Chapter 147: Book 2 - Chapter 53

Chapter 53 –Forgiveness

Aero

Hadon was sneaky, but I was sneakier. What I did was to only use my enhanced sense of smell to locate him everywhere he went in Ehnrelil. I observed enough distance between us; hid under the shadows or behind the walls and watched his every move.

First, Hadon went to the Council of Elders’ tower. Did some paperwork there until he left two hours later and went to the Rexhus Tower. There were priestesses in training there. He observed them with a disappointed face and demanded more from them. Like a boastful man, he showed his spells—cheap magic tricks that even a fae child could do. But there was one that caught my eye. It was the cloaking spell he used when he kidnapped Serena.

I gritted my teeth while I watched him show it off to the priestesses. I wanted to rip his throat apart, but I knew I had to be more patient.

Another two hours passed by before he left Rexhus Tower. His next agenda was a disgusting one. He entered a fae house near their main square and stayed there for three hours fucking a fae woman. I knew it because I could hear their sounds of pleasure past the brick wall of the house. It was dicing my ears, and it never turned me on. In fact, I wanted to un-hear it.

When finally he left the house, it was late afternoon. In a deserted field just outside the square, he stood for a few minutes doing nothing. I hid behind the trees, but I used my camouflage ability just to be safe.

Then he produced a circular object from his robe pocket. It was the size of his fist. The way it was pulsing and glowing made me realize it contained some form of power.

He spoke some words to it before throwing it on the ground. Once the object touched the grassy soil, it created a swirling distortion in space. It wasn’t similar to mine when I realm hop, but it was close. Also, I had a strong suspicion this was what he used when he entered Phanteon and kidnapped Serena. It awfully resembled Sofia’s magic.

Hadon stepped inside the distortion and just like that, he disappeared without a trace. I rushed to follow him using my lycan speed, but to my disappointment, I wasn’t fast enough. The portal closed and what was left in the area was a dime-sized transparent marble. At first look, it was disguised with the soil. It could have easily escaped my notice if I wasn’t already present to witness the change.

“Fuck,” I cursed in the air and punched the ground. “FUCK!”

I clenched my teeth and glared at the destruction I caused on the earth. I was on a dead end again. But...no. As I looked at the marble, I realized the Universe still sided with me. In haste, I processed faces and names who could actually help me pinpoint how this object worked and maybe reverse-engineer it. The face of Calaheim popped in my head then.

Of course, he was the best candidate since he too experienced an enlightenment journey like Hadon.

I didn’t think twice teleporting in his entrance cave with the marble in hand, but I quickly cocked a brow when my eyes landed on two persons.

Adamar and Aurora.

Adamar’s right hand was gone, covered by my half-sister’s dress. I was experienced enough to assume where his fingers ended.

Aurora, on the other hand, was dangerously close to punching him in the face.

“You sure are a lively couple,” I said, and they both stiffened. I gave Adamar a glare, one that was filled with a message saying ‘I just saved your ass from getting punched by a woman. You owe me big time.’

He looked sheepish thereafter and dropped his hand from wandering further.

Aurora simply stepped forward and brushed my fae friend like he was an artificial plant. She didn’t look bothered by the fact that I had just seen them together and in a risqué situation.

“Why are you here, Aero?” she asked pointblank, facing me.

I inwardly groaned. She had the guts to use my first name.

“That’s ‘Your Majesty’ to you, woman, and I’m here for Calaheim, not you.”

“You cannot see him,” she answered with again that dripping confident voice.

I cocked a brow. “And why is that?”

She lifted her chin up and puffed her chest.

“I alone decide who sees Calaheim, and I deem you not worthy.”

My patience snapped. “Look here, woman. I don’t have the luxury of time to play games with you. I am in a tight situation.”

“Oh really?” she scoffed. “The Alpha King of Phanteon who refuses to forgive his mother is in a tight situation?”

“Serena is missing,” I answered through clenched teeth. “I have this as my only clue,”—I showed her the marble—”and I need Calaheim’s expertise to point me to the right direction.”

“Serena is missing?” Meters away, Adamar questioned with a frown. “How is that possible, Aero? She can’t be—”

“No,” Aurora interrupted him. I was damn sure this was her reply to my earlier intention.

“What did you just say?” My temper rose, and it was not directed to Hilda or Hadon this time, it was directed to her.

“I said, no, you can’t see Calaheim, not until you defeat me in a fight.”

She produced two curved blades from behind her and readied a fighting stance. How she summoned these weapons was beyond me, but seeing as she was Calaheim’s apprentice, I didn’t need to wonder further.

“With pleasure,” I answered and grinned wide. “Adamar, here, guard this for me.” I tossed him the marble, and he caught it easily. However, he shot me a glare, one that didn’t approve of my decision.

“But Aero! You can’t fight Roe! You can’t hurt her!” he complained while nearing his mate.

“I’ll be fine,” Aurora answered for me without even glancing at Adamar. She was ready for a fight, and so was I.

He relented, but not before touching her raised elbow. This action I knew all too well. They were communicating through mind-link.

I gave them time, a minute tops, and when this was done, Adamar simply returned to standing near the rock wall, his face all serious.

Except for the select women in my life, I wasn’t a gentleman, so I rushed to attack her first; however, Aurora was already behind me in less than a second and gave me a blow to the head using a hard object I could only deem as the handle of her blades.

I nearly fell to the ground, but I pivoted just in time. My claw reached her with a slashing motion; her stomach bled that instant. But the wound was only superficial. That savage side of me wanted to cut her deeper.

