“Shit.” Dirk muttered. “I didn’t know he could do that.”
“It’s like he just regenerated.” Bryce said.
I knew he was done when he started getting his gear back on. That meant he’d be riding back to the city soon and we all opened our eyes.
“Did you see that?” Bryce asked.
“Yes, well.” I said, still impressed yet grateful he made it. “I guess that’s all taken care of and we can return as well and wait for the news from the west.”
“Yeah, how long will that take?” Dirk asked.
“At least a few days, I’m sure. It’ll take that long for the message to get here.”
No one said anything else. We turned away and headed to our tent to gather everything we brought and we rode north back to Randal to await for the official news.
Chapter 48
Seth
I made it back to Randal the next day after my last trial and I had the palace completely to myself. The silence was dreadful. I was hoping they’d make it back and everyone would be okay.
When I was finally informed of their return just a day later, I didn’t waste any time to greet them in the stables. “You’re back!”
“We are.” My father smiled.
“And you claimed victory then?”
“As planned and we saw your final task as well.” I had a feeling they might have but I didn’t like the sound of my father’s tone. “You could have just kept it simple.”
“That would have been too easy. I was getting bored.”
“As long as it’s done it doesn’t matter how easy it would have been.”
Dirk smiled. “Shit, it was exciting to watch though.”
“Come here.” Bryce came to me and took my left arm, looking it over.
“What?”
“How did you do that? It’s like you healed yourself.”
“It was just a surface cut. I simply just put the skin cells back together.”
“I never knew you could do that.”
Bryce sounded offended like I never need him but I assured him otherwise. “Well, I’m not as good as you. Only at the little things.”
He at least smiled and my father walked out of his stall, ready to go inside and rest. “Have you heard news from your mother?”
There was a pause. I didn’t want to answer right off because it wasn’t pleasant. “No. Nothing.”
“Don’t worry. Give it a couple more days. I’m sure we’ll hear something soon but for now we can go inside, have a cigar and drink to our own victory to help the time pass.”
Everyone seemed to smile in agreement and we went inside the palace to wait for news from the west.
Chapter 49
Zayden
Four days have passed before a Kaluian messenger rode up to the palace with a letter for me. “Do you bring news?”
“Yes.” The messenger held out an envelope. “Letter from your Queen.”
“Thank you.”
The messenger nodded and left.
“Is that from Kalu?” Troy was right near me, ready to know what it said.
“Yes.”
“Finally. Read it.”
I started to open the envelope while I sat back in my throne and took out the letter, reading it to myself.
Dear Zayden,
I’m writing to you with news of our glorious victory in hopes that you have conquered the same. In the beginning, our numbers were equal but that didn’t hold us back from moving forward. Within the night we brought down two opposing armies but suffered heavy losses on our side. The girls proved to be most useful in determining our victory which leads me to inform you of an unexplainable misfortune.
Lana has gone missing. Sometime amidst the battle’s end she has disappeared. All that were found to prove of this was her gear. It has yet to be determined if she’s dead but we do know that she is badly wounded by the blood on the inside of her armor. We have sent out search parties to look for her but so far they have all come up empty. If she is still alive, she is believed to be somewhere in the mountains bordering our countries and most likely in animal form. We have some still searching as we now ride back to you and should be arriving only hours after you read this letter. So until then, I love you and hope you’re back in Randal when I return as you must now decide whether to tell Dirk about Lana or wait until he finds out when we get there.
Love,
Adele
I folded up the letter and sighed. “Oh no.”
“What?” Troy asked.
“Go find Darius and meet me in the conference room. We have a decision to make.”
Troy nodded and went upstairs to get Darius. I walked into the conference room and sat down for a few minutes with the letter in my hand.
“What’s going on?” Darius asked. “What’s the news?”
“Sit down.” I said. Darius and Troy sat down at the table with me and I continued. “They indeed did claim victory.” They both sighed in relief. “But Lana went missing.”
“What?!”
“She is believed to be wounded and in an animal form somewhere in the mountains. They’ve sent out some to look for her but no luck yet. We have to make the decision on whether to tell Dirk.” There was a pause and Troy and I looked at Darius. “Do you think we should tell him or let him find out when they return this evening?”
Darius held his head back and thought about what the right thing was but I’m sure he also knew that Dirk was going to be upset with such news. “I think we should but let me do it.”
I nodded just as the boys came into the conference room.
“Father, I saw the Kaluian messenger in the city. Did mother send news?”
We looked at each other but it’s only Troy and I who stood up.
“Yes but let’s not discuss it here.” Troy walked out the door and Seth and Bryce followed. When Dirk reached the door, I’m the one that had to turn and stop him. “Dirk. You stay here. You’re father has something to tell you.”
