Chapter 18

CLEMENTINE

I look up only to find Kalisto standing in front of me. Her confused expression matches my own. I didn’t expect to see my biological mother in the deep woods outside the Black Pearl pack.

“Kalisto, what are you doing here?” I ask, standing up.

Carl looks somewhat scared to learn that Kalisto and I know each other.

“I should be asking you that,” she replies, looking around the dark forest.

I make my eyes glow and show the flames in my hands, and her eyes widen in surprise…and relief.

“You finally became a true phoenix?” she asks.

“Yes, earlier tonight,” I reply, remembering the ugly hours before my transformation.

Kalisto walks over and embraces me. “I am so happy for you,” she mumbles.

After breaking the hug, I turn to Carl, who looks confused. “Carl, Kalisto is my biological mother—that’s how I know her.”

“Oh,” he says, starting to back away.

Kalisto and I chuckle. “Don’t worry, young man,” my mother says. “I have been told that you are looking for me. Now tell me, what is it that you want?”

Carl swallows hard before answering, “My sister, she’s sick—she has been bitten by a werewolf. She will die if you don’t help her.”

I never knew that vampires could die from a werewolf bite.

“She’s a vampire like you, isn’t she?” Kalisto asks, already knowing the answer.

“Yes,” he says, nodding.

“Take me to her.”

***

The last thing I want is to be captured by the Black Pearl pack, so I decide to tag along with Carl and Kalisto. I’m not sure if they are looking for me, but I am certain that Ivan is going crazy and searching like the maniac he is.

~“Ivan,”~ Helia hums dreamily.

~Shut the fuck up, Lia.~

~“You’re not longing for him, but I am.”~

~I am too, but just to remind you, I’m a witch.~

~“I am certain that he will accept us.”~

~Yeah, yeah. I hope so…~

The walk to Carl’s house is long. We have been walking for hours and have not rested anywhere because it is not safe. We could be captured at any time.

At least, thanks to our senses, we’ll know if someone is following or near us.

“How did you die?” Kalisto suddenly asks, giving me a side glance.

“How do you think?” I respond, curious about what she’ll say.

“That fake mother of yours,” she mumbles.

“Yup.”

“Really?”

“Why are you acting so surprised?” I ask. “Wasn’t she the one who killed you—or tried to kill you?”

I remember then that Sofia doesn’t know that Kalisto is alive. I would love to see her find out.

“Yeah…but your father helped me escape.”

I stop walking and look at her like she grew two heads. “What?”

“You didn’t know?” she asks.

“No…”

~My father helped my mother escape? Why didn’t he tell me or even tell Sofia? I guess I understand why he wouldn’t tell her, but why not me? Why didn’t I know about my real mother—or know she is alive?~

“Why?” I ask, wanting to know more.

“It’s a long story,” Kalisto says, motioning for me and Carl to continue following her. “Let’s walk and talk.”

After collecting her thoughts for a minute, my mother says, “When I was pregnant with you, Benjamin caught me doing magic. He was so scared of me. I tried to assure him that I meant no harm to the werewolf community since I am also a werewolf, but he couldn’t understand. He despised me at first, even though I was his mate…but he accepted me later.”

~If my father accepted her, why aren’t they together now?~

“For a few months, we hid what I am, but after I gave birth to you, I discovered that you were sick. Only magic could cure you. So, I was caught doing magic yet again—this time by Sofia, whose mate had died, leaving her with two kids, Alex and Joana.

“Sometime after Sofia moved on, she met Benjamin and fell in love with him. So, finding out I was a witch was the perfect way to threaten your father. She told him that if he didn’t kill me, she would tell everyone and would then kill our whole family. She knew people would be afraid that if a witch gave birth to a baby, that baby might inherit her powers.

“I mind-linked Benjamin and told him to agree to her plan. He and I only cared for your safety.” A tear rolls down Kalisto’s cheek. “I used a spell to protect myself from any harm, so when Sofia put a dagger through my heart, I didn’t die instantly. Benjamin took my body and acted like he was going to bury me, but instead, he pulled the dagger, and I came back. After that day, I didn’t see him or you—not until Helen brought you to me.”

As her tears flow more freely, I think, ~My mother is not dead, and she did not abandon me.~

“I’m so sorry,” I say, and hug her.

All of the sudden, someone clears their throat. We look up to see Carl shedding tears as well.

“I did not need to hear all that.”

Kalisto chuckles and wipes her tears. “You are a weird vampire.”

We continue walking until we reach a small, wooden house that’s partially hidden by trees. When Carl opens the door to let us in, I see a living room on my left and a kitchen on my right. In the middle is a short staircase.

“Follow me,” Carl says, taking us upstairs. Outside a bedroom, he whispers to Kalisto, “My sister might be a little rude, since she can smell that you are a half werewolf. I apologize.”

~I officially love vampires.~

~“Don’t let Ivan hear you say that,” Helia says.~

I chuckle, and Carl looks at me as if I’m crazy.

