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“What about when I have my own magic?” Alana asked as her voice cracked.
“You can’t protect Mara because you will have a new destiny. You will see. It will be wondrous, but your sister is not part of it. Either am I. Your father knows nothing of my family’s history, and I planned to tell Mara the stories, but you are the one we have waited for. You will help restore the temple and the need to protect the book and pass it along no longer exists.”
“I don’t know what to do,” she said as a tear rolled down her face.
Her mother placed her hand over Alana’s. “I know you have been distancing yourself from Mara, like I asked. The coming years will be hard enough on her, without you in her life. You were so close once, and I am truly sorry this burden fell on you.”
“I have no money and nowhere to go,” she whispered.
“I have been saving up for you since I realized you were a druid. I have transferred the money into your bank account. Fifty thousand is all I could come up with for now, but I will transfer money monthly for as long as I can.”
There was something in her voice that alerted Alana she was struggling with more than her daughter leaving. “Mom, why did you say it like that?”
“The cancer is back, but I don’t want you to worry. I beat it before, and I will again. But I am not the priority. You are.”
Alana covered her face in her hands and wept in front of her mother. She had known it would be the last time she saw her. Deep down in the pit of her soul, her magic recognized death.
“Don’t cry, sweetie. One day, this will all make sense. Finish your cake and gather your things. It would be best if you leave before Mara gets back.”
Alana grabbed the mug Legion placed in front of her and took a large swig, allowing the liquid to burn her throat. The pain was preferable to the one in her soul.
Kell caressed her mind.I am sorry, little fox. Your mother believed she was doing the right thing. Had Mara not been the seer, her actions would have been warranted.
Her first instinct was to snap at him for reading her mind. For sharing her memory, but it was strangely comforting to have someone to turn to. Her life had been destroyed by her stupidity and her mother couldn’t be blamed for that.I know.
What were you referring to when you said you would discover a way to block him? Did Allorin find you?
No. I don’t want to talk about it right now.
You are upset you left Mara, but you were doing as your mother instructed.
She had loved her mother so much, and she understood her motivations, but she had been so angry. Her mother had given her the money and Alana had accepted it, never considering the financial burden she would place on her sister when her mother died. She had barely come back for the funeral, but it was obvious Mara and Natalie were struggling, and she was the cause. Of course, siphoning the business of fifty thousand would have repercussions and she had almost thrown up when Mara offered to give her some money if she wanted to stay and help with the shop.
Karma was laughing its ass off at her. While she searched the world for the seer and the gatekeeper, they were sitting in the town she had left. She had begun to wonder if Adara had known Mara was the seer all along. If so, why allow her to stay away from her sister? They were all at the camp, but none had known the significance until Mara found Tempest.
Kell placed his hand on her thigh.You need to tell Mara the truth.
The truth. That was laughable. Would she tell her sister how many times she visited the store and stood across the street watching Mara laugh with Natalie and their friend Jake? How she would long to be included in those conversations and share cookies and tea like the girls did almost nightly. Mara never caught her once, and she only stayed as long as it was safe. Until she felt the tingle that alerted her it was time to run.
She rubbed her hand over the silver mark on her wrist. Most people assumed it was a birthmark, but its purpose was far more nefarious.
Kell reached over and ran his thumb over the mark.This is a dragon rune. Where did you get it?
She focused on Mara. Determined not to allow that memory to unfold. I told you we would discuss it later.In truth, she hadn’t realized it was a rune. She associated it with dark magic. It’s bad, isn’t it?
The rune is neither dark nor light. It was commonly used to tie a mate to his betrothed prior to mating. I assume Adara gave this to you, as it has a ward placed around it.
Part of that was true. The tingling part was Adara’s way of protecting her. She glanced at it. Why hadn’t it lit up, since before she entered the cave? It was never dormant this long unless she was sleeping. And that wasn’t usually long either. Had obtaining her circle affected the rune? Had Kell? He didn’t know about her predicament, but he was powerful. She could feel it. Maybe a mate strengthened Adara’s wards.
As she met Mara’s eyes, the truth died on her lips. How did she destroy her sister’s perception of their mother? It wouldn’t matter that their mom had been protecting Mara. The truth would hurt her more than Alana herself had. Mara deserved those last few memories of their mother. The good ones. The ones Alana had lost the day she graduated.
Mara rubbed her eyes as if she had a headache. “Alana, why are you here? We both know it’s not to visit. If you are here, it is serious.”
She wished her sister had slapped her. It would have hurt less. “You’re right.”
CHAPTER7
Kell glanced at his leader. Legion was as attuned to Mara’s emotions as Kell was to Alana’s. He knew something more was going on, but he didn’t pry. He trusted Kell to tell him if there was a threat.