Dirk looked back at his father and I wasn’t sure if he was confused or already started to worry. I just knew we shouldn’t have all sat in there when he was told the news.
Chapter 50
Dirk
“What is it, father?”
“Sit down, son.” He was holding a letter in his hand as I stiffly walked over and sat down. “Something has happened.”
I was getting worried. “Is it mother?”
“No. It’s not your mother.”
I instantly knew he was talking about Lana and sat back in my chair with some kind of pain filling inside me. “No. Don’t tell me she’s dead.”
“That’s uncertain but she is missing.”
“Missing? How could she be missing?”
“They never found her body after the final battle. All they found was her clothing but she is injured.” I sat there trying to hold back both my anger and sadness as I listened to this news. “They’ve sent out search parties but no one has found her yet.”
“Then we have to do something! We have to find her!”
“No! They’re doing everything they can for her. The best thing for you to do is wait here in case she makes it back.”
My eyes instantly turned red and fire ignited my hair as I stood up. “No! You expect me to just sit here and do nothing?! She could be dying out there! I’ll get Bryce and we can go look for her!”
“No! That’s not a good idea. They have the very best out looking for her already. It shouldn’t be long.”
“The very best? Is Jaylyn out looking for her then?”
“No, she’ll be returning with your mother and the others tonight.”
“Then how can you say they have the very best out looking for her! You can’t! What better than to have someone that can feel life and heal her once she’s found?!” My father didn’t reply to my question and I got upset enough that my eyes faded back. “They think she’s already dead?”
“Dirk.” I took a few deep breaths and turned, leaving the co
nference room. “Dirk!” I kept going and didn’t stop.
I didn’t want to sit through that. She wasn’t dead. She couldn’t be. I went right into my room and just wanted to be alone but someone had to follow.
“Dirk?” Bryce was quiet but I never intended to say anything. “We’re sorry about Lana but you know they’ll find her, don’t you? I mean, they have to.”
I still didn’t say anything and didn’t even look over.
“Okay.” Seth said. “We understand, you need to be alone. We’ll just go.”
They walked out of my room, leaving me here to stare at the ceiling. I was alone and now I truly felt it.
Chapter 51
Ruby
We had finally returned to Randal and I couldn’t wait to see everyone just to know they made it. We walked inside the palace and saw the lanterns in the dining hall, thinking that’s where they must be.
It was still quiet as we approached and they were eating in silence. “Well, don’t look too happy to see us.”
Everyone immediately turned their heads up and smiled when they saw us. I rushed over and immediately hugged Darius. I was glad to be back in his arms but I noticed one thing missing.
“Where’s Dirk?” The guys were all silent while they stopped smiling and looked at each other. “Oh, so you told him.”
Darius nodded and sat back down. “He hasn’t left his room since this morning.”
“And he won’t talk to anyone.” Seth said. “Not even us.”
“That’s because you’re not his mother. I can get him to talk.” I gave Darius a kiss and started to turn. “I’ll be right back.” I walked out and up the stairs to Dirk’s room. I went right inside without knocking and Dirk was on his bed looking up at the ceiling. “Dirk?”
He immediately looked up when he knew it was my voice. “Mother.” He had sadness written all over him while he got up and rushed to me.
I hugged him and he held me tight while letting his emotions go. I started to tear up myself when I knew he was crying. I had to try to comfort him and I put one of my hands on his head and held my other arm around him. “Shh. I know. They’re doing everything they can to find her. We’re not giving up. Lana is a strong girl, she knows what to do in a situation like this. She’ll make it back to you, I promise.” I pulled Dirk away and looked at him, making sure he would look back. “But you have to stay strong for her, she’d need you to.”
Dirk nodded and rubbed his eyes. “I just don’t know what to do. I feel lost without her.”
I sat down on the bed next to him and put my arm around him for some more comfort. “Everything will turn out fine in the end, you’ll see.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Fate would not be so cruel to you this early in life. Lana’s animal instincts to hide until she’s healed may have taken her from us but it’s her love for you that will bring her back. Don’t doubt it for a second.”
He started to nod like he understood. “Thanks, mother. That really helps.”
“Of course, my son. The others tell me you haven’t come out of your room all day. You must be hungry.”
“I can’t be around them now. Not like this.”
“All right. I’ll bring some food up to you then and you can stay here as long as you feel you need to.”
Dirk nodded and I walked to the door, opening it. “Mother? Can we not tell the guys about this? I don’t want them to think I’m—”
“I won’t, Dirk. I promise.”
“Thank you.”
I left the room and walked back down to the dining hall. Adele, Jaylyn, Zayden, Darius and Troy were the only ones sitting in there now having their meal together.
“How is he?” Adele asked.
“He’s okay.” I picked up a plate and started putting food on it. “Everything will be fine.”
