have bowed down in front of a goddess.” I said and immediately regret it as I coughed. My throat was burning.

“Don’t bother with your witty remarks. I know what you are trying to do.” She said, her voice didn’t change.

Actually, I wanted someone to pin the blame on. I wanted to someone to curse. I wanted someone to complete the lack of my self-competency.

“I have nullified the poison in the room.” She said and with the swift move she just sit in front of me on the chair. When did the chair appear? Every move of hers was elegant and she did it beautifully, with grace.

Now that she mentioned it, I find it kind of easier to breathe in the room. So, they wanted to weaken me by the poison. No doubt they leave no guard to watch over me.

“You have suffered so much for no reason.” She commented out of nowhere and raised her hands in air before snapping her fingers. My ropes were free in another second.

I sighed in relief as soon as my hands were freed. The blood stopped and my hands were started to healed. Slowly but surely. She looked up as if thinking to herself. I don’t know what was going up through her head.

My mind was fuzzy. Maybe from all the poison I have inhaled. I don’t know if I was hallucinating her or if she was really in front of me.

“You have suffered way too much for that pathetic excuse of a man you called your mate.” she commented again out of nowhere, this time she spits on ground as if in disgust speaking of my mate.

Anger seethed inside of me as if someone poured hot water on me. I coughed hard as I tried to speak, trying to object. She looked at me with pitiful eyes and I swear I hated those eyes.

“You don’t have much time.” she commented again and looked at me through the corner of her eye. “He’s battling the worse opponent he ever faced.” She said and for a second, I saw the look of worry flashing on her beautiful face.

Her eyes, the same color as of the purple amber glazed over and I think she was seeing much more than I could imagine.

“You better hurry.” She said and finally looked at me and for the first time I saw how she looked so similar to Moona from my visions. I remembered the lines of the old book.

Originally, the three of the goddesses together rule the moon and the world. Selene, Hecate and Moona together foresee the mankind and the underworld.

“You love him, you care about him as much you cared about your sister.” The words were out from my mouth on its own. I don’t know why but I feel like she was suffering. She too had suffered alone and for a god-awful long time.

She looked at me in disbelief, in surprise and in another second, she started laughing. She laughed and laughed alone in the empty room, her laughter filling the empty dull walls. I didn’t say anything that amusing.

“You are million years young to care for me.” She said after she stopped herself.

“There is no to feel sad,” I said again after a while. She raised her one eyebrow in amusement.

“You and Moona and Reed. You have similar sadness. But you have different sadness than them. it’s like you are a cold spot in the room. I can shout at him or tease him and get a reaction that let me know that he is still there.”

I sit straight now and look straight in her old eyes. “But your sadness is like icy well. Its bottomless and swallows up your voice and everything you try to drop into it.” I said and even I was surprised from myself.

She didn’t say a single word. We sat in silence for don’t know how long. After what it seems like eternity, she finally whispered.

“Moona never fails to amuse me. Now, I see why she chose you for him.” She whispered and I swear I saw her smirking.

“Take a right from the door and then right from the oak tree. you will find him in the abandoned building. But he is not alone. hurry or he will be dead.” She said and with that she snapped her fingers and before I could even register what she said, she was gone in the puff.

I finally stand after I was sure there was no one except me. I tried to stand but my legs feel numb, god knows for how long I was held captive here.

If it was not for the Hecate, I would have been total helpless. I have to meet her and personally thank her after this is was all over. If she ever thought of meeting me…

I finally muster all my strength and able to walk to the door, as to my surprise the door was not locked. I know I couldn’t escape but still… I shook my head and walked outside. the guards were down. Must be because of poison.

Michael and Ravenna. They didn’t care about their own people. they just used them. everyone were like pawn for them and this was a game.

I shook my head and walked past the dead bodies.

I can now feel the bond very clearly as I got the fresh air. Also I could sense wolves. I know the war has already broken out. I smell blood, the stench of rotten blood was not good either. I finally climbed the stairs and opened the main door.

My mouth was wide open as I saw the personification of Hell.