“Are youing with me to the monster’s vi, or should I do this alone?” Arabe murmured. Her voice was hoarse from crying too much. Her eyes were swollen and painful, butpared to the ache in her heart, it was nothing.


    As Thalia didn’t respond, Arabe reached for the car door, but Thalia swiftly snatched the keys from her hands, tucking them into her pocket.


    “What the hell?!” Arabe eximed, her face contorted in a re. “I shouldn’t have told you my n. I knew you’d try to stop me!”


    “Of course I will,” Thalia said. “I’m trying to reason with you, Be. Going to Sandro’s vi to confront him might be the riskiest decision I’ve ever heard.”


    “He killed ze,” Arabe said, her body trembling. “He killed ze!”


    “We don’t know for sure,” Thalia pointed out.


    “ze was talking to me, and then the shot rang out. I couldn’t hear his voice anymore, Thalia. You might think I’m going crazy, but I heard it,” Arabe said, her eyes shimmering with tears once more.


    She had thought it would be impossible for her to cry again after shedding tears nonstop for an hour since it happened, but she was mistaken. She wiped at her eyes with the back of her palm but regretted it instantly as pain red in the area.


    “You told me that,” Thalia said. She stepped forward, gripping Arabe’s shoulder and staring into her eyes. “You need to stay calm, Be. Whatever happened at the vi, it might be a trap. Plus, we can’t go in there without being prepared.”


    Arabe shook her head. Thalia seemed to be taking this better than she was. Why? She couldn’t tell. Thalia loved ze dearly, but it felt as though she wasn’t as concerned about everything she had said. Thalia seemed different. Arabe couldn’t help but notice. If she were the Thalia she had first met, she was sure she would have gone to the De Luca’s vi without being told.


    “I know what you’re thinking,” Thalia murmured. “And I feel just as unhinged. But we need help. We can’t do this alone.”


    “How do we get help, Thalia?” Arabe asked. “ze might be bleeding out for all we know. How long before we reach him to know if he’s truly fine?”


    “My brother is going to be fine,” Thalia assured Arabe, though it was more for her own reassurance. She felt the need to say it. ze was going to pull through. She could feel it deep within her. Call it a sibling bond, but that was what she believed.


    “I’d like to believe that,” Arabe said.


    “Come on, let’s introduce ourselves lest we appear rude,” Thalia suggested, clutching Arabe’s hand and leading her back to the pack house.


    For the first time since they arrived, Arabe took a moment to study the pack house. The air was thick with the earthy scent of damp moss and the fresh, wild fragrance of pine. The pack house itself was set back in a wide valley, surrounded by dense woond on all sides. It was a massive structure with imposing stone walls and several chimneys that seemed to expel smoke from a central fire pit she could see in the heart of the building. The roof, made of wood with a wooden frame and a covering of what she presumed to be thatch or some other grassy material, appeared sturdy but weathered. It stoodrge, encircled by several sizable wooden outbuildings connected by low, winding walkways. It seemed in better condition than the outbuildings, which looked older and more weather-beaten.


    Arabe wondered if this would be her home for the rest of her days. A small part of her resisted the idea. Although they seemed weing with their broad smiles, she didn’t want to be confined here forever. But she knew she had no say in the matter.


    “You must be Arabe Collins,” a middle-aged woman greeted with a warm smile, stepping forward. “I am risse,” she introduced herself.


    Arabe was taken aback that the woman already knew her name. She turned to Thalia, raising her brows, but Thalia wore a shocked expression as well.


    “How do you know my name?” Arabe asked.


    “We’ve been expecting you,” risse simply stated.


    Arabe had more questions swirling in her mind. She wanted to ask risse what she meant by expecting her, but considering the number of people who hade out to greet them, she sensed it wasn’t the right time for that.


    “I know you have a lot of questions, but here isn’t the right ce,” risse said, and Arabe nodded.


    Then risse added, “Everyone, listen. Miss Collins here will be staying with us until she deems it fit to return to her world. She holds significance here. I want her protected at all costs.”


    Arabe heard murmurs, but no one objected.


    “Now, get back to your activities. We’ll give her a proper wee tonight,” risse announced.


    The crowd nodded and dispersed, leaving Arabe with risse and Thalia.


    “Come with me,” risse said, leading them to another building that resembled a cabin.


    As Arabe stepped in, she paused near the entrance. Her body tingled all over, and her eyes narrowed at risse, who wore a knowing smile.


    “What is this ce?” asked Arabe as faint murmurs filled the air.


    “This is one of your ancestors’ abodes, Arabe. We coborated with them,” risse exined, causing Arabe to furrow her brows.


    “We were promised you after thest Phoenix when your ancestor was cruelly taken from us. And now you are here,” risse said, smiling warmly at Arabe, who still looked bewildered.


    Arabe turned to Thalia, who shrugged in confusion.


    “I’m just as puzzled, Arabe. I never even mentioned you to risse. I only said I wasing here for a vacation with someone and hoped to speak to her once I arrived,” Thalia exined.


    “She’s right,” risse confirmed. “We didn’t have prior discussions. Also, can’t you feel the powers here?”


    Arabe did feel it, but she didn’t want to acknowledge it to risse. If her ancestors knew she was going toe here, why didn’t they make it happen sooner? Why subject her to unnecessary suffering?Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.