Chapter 21: Kiara

Chapter 21: Kiara

I never thought I would find it in myself to actually give Colt a chance, but spending that day and the following night with him felt like exactly what I needed. In the evening, Billie visited us with something to eat. I snipped the zip ties around Colt’s wrists so that he could use his hands. As night fell, we lay in the bed with my temple on his shoulder, his hand on my side, gently stroking my hip under my shirt. What I felt for him wasn’t love. It was too soon to call it that. But gazing back into his cool blue eyes under the dark hair hanging over his brow, tracing the scar across the bridge of his nose, watching the way his eyebrows twinged every now and then with his thoughts—I found myself appreciating this docile side of him.

Surprisingly, I managed to fall asleep and wake up again that next morning before sunrise. Colt dozed peacefully beside me. He hadn’t made any attempt to harm me during the night, and I had no urge to run away.

After everyone was showered and dressed—the girls had retrieved a new, clean outfit for me of denim jeans, a grey t-shirt, and a white sweater, while Colt was still in an extra pair of shorts and a t-shirt—we gathered in the living room again. The mood was still dour, but I felt more ready to face everyone this time.

“I was thinking we should have a service for Muriel,” Billie suggested as she sat on the couch beside Gavin.

“Yeah.” The Grandbay Alpha’s gaze flickered to me. “Whether or not you want to believe it, we did care a lot about Muriel. She was like a mother to us after we took her into Grandbay and promised to protect her.”

I struggled against the envy clotting up in my throat. “My mother is a caring and generous woman. Anyone who shows her kindness receives it tenfold in return.” What I wanted to say was, ‘You’re not special.’ But if these people were truly as important to Muriel as they claimed, then I had no right to disrespect the bonds she had forged while I was still searching for her. “Sure. We can have a service for her.”

Gavin squeezed Billie’s hand. “We still have some things of hers at my house. She liked to forage in the woods and make stuff—”

“I know,” I interrupted. “Painted feathers. Pressed flowers. Dreamcatchers.”

“Gavin will go get it and bring it here,” suggested Billie.

“Where will we have it?” asked Aislin.

“Is there a meadow or a clearing in the woods somewhere? Anywhere she used to like to visit?” I knew my mother’s favorite places were those adorned with flowers, but in mid-September, I didn’t think there would be many wildflowers left.

“Yes, I remember one spot she liked to visit when we went for walks before,” said Billie. “It’s in Grandbay. I’ll show you the way, and Gavin can meet us there.”

With a series of nods, everyone got up, setting our minds to this immediate task. It was the easiest thing to do while everything else was still up in the air.

By noon, we all gathered in the glade. A wide fringe of birch trees surrounded the open clearing filled with lush grass and a slight incline dotted with rocks and ferns. I slowly traipsed through the grass, searching for any sign that my mother had once passed through here, like hoof prints in the dirt or the runic scratching of a unicorn’s territory marker, but there was nothing. I just had to trust Billie’s experience with my mother. Colt approached from behind and gently touched my back. I glanced at him, my sorrow reflected in his expression. He felt what I felt at that moment; our mourning was the same.

Together with Billie and Aislin, we gathered some of the mossier stones and piled them up in the center of the glade, alongside some of her crafts, as a cairn to represent my mother. Her body may not have been with us, but we would honor her spirit with the cairn nestled in her favorite place. Then we stood back, our hands folded in front of us. Gavin had stopped to pick up flowers from a grocery store and held them in front of himself as he cleared his throat and spoke first.

“We are gathered here today to honor the life of Muriel Vale, one of the kindest, sincerest, and most gracious people I have ever met. In a time when I felt most alone without the support of my parents, Muriel was there with the exact words and gentleness that I needed. In the short amount of time she was with us, she had become like family. I only wish I could tell her now how much her presence meant to me.” Gavin took in a deep breath, pressing his lips together. Then he stepped back and gestured for Billie to go next.

The brown-haired girl stared down at the cairn. Her cheeks turned red as emotion tightened her throat. “Muriel Vale gave me the confidence I never had to fight for my rights and freedom. She comforted me and loved me like a daughter, and the love she had for those she took under her wing was boundless, I’m sure.” A small smile touched her lips. “Muriel would be proud that we had come together—to fight together, to protect ourselves and each other. She’ll continue to be proud as we fight to achieve peace in our home, and no matter what happens, I know she’ll be smiling down on us from alongside her Sky Goddess, Welkin.”

There were so many loving words for my mother. I was grateful she had surrounded herself with people with such good hearts, and it made me feel guilty that I’d accused them of such negligence. Everett and Aislin shared words as well. Then, when all eyes turned to me, I took in a breath and stepped forward.

