Chapter 52

52

CASSANDRA

" R y," I say gently, placing my hand on his shoulder as I step into the room. Chaz closes the door behind me. He turns, letting me into the room where Hunter is sitting on a chair next to a small bed. Laura lies on the bed looking pale and much older than I remember from when I saw her last. Master Light has his hand on the top of Laura's head, and it's glowing a white colour like the light coming from his eyes. I don't say anything while we wait, just stay at Ryland's side. He just stands deathly still, watching, waiting. Master Light finally pulls his hand away, patting Laura's arm and stepping away.

"Can I speak to both of you outside?" Master Light asks Hunter and Ryland carefully.

"I'm not a child. Tell me what you have figured out," Laura coughs out .

"Nothing you are not aware of, Lauraina. You must be in great pain, and you have hidden it so well," Master Light says quietly to her, and she turns away.

"Little bird, will you stay with her while we walk Master Light out?" Hunter asks me, and I nod, walking over and sitting in the seat he vacates. He walks out of the room with Ryland and Master Light following.

"Riah? Is that you?" Laura asks, reaching for my hand and rolling her head to look at me.

"No, Laura, it's Cassandra," I reply lightly, letting her grab my hand tightly, and she locks her blue eyes with mine.

"It's nearly time, and I wish Riah was here," she says, her voice so full of despair that it is heartbreaking. "I wish my little girl was here." Her words are spoken so softly, so full of a longing for a child that is a child no more.

"At least in death, I will know my grandsons are safe. That if the king burns the world away, their souls will always be chosen," she wheezes out.

"You should rest, Laura," I comment.

"They say my daughter is mad, that she speaks to ghosts all the time," Laura shakes her head, "I say that she isn't."

"Ghosts? The souls of her chosen?" I ask, replaying what she has just said about Hunter and Ryland's souls.

"Even if someone burns away the body of a chosen . . . chosen never leave their changed one," she whispers, "or I believe their souls never do. Not until their changed one is dead. Soul mates cannot be parted, remember that, Cassandra." She coughs, blood dripping out from the corner of her lips. I reach for a cloth that is off to the side, wiping the blood away. She grabs my arm, with a strength I didn't think she had left and holds on tight, pulling me down, so our faces are close together.

"Give my daughter peace," she says, letting go as the door is opened and falling back on the bed. Her eyes close, almost like she never moved. I feel Ryland and Hunter come to my sides, both placing a hand on her. A wave of grief slams into me through the bond and overwhelms me, making tears fall from my eyes. I'm not sure which brother the grief is coming from, but it's so sad either way. I just want to hold them both and tell them she isn't in pain anymore.

"She is gone, isn't she?" Hunter is the first to speak after a long time.

"She is with the sea god, at peace finally," I say the only words that feel right. Ryland walks out of the room, slamming the door, and I move to follow when Hunter grabs my arm.

"Let him be. He needs to be alone, to settle his thoughts. Trust me, little bird," he assures me. Releasing me, Hunter leans down to kiss Laura's forehead lightly.

"I never had a mother, and I never told you, but I was lucky to have you. I wouldn't have survived without your guidance and love. You rest now. Your fight is over, but I will finish it while you rest in peace," he says, standing up straight and walking out of the room with me following him. I hold a hand up to Chaz and Jacob outside and make it clear with one look that they aren't to follow us right now.

"Leave me be, little bird," Hunter warns as I get to his side.

"You can't push me away. Neither can Ryland, but he needs his time alone. I am not going anywhere," I say, and Hunter narrows his eyes on me as he suddenly stops.

"Leave," he demands, making the single word snarky and cruel. I cross my arms, glaring right back and not backing down. He doesn't say a word, turning and walking away. I keep about two steps behind him as he walks down the stone paths, pushing people out of his way as he goes. He turns a sharp left, going towards the waterfall. I can see a small cave to the left of it as we get closer. Hunter walks straight into the dark cave, and I follow, using my hands to feel around the cave until I see the light on the other side. We come out into a massive cave and inside is a giant lake with hundreds of ships drifting. They all have their sails down, though none are moving. I can see the lake leads to a long river on the other side, which must in turn, lead out of the mountains. I look around and see Hunter walk over to a ship near the back of the fleet, small lanterns lit up on the deck. There is no one around, not that I can see, at least. I follow him, but stop abruptly when I see our ship. It feels like it's been forever since I've been on board this ship, since I was stolen from it. Now that it's next to others, I can see it's one of the biggest and most well-built. It still looks shiny, and any damage that was done when I was taken has been repaired, to the point that I wouldn't know anything had happened to the ship. I run to catch up, and watch Hunter jump onto a rope hanging off the ship and climb up it like a monkey. How am I meant to do that?

