The Renaissance: Book 4 of The Bloodmoon Wars (A Paranormal Shifter Series Prequel to Luna Rising)

by Sara Snow

  “You saw the vision too, then?”

  "Yes. She killed Levi and his Elite Guards. I figured the rest of the Council and everyone that condoned Levi’s experiments would die, too.” The Goddess had been very angry. “The Goddess used Elinor Blackwood as a vessel,” I explained.

  “So that was Elinor Blackwood? Praise the Goddess.” Laila’s husky voice echoed in my mind. “Will you be returning?”

  “Not yet. There is a young Enchanted here that I’m keeping an eye on. I may bring her back with me.”

  “How old is she?”

  "She's fourteen. Her mother's done well by her, but she needs proper training before becoming this pack's Enchanted."

  Laila didn't respond, and I knew she was sulking because of my absence. She had been a rogue, having run away from her pack due to abuse. I had found her during one of my trips with Levi and had taken her under my wing.

  The Council was no more, but new members would be appointed quickly. Enchanteds could only hope that the new members weren’t like the last ones and would do more to end the suffering Enchanteds still dealt with. At least they’d probably be more careful, now that they knew the Goddess was indeed watching and would punish evil-doers if necessary.

  “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

  “Will you be fighting in the war?” She didn’t hide the fear in her voice.

  I shook my head, though she couldn’t see me. "No. I was never skilled at fighting. My talents lie elsewhere. But I'll lend my help that way before returning.”

  “Okay, the others here at the temple miss you.”

  I closed my eyes as a calm wind drifted through the window, carrying the smell of the soil to me as it rained outside.

  "I miss you all, as well. Get some sleep, Laila. There will be a lot of work to do in the morning, I assume. And please, for the last time, be careful. Cookie is going to kill you if you keep stealing his cakes from the kitchen."

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Our connection ended, and I chuckled to myself. At twenty years old, Laila still acted childish and had an untamable sweet tooth. She was a plague to the cook and kitchen staff, but everyone loved her nonetheless. During her younger years, she didn't have much of a childhood. She barely had a place to sleep, so no one blamed her now for trying to make up for the years she’d lost.

  I listened as the rain beat upon the roof like drums, a sound that meant a new age was on the horizon. We had already won one war among the werewolves, but now we had a bigger victory to claim, one that would mean the survival of not only our species but the rest of the world’s inhabitants as well.

  I hadn't been there in person, but even in the vision, I could feel the Goddess's power.

  The vision had renewed my faith that the Vampire Queen would meet her end. Werewolves had always been guardians, and we'd continue to be for all eternity. Though many didn’t consider me an actual werewolf since I lacked the ability to shift, I still felt proud of my species. I rose to close the window as the rain blew inside, a smile on my lips because a new dawn was upon us. And hopefully, a better one for Enchanteds, too.

  21

  Elinor

  “I think it suits her.”

  “But will she like it? It’ll just be another thing that makes her stand out.”

  “I think she’s grown used to standing out by now.”

  I frowned as voices echoed around me, but they sounded too far away for me to tell who was speaking.

  “Well, she’ll have to live with it.”

  “We can fix it with a spell.”

  “Do you think she’ll still be able to fight the Queen? Accepting the Goddess drained her.”

  I moaned in protest, needing the talking to stop, and all the voices fell silent. I felt a warm hand take mine, and I inhaled. The smell of my companions—the sisters, Darian, Will—bombarded my senses.

  Opening my eyes took more effort than expected. My lids felt heavy, but soon enough, I pried them open. I turned my head to the side and found Will's bright blue eyes staring down at me.

  He smiled lovingly and bent down to kiss my temple. He squeezed my hand as I blushed because everyone was looking at us. Still, it was nice to just be ourselves without being attacked or judged.

  The sisters were standing side by side at the end of my bed, Darian was by the door, and Cyrus was to the left of the bed, leaning on the wall beside an open window. They all wore relieved expressions, and I felt a sudden wash of gratitude.