“You mean he actually talked to you?” Darius wondered.
I smiled while I walked around the table. “Of course. I’m his mother, he knows that he can always talk to me.”
“But he wouldn’t even talk to me.”
“That’s because he didn’t want anyone to see him like I did and think of him as less of a man.”
“No one would think that.”
“Just leave it alone. He’s going through a lot right now and I don’t know how long he’ll be like this.”
“Are you saying you don’t think she’ll make it back?” Troy wondered.
There was a pause and Adele and Jaylyn both looked at me after looking at each other.
“You don’t, do you?” Zayden asked. “You can’t tell him that.”
“I haven’t and I won’t. I’m just telling him what he wants to here.”
“Don’t get his hopes up either.” Darius said. “He won’t be able to take it if it’s confirmed she’s not coming back.”
“What more can we do? There’s always hope.”
It was quiet and no one said anything until Darius sighed. “All right. Just be careful about how you word things. He’ll take it literally in this case.”
“I will.” I looked around the table. “Now what am I forgetting?”
Jaylyn held up a glass of wine. “A drink?”
“Oh, yes.” I took a whole bottle of wine from the table instead of just a glass. “This ought to do it.”
“The whole thing?” Darius wondered.
“He won’t sleep without help and unless you want me sleeping in our son’s room tonight, I’m taking it.”
“Oh, well then here.” Darius grabbed another bottle. “Take this one too.”
I walked over to him and smiled as I took the bottle. I knew he was going to want to be with me tonight. I was just kidding about it.
I took the food and bottles of wine up to Dirk’s room. “Dirk? I brought your dinner.”
“Thanks, mother.” He was there to take it out of my hands.
“And a little something extra from your father and I.” I held out the bottles of wine. “You know, to help you sleep.”
Dirk smiled as he took them and set them down on the desk next to him. “Thank you, mother.”
“Please try and get some sleep tonight. We’ll take this a day at a time, okay?” Dirk nodded and I leaned in and kissed his forehead. “See you in the morning.”
“Good night, mother.” I opened the door and was about to leave. “Ah, mother? Lana’s stuff. I want it.”
“Dirk, I—”
“Please. I need to see it. I need something of hers here.”
I still didn’t like the idea. “Dirk, honey, I don’t think it’s something you should want to see. She’s—”
“Mother, please!” He was full of some kind of rage now and fire lit up his hair.
What was I to do but agree? I didn’t want him to be angry, especially at me. “All right. I’ll bring it to you.”
“Thank you.” Dirk said, calming himself.
I walked back into the dining hall with a less than happy look on my face and picked up the sack that had Lana’s belongings in it.
“Ruby? What are you doing?” Jaylyn asked.
“He wants it.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Adele said. “You don’t know what he’ll do when he sees it.”
“He’ll be fine. He needs this.”
“All right but I warned you.”
I nodded and walked back upstairs to Dirk. When he saw the bag in my hand he put his dinner plate down on the bed and walked over to me.
“If you plan on opening it, I hope you’re prepared and know that the blood isn’t just hers. She fought hard that day.”
He nervously took it from me and I left. I couldn’t see him break down again. This was something he needed to do on his own.
Chapter 52
Dirk
I wasn’t sure if I was even completely ready. I looked down at the sack in my hand but slowly began to open it. Lana’s stuff was inside and I dropped to my knees, taking deep breaths. I reached my hand in the sack and too
k out her breastplate. It had blood splatter on it from battle like mother mentioned but when I saw the blood on the inside that was put there by her wound, I started to tear up again. I put it back in the sack and couldn’t look at it anymore.
I needed to stop thinking of all the wrong outcomes of this. She was going to be fine. She had to be fine. I left my dinner where it was and grabbed both bottles of wine, taking a very long drink from one. I couldn’t stop feeling like this. I laid down in bed and tried to get to sleep and wait this out. My wife would come back to me. She had to.
Chapter 53
Lana
I could hardly tell day from night anymore. I was a lone wounded leopard wondering the mountains, searching for my way home but I didn’t know where I was or how long I really had. This long slash that stretched from the top of my shoulder and down around my back to my side was in the worst position. I couldn’t get at it to clean it and it was surely becoming infected. I didn’t have much hope.
I was becoming weak and just needed to lay down a bit and rest.
“Come child. Don’t give up now. You’re almost there.” I heard some kind of soft woman’s voice but I didn’t sense anyone around me. “On your feet. Come to me.” All I thought to do was listen and tried rising back on all fours again. “That’s it. You must keep moving.” I kept moving forward for three more days and once I started to feel like all hope was lost again, I would hear that voice. “This is not your end child. Keep moving. Just a little farther.”
Autumn Dawn (Fate's Intent Book 11) Page 23