"Cassandra?" a timid male voice comes from next to me, and I turn to see Roger walking over, pulling his cloak back. He looks so much older than when we last saw each other. He is taller, his brown hair is longer and curlier, and his baby face is lost to an older look. He is going to be a heartbreaker in a few years, that's for sure.

"Roger," I say fondly, pulling him into a small hug when he gets near.

"They said Livvy is dead, that she betrayed you . . . I, I don't know how she could have done that to you," he blurts out and then looks away, "I thought she loved me, and that she loved you like a sister. Her home was with us, and she destroyed that."

"Roger," I say gently, placing my hand on his shoulder and he turns, waiting for me to say something I'm not sure how to say.

"Everyone makes decisions, good and bad. Livvy made hers, and it cost her life. She has paid enough, and only the sea god can decide her punishment in death," I say. I can't forgive her for what she did, but there is no point in hating the dead.

"I miss her, despite everything . . . I miss her," he says and looks up at the ship.

"I miss her, too, even if I hate to admit it," I tell him, being honest, though the words sting as they come out of my lips.

"If you want to get on the ship, there is a net near the front. I use it to bring food to Salty Sam every day," he explains and reaches into his cloak, pulling out a small bag of cat food.

"I will feed him," I say, and he hands me the bag and pats my shoulder before walking away. I watch him leave, knowing there are no words that could make what Livvy did better for him. It's something he needs to accept, much like I do at some point. I guess I've just denied it for as long as possible, tried to make it easier on my heart because I did care for her. I slide the bag of food into my pocket, barely able to make it fit. Walking towards the front of the ship, I find where the net is hanging down and tied to the dock. I step onto it, climbing up slowly and trying my hardest not to fall. I get to the top, pull myself over, and flop onto the other side, landing on my back.

"Ouch," I huff, lifting myself up off the floor and looking around. Hunter is standing in front of the wheel, holding it tightly in his hand, and his head bowed down. I pull the food out my pocket, open the bag, and leave it on the floor, knowing the evil cat will find it on his own. Every step I take towards Hunter, seems to echo something deep inside of me. Maybe it's our bond, maybe it's just because I love him, but I seem to be able to feel his pain like it's my own. I get to his side, not knowing what to say, how to tell him anything. I slide myself under his arm, in between him and the wheel, so it presses into my back.

"Talk to me, my dark pirate," I whisper, sliding my hands onto either side of his face and lifting his head up. I can feel the tears under my palms, but I don't say a word as he locks his eyes onto mine. There is so much pain in them. There is a turmoil of emotion swirling in his dark eyes. It feels like I could drown in the depth of them, knowing I wouldn't fight it or even try to save myself.

"For the second time in my entire life, I feel powerless. I feel like the pain inside of me is trying to choke me," he finally says, his eyes locked with mine the whole time. He isn't running from me, that's one bonus.

"When I lost my father in the games, the pain was indescribable. I don't remember much from those last moments, other than the pain. I know it won't go away. I know I will have to live with the pain, but time does help," I reply to him in a gentle voice.

"I know I have to lose my mother, just after I've lost the woman who brought me up," he whispers. I hate seeing him like this, my strong pirate .

"You know Riah has to die?" I whisper back.

"I've always known it. It's the only way to stop my father. Ryland knows it, too. We have made a plan and we will do it together. She deserves to have her sons with her as she dies," he says, but his voice catches on his words. He can't even say them, let alone do it. I won't let him or Ryland put themselves in that position. No one should have to kill their own mother.

"I know Laura is gone, and that you feel alone, but you are not. You have me, and you have a family that loves you," I say, and he grabs my hands, pinning them to the wheel on each side of my head and pressing his body into mine.

"Say it, little bird," he demands, moving his face close to mine, so there is nowhere else I could look. Not that I could look away from him right now, not when he is showing me this vulnerable side to him.

"I love you," I say each word slowly, but his lips part subtly, his eyes closing like my words alone are pleasurable to him.

"And I love you, my little bird," he says when he opens his eyes, and seconds later he slams his lips onto mine. I lose any control of my emotions, my desires, as he rips my clothes away. He kisses his way down my naked body, taking his time to kiss each nipple thoroughly, before gently biting and mixing the pain with the sweet pleasure. I gasp when his mouth finds my core, his tongue swirling around my nub with a skill that send me over the edge in seconds. Hunter rises up, shoving his trousers down and lifting me up, pushing my body against the wheel as he slides deep inside of me.

"Hunter," I moan, having no control over my voice as he pounds into me again and again, filling me in a way that I know I will never forget.

"Cassandra," he groans, biting down and sucking on my neck as he finishes, sending waves of pleasure through me at the same time. We stare at each other, both of us breathless and trying to gain our breaths back.

"How about we go down to my cabin, and really make this ship rock?" he whispers against my lips, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth and biting down before releasing.

"Good plan, my dark pirate," I grin, and kiss him as he carries us away.