  In the beginning, it had only been Cyrus, Skye, and me. But now, I had so many more people I could count on—people who genuinely cared for me. And I cared for them.

  Although his scent was still masked, I noticed Will's beating heart. He was reverting to his human state.

  “You need to feed soon.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” he said.

  On the other side of me, someone else picked up my hand. “How are you feeling?” Skye ran her thumb back and forth over my skin.

  “Like I was caught in a tornado,” I groaned and tried to sit up. “How long have I been out?”

  "Three hours," she answered. She and Will helped me up into a sitting position as Darian poured me some water to drink.

  I sighed as the cool liquid slid down my throat. Once my parched throat got some relief, the sluggishness I felt began to subside.

  “Welcome back.” Cyrus uncrossed his arms and buried his hands in his pockets. Then he turned and sat down on the windowsill.

  “It’s good to be back,” I answered as I moved my hair from behind my ears.

  I froze as I looked at the snow-white strands that fell before my face. I touched them timidly and then glanced at the others, who were watching me silently.

  “Is anyone else seeing this, or am I hallucinating? Why is my hair white?”

  “We’re not sure.” Ariel released a long breath. “Your hair changed color when the Goddess took over your body. You held her spirit within you longer than any other vessels have in the past. It typically takes only seconds for a vessel to burn out, but somehow, you didn’t. Still, it took its toll on you physically.”

  “So you’ll have to remain here a little longer,” Tien added while twirling her staff, which was now the size of a baton.

  Her eyes were dark with shame and remorse, and I released my hair, allowing my hand to fall to my lap. “Are you okay?”

  She shifted her weight from one leg to the other uncomfortably. “I’m fine. You’re the one we’re concerned about. Do you remember what happened?”

  Bits and pieces were coming back to me. I didn't speak or move as I watched it all within my mind. I recalled the moment Levi had slit my throat, and my hand flew to my neck.

  Beside me, Will hissed, no doubt remembering as well. His hold on my hand tightened, and I squeezed his hand to reassure him I was okay.

  “I remember.” I could see Levi’s frail body lying on the ground, divinity draining out through the cracks in his skin. “Where is Levi’s body?”

  “We burned his body and buried the ashes,” Darian answered. “And we dealt with the bodies of the Elite Guards the same way.”

  “Okay.” I leaned back against the wall. Levi had been killed by my hands, but not truly by me. Even so, I’d kept the promise I'd given Faelen, and Tien was now free. I looked at her. "Your bond with Levi is severed then, right?"

  Tien nodded. “It is. He didn’t father any children, and he was an only child. The bond would have passed to another sibling if there had been one, but there wasn’t.” She took a deep breath. “Levi was tainted with darkness from birth. There was no saving him." Though she tried to hide it, I could hear the sadness in her voice. "I'm so very sorry for what happened to all of you."

  “You didn’t have a choice,” I said as Ariel placed a hand on her shoulder. “No one here blames you.”

  Everyone nodded in agreement, and Tien took a deep breath, holding back tears.

  I knew how important it had been to her to remain linked to the bloodline
of a man she had loved and lost. I hoped those memories would comfort her. Other than the ghosts wandering the halls, Levi’s family members had been the only people from the outside world the sisters had had any contact with.

  "Levi hurt many people, including you. So don't be sorry," I added as I touched the thin white strands of hair that blew before my eyes. "We'll all take comfort in knowing the Goddess will ensure that he suffers for all eternity."

  Angelisa pointed to my hair. “Do you want to see it?”

  “Oh, ah,” I stuttered. “Yes.”

  She waved her hand, and a floating mirror appeared before me. My face dropped as I stared at my reflection. My face was a little puffy from sleeping, but it was my hair that drew my attention.

  A large chunk at the very front where my hair was parted in the center was white instead of black. The snowy strands framed my face, and I turned from side to side, searching for other white patches.

