Chapter 159


    Fifty-Five: Joselin


    Joselin''s P.O.V.


    Charlie was the definition of beauty. Everything about her was perfect and symmetrical. novelxo Her


    curls looked immacte even without products or styling tools out in the woods.


    "Are you okay to be here?" Charlie asked lowly, but everyone around would still hear her question. It


    was the curse of not having a pack link.


    But I could talk to Tobias privately, which was good enough for me. He was all I needed.


    Most of the pack knew my story. Those who had been there the day I was found heard my story, and


    word was spread through the pack. But from the horrified looks on their faces when they saw Rona tied


    to the rock with her skin carved up, I don''t think this is what they had expected.


    At least Rona had been knocked out during it. That wasn''t a luxury I had been given, and from the way


    he was moving and screaming, neither was Cyrus.


    "I am fine," I said as calmly as possible. Because I was. I hade to terms with my past a long time


    ago, and after facing the alter in the mountains with Tobias, this one didn''t seem so bad...even though


    there was a body on this one. ''You saw her? Cora? Did you see her here with your own eyes?"


    My head tilted down as I examined the dirt beneath us, novelxo seeing the signs of a small struggle in


    the loose soil. The indents from feet and paws were deep.


    "Yes. I saw her. Damien almost had her too. He got a bite on Cora''s arm before she got away." Her


    words made my eyes widen, and I nced at the beast of a man with excitement. There was barely


    any on the corner of his mouth,novel.xo but the tiny spot of red there was good enough for me.


    He drew blood.


    I bent my knees, squatting by the disturbed soil. My fingers slipped through the Earth as I closed my


    eyes and pulled the foreign object from the ground.


    "Woah." One the guard said, and as I opened my eyes, I watched as three drops of blood began


    forming at the top of the dirt. With a swipe of my hand, they collected, and therge crimson blob


    hovered over my palm.


    It wasn''t until I looked up that I noticed all of Rona''s blood had risen, too; the pool of liquid was far too


    and Rona''s blood rushed out and back over the dirt and grass before reabsorbing. There was no use


    for it now that she was dead.


    Aurora stepped back, the blood barely missing her toes as she released her hold on Rona''s arm. "No


    one deserves to die this way."


    Her murmur made my chest tighten as I bit back my response that no one deserved to live that way


    either. Once you experience the horror that Rona did... that I did ...that Cyrus did, it scars you.


    Nightmares still surfaced every few weeks, novelxo taking me back to that night. I would never be free


    of it.


    I blinked once as I nced back down at the redhead before turning my back to her. "If she can


    teleport, no.velxo we need to get back to the castle and track her. We are wasting time."


    My hand moved to wipe the blood on the edge of my shirt, something I could take with me and keep my


    magic focused on teleporting instead of holding the liquid.


    "Are youing with?" I asked over my shoulder at Charlie and novel.xo the bear behind her as I


    ced my hand on Tobias''s forearm.


    "You''re just going to leave the body like this?" Aurora asked, appalled, disgustcing her words and on


    her face. She could judge all she wanted, but taking care of the body of a woman who had tried to kill


    me through my childhood and who had killed her own mother was not at the top of my priorities.


    Aurora stepped back toward Rona in an almost defensive stance, her hand clutching the cold one of


    the corpse.


    Yet, I remained unfazed. "There is no need to waste time on the dead when we are trying to prevent


    more from joining them."


    Every second we waste could lead to another death. Now that Cora knew we were onto her, she would


    either gun for Cyrus, more determined than ever, or derail. Everyone knew once a serial killer was


    exposed, no.velxo they tended to panic, and their actions would be more erratic, normally messier


    than before. She would be angry and possibly scared. She should be. I would make sure she never


    saw the light of day again.


    "She is one of us! One of you!" Aurora argued, thrusting her finger back toward the body. "She was


    being controlled! We have no clue which of her actions were truly hers and which were Cora''s!"


    For a woman who had lived her life hiding in a cave, I had been stupid to assume that she would be


    used to seeing death.


    "You are free to do as you wish, Aurora. But I will focus on protecting the rest of our people, novelxo


    the ones still living." I turned back to Charlie, novel.xo who shook her head at me.


    "We will head that way soon. I''ll help take care of the body." She said as Damien stepped forward with


    a dip of his chin in respect and agreement.


    A hand grabbed my arm, and I watched as several guards linked together. A handful remained,


    determined to protect the princess and the mother of the queen, but the rest looked anxious to get back


    to defend their people, their families, their king, and their queen.


    "So be it. We will see you soon." I said firmly, subtly insisting that shee home to visit soon and


    assure her brother that she was okay.


    The world faded around us slower thanst time, and I had a brief moment where my confidence


    faltered. It was more people than I had ever taken on my own, and I felt like a kid trying to peddle my


    bike up a hill. But I did it.


    When the white realm around us cleared and wended in the castle''s foyer, I let out a breath of relief.


    Tobias held under my elbow to keep me up, but I was already moving.


    I needed to get to Cora''s room to look for anything that could indicate where she was hiding, to check


    on Cyrus, and then to track Cora with the blood that had dried on the hem of my shirt.


    The hallways were clear of stragglers. The only people in sight were the guards lining the walls. There


    were more than normal, no.velxo two on every door and one blocking the entrance to each hallway.


    They were on full lockdown, just as I ordered.


    It felt good. Safe. I was confident in our warriors and guards to protect the crown. Since Cyrus was with


    them, I could focus on what I needed to do without the distraction of babysitting anyone.


    "Where are Aisha and Margot?" I asked over my shoulder to anyone that would listen, and one of the


    guards responded immediately that they were in the dungeon from behind me.


    My hand shot out, breaking the barrier Cora had in ce to protect her room. Clearly, she had cast it


    before when she was weaker and felt no need to update it. Either that or she used minimal effort,


    knowing it was pointless.


    The door mmed into the wall behind it, and I surveyed the area. It looked clean and empty. Like she


    hadn''t stayed a single night here since arriving. Now that I knew she could teleport, it very well could be


    the case.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    She could have gone or done anything while she was here.


    With a flick of my wrist, the mattress lifted off the box spring, showing nothing was hidden beneath it


    before it fell back down. Drawers opened as I walked by, and I scowled.


    Empty. All of them.


    "I want every maid who has ever touched this room since Cora''s arrival brought to me. I want to know


    everything they saw and touched!" I shouted angrily, grabbing the tray from the dresser containing a


    water pitcher and an empty ss and throwing it against the wall.


    Even that had been untouched. The ss was dry with no fingerprints or lip marks. The pitcher was still


    fairly full.


    Tobias was also searching the room, the only warrior I would trust right now to find evidence and not


    tamper with it if she was in their head.


    The same guard from before spoke nervously, his voice shaking. ''There are none. She declined entry


    and said she didn''t want anyone disrupting her space."


    Witches usually locked their studies, but most guests allowed their rooms to be cleaned during their


    stay. The fact that she hadn''t....


    "She was never even staying here." I spat, no.velxo stopping and taking a deep breath to calm myself.


    ''She had us all fooled."


    My hands were in fists at my side, and I took a deep breath to collect myself. I didn''t have time to think,


    but I needed to. I would first check on Cyrus to make sure he was okay, and then I would start the


    location spell on Cora.


    No.


    First, I would take a minute to think and breathe. I needed to collect myself, to calm myself before doing


    anything irrational.


    My hand moved out, no.velxo and Iced my pinky with Tobias''s only a few inches away. That one


    small touch made everything in my mind calm.


    "What are your orders?" The guard asked, sounding scared.


    "I have already given my orders. No one in or out besides the group who has yet to return. Princess


    Charlotte and her mate may be arriving with them. Any sign of Cora and I want to be notified


    immediately." I snapped, releasing Tobias''s hand and moving out into the hallway.


    The queen''s study was in the other wing, and I moved quickly. My energy levels had dropped


    dramatically, and I didn''t trust myself to teleport so soon.


    The guards in front of the door stepped aside and nodded for me to enter.


    As soon as I did, Natalie was out of Killian''sp and barreling toward me. Her arms wrapped around


    me, and I kept mine at my sides. I had never been good with unsolicited touching, but seeing how


    much she cared made me feel good. It made me feel wanted and loved.


    Killian was right behind her, and his eyes scanned me over as if looking for injury, stopping at the dried


    blood at the hem of my shirt. Cora''s blood.


    "I am so d you two are okay," Natalie said, pulling back and moving to hug Tobias, who seemed


    even more ufortable.


    Thomas snorted in amusement from where he stood against the wall, but as I turned to look at him, my


    eyes were caught by the sight of Cyrus. The healers were still with him as hey on the couch,


    no.velxo his eyes closed and his breathing slow.


    I cleared my throat, hiding the concern and emotion building in my chest." What''s his status?''


    Flora shook her head as she held her hand over his forehead. "He hasn''t woken yet. I''m not sure when


    he will. The damage wasn''t to his body directly, and we cant touch the soul. His vitals are strong,


    though."