480 Their Last Words
“You make it sound easy,” Ashleigh sighed. “But I don’t know anything about Luna Irina having had a younger brother. And Spring isn’t exactly going to hand over their family trees if I ask.”
“No,” Lian smiled. “But you have access to a deep source of information about Spring. One that very likely learned about things that no records were made about. But, I believe her mind would have noted such information.”
“Alice…” Ashleigh whispered.
“Yes,” Lian nodded. “That woman is the most likely person to have the answer or at least be able to find it.”
Ashleigh nodded. She would need to return to Winter and talk with Alice as soon as possible.
“Caleb has returned to your side,” Lian said, looking past Ashleigh. “You have been asