“What is that?” Zara said tensely beside me and she reached for it. My hand snapped out and stopped her, and an electrifying buzz ran up my arm at the contact. Zara felt it too, her arms breaking out in raised bumps as she quickly withdrew her arm from my hold.
I leaned forward and picked up the pendant, placing it back into its leather holder that it had been peeking out of.
“What is that, Xavier?” Zara pressed again, her voice commanding, and I pressed my lips together in irritation.
“They will be fine,” I breathed, not meeting her gaze, which I felt burning on the side of my face. “They should wake soon.”
“Xavier,” Zara spat and I dragged my gaze to hers.
“They are fine,” I spat and whipped my head downward as Jaxon’s hand twitched, tears falling down his cheeks as he stirred.
Lana took a large intake of breath, shooting up into a seated position. Horror lined her expression. She knew. She knew her fate now. The reason she was born, kept alive. Nothing more than a crude copy of a vessel for Morgana to use, to survive.
A ripple of awareness at the fact that Caelan probably knew this was going to happen ran through me and I cursed under my breath.
“Lana!” Zara cried, reaching out to her sister.
Jaxon’s eyes opened, and he rolled onto his back fully looking up at me through blurry vision. I only nodded down at him, my mouth pressed into a thin line. Lana scrambled backwards, finally realizing who was surrounding her.
“Get away from me.”
It hadn’t been sharp or ugly like I normally heard her speak. It was raw, wounded. She got to her feet, backing away like a scared animal, tripping over debris in the grass and righting herself. It happened a few times before she took a breath, took a pause.
Jaxon sat up in the grass, turning and facing Lana with an equal pitying expression, matching my own. She was about twenty paces away now and Zara stood with her hands up in front of her, taking small steps in her direction.
“Lana, it's okay, it’s me. You are alright, we can—” Lana was shaking her head almost violently, and she kept shaking it, tears falling down her cheeks. Zara whipped her head toward me, her gaze pleading, confusion pinching her brows. Lana bolted for the forest, and no one moved, except Zara, who started running forward. My shadows reached out gently, pulling on her shoulders to stop her, and she thrashed in my hold.
“Let go of me!” she snarled and spun around to face me. She glanced over her shoulder, watching Lana disappear and growled as she stalked back toward us. “What was that about? What was that pendant?”
Jaxon stood, stepping in front of me to stop Zara approaching, and she glared up at him.
“What happened, Jaxon?” she said, violently pushing his chest. Jaxon stumbled back, and I caught him as a snarl tore past his lips.
“Enough,” I breathed, shaking my head. I let go of my brother and stepped to his side. Zara’s hair was wild, knotted and dirty, and I frowned again at Julian for not cleaning her up after healing her. Cool, silky energy left me and water coated her skin, her hair.
Zara scowled. “I didn’t ask for a fucking bath, I asked what the hell was going on!” she yelled again and I stalked toward her, towering over her as I shoved the leather pouch into her palm. She looked at it and then me in surprise and Jaxon hissed from behind me.
“Xavier.”
“You asked why I brought you here,” I said ignoring my brother. Zara eyed me nervously, but she held her tongue. Confusion dancing in those large blue eyes, and I stared into them pityingly.
“This is why.” I pointed at the pouch, at the pendant necklace, the necklace that held Morgana’s fractured souls. It was risky handing this to her, and I was surprised Lana didn’t try to grab it, take it after learning the truth. “Morgana is not who she says she is and it's time you knew the whole truth.”
She glanced nervously at the pouch in her hands again and I sighed. Shadows swirled around her, and she cursed, glaring as I willed her away, back to the dungeons.
“Xavier!” Jaxon shouted again in a panic and I locked eyes with him.
“I’ll retrieve it before she wakes,” I said somberly, and I slid my gaze to Julian who was looking at us all like we were crazy.
“Anything I should know?” Julian scowled, annoyance and hurt rippling off him in waves.
“Yes, but unfortunately you won't remember even if I told you.”
Jaxon looked at Julian, his face white, eyes rimmed red. Julian’s brows pinched, but he didn’t comment, only nodded and turned away to stalk toward the village.
“Brother—”
“Don’t.”
