Chapter 18 ~ Truth

I laid outside for the rest of the night. Kellan had thrown me some loose fitting clothes and a while later when I still hadn't come inside he'd brought a blanket out too. He seemed to know I needed to be left alone and hadn't spoken a word.

Now as the sun peaked its way over the horizon I got to my feet. I'd slept in fits and bursts through the few remaining hours of the night my mind occupied by the thoughts of what to do now. I wanted that cure and Kellan had it. I could leave but then I'd never get it. If I stayed I knew he would make me shift again try to convince me that being a Wolf wasn't so bad. But I knew that it was. I knew what they had done even if they didn't want to admit it.

What I didn't understand was why he wanted me to learn to be a Wolf anyway. What did it matter to him either way? We barely knew each other. He'd said he would answer any questions I had and as I strode toward the cabin and up the steps I was determined to get those answers. I pushed the door open with more force than necessary and stormed in.

It was a small cabin, just one room with a queen bed in one corner a small desk near the door and a few cupboards and shelves along the remaining walls. Kellan lay passed out on the mattress, his soft snoring the only sound in the otherwise quiet room. My loud entrance hadn't disturbed him at all and looking as his tired features, the heavy bags under his eyes and knowledge that he hadn't slept in days now I made no move to disturb him further.

He laid on his stomach like he'd fallen that way and hadn't had the energy to get up again. I headed back outside and grabbed the blanket he'd given me, treading lightly as I moved back closer to him and spread it over his tall frame. My questions would have to a wait a little while longer. I sighed and glanced around the room again.

The desk caught my attention, strewn with books and papers as if he'd been sitting there working most of the night. Perhaps it would hold some of the answers. I searched through the piles of paper, most were hand written letters between the Mythic leaders. Why they were hand writing things in this day and age I had no idea but at the same time the concept made me smile. My hand came to rest on a small leather bound book with no title or any other indication of what might be inside. I picked it up drawn to the smooth feel of leather beneath my fingers and the smell of old book that drifted through the air as I pulled it closer.

I opened it to the middle and inhaled. A familiar scent sent shock waves through my body. The book landed on the floor at my feet and I scrambled to pick it up again. How could it be? I opened it to the first page and my eyes went wide taking in the familiar scrawl of the Fae language.

It was hand written and hadn't been touched by a Fae in many years but it still held their scent. The familiar flowery flavour like spring itself drifting from the pages. A drop of moisture landed on the open page and I swiped my eyes before another could make the fall.

Why did he have this? I turned to the next page and started to read.

"The collection of the seven amulets could be the key to unlocking the power of the races. If harnessed correctly we would be as Gods to not only the humans but Mythics as well. I believe that once the transfer is complete the other races would remain but would lose the majority of their power which we would gain to become the supreme race. We have lived as the smallest Mythic population for too long. With this power we would control everything and everyone would bow down before us..." I trailed off unable to comprehend what I was reading.

I glanced back across to Kellan and found his eyes open staring at me with horror. He leapt from the bed and raced towards me, I stumbled back. But he only grabbed the book from my hands and continued staring at me with that horrified expression, eyes wide and mouth gaping as he tried to form words.

"Did you say seven amulets? You can read this?" He gasped. I nodded in slow motion, squinting at him with one eyebrow raised, "And it talks about the seven amulets?""Yeah, that's what I said. Why?"

"How do you know this language? Were you a part of it? How could I not know that?" He mumbled to himself, confusion lacing his tone.

"It's a secret Fae language only used by Fae elders but my Father was an elder and I was destined to become one too because of my power," I swirled a finger through a lock of deep mahogany hair to demonstrate. Fae power could be ascertained by the darkness of our hair; we all had red hair of some shade but the darker it was the more power we had access to. Mine was about as dark a shade of red as you could get and I'd known for years that one day I would take my place among the elders. At least until that night.

"So he taught me. Much earlier than he should have but he wasn't quite like the other elders, he didn't think all the rules needed to be followed to the letter, you know." I felt another tear trickle down my cheek at the memory and I felt a soft smile tug at my lips. Kellan swiped a hand through his hair and started pacing the length of the room.

"I think there are some things we need to clarify," He glanced at me for a moment before turning to complete another lap of the room.

"I agree. Why do you have this?" I waved the book through the air and he followed it with his eyes, pausing in his stride at my words.

"I found it the night you think we attacked you." I pulled a face at him. What was wrong with everyone? Was it so hard to admit what they had done? We all knew what had happened it's not like denying it changed anything.

"You admit that you were there but deny that you had anything to do with the slaughter of the Fae?"

"Wolves didn't attack the Fae that night," He growled the words at me, anger simmering just below the surface, ready to boil over at a moments notice. I stared at him, unable to form words as I tried to comprehend what he was trying to say. What angle was he trying to play?

"I watched them die." I kept my voice even, reigning in the rage that was always ready for a fight. If we both got angry we wouldn't get anywhere and I still needed answers. He took a long slow breath after I spoke and sat down on the bed.

"So did I," I shook my head and threw my hands in the air.

"So, if you were there," I paused, "And you saw everyone die," I watched his expression for any sign that he was understanding what I was saying, "then you saw the Mythics killing them." He nodded, "So, why not just admit the Mythics killed them?" I could hear the exasperation in my voice and tried to tone it down but what he was saying made no sense. None whatsoever.

"There were people from all the races there. But we didn't arrive until after it had started. We came in response to the screams and called others to try and help. But there was nothing to fight." I shook my head and closed my eyes.

"I saw Wolves and Vampires biting people. Dragons burning us alive. People were screaming and running for their lives. I was screaming and running for mine. Stop lying." My voice shook but I managed to get the words out and keep myself rooted in place despite the urge to tear him apart with my bare hands.

"I saw that too. A few of us did. But we also saw the aftermath. Yes, there were a few dead Fae but only about ten of you. The rest just disappeared along with the supposed Mythics that attacked you."

"What are you saying?"

"The Fae attacked themselves. Everyone knows you have the ability to change perception. As far as we can tell one of your kind tricked the rest into thinking we attacked them and took them somewhere to hide."

"That's not possible. We don't use that power on each other. It's forbidden. One of the oldest laws. And no single Fae would be capable of such a thing." I shook my head again, there was no way. We would have known. "And even if what you're saying is true... which I don't believe for a second that it is... Why would anyone do that?" He stared at me for a long moment, ran his fingers through his hair and glanced out the window. He got back to his feet and strode over grabbing the leather bound book from my fingers.

"Because they wanted the Seven Amulets," I frowned and opened my mouth to argue but he continued, "They'd managed to steal five of them by that point without anyone realising what they were up to. Only the Wolf and Witch amulets still remain with their rightful owners. Once we figured out what they were trying to do we hid the last two and were planning to steal the others back. But the Fae must have known and they staged the attack and fled to prevent us from succeeding. We don't know where they went or when they're coming back but they already have five Amulets and I can guarantee they will be back for the last two." I opened the book back to the page I had been reading and stared at the words.

'The collection of the seven amulets could be the key to unlocking the power of the races.' How could it be true? That would mean the Elders were responsible. That everything I'd believed for the last five years...Hell everything I'd believed my entire life was a lie.

"But some Fae died? And I was bitten by a Wolf. It doesn't make any sense."

"No one knows if the Fae that died were killed strategically for some reason or if they were killed to convince those that didn't know the plot that we were the enemy. Fae have always kept to themselves and interacted only when necessary. I assumed all Fae knew about the plot until that night when I saw the terror in everyones eyes. And most of the other Mythics didn't see that so a lot still believe you all knew. That's part of the reason I kept such a close eye on you. For both your sake and theirs."

"You thought they left me behind for a reason?" It was his turn to shake his head. "No. As far as I can tell, you were one of the ones that was supposed to die. The Wolf bite saved your life."

"How? We were taught that a Wolf bite would kill any Mythic other than a Wolf. It should have killed me not saved me." He lifted his shoulders and dropped his gaze.

"I don't know how you survived anymore than you do. When we came back the next day to bury the dead you were gone along with most of the dead bodies I'd seen the night before."

"I want to see it."

"See what?"

"The Fae village. I haven't been back since that morning. I want to see it. Maybe there will be something there that proves your story. Or mine. If what you're saying is true then my family is still alive. I'm not alone. Not the last of my kind. But I lived that night and can still hear the screams. I can still feel the blood beneath my feet. I have to see it."

"Okay, we'll go. But, Delilah, it's the truth." Part of me wanted to believe him, believe in the slim possibility of seeing my family again. Seeing little Mia, though she would not be as little anymore, would she even remember me? But if it were true, everything I knew was a lie. My family and people had abandoned me to die. Had played mind tricks on me and started a war with the rest of the Mythics for power. Maybe I'd be better off not knowing, I thought.

But now that there was doubt in my mind it would keep niggling and gnawing at me until I found the truth. It was time to go home.

So this ended up being a really long chapter! :D Hope you liked it! Please vote &/or comment if you are enjoying the story :D