  “I can change it back if you wish,” Angelisa said, but I shook my head.

  “It'll take some time to grow on me, but for now, it can stay." I wrapped a white strand around my finger. "It's an honor to have survived being possessed by the Goddess."

  “Indeed it is,” Ariel agreed with a smug grin. “And it wouldn’t have been possible before you came here.”

  “It’s an honor that could have killed her," Darian grumbled, and the sisters all turned to him, their gems glowing at once. "You all know I’m right.”

  “Well, I didn't die. I just need some time to recover, and then we'll be leaving."

  When Darian turned and left, Angelisa looked from me to him and then smiled. I assumed she appreciated his protectiveness. That would never change with Darian, and as much as his attitude was often hard for me to handle, I appreciated him caring for me.

  Cyrus and Angelisa filed out of the room as well. Ariel grabbed one of my legs and shook it before leaving with Tien, who stopped at the door.

  "You will enter an alternate reality again to heal, for a day this time." She looked at Will and then at me. "You can take with you whomever you please."

  I looked at Will, who didn't smile, but his eyes shone with love for me, a love I wholeheartedly shared. The thought of spending a day, which translated to a year, with him inside an alternate reality was a dream come true, and I couldn't contain my excitement as I thanked Tien.

  Beside me, Skye chuckled, and I took her hand.

  “What had happened to you?” I asked her, and her smile faded a little. “You started screaming.”

  She shrugged. “Imagine the mind is an apple. Then imagine that apple being pierced by a knife. That's how I felt. The sisters agreed with Levi that someone must have been trying to mind-link with me."

  “Faelen or Ione, maybe?"

  I hope nothing’s happened to them.

  "Maybe." She reached out and touched my hair. “I’m going to find Cyrus. Tien had created an enchantment for Levi to use on Cyrus—some kind of paralyzing spell.”

  “Is he okay?” I asked, looking towards the door he had walked out of with the others.

  “Yeah, Ariel broke the spell, but he's upset that he was unconscious the whole time and couldn't help."

  "They did that because if he’d been conscious, he could have overpowered the Elite Guards or manipulated the spelled chains on me."

  Now I understood Cyrus’s odd behavior. He had to feel awful about what happened. I’d feel the same way, knowing I might have helped in a situation but couldn’t.

  Skye eventually left us, and Will sat down on the bed beside me. He took a deep breath, and I smiled at the sound of his beating heart.

  “Why are you smiling?”

  I shuffled over, making room beside me for him. “I missed the sound of your heartbeat.”

  He threw his hand over my shoulder and pulled me close. He pressed his lips to my temple but didn't kiss me. We sat like that for a moment, and my breathing eventually matched the rhythm of his heartbeat.

  "I thought I'd lost you." He pulled away, and I looked up at him. "When Levi sli . . .” His eyes flashed red. "When Levi slit your throat, I thought you were gone."

  The curtain by the window blew inward, giving me a glimpse of the night sky outside. “I thought the same thing.”

  “It was the worst moment of my life.” He swallowed hard and pulled me in tighter. “What did it feel like, being possessed by the Goddess?”

  I took a moment to find the words to explain it. "It's like I was dreaming. But though it’s my dream, I was just a bystander watching everything happen. Does that make sense?”

  “It does.”

  “I could see everything, as if I was doing it all,” I continued, “but from a distance. She was out front and in control.” I looked down at my hands, remembering the way my body had felt after a few minutes. “Then I got really warm, as if a pot of water had started to boil inside me.”

  “I don’t think you should do that again.” He turned to face me. “You might not survive it.”

  I didn't want to tell him it hadn’t been a choice. Although I had been under the impression it required my permission, the Goddess had taken control of my body without asking. Despite the fact that I hadn’t given her my permission, I was grateful she did it. We both knew Levi had to be stopped at any cost. And she had saved my life and many others.