With so much to say about my mother, it stunned me that I could barely say anything at all.

“She, um…” I faltered. “She truly was the most beautiful, loving person I’d ever known. She was too good for the world. The skies are a little darker without her.” A lump sat in my throat that hindered my words, forcing me to take a few seconds to compose myself. “She would give everything to those who asked, whether or not they deserved it, but in no way was Muriel Vale a doormat. She stood up for what she believed in and defended the weak. Her heart was noble and pure, and I can only hope to one day share in her grace. I trust that when she chose to take refuge here, it was because she saw the goodness in the hearts of those who helped her, and so for her, I will do my best to help in her stead.” It was the least I could do. I peered back at everyone else, mustering the first smile I had ever given them. “Thank you, everyone, for being here today and for all the moments you were there for my mother. I’ll repay your kindness as she would have.”

In the somber silence that followed, Gavin handed me the bouquet of flowers. I carefully placed them before the cairn, and we all stood back as I uttered a prayer to Welkin to take my mother’s spirit into the sky, where she could watch over us for all eternity. And when it was done, Colt put his hands on my shoulders and drew me into a hug.

I appreciated the gesture, but as everyone else sniffled and wiped away tears, I held firm. I had already grieved my mother in solitude. As heavy as my heart had become, I knew I had to move on and remain strong.

By that evening, we were at Everett’s house again. Two vehicles belonging to the Mythguard pulled into the driveway, and Sebastian Hicks entered the living room with a few of his operatives.

“Tomorrow night, the full moon will rise. The Mythguard is certain that this is the night David and Lothair will perform the Lycan ritual,” said Sebastian with his arms crossed.

Everett and Gavin both stood on the other side of the coffee table while I sat beside Colt on the sectional. Aislin and Billie sat on the other side of the couch. Familiar fire burned in my chest. I had set my sorrow for the loss of my mother aside, and now what raged most powerfully within me was my hunger for vengeance.

“There are three possible scenarios that we must be prepared for: one, that they have harvested Muriel’s unicorn horn, and David and Lothair will become Lycan. Two, that they didn’t get to harvest her horn before she died as a human, and that they will attempt to capture Kiara. Or three, that they didn’t harvest the horn and will wait until the next full moon, but this seems the least likely of all options. Their time is running out. We believe that they will act tonight or tomorrow in order to complete the ritual as soon as possible. For that reason, we strongly urge you to allow us to take Kiara out of the Gunnison area,” said Sebastian.

Gavin and Everett looked at me. Colt reached for me, taking my hand, but I pulled away and sat up straight. “I want to be here to fight the Lycans,” I insisted.

“Exposure to blood will only weaken you. Please leave the fighting to the Mythguard,” said Sebastian. “You’re more useful to us in good health. We’ll have need of your healing magic later.”

Grumbling, I knew he had a point. I did want to fight. Welkin implored me to avenge my mother! But I would be useless if I came into contact with too much blood, and I sensed that the consequences of the Lycan ritual would be a very gory affair. “Where will you take me, then? Will I come right back after it’s all done?”

“We’ll take you into the city of Gunnison. It’s only thirty minutes away from here. As soon as we receive confirmation that the Lycans have been exterminated, we’ll bring you back.”

“Okay. When do we go?”

“As soon as possible.”

The Alphas nodded their approval. If everyone agreed that it was the best option, then I would be foolish to deny it. I didn’t have anything to bring with me except the clothes on my back, but before I left with the Mythguard, Colt took my arm and led me to a quiet corner where nobody could overhear us.

“Let me mark you,” he said.

A conflicting storm of feelings gripped me. “I’m not ready for that.”

“We’ll be able to communicate if I can mark you.”

I shook my head. “You won’t need to communicate with me.”

Colt’s face darkened with worry, clearly unwilling to separate from me so soon after I had just begun to accept his presence. “I promised that I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I want to protect you.”

“Then come with us.”

“They won’t let me.”

“Well… I’m sorry, Colt. I can’t let you mark me.”

He had to understand my reservations. There was just too much going on for me to undergo the marking ritual in earnest. I didn’t want to rush into it—I still barely knew Colt, let alone trusted him as much as I wanted to. Knowing it pained him, I cupped his cheek and leaned in. “I’ll be back. But you have something you need to do, and so do I. Okay?”

Colt sighed. “Okay.”

I held his gaze for a moment longer before craning my neck, brushing my nose against his. The gentle touch of his lips led to a kiss that I couldn’t help. I wanted him to know I meant it when I said I would be back.

Colt melted into the kiss. I had to pull away, leaving him with the memory of my touch as I joined the Mythguard out the door. I gave Colt one last look, and his smile lit me up—not in anger, but affection.

I wanted him to overcome this. I hoped he would.