She twisted her blades on each side and hissed at me before attacking again. I smirked at her idiotic boldness. I was her alpha king. I was a hundred times stronger, more skilled, and more powerful than he—

Argh!

Fuck.

Surprisingly, she caught me off guard with her speed. Blood oozed from my cheek. It wasn’t a deep cut, but it was enough to mar my face. Growling, I changed into my wolf form in the assumption that she couldn’t change into one since she was a half-human, but surprise, surprise, she answered me with a shift of her own.

Although she stood like a dwarf around my wolf, she carried her beast with dripping confidence still. Her fur was the shade of dark brown like her eyes, and she had traces of black on her limbs, almost as if she was wearing boots. She had a white diamond-shaped mark on her forehead which fitted her unusual bloodline. For a moment, a sense of pride hit me. She was truly my mother’s daughter. My half-sister.

But getting all mushy now wasn’t in my head. I snarled and ran towards her. She answered by meeting me halfway. Our beasts clashed with a bone-crushing force. Claws hit claws. Fangs hit fangs. Every blow she gave, one part of my organ suffered, but with every blow I gave, her fur turned redder. I tossed her on the ground many times. She sprang back up and attacked me with renewed determination.

Serena would probably berate me after this, but it wouldn’t matter. This was the only way I could express my frustration and heartache for my half-sister and mother.

And it seemed Aurora was the same, because as soon as she knew she was losing, she transformed back into her human form and threw ill-timed punches at me.

“You bastard!” she cried out. “I hate you! I hate you for hating mother! I hate you for giving her tears! I hate you for making her suffer!”

I allowed her to hit my face until I had enough.

“I hate you for not forgiving her!”

“I already forgave her!” I shouted as I returned to my human skin. I seized both of her wrists and dragged them down so that she could see my face properly through her wet eyes.

“Aurora, I already forgave her.” My voice lowered and before her, before Adamar, I showed my weak side. Serena and Elijah were the only ones who saw me like this. Now, Aurora and Adamar too. “I just couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud or even admit it. I already forgave her when I knew she was still alive.”

Her fists loosened. My grip on her wrists too. With her hands free, she cupped her face and balled like a fragile soul lost and lonely. She still held that Amazonian aura, but for me, in my eyes, she was my little sister who also needed comfort.

I grabbed her shoulders, pulled her to me and squeezed her tight.

“And I’m happy. I’m happy that I now have a sister as my family,” I confessed. “My family is growing and I’m thankful with that because I have always been lonely before Serena came.”

“Thank you, brother,” was her reply, muffled by her hands and my chest. “Thank you.”

“Now, please direct me to Calaheim. Serena and my children are still in danger. I can’t waste anymore time.”

She stopped sobbing and pulled out from my embrace. Her mask of indifference was back, but it wasn’t as irritating to me as before.

“Follow me, brother,” she encouraged. She walked to the entrance cave slightly limping and with a bloody gown. Adamar was quickly on her side, ready to assist her, his face a picture of concern.

We both entered Calaheim’s lair and like before, I found him already standing near the hearth.

“You two look like shit,” he crudely remarked, but he tossed two vials in front of us with a knowing grin. Aurora caught them just in time before they hit the ground and gave one to me.

“Drink up, alpha king,” Calaheim urged. “That elixir will help you regain your health.”

I did so and just as the cold liquid ran down my throat, I felt invigorated.

“I want you to tell me everything you know about this object, old man,” I started just as I signaled Adamar to give him the marble.

“Ah, this,” Calaheim stated as Adamar handed it to him. “All Ehnrelil priestesses are trained to inject their powers in specific objects, Your Majesty. This object will stay the same even if the owner dies as the case maybe with the owner of this marble. I reckon this is Athyllane’s?”

“I know her to be Sofia,” was my answer.

He simply nodded and continued.

“Once used, the power disappears and returns into its former shape and size. Athyllane must have created several of these during her life. Otherwise, Hilda wouldn’t be able to get in and out of Ehnrelil as she pleases. And the same goes to Hadon. He has no teleportation powers, yet he was able to kidnap your queen.”

“You see the future. Why didn’t you alarm us?” I asked; a little irked with his insensitivity. He saw what was happening in the realms. He could have prevented them, but he chose not to.

“Ah, but that is the beauty of life, isn’t it? To know not what happens and to learn from experience?” was his simple reply.

I gnashed my teeth. Hell, I didn’t need a life lesson right now. What I need is information on how to get to Hilda’s lair.

“If my wife and sons die, I’ll have your head, Calaheim,” I warned him.

A soft smile appeared on this face then.

“You don’t need to, Your Majesty.” He did something on the marble and it glowed like the way it was before Hadon used it. Fae magic, probably, and I was thankful in that instant.

“Here, use this to bring you to the place you desire.” He tossed it again and this time, I caught it.

“Aero, I’ll go with you.” Aurora placed a hand on my shoulder, her eyes filled with conviction. “I care for Serena too, and I can’t let my nephews get harmed.”

I nodded at her, then turned my attention to her mate.

“Adamar, alarm Elijah and Queen Adna. They know what to do.”

“Yes, Aero,” he tipped his chin down and gave Aurora a loving parting glance before leaving.

“Use these words: Sakthum matis ekhum chalo kasi,” Calaheim stated.

I nodded and enunciated the same words before throwing the glowing ball on the floor.

“Kiss your babies for me, alpha king,” he said again just as I crossed the portal.