He, of course, protested without being able to explain but Adele always won. Even I was no help and he didn’t much appreciate it.
“Father, can’t you do something? I don’t want to go. Cadence is going to be coming here, remember?”
“I know but this is what your mother wants.”
“And what about you always being on my side when it came to the girls?”
“She can’t know that’s the reason.”
“I know but—”
“Listen. Just go with her and when Cadence comes, I’m not even exactly sure what day but when she comes I’ll send for you.”
“But father—”
“No. Don’t upset your mother. She loves you too, you know.”
He sighed deeply and didn’t argue a word further. “All right but you let me know the second she comes. Use the hawk.”
“I will and you can be here probably the same day.”
“Thank you, father. For doing this at least.”
“Of course. Now, go pack your things. You can bring everyone in the morning.”
“Do I really get to do it?”
“You’re fourteen now. I think that’s old enough. You’ve done well at practicing. You’re ready.”
“Okay. I better rest too then.”
“Yes of course.”
He hurried off and I was glad we came to some kind of an agreement on the matter. He wouldn’t leave angry or at least, I didn’t think so.
He was still showing his mother attitude the following morning and wouldn’t speak more than a few words to her.
“He’s upset.”
“It’s all right.” I assured her. “He’s just used to being around people and he’s liking it more than I ever have.”
“But I’m not taking him away for a year. It’s just a few weeks.”
“Like I said, he’s grown used to being here, that’s all. Once he gets there and realizes how nice it is to have a break, he’ll come around.”
“I hope so.”
“I promise everything will be fine.”
“All right. I better get out there. They’re waiting for me. I love you.”
“And I love you. See you in a few weeks.”
Our goodbyes have gotten easier over the years and I solemnly saw her tears when we would have weeks of separation between us. It was when she returned after only a week that her tears flowed like rivers and it was the saddest she’s ever been.
“What’s wrong?”
I took a quick notice to the five that have arrived back and my son that was missing.
“It’s Seth!” She cried. “He hates me for making him go. I think he ran away. We can’t find him anywhere! You have to do something, Zayden!”
The dread filled me but I calmly tried to get her to calm. “It’s all right. You go settle in. I’ll go search for him, okay?”
She nodded and Jaylyn and Ruby had to guide her through the main hall or else she wouldn’t have walked on her own. She was completely devastated by Seth’s disappearance but there were two that didn’t seem so surprised.
Bryce and Dirk started to turn casually like they were going to settle in too.
“Wait.” My deep voice stopped them and they started to turn back, looking guilty as ever. “What do you know?”
“Know?” Bryce stuttered.
“We know nothing.” Dirk said.
“Nothing about anything.”
“Boys?” Darius chimed in with his deep voice and they caved like melting ice.
“It wasn’t our fault!” Dirk said. “We had nothing to do with his plan.”
“What plan?” I asked.
They were silent again.
“Bryce?” Troy demanded.
“A messenger hawk came by when we were outside.” Bryce explained. “Seth got anxious, saying it was probably from you but when he read it something changed.”
“I didn’t send him a message.”
“We figured it wasn’t from you when he became—I don’t know—different.”
“Different how?”
“He was frozen almost, at first.” Dirk said. “Then he started to tremble and I seriously thought he was going to cry or something but instead, he disappeared inside.”
“And?”
“We followed, of course.” Bryce said. “He was in his room packing a bag. We tried to get him to tell us but all he kept saying was, ‘this can’t be happening, she can’t, why would she,’ like we didn’t exist at all. Then he said he was leaving and not to tell anyone so they wouldn’t worry but we have no idea where he went.”
I sighed and rubbed my brow. This truly was the year. The message was from Cadence and he had gone to Dorlin. Something disrupted this year’s visit to Seni―again.
“You know where he is.” Dirk said, more like it was a fact and not a question.
I nodded. “I know where he is and I’m going to need your help.”
“All right! An adventure!”
“To save Seth’s life.” I cut in. “It won’t be a game.”
“He’s really in trouble, isn’t he?” Bryce asked.
“I’m afraid so. Come. We take the portal to Dorlin.”
“We have a portal?” Dirk asked, almost excitedly as they all followed to the throne.
“It’s only used for emergencies and this happens to be one. It will take us right to Aleksander. Troy, Darius, I need you to—”
“We know.” Troy said. “Go. Bring him back. Things will be fine here.”
“Thank you.”
“Dirk.” He stopped and turned to his father. “You better do only what Zayden asks and nothing else. Got it?”
“Yes, father. Understood.”
“All right, this is going to feel a little weird for a moment but I need you to walk straight through and don’t turn back until you’re in Kalu’s throne room.”
“Okay, Zayden.”
I placed my crown in the engraved impression of the sun on the back of the throne and a light filled the area, showing us an image of Kalu like a mirror.
“Go. One at a time. I’ll follow.”
