Chapter 132: Hope still burns!
Selene was standing by her children's cribs staring at Jamal in disbelief at what she had just heard, he wanted to use the twins to get what he wanted, but the beautiful woman/wolf wasn't going to give in so easily:
"I can't believe you're using my children to blackmail me, I never thought you'd stoop so low."
"My love for you knows no bounds, Selene."
"I'm sorry, Jamal, but what you call love for me is an obsession."
"Selene, I've been in love with you since the day I found you scared in the forest hiding behind a tree, remember? My heart leaped for the first time, your smile, your kindness, and your sweet but determined way made me love you more and more. When I found out I was a child, Pregnant by an unknown man made up my mind that I would take care of you and your children forever. But then Lyall arrived and took you with him. I was devastated and even tried to stop him, but my grandmother wouldn't let me, saying that you didn't belong in that village, that you and your children deserved a better place to live because you had already suffered so much. At the time, I agreed because I had nothing to offer, while Lyall had a castle, a whole kingdom to offer you and I was just a farmer with a talent for mechanics thanks to my adoptive father. So, I had nothing to offer and I let you go, but then my grandmother tells me the truth about where I came from and you have no idea how happy I was to be able to have you and turn the tables and look at me now."
"How selfish you are, Jamal. You killed Lyall. And let me tell you something, he's the only man I've ever loved and always will."
"I know how to wait and believe me, time will make you love me."
"Why don't you listen to me, Lyall was the only one for me. Damn it!" Selene gets angry
"That's what we'll see." Jamal walks to the door
"Give me back my children."
"Marry me."
"No!" Selene shouts, still wearing her wedding dress.
"I hope you change your mind soon, Nix doesn't have much patience with children" Jamal teases
"You left my kids with that bastard? Jamal, you've crossed the line."
"Selene, why don't you just accept your fate, do you really think you have any hope of escaping from me? You don't."
"You'll regret it. I'll get my powers back and then I'll make you and your pet witch pay for what you've done." Selene threatens with determination
"That's it. That's what I like about you, that determination, that vigor, that dexterity. But I'd like to know how I'm going to get your powers back since your mother's diary is no longer in your possession?"
"What are you talking about? You wouldn't dare." Selene goes to the drawer where Freah's diary was kept, opens it and realizes that the book is no longer there, she looks elsewhere but finds no book, "
"Did you really think I was going to leave this book lying around? Of course not.
"Where's the diary?"
"It's in a safe place. You should be more careful with your things !" even an eleven-year-old could get hold of it" Jamal smiles
"Are you telling me that Sophia stole my diary?" Selene makes a disappointed expression, her eyes filling with tears.
"Yes. But don't blame her, I was the one who manipulated her into it. I had to make sure that you wouldn't have the slightest chance of regaining your witch powers. Please understand" Jamal finally leaves the room, leaving Selene alone. She looks at the empty bedroom and cries.
A short while later Ethan and Leila come to the door knocking to get Selene's attention:
"So did you find Lyall?"
"Unfortunately not. We only found this..." Ethan hands over a braided red string bracelet that Selene had made especially for Lyall, and as he reaches under the door because it is locked, the beautiful werewolf cries because she believes she has lost her great love.
"I'm sorry!" Ethan says, trying to contain his emotion as he hears Selene's loud cries.
"Keep looking, please!"
"I can try, but I don't think it'll do any good. The current in the river is too strong."
"Selene, Lyall is gone. Accept it, mourn and move on."
"That's easy for you to say, Leila. Move on how? I'm being blackmailed. Jamal wants me to marry him. I need to know about my children, are they really in that bastard's hands?"
"My goodness! Jamal really has no limits. We'll find out for you." Leila tries to reassure Selene
"I appreciate it! Try to find Dashell, maybe he can help."
Ethan and Leila look at each other in an awkward silence and Selene notices:
"Why are you silent?"
"It's just that we heard that Dashell tried to stop Nix and the two fought, but it seems that Nix won and since then we haven't seen Dashell again, the comment in the Clan of the Sons of Gaia is that he's possibly dead."
"Possibly? Then there's still hope that he's alive. I need you to try and find him, you can do that for me."
"We can try, but we can't guarantee anything"
"Thank you, Ethan! I'll remember that."
Leaving Selene's door, Leila asks Ethan if he's really going to keep looking for Lyall and Ethan. He said yes, because not only did Selene need this ray of hope, but so did he and everyone in Sirion.
"It's true! I'll see if I can find out where Uriah and Wahid are." Leila and Ethan split up, each on their own search.
Meanwhile, in Erbor, Maeve and Dashell rented a room in a hotel. They were carrying Lyall, who was between life and death, not only because of the wounds on vital points of his body but also because of the poison that was taking over his veins, which was turning black at arriving until the waist.
"Maeve, go find the herb so we can make the potion, while I try to contain the poison's advance with a spell."
"Argh! If I'd known I was going to become your assistant slave, I'd have let you die. And another thing, we should stop the bleeding from his head first." Maeve grumbles
"Really? And you could live without me?" Dashell stares into Maeve's brown eyes, and your cheeks turn red.
"Never mind. I'm going."
"Ah, Maeve! Thank you for saving my life." Dashell smiles, playing up her charm.
"As you said yourself, I don't think I could live without you"
"Don't worry, Lyall, I'll save your life no matter what it takes."