Rhiannon nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“She died because she didn’t have her powers anymore.”
“But why does that matter? Can we only survive with magic inside of us?”
“No. No, that was only something with her. She was special. The magic inside her kept her alive.”
“I don’t understand.”
Pavian added, “Your mom was injured many years ago and, for some reason, her Guardian magic never healed her, not even from minor injuries, so, Will gave her another magic––a very powerful magic––to save her. It worked. It kept her alive. However, it never really healed her completely. This new magic in her blood kept her alive, so without it . . .”
“She’d die,” James finished.
Pavian sighed. “Yes.”
“But—I don’t—I just don’t understand why she didn’t come with us?” Rhiannon stammered, lowering her eyes to the ground.
Pavian pushed aside thick shrubbery and ducked under low hanging branches as they reached the tree line. “None of us do.”
They all hiked through the open forest—with trees towering overhead and uprooted underbrush beneath their feet. The sun descended along the western sky and the breeze blew through the staggering trees of the forest. The long trek was tiring and the five grew exhausted and thirsty. No words were spoken as they all followed each other in a single line.
Reaching a clearing, Aidan stopped, followed closely by Pavian. A single-story cabin with a covered porch lay in the back corner of the open field. The long, horizontal logs were covered in moss and showed signs of wear and tear. A small pile of wood rested underneath three small windows next to the front door. The grass and weeds were overgrown and dry. Dead plants lay within the garden, encircled by a toppled-over wooden fence, to the side of the cabin. The porch was covered in a layer of dirt. Thick shrubs and untrimmed trees hid parts of the charming cabin within the daunting setting.
Staring at the ground, Rhiannon collided into Pavian’s backside. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was . . .” The cabin and surroundings distracted her, causing her gaze to wander across the area. “I recognize this place.”
The cabin was once the home of Karramis and Will, but signs show it had been abandoned for years.
Pavian jerked his head, flashing a concerned expression over to his sister.
She ignored him, finally reaching the edge of the clearing. “This place looks like crap.”
Pavian and Aidan cleared their throats.
“What?” Kavana shrugged.
James strode up to the others, and he and Rhiannon asked in unison, “Where are we?”
“That’s really going to take some getting used to,” Pavian said to the twins. He exhaled and added, “Well, this is where you two were born.”
“Here?” the twins asked.
“Yep,” Kavana said halfheartedly.
Rhiannon and James observed the stretch of land, taking in everything.
“I remember this place now!” Rhiannon moved closer to the cabin. “Yeah, this is where . . .”
James joined in, “Mom sent us that night.”
“That’s definitely going to take some getting used to,” Pavian interrupted with a smirk.
Rhiannon continued, “This is where our dad lives, right?”
“It’s supposed to be,” Aidan answered under his breath.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rhiannon asked, facing Aidan. “Is—is he not here?”
Aidan shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Well, where is he then?” the twins questioned.
No one answered.
Rhiannon and James feared the worst. Had their father died too? Was the slight glimmer of hope of being a family again gone for good? Had they not only relived the day their mother died all over again, but now, they had to deal with losing their father, too?
“I don’t think he’s—he’s dead, though,” Aidan said unconvincingly. “I think he might be livin’ in the village after all. Why don’t we head over that way and find out?”
“Yeah, let’s—let’s do that,” Pavian agreed. “We have to hurry, though, it’s going to be dark soon.”
Pavian headed back into the forest while Aidan and Kavana waited for the twins.
A loud thud and rustling came from a few yards in front of him, and a muffled groan echoed off the trees. He halted and the four others turned, facing him and the unusual sounds.
“What was that?” Kavana asked, trying to see past her brother.
Pavian did not hear the question. Unable to move, he waited, staring over at a person lying on the ground.
The individual pushed themselves up, but crashed down under their shaky arms. Pavian stepped back before bolting in the direction of the mysterious individual lying face down on the ground. Crashing to his knees beside them, he carefully rolled the person onto their back and leaned over, speaking inaudible words to them. He glanced up at Aidan with watery eyes and a deeply creased brow, tilting his head in the direction of Kavana, who was moving slowly in his direction. Aidan stepped forward and pulled her back.
Kavana stood still, unable to move after catching sight of the concern expression plastered across her brother’s distressed face, and the individual lying motionless along the leaf-covered ground.
“Who’s that?” James questioned, his stomach tingling and heart pounding.
No one answered him, so James took a step closer.
Sensing her brother’s concern, Rhiannon repeated, “Who’s that?”
Her anxiety took over, causing her to gasp for air as pins and needles erupted throughout her body. Her muscles constricted, pulling at every inch of her as tightness squeezed her chest.
James stepped forward again, talking over his shoulder. “Aidan, who’s that?”
Aidan cradled Kavana as she lowered herself to the ground, no longer able to stand. Her face was frozen in a state of shock as tears trailed down her face.
Exhaling, Aidan shuddered, “Yer mother.”
Refusing to move, Rhiannon shook her head with her fingers resting against her lips, trying desperately to breathe. Her body was numb, and she could no longer hear as her mind disappeared from the situation.
Pavian scooped up the unconscious Karramis from the ground and carried her in the direction of the others, hurrying her over to the cabin behind them.
James stared mystified at his mother as Pavian rushed past him. Not only was she alive and badly beaten, but she was also wearing the same tattered and bloody nightgown she had on the last time he saw her eight years ago.
Pronunciation Guide
Caerwyn: CARE-WIN
Cassil: CASTLE
Casteya: CAST-EE-YUH
Dorrasa: DOOR-A-SUH
Drolnogard: DROLL-NUH-GUARD
Emrys: EM-REESE
Fayemeara: FAYE-MEAR-UH
Karramis: CARE-UH-MISS
Kavana: KUH-VON-UH
Keya: KEE-YUH
Kiluemar: KILL-UH-MAR
Kitra: KIT-TRUH
Llewellyn: LOU-WELL-IN
Lucien: LOU-SEE-IN
Maevis: MAY-VISS
Merrick: MARE-ICK
Mikel: MICHAEL
Pavian: PAVE-EE-IN
Rhiannon: REE-ANN-IN
Sadora: SUH-DOOR-UH
Smyth: SMITH
Symeon: SIM-EE-IN
Telematra: TELL-UH-MA-TR-AH
Tenarick: TEN-UH-RICK
Zacharia: ZACK-UH-RYE-UH
Zarrius: Z-AIR-EE-US
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