Page 57

I have been pacing this room for the last two hours, waiting for Ashara to come back through the portal. The more time passes, the more nervous I become. She is too far along to be doing things like this, but I understand that it was necessary. Knowing the life our child will have, combined with pregnancy hormones, she was insistent on being there. She felt like she had to leave the Book of Shadows.

I snap my head to the portal when I see it start to close. “No!” I yell out as if she can hear me. I run to the portal right as a slip of paper flits through and the portal closes. In its close, the brick returns, and I can see the neatly carved runes again.

I pick up the slip of paper and go to my knees when I see Ashara’s handwriting. She’s writing in Old Voldarian. She would only do that if she was in danger.

She’s not coming back. The sudden realization that I lost my wife and my daughter hits me, and I scream out as it physically pains me to think about it. I won’t rest until I get her back. I may be too late to save Ashara, but I will find my little girl. I will bring her home where she belongs.

“Your mom wrote this,” he says quietly.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

“Yeah, it’s her handwriting. I have the other portion of this letter. It came through the portal as it was closing.”

“What happened?” I ask softly. He looks like he’s going to burst into tears at any moment.

“I felt her die,” he says tearfully as he plays through the memory in his head. “She was my mate, and I felt her slip away.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say. “I couldn’t imagine feeling any of the guys die. I don’t know if I could survive that.”

“I almost didn’t,” he says. “The part of the letter that I have is addressed to you. I knew she would have only written it the way she did if she knew you’d survive. If it wasn’t for her sending that to make sure I knew that you were alive… I might have given up a long time ago.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” I say. “And that goes beyond what you are doing to help me. I am genuinely happy that you chose to stay.” Instead of responding, he just hugs me tightly again.

“What is all of the rest of this stuff?” Striker asks, looking in the box.

“Uh. I’m not sure. Just some random stuff,” I say. “There is another necklace in there, a knife, a crown, and a cup.”

“Let’s get you settled in and we can go over everything tomorrow,” Dad says.

“I’ll work on translating both this evening,” Grandma Arieana says.

“You never translated the first one?” I ask.

“No,” she says. “It was meant for you. As much as we wanted to, we did not want to translate it until you were back with us.”

“Oh. Okay,” I say. I’m not sure what to say to that.

“We can leave the portal open since the library remains hidden. When it is time for you to go home, we can go through here,” Dad says.

“You’re coming back with us?” I ask.

“Yes. Striker, Volis, and Leli will be coming with me,” he says.

“You have a child, Striker.”

“Who will be in the hands of very capable people. I know if something were to happen to me, she would grow up surrounded by wonderful people. We lost you before we ever got to meet you, and I’m not gonna sit here and let it happen again. So, any intentions you had of going up against this alone, get rid of them. We are going to help you with this.”

“Do you really want to do that to your child? Do you know what it was like wishing every single day that I had at least one parent?” I argue. Striker sighs and puts his hands on my shoulders.

“Lilith, I understand being stubborn is a hereditary trait, but get over it. We are going to help, and you just have to accept it. You are about to have to fight in an actual war against people who want to hurt you. If risking my life means that you don’t have to go through anything you went through before, I will happily stand with you. You are my little sister. You deserve to have a life with your family. I’ve had my entire life with them, and we just got you back,” Striker begins to say.

“I can’t let people die for me,” I say tearfully.

“You aren’tlettingus do anything, Lilith. I understand that the concept of having a family or having people truly care about you and your well-being is still new. Even with your mates, I’m sure that, at times, you question them and their motives. Understand that this is what family does. It doesn’t matter if it’s by blood or one you create with loved ones and close friends. You show up when it matters, and you fight when they need someone in their corner. I do not doubt that you could handle this by yourself, but we won’t let you face it alone,” Striker says before hugging me.

“It’s just new,” I say. “I’m used to being alone.”

“I know, but now you have Volis, Leli, and me to annoy you for the rest of your life,” he says.