I knew they were a bit nervous to be finding out about this at all but they did what I asked. Dirk, being the braver of the two, went in first and Bryce followed.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Go teach our sons how to kick some ass.”
I smiled. “Hopefully it won’t have to come to that. Look out for Adele.”
They nodded and I stepped through the portal. My body felt tight like I was being squeezed but it only lasted for a second until I reached the other side.
“Zayden, thank goodness.” Aleksander was right there to offer his worry. “We heard what happened?”
“Have you heard from him, seen him?”
“No.” Trever answered. “And there’s another problem.” His eyes flickered to the boys like he didn’t want to say it in front of them but did because of my anxiousness to know. “Our contact to the other world has been severed.”
“What?!”
“We don’t know how or why but they’re dead to us now.”
“And Ryon?” He only shook his head for my answer. “But he knew this would happen. He said he’d be here. It’s why I let him be here!”
“Looks like we’ll have to pull our resources. We’ll find him. Do you remember the vision?”
My head was spinning and I tried to think. “It was dark, he was surrounded and—Cadence. Where’s Cadence? She might know where he is.”
“Your majesty!” My head turned to the call even if it wasn’t for me and a guard came in cradling a body in his arms. My heart raced. “This girl just asked for you and collapsed outside. She’s hurt bad.”
“Cadence!”
I rushed towards the guard; I didn’t care if he saw how fast I was and I took her from him.
“Thank you.” Aleksander said. “We’ll take it from here.”
The guard left and I brought Cadence to a side table, clearing everything o
ff it so I could set her down. She was covered in cuts and bruises on her face and her clothes were torn and dirty.
“Who is she?” Bryce asked.
“She’s the she you heard Seth mention.”
“What?! He had a girl this whole time and didn’t tell us? Now I’m mad.”
“Dirk!”
“Mad figuratively. Don’t worry.”
“Bryce, help her.”
“Of course, Zayden.”
I let him approach and he seemed hesitant to touch her but he began to heal her like I asked.
Her breath became deep and she tried to sit up, almost with a scream.
“Cadence! It’s all right!” I said, trying to keep her down. “It’s us. You’re safe.”
She was completely out of it and I didn’t expect her to be in any kind of mental condition to tell us what happened.
“Bryce, put her to sleep. Trever will get more out of her by telling us her thoughts.”
He nodded and Cadence drifted into a peaceful sleep that she desperately needed.
I looked at Trever and he stepped next to me, looking down at her.
“Anything?” I was sorry that I was impatient but this was important.
“Her thoughts are jumping. She keeps mentioning someone named Curtis and—wait.”
“What?”
“Seth. She’s afraid for him then of him. He triggered the gift.”
“Which one?”
“Both.”
“How? I thought they couldn’t be used together?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where is he?!”
“He chased them into a trap like a cage; the holding cell in the abandoned building in the southeastern corner of the city. It’s the only place that ever held Ryon as a young wolf. He should still be there.”
“Let’s go!”
Chapter 31
Seth
This can’t be happening; she can’t. Why would she?
I had to see her. I had to go to Dorlin. I needed to know why she couldn’t see me anymore. After all her happy letters and excitement for her next visit, her most recent one made the least sense. Why would she suddenly tell me we weren’t allowed to see each other? I never remember my father mentioning that before and surely my mother would have said something if she knew.
“Seth!”
My thoughts drained and Dirk and Bryce were with me. “What?”
“What are you doing?” Bryce asked.
“I’m going on a little trip by myself. Don’t tell anyone. Can you do that?”
“I guess.” Dirk said. “But I’m confused about why we’re doing it at all.”
“I’ll tell you when I come back. Just don’t tell.”
“All right. We won’t.”
I was gone.
I didn’t want to stick around for anymore needless chatter. I had to get to Dorlin. It was easy for me and maybe even faster than I’ve ever been but it was dark when I arrived and I couldn’t remember where exactly her house was.
I walked the streets, trying to keep my head down and hood up so no one would recognize me and report my sighting to my grandfather. I didn’t need any distractions right now. I just needed to find Cadence.
I came to a house that looked familiar. It had the iron gate and stone wall but the wall was shorter than I remember due to a growth spurt that caused me to get taller but this was the house.
I went through the little gate and took the path right to the door with a swift knock.
A woman came to it, a woman I remember being Cadence’s mother, Meg. “Yes?”
“Is Cadence home?”
She looked at me for a long while and her eyes didn’t look pleased. “Seth, didn’t you get her letter?”
“That’s why I’m here. I need to see her.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“Please! I don’t know what caused this but I just need to speak with her if only for a minute.”
“It’s not possible because she isn’t here, Seth.”
“She isn’t?”
“She’s out with a few friends for the night and—” She gave me one long look before speaking it. “Her boyfriend.”
Boyfriend?
My disbelief caused me to take a step backwards down the stairs. “Oh. I see.”
“I am sorry, Seth.”
“No. It’s okay. I guess I’ll just go.”