“Just chatting with Helia,” I say, shrugging, and Kalisto laughs.

With that, Carl opens the door, and we immediately hear a vampiric growl. The girl on the bed has her fangs out, looking ready to bite Kalisto’s neck despite her weak condition.

“Barbara, calm down!” Carl yells, holding his sister down. “I’m sorry—she’s not in her right mind.”

“I am perfectly fine, Carl! What is this animal doing here?” Barbara spits, pointing at my mother.

“Bara, she is the only person who can cure you, so I suggest you shut up.”

The girl’s eyes widen. “I’d rather die,” she mumbles.

“If it makes you feel better,” Kalisto says, trying to lighten the mood, “I’m not only a werewolf; I’m also a witch.”

“As if that’s any better,” Barbara replies, looking away.

“Do whatever you can to save her, please,” Carl pleads.

Kalisto smiles and looks at me, and I narrow my eyes at her. “What?” I ask, making her smile widen.

“Since I have my daughter here, I don’t need to perform the spell,” Kalisto says.

“What do you mean?” Carl asks.

“Clementine, you are a healer. With only a touch, Barbara can be cured,” my mother explains.

~Oh…I forgot.~

I nod, wondering why Kalisto wants me to do this job since she easily could. ~I’ll have to ask her later.~ I then walk toward Barbara, sit on the side of her bed, and put my hand out.

At first, the girl is hesitant to give me her hand, but I guess something inside her tells her that she can trust me. I can already tell that she prefers me over my mother.

As Barbara puts her hand in mine, I close my eyes and focus on healing her. I don’t really know the process, but I remember that I healed those birds just by willing it to happen.

When I look down, I see golden strikes going up Barbara’s arm. Her pale complexion is gone, replaced with a much healthier one, and her eyes look brighter, no longer tired.

In the silence that follows, I let go of the girl’s hand and stand up, feeling more powerful. I don’t know whether it’s because I took the werewolf poison from her or whether I just get more powerful every time I heal someone.

~“The latter, Clementine,”~ Helia says.

~Thanks, H.~

“Thank you so much,” Barbara says, breaking the silence. She stands up and takes a couple hesitant steps, looking happy that she doesn’t fall. “I would’ve died if it wasn’t for you.”

I shrug. “It’s nothing.”

Suddenly, Carl embraces me. As he tightens his hold, he thanks me repeatedly.

After a minute, I say, chuckling, “Carl, you can let go now.”

He scratches the back of his neck, cheeks red. “Sorry.”

“Since everything is done, I’ll be on my way,” Kalisto says, turning to leave.

I grab her arm. “May I come with you?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

***

After promising to see Carl again, Kalisto and I leave for her palace. I miss it there. It’s the only place that’s ever felt like home to me.

Before long, we pass the waterfall and ascend the mountain, this time in our respective forms. I laugh when Kalisto looks relieved that I can fly and she doesn’t have to use her human legs.

When we arrive at the palace, there are guards waiting. They open the door and let us in, bowing their heads. Kalisto is clearly well regarded, and it warms my heart that they extend that deference to me. I’m not someone who normally likes that kind of thing—I don’t want to be treated like a fucking god—but I understand that they do so out of respect…and probably fear.

As we enter her office, Kalisto says, “We have to talk about something important.”

“What is it?”

“Now that you are a true phoenix, I want us to start the mission. The first thing we have to do is speak with the wizard Malcolm. He is the only one the werewolves listen to.”

“Won’t they listen to me?” I ask.

“Malcolm is a safer option. If you speak with them, they will immediately think that you are associating yourself with witches—or worse, working with them. I can’t have that.”

“But I can tell my mate,” I try to reason.

Kalisto grins and gets closer to me. “Your mate?”

“Ivan Vasiliev, the alpha king.”

Immediately, her face falls, and her lips turn into a thin line.

“What is it?” I ask, frowning.

~Does she know Ivan? Did he do something to her?~

Kalisto sighs and sits back in the chair. Looking at the ceiling, she mumbles so quietly that even with my new senses, I only catch, “Why, goddess, why?”

“What is it?” I snap, surprising her.

“It’s nothing,” she replies, but I can tell she’s lying. “I just never imagined that your mate would be the alpha king.”

“Tell me, Kalisto,” I grit out, too mad to care that she’s my mother.

“I’m not sure I should be the one to tell you this.”

“But I want to know.”

“It’s not my secret to tell.”

~Secret? What kind of secret is Ivan hiding?~

“Now I have to know,” I say, narrowing my eyes at my mother.

Kalisto shifts nervously before glancing my way. “He…had a previous mate—before you.”

~Oh.~

~“What?”~ Helia growls, imitating the werewolves. ~“I want to kill her!”~

“She’s dead,” Kalisto continues, probably knowing that I’m about to explode.

~“Good.”~ Helia sighs in relief, and I fight not to roll my eyes.

“How?” I ask.

My mother shifts nervously again before answering, “He killed her.”