  I knew that if she needed to, she'd do it again. And I was okay with that.

  There was a knock at the door, and Ariel poked her head in. "The portal is ready. It's best if you leave now.”

  Will got up and helped me up. Then a wave of dizziness hit me. But he caught me and gripped my hand as we walked from the room.

  "It'll look a little different than it did when you were training, okay?" Ariel added.

  “Okay,” I answered, my pulse quickening with a mixture of anxiety and excitement.

  Will had promised that after the war was over, we'd be able to spend time together. I had no idea that a part of that promise would come through so soon. A year with him sounded like a lifetime to me, but I was more than ready.

  He held my hand as we followed Ariel out of the castle and into the chilly night. Tien and Angelisa had gathered in the garden and were waiting for us.

  “I’ll come and get you guys when it’s time to leave,” Angelisa said, smiling warmly. Then she held her hand out to the portal.

  Will looked down at me, his lips curving. “Ready?”

  I nodded, and we walked together through the portal.

  Once on the other side, I was suddenly breathless. We were on the beach, with a forest at our back and a cabin at the tree line.

  As I watched a seagull fly over our heads, I knew the ocean was Ariel’s idea.

  The sun was setting, its beautiful light casting an orange glow over the world. A year here with Will was a vacation I didn’t know I needed.

  "You'll recover quickly here," he said. "But you'll also be training with me from time to time. This place is beautiful, and I'm happy to be here, but we can't forget the outside world and . . .”

  I squeezed his hand to silence him. "I know. I had no intention of sitting around for a year, but it's nice to be here with you."

  “I won’t take it easy on you.”

  I arched a brow as I released his hand. “Are you talking about training me, or something else?”

  He just smiled. “I guess you’ll find out.” The way he looked at me flooded me with warmth, and as his smile grew, I had to walk away to hide my blush.

  "Running away already?" he called out to me.

  “You know I never run away from a challenge,” I said, continuing on my way to the cabin.

  He chuckled low behind me, his footsteps catching up to me in seconds. "But first you need to rest, which calls for a bath with me, of course, and then whatever comes next."

  As I climbed the wooden stairs, they creaked under my weight until I stepped onto the small patio. Will left me to watch the sun fall beyond the horizon while he got set up for our bath.<
br />
  Being here already felt bittersweet to me. I knew once this bliss ended, we'd both return to the real world where an uncertain future awaited us. Right now, all we could do was prepare, but the day was rapidly approaching when we'd all have to face Amythia, the Vampire Queen. And we’d either come away as victors or we’d die trying to save the world from her rule.

  Either way, I was ready for the fight.

  22

  Elinor

  Will and I stepped out from the portal, hand in hand, our bond stronger than it had ever been.

  They say you don't truly know a person until you've lived with them. And being with Will day in and day out for a year had definitely given me that chance.

  For one magnificent year, we’d been an ordinary couple living in peace. We had laughed, argued, trained together, and at the end of each day, we had slept in each other's arms. It was a brief taste of the life I yearned to spend with him after the war was over.

  Skye, Cyrus, and Darian were waiting on the other side for us to join them on our journey to my pack, and I knew Will and I would have to part ways again before long. Even so, I wasn't as heartbroken about that as I had been in the past because I knew he wouldn't be far away.

  After giving us a bag of the potions she'd created to mask our scents, Angelisa had grown tearful, saying she hated to see us all leave. Ariel and Tien had done their best to remain strong, holding back their tears, but I couldn't.

  All four of us had embraced each other to say farewell. But this wasn’t goodbye. Although I said nothing to them about it, I vowed to myself that I'd return to help free them. They’d lived a life in captivity long enough, and the world needed women like them.

  Though we heard a few screams from the Leviathans in the distance, our daytime trek back through the forest passed without incident, probably because they tended to be more active at night. When we had first arrived, we had taken a step out of day into night, so going back, we were trading day for the night once again.