Chapter 4 Crossed paths in the dark
Lucius's POV
I sat in the bath while the servants washed me with scented water, preparing my body for the mating night. The priest had said it was customary to consummate the marriage under the new moon, a good omen for newlyweds.
But my mind was miles away from whatever they were preparing me for.
I couldn't stop thinking about the child. Was she safe? Was she in danger right now?
Once they finished, I stepped out of the tub and was dressed in a deep violet silk long robe. The servants ushered me to my bedroom and quietly withdrew, leaving me alone.
I walked over to the window, staring out into the dark night, past the city walls, and straight into the thick fog covering the northern woods. Wherever she was, I just hoped she was alright.
"Lord Lucius, your bride is ready," a maid murmured from the doorway.
The door closing shut signaled we were alone. In the quiet of the room, I could hear Ava’s heart racing.
"You don't have to do this," I said in a low tone. "I'm not interested, either."
Behind me, the soft rustle of fabric echoed as her dress dropped to the floor. I didn't turn around, even as I felt Ava’s cold fingers brush against my neck, slowly sliding the robe off my shoulders.
"The priest said it is mandatory we mate under the new moon," she whispered against my skin.
"I don't care what the priest said," I replied coldly.
I turned, walking right past her naked body, ignoring her. I pulled on a black coat and trousers.
"Where are you going, my Lord?" Ava asked.
I paused at the door, taking a deep breath to keep my temper in check. "You can have the bedroom," I said, not looking back. "Don't stay up waiting for me."
I walked out, slamming the door shut behind me.
Elio's POV
I sat in the quiet haven in my room, eyes closed, listening. I could hear dozens of voices drifting through the air, but not the one I wanted to hear.
Oh, Raya, I pleaded silently. Give me a sign. Just let me know your baby is okay.
Two months had passed, and I still hadn't heard a whisper from Raya's spirit. The rune magnet that Aeterna and Silas created glowed with a faint, dim green light, a small comfort proving the baby was still alive.
But the magical connection was weak, as if something was blocking it. Despite the weak signal, our tracking rituals had pointed us toward Alaska.
"Did you find anything?"
Aurora’s voice broke my concentration. I opened my eyes to face her.
"No, nothing," I said softly. "Raya hasn't spoken to me."
Aurora let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping. "I just hope she’s safe. I hope she isn't with those monsters."
Before I could answer, the thud of heavy boots echoed down the corridor.
"Elio! Aurora!" Silas burst into the room, breathless. "The rune magnet… it’s glowing bright green!"
"What?" Aurora and I gasped at the same time.
"Yes!" Silas said, a rare flash of delight breaking through his usual anger. "It finally triggered. She's calling out to us."
"Then we can't waste any time," Aurora said, spinning toward the door. "Come on, Silas, let's go. Elio, keep your ears open. Reach out to us if anything changes."
I nodded, watching them rush out of the room to gather the others.
Left alone in the sudden quiet, I closed my eyes. Finally, I whispered. Raya, your baby is signaling us.
Lucuis's POV
I walked out of the mansion, driven by an overwhelming need to know if the baby was safe. Even though I could feel that she had finally calmed down, I had to see her with my own eyes.
"My Lord! My Lord!" Finn’s voice cut through the dark as he ran toward me, bowing low.
"Where are you going? You shouldn't be out here. You should be with Lady Ava. You don't want to make Lord Rhys angry."
"Finn," I said, my voice cold. "You didn't see me."
Before he could answer, I blurred out of the estate, moving with speed. I made my way to the seventh gate of Nix Borealis, the least guarded exit. Slipping past the few guards and avoiding the light towers, I pressed my arm against the ancient stone. The golden gate glowed, opening into the thick fog. I vanished into the dark woods, heading toward the cathedral.
When I reached the cathedral, I scanned the grounds from a distance, using my sight. Nothing. The baby wasn't here.
Just then, I spotted a nun walking out of the building and getting into a car. I followed the vehicle from the shadows until it stopped outside a secluded monastery. I waited until she walked inside, then closed my eyes, straining to hear. A soft, steady heartbeat echoed in my mind, syncing with my own.
She was here.
I blurred to the back of the building, but as I drew close, the holy ground began to scorch my skin. Unable to step inside, I levitated up into the air, scanning every window until I finally found her. She was sleeping quietly in her cot. I let out a sigh of relief.
As if sensing my presence, the baby slowly opened her beautiful hazel-blue eyes. When she saw me outside the glass, she cooed and smiled. A sudden warmth flooded my chest.
But the peace didn't last.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the woods miles away. They weren't human. Fledglings, they were hunting toward the monastery.
I dropped back down into the woods and waited. As they blurred past, I snatched one by the throat, snapping his neck in a single motion. The remaining fledglings immediately came back, swarming me. Using my telekinesis, I ripped up heavy tree stumps and hurled them into the pack.
I had already killed six of them when a different sound caught my attention. Human footsteps.
Glancing sideways, I saw a man wielding a glowing sword alongside a woman with glowing golden eyes, sprinting toward the monastery.
Witches.
With a wave of my hand, I ripped a heavy branch from a tree and launched it at them.
The man swiftly swung his blade, slicing the wood cleanly in two. The metal glowed with a purple light. I recognized that magic.
My blood boiled. Ignoring the last two fledglings, I rushed the man, lifting him high into the air with my mind. When the woman tried to charge me, I threw her hard against a tree trunk, knocking her out cold.
The man struggled against my telekinetic grip, but the remaining fledglings chose that moment to leap at me. Distracted, I dropped the witch and whirled on the monsters, using my clawed finger-ring to slit both of their throats.
Before I could recover, the male witch attacked, swinging his glowing sword. I ducked beneath the blade, driving a counter-strike into his stomach that sent him flying through the air. He crashed violently into the dirt.
I levitated above him, swooping in to slit his throat and finish it. But a sudden sting on my skin made me pause. The sun was coming up.
I glanced down at the bleeding witch, then back at the horizon. Cursing under my breath, I turned and fled to the safety of the north.
