Chapter 131: Chapter 15

ADELIE

I held out for a sign, any hint of their whereabouts.

I ventured into the forest, sneaking away from the others. I needed solitude.

The night was inky black, punctuated only by the distant howls of wolves. I found an ancient oak tree, its girth three times my size. I approached it, resting my forehead against its rough bark. “Speak to me.”

The trees didn’t always respond. But when they did, I felt it deep in my bones.

A gruff voice echoed in my mind, ‘Blood has been spilled. Evil has been sealed.’

“Are they here now?” I asked.

‘In the grave.’

The only grave I knew of…was the pit.

I rushed to the nearby pit, a grim resting place for nymph bodies.

I hurried, but found nothing. No bodies, thankfully. I created a makeshift staircase and descended carefully. It was pitch black. My hands instinctively found the spot where Kairos had discovered a note previously.

I ran my fingers over the rough surface until they snagged on something. Paper. I quickly climbed out of the pit and into the open where I could read.

Once I reached the first lantern-lit path on pack ground, I noticed a small bag hidden in the folds.

~Dear Adelie~

~Use this guiding crystal to find us.~

~

I pulled out a crystal stick. It glowed, reminiscent of the one Maeve had given me to locate the vampire coven.

I held it tentatively, and the light dimmed. But when I stepped back, it flared to life again. It seemed to guide me, glowing brightly when I was on the right path and dimming when I strayed.

I rushed back to the king’s castle, finding Kairos in the living room. “What’s wrong?” he asked, seeing my distress.

“Gather everyone,” I instructed him, and he immediately sent out a mind link.

Kairos rushed to my side, snatching the note from my hand. His gaze flicked from the note to me. We both knew this was inevitable. “We’ll get through this,” he assured me. “Everything will be all right.” Was he trying to reassure me or himself?

I managed a weak smile. “You say that. But you don’t believe it.”

He looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“You abandoned me when I was at my lowest. I was never okay after you left.” I swallowed hard, cursing myself for revealing my vulnerability.

“I didn’t want to give you another reason to run…”

I shook my head. “I was born to run…from my very first breath. I didn’t want an easy life, I wanted you!”

He stepped back. “You know what your problem is? You’ve been running all your life. It doesn’t have to be that way,” Kairos said, his voice steady.

I met his gaze. “Why did you leave?” I asked again.

His expression softened. “You think I left because I wasn’t enough. Or because I didn’t love you. But that’s not it.”

“Then why?” I pressed. “Kairos… I need closure. If you had left because you didn’t love me, at least I would have an answer. Now I’m left wondering.”

“Because I would have done something I would regret more than leaving.”

“Like what?”

“Kill you.”

I instinctively recoiled. “Kairos…”

“What’s the hurry?” Leonard asked, descending the staircase, followed by Maeve and Collin.

He wanted to kill me?

I shook my head, trying to dispel the thought. I turned to Maeve. “Esty?” I asked, and she nodded, confirming she was informed.

I held up the letter. “I have the coordinates.”

Their expressions mirrored my own. We all knew what was coming, but no one wanted to accept it.

Leonard reached the bottom of the stairs and nodded. “I’ll send my men with you. When do you plan to leave?” he asked.

“As soon as possible. At sunrise.”

Leonard turned to Collin. “Tell them to be ready.” He nodded and left.

I looked at Esty, who was leaning against the staircase railing. “You’re strong,” she said. “But sometimes you forget you’re not invincible.” Her eyes were filled with sadness, even from this distance. Maybe that’s why she stayed at the top of the stairs.

I nodded. “I don’t have a choice.”

“I know.” She looked away and left.

Sleep eluded me that night. I tossed and turned until dawn.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Dressed in pants and a jacket, my hair pulled back in a bun. I didn’t recognize the woman staring back at me.

I had never looked like this before. And everyone already knew what I looked like. Why pretend? I quickly changed into an emerald green dress, letting my hair cascade down my back, adorned with a crown of thorns.

This was better. This was me.

I sat at my desk and penned a letter. For Kairos. I had agonized over whether to write it, and now I was pouring my heart out, telling him everything he needed to know. My farewell to him.

My second letter was for Elias. But his would go to Maeve, as his restless mind wouldn’t wait.

With the sealed envelopes in hand, I went to Elias’s room.

He was asleep, innocent and peaceful. I finally understood my parents’ actions.

They had separated my sister and me, and while it may not have seemed like the best decision, they had to do it. Now, my sister and I were both grown up. She was out there somewhere, and she knew I was here.

It wasn’t until I had my own child that I understood the sacrifices I was willing to make for him.

I wanted him to grow up in a safe world. And if this was the last time I saw him, I knew he would grow up to be a wonderful person.

I descended the stairs to find everyone gathered in the living room. I handed Maeve Elias’s letter, tucking the other into my pocket. “In case I don’t return,” I said, her eyes scanning the handwritten ‘Elias’.

She surprised me by pulling me into a hug. We weren’t usually affectionate. I wished we were, especially in moments like these.

She held me tight, and I returned the embrace. “If you don’t come back…”

“Then you’ll have to be a little stronger and take care of Elias with Esty.” I finished her sentence before she could say goodbye.

I felt her nod against my neck. I pulled back and smiled at her. “This isn’t the end of the world. And you know better than to wallow.”

Before her tears could affect me, I turned to the others. Lucy was there, sitting next to Leonard.

Esty and Collin were on the couch in the corner. Kairos was leaning against the wall with two other men. The room felt like a funeral. Gloomy. Sad.

“I’m not dead yet,” I said.

“We’re just worried,” Lucy said.

I shrugged. “I’ve seen a lot. Endured a lot.”

“That’s true.” Esty said from the corner. “But back then, you were new. We barely knew you. But now, you’ve become a part of us. We’ve gotten to know you. We’ve grown accustomed to you. We know what you’ve been through and…” her voice faltered. “How some of us have hurt you.” She was referring to herself.

“If you spend too much time with someone, it becomes harder to leave. And now you have a son. None of us want to see him cry.”

I cared for Esty, more than I ever thought possible. People change. And she had become a wonderful woman. Some sins can never be erased, but there is always goodness that comes with it.

“Take care of him.” That’s all I said. “I think it’s time to go.”

The two men approached me, followed by Kairos.

I took out the crystal, but it didn’t glow. “What?” Was it broken? Even when I was going in the wrong direction, it still glowed faintly. Now it was lifeless.

I was certain I was on the right path. I looked at Esty, her gaze fixed on the crystal.

“What is it?” I asked.

“There are different types of these crystals. It makes sense they chose this one. It absorbs energy. But it only works with one energy source. It can only guide one person.”

“Do we just keep our distance?” Kairos asked.

Esty shook her head. “She has to go alone.”