“Run, Cassie! I got this.”
Her words were contradicting her condition, even though her expression said otherwise. No one would be able to tell that this witch was lying in a coma a day prior to this. This witch had a life growing inside of her that was sucking away all her powers. Yet she posed herself like there was nothing in the world that could bring her harm, nothing in the world that could bring her down.
She was the Caillagh, and here she was proving just what she was capable of.
A part of her thought that this surge of power had resulted from Ammara’s light that had been giving her energy all this time, the light that she had been feeding off of. Whatever the deal, she needed it now.
Cassie stayed put. “I won’t abandon you.”
Nina’s eyes urged her to listen to her. They pleaded with her and assured her that she would be safe. All Nina could think about was getting the bear and her cub to safety. She possessed the power, and only she could save them–if only Cassie would listen to her.
“You have to save yourselves. This isn’t Kalen!”
A small chuckle came out of the figure’s lips. “And who says I’m not Kalen?” He rolled his eyes and Cassie couldn’t help but think that he was getting ready to attack now. “Silly, little witch. You think you know everything?”
Nina didn’t care to answer his question, and instead claimed, “Kalen would never hurt them. Ammara is far too precious for him.”
Cassie thought of how she had come to the same conclusion merely a few minutes ago. Hearing Nina repeat her thoughts convinced her further that the man was not Kalen.
So that’s why Cassie’s bear had been so agitated all throughout the day. This fairy meant to harm them, and a feeling of dread crawled its way up her spine and disabled her senses for a few seconds.
Guessing is one thing, knowing for sure is another. She now knew for sure that danger was extremely close to her and things could spiral out of control in seconds.
“And who said he wouldn’t? The fairy king does want he wants. He takes what he wants. He doesn’t care about mere shifters.” His tone was spiteful now.
“Your presence in the den tipped me off as soon as you breached the barriers, you stupid fairy.” Nina was trying to gain the upper hand now, outsmarting him, giving him a taste of his own medicine. “Kalen is allowed within those barriers. You, however, are an intruder.”
He smirked. “I’m impressed, young witch. I assumed you were just dumb like the rest of them.”
Clapping his hands slowly, he continued, “Now I can see a hint of the Caillagh in you.”
So he knew. Whoever this person was, he had the complete picture painted already in his mind, he had gathered all the information he needed, and he was now swooping in for the kill.
“Who are you?”
Cassie had been holding herself back from asking the question that had been haunting all of them, but something in her broke, and suddenly, she wasn’t able to get a grip on herself.
The fairy tossed his head back, and a menacing laugh escaped his lips as he lifted off the floor and flew off, leaving the question lingering in the air just as help arrived.
Kevin’s bear convulsed inside him as he saw his witch’s condition and instantly dashed to her side. It seemed as though she were just holding herself together long enough for them to arrive, so Cassie wouldn’t have to fight the man alone. Before Kevin could come to her aid and embrace her, she collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud, right at his feet.
Concern and wrath flowed out of his throat as he took Nina into his arms. “What happened?”
Cassie was just as worried. She ran a hand over Nina’s forehead. “The strain must have gotten to her. Take her back to the room and let her rest.”
Kevin grew even more outraged now, and he was screaming. “Why was Nina here, when everyone knew that she should have been resting?!”
Cassie took the opportunity to explain the entire situation in Luke’s presence, who had shown up at the same time as Kevin, along with Heather. They took in every detail in wonderment, and she could see the anger bubbling in Luke and Kevin.
In the midst of it all, Totters made his entry into the scene and landed softly on Kevin’s shoulder.
The connection a master and his familiar had was nothing short of amazing. “Master?”
No response, and he looked at Kevin for answers. “She’ll be all right. We just have to take her back to the room and let her rest.”
Totters had been alerted as soon as Nina came into contact with the strange man.
Kevin was tipped off by Totters within the next few minutes, having found him busy in some work, and they had rushed to Nina’s aid. They met with Luke halfway into the field after he had received the call of the mating bond.
Immediately, Luke shouted orders into the air for the security to be tightened, furious at what a close call it was. Why were there lands on his territory that stood unguarded?
If it weren’t for Nina, he would’ve lost one or two of the most important people in his life, something he couldn’t even bear the thought of. What would he have done without them?
***
From the corner, Gael took in the entire scene, reading everyone’s expressions.
He had been there to witness everything that had happened between Cassie, Nina, and the stranger. From the shadows, he quietly watched without saying anything.
He contemplated whether coming out of his hiding spot would be a good idea at that time, but decided against it. He didn’t have a good enough explanation as to what he was doing there. If someone were to question him, he wouldn’t have an answer, so he stood at a distance, making sure no one would notice his presence.
Now that help had arrived, it was time for him to take his leave. He slowly backed off, hoping to not be caught in the act. To his misfortune, Heather noted the movement from the corner of her eyes.
Shocked, she had turned her head all of a sudden, thinking that their mystery man had returned, only to see Gael silently lurking in the shadows.
Her gaze met with his for a minute. He paused, frozen in his steps. Was she going to tell the others?
To his surprise, she didn’t and walked over to Cassie to comfort her. He took that as his cue to leave.
Crossing Shadow Claw’s boundary now, he embarked on another journey far away from the bears and the wolves. He breached the fairy territory’s boundary without a strain and walked with fierce determination.
His heart raced, and he broke out in a sweat as he neared his destination.
Deep into the fairy kingdom this time, he studied his whereabouts. Lurking about unmarked territories, he was completely isolated, and there was no sign of life anywhere nearby, apart from the old, parched trees that loomed above him.
Before him now stood a cave, its mouth small and almost hidden, easy to be overlooked if one did not pay close attention. Throwing caution the wind, he entered the cave.
It would seem that he had tons of practice in this art as he made his way through the cave to the far end rather effortlessly and stopped short all of a sudden. His mouth went dry. His voice was now stuck somewhere at the base of his throat.
Bending down, he picked up the broken chains to inspect them. How did this happen? It wasn’t possible!
His head spun and a nauseous feeling overtook his body. He knew he had to get out of there immediately. He was no longer safe inside the cave. With so much distance between him and the others, no one would even notice if something were to happen to him.
He turned around and noticed the figure standing behind him, eyes fixed on the vampire, mouth stretched in a sinister smile. How long had he been there?
“Who are you?” He asserted his most authoritative tone and fought to keep his voice steady.
Determined to get out of there, he attempted to dash past the person. However, the sharp blow to his head sent him falling backward. He shut his eyes to the blow he had just endured.
What had he gotten
himself into?
Chapter 8
Concurrently, miles away, Kalen and Ammara grew closer once again in each other’s presence. With ample time on their hands and nothing remotely important to do, Kalen set to telling Ammara everything that had happened in the last couple of centuries. She found out about how and why everything progressed and the way things changed.
Kalen made it a point to tell her how Nina had wandered into the fairy territory, seeking the Council, even though there had been no mention of it for centuries. He recalled how perplexed and lonely, yet powerful she had been. He told her how one gaze upon Nina’s face told him that she was one of hers. He always knew it was partly his duty to protect her. He couldn’t let anything happen to someone, who shared the blood of the woman he loved.
Caillaghs had a different feel to them altogether, he explained. She stood out, and the way her familiar had begged for her life, Kalen said he couldn’t help but think about Lachen and how much he had cared for Ammara. Nina’s scent had been exactly the same as hers, he told her, and Kalen had been quick to notice that. The otherwise wicked fairy had let her off the hook very easily for trespassing beyond his borders, and everyone that fell in his territory had wondered why the king had decided to be so kind to a complete stranger.
Lost in conversation, they hadn’t realized how many hours had elapsed until Ammara’s stomach had started to grumble again.
“Hungry now, are we?” he teased her, smiling softly.
Ammara blushed, embarrassed at the sounds coming out of her.
He spoke again, “Well, I didn’t plant those trees just for the animals outside to pick at them. I’ll go gather some fresh fruit for you.”
Giving her a peck on the cheek, he picked up a small basket that had been set on the kitchen counter and exited the room. She glanced in his direction, suddenly feeling awkward.
She stared at the walls, thinking about Kalen. She missed him already and thought of going outside to help him gather the fruit. The cabin felt strange this time. She felt suffocated within it without Kalen.
This was the first time she had been alone since she had returned, and it felt very weird, kind of like there was no one to left in the world to notice her presence. She wanted to scream but instead held herself back, reassuring herself that Kalen was only gone for a couple of minutes.
She couldn’t help but wonder if this was how he had felt when she was away from him. Did he silently wish for her to come back while sitting inside these four walls?
Of course, he did.
This cabin would’ve probably been the place he missed her the most. The whole place was basically just a manifestation of her thoughts.
Outside, Kalen whistled softly as he moved through the meadow, examining the fruit before putting it in his basket. Only the best of the best would get back to his beloved.
He looked at them, smelled them, and pressed them slightly to see how hard or soft they were.
Something else was on his mind, though–not just the fruit. He had felt a strange presence ever since he left the cabin. Someone had been watching him, and he was aware of it.
It watched from a corner as Kalen pretended not to notice anything and busied himself in picking the fruit and noticing his movements. With his basket filled and his heart fully content with his pickings, he now inched toward the door, still aware of the presence behind him.
He moved faster now. If something was actually stalking, he had to get to Ammara immediately to protect her or at least warn her. He picked up his stride but did not start running, so as to not tip off whomever had been watching him.
He reached the front door and extended his arm to open it when Ammara suddenly threw it open, staring out into the distance, ignoring a flushed and worried Kalen altogether. A strange look filled her eyes now.
“Lachen?” Her voice was deep, and she screamed loudly. “Are you out here?”
Silence. A slight rustling of leaves. Kalen’s eyes darted to where the sound had come from.
Just then, a huge beast came out of the shadows and made a beeline for Ammara.
Kalen jumped in the creature’s way, afraid that it might harm his love. Instead of stopping him, it knocked him to the side with a quick flick of its paw and pinned Ammara to the floor, making her land with a heavy thud.
Its paws were now placed on her chest, and it stared down at her lovingly. His long, thick tongue came out of its mouth and slashed against her face.
“Lachen, stop!”
She was laughing, her heart swollen with happiness, yet wincing against the feel of the animal’s tongue on her face. She compelled him to move backward and sat on her knees. With her hand buried in his fur, she rubbed her familiar affectionately. He responded to her touch and closed his eyes.
“Where were you all this time?”
Tears of joy gathered at the corner of her eyes, and she held onto him tightly. The bond between a master and familiar was truly remarkable. Nothing came in comparison.
Finding Kalen had brought her immense happiness, too, but getting her hellhound back, her Lachen who had been at her side through thick and thin, was a whole other thing. Her heart was bursting with joy, and she now held him tightly.
Kalen witnessed this from where he had fallen on the ground and snarled at the beast, clearly jealous. He picked himself up and dusted his clothes, eyeing the bruised fruit that he had spent so much time gathering.
“Okay, okay, that’s enough of that,” he said, moving toward them now and trying to pull Ammara backward, causing her to laugh out loud.
“What’s the matter? Is the fairy king jealous of a hellhound?”
He rolled his eyes and looked the other way for a second. “Of course, I’m not jealous!”
“Well, in that case,” Ammara teased, holding tighter onto Lachen and dropping kisses on her beast’s head, “you wouldn’t mind this at all.”
He looked the other way momentarily and pretended not to care. However, it wasn’t long before he struck once again.
Kalen tried to part them once more, and she released Lachen this time, who wore a smug look on his face, happy at being able to tease the fairy king in such a way. The master and her familiar laughed at the sight of Kalen’s face turning red. She stood up to peck his cheek.
“Jealousy is a cute look on you, did you know that?”
She stepped back, and he gazed into her eyes, wondering what heavenly deed he must have done that caused Ammara to return to him.
All of a sudden, however, the look on her face changed altogether. Staring at nothing in particular, her forehead wrinkled into three lines, and she squinted her eyes in anger.
“Something is wrong,” she claimed, her voice deep and harsh.
“Ammara, sweetheart, what is it?” A feeling of dread crawled up his spine. Was she seeing a prophecy? Kalen tried to calm and soothe her, rubbing her back lightly.
“Someone is in trouble.”
“Who? What do you mean?”
Lachen grew restless and stared at his master in clear trepidation. He already knew what was going through her mind.
“One of my Council members is in trouble.”
She was mumbling now, and Kalen fought to pick up on what she was saying. After straining really hard to understand, he realized she had been murmuring Asther’s name. Why?
The ground was now quaking beneath their feet as the woman he loved tossed her head backward, facing the sky. She screamed loudly, sending Kalen’s hands shooting to cover his ears. He gawked at the now-transformed woman who stood before him, observing how her features had now hardened.
Fury and wrath exuded out of her. Gone was the woman he loved, and in her stead now stood the Caillagh, in all her powerful glory.
The blue of the sky was now taken over by shades of black and grey. Lightning struck the ground a few feet away from them, and Kalen stared in wide-eyed horror at the power his witch was filled with. What was happening to her?
“Ammara!”
“Ma
ster!” Lachen had been trying to communicate with his master telepathically, trying to pull her back to her senses. She wasn’t paying any heed to them, and he had realized that words would do no good at this point. He had to get inside her mind.
At the same time, Kalen shook her, finally dragging her out of the trance.
“Something has happened to one of my Council members, Kalen!”
She was shaking, colors of concern filling her face and voice, which had just replaced all the anger.
Kalen knew he had to do something to calm her down.
“You always were a little too overprotective about your Council, weren’t you? He gave her a smug look, trying to lighten the mood with humor.
“What did you say?”
He didn’t give her an answer, and he saw hints of the anger returning.
Ammara was not impressed at his remark and raised a brow. “What are you trying to imply, Kalen?”
“They’re your babies, aren’t they? One small feeling and your mommy side is instantly triggered.” He laughed out loud, holding his stomach, keeping an eye on her to see if his little plan had worked.
Clearly, it hadn’t. She was having none of it. “Quiet!” she yelled. Her voice boomed in his ears and lightning struck again, right at his feet this time.
Kalen paused, the smile wiped off of his face now.
Something really was wrong. He tried to read her face to figure out what had been going through her mind. Worried eyes stared into his.
“Gael isn’t answering my summons.”
There it was. That’s what was wrong.
“Try again?”
“Don’t you think I would have tried many times before telling you? He isn’t answering my summons! Something has happened to him!”
Kalen grew more and more agitated as the seconds passed. The way her words came out added to it immensely. He fell silent, unsure of what to say. He scowled at his inability to calm her down.
The Broken Barrier (Shadow Claw Book 4) Page 6