“I’ll tell her you stopped by.”
“No. That’s okay. Thank you for your time.”
She nodded to me with a sympathetic smile and I turned away. That’s exactly what I felt; pathetic. Cadence had a boyfriend now and it wasn’t me. Is that why she sent me that letter because she would rather spend her summer with him?
Whatever the answer I just wanted to get out of here but I couldn’t seem to use my speed at all like this mood wasn’t allowing it and so I walked. I walked the streets again, taking another long route back to the eastern gates. Maybe that would help ease my mind and allow me to run again. I wanted to run and flee this place forever.
My hand brushed against my side and I felt the letter she had written in my pocket. I took it out to read it again.
Seth,
I’m sorry for this, please know that but I won’t be in Seni this summer and please don’t come see me. We can’t see each other anymore. It just wouldn’t be possible but I’ll still write every now and then to let you know that I’m okay and I am okay. I hope you remain okay as well. Goodbye.
Cadence
As I looked at the letter I noticed spots on the paper where it looked like it had been wet. My eyes turned black and I smelt it with a long deep breath. It was salty almost like—like tears.
She wrote this while she was crying. She couldn’t have meant it.
I looked back in the direction I came and anger aroused through me. Meg had lied. Could she have lied about her having a boyfriend? I couldn’t leave now. I had to find out. I had to find her; now.
My senses were extra strong these days with having my wolf gift beginning to mature but I’ve never used it before. I’ve been kind of scared to but the wolf senses plus my others from my father, I had a good chance at finding her without having to go back to her house and hear more lies.
I took the letter in both my hands and cupped them around my nose while I took another heavy breath, maybe even heavier than before. It was her. I could smell Cadence. Kaluian blood smelt earthy but that was everywhere due to my current location of being surrounded by Kaluians but there was also something else, something that wasn’t in a full Kaluians’ blood. It was different, almost cold if cold could have a smell. That had to be the Hintin in her. It was always cold in Hintus. The only time of year it didn’t snow was summer. It smelt like it would if earth had frozen. I locked onto it and followed it through the city.
I tried to be inconspicuous about it. I didn’t want to walk around with my nose stuck up in the air like I was actually smelling it. I was but I kept my head low tracing the scent to all the places she had been that night. That little eatery we once had breakfast. I didn’t need to go inside. The smell was weak here. She probably passed through an hour or two ago. I had to find the strongest scent I could and that’s where she’d be.
I passed the busiest parts of the upper district where the shops and market was where she had to of passed through. I even passed the residential section and sighed in relief. If she did have a boyfriend, she at least didn’t go to his house.
The scent was getting stronger when I came up to a grassy patch of earth that was shaded by the tall oaks that littered the city. There were benches and narrow paths to walk on, a place where kids would come play so they wouldn’t break anything from throwing a ball around in the streets. That always got dangerous.
She had to be here somewhere and I began to hear the voices before seeing who they were coming from.
“Come on. What’s wrong with you?” It was a boy’s voice followed by a slightly annoyed girl’s voice.
“Quit moping about your stupid Prince. Look what you get instead. Now come here.”
I knew that had to be her if he just mentioned a Prince. Who else could he have been talking about besides me?
Cadence’s voice got rough like he was trying to force contact between them. “Would you stop it? Let go of me!”
“Just relax. You’ll enjoy it.”
His words blackened my eyes and I felt this unfamiliar hate build up inside me. I had to find them.
Just around the next large oak is where they stood. Cadence was pinned up against the tree with that scummy creature looking for a place to nest his lips while he tore at her clothes.
“Get your hands off her!”
He only moved his head but kept his hands on her. “Who the fuck are you?”
“Seth?!” Cadence’s voice was mixed between relieved and concerned.
“This is Seth?” He backed away from her and looked me over. “What’s wrong with your eyes?”
“Would you like to find out?” I’ve been warned about this. I couldn’t turn them blue again and I knew what I had to do to relieve it.
“Oh, no, Seth. Please calm down.” Cadence cried.
“Back away from her before someone gets hurt.”
He was more amused of my threat than threatened. “Really? Hurt by a little kid like you? Piss off. Can’t you see we’re busy?”
He went to reach for her again and I almost snapped. “Don’t touch her again.”
“Or what? You’ll make me? Well, there’s only one of you and a lot more of me.”
Others came from behind other trees or the dark paths around me and I was completely surrounded.
“No!” Cadence shouted, trying to reach me but she was grabbed by two of them. “Don’t hurt him, please!”
“Shut her up!”
One of the boys held her throat to keep her still while the other gagged her.
“Leave her alone!”
“Where do you think you’re going?” Curtis stepped in front of me in my attempt to get closer to Cadence so they wouldn’t hurt her. “Got a soft spot for this little whore, do you?” My face tightened. “Oh, you don’t like that? Well, you should know, it’s not a lie. She’s been very open to all of us.”
Blooming Life (Fate's Intent Book 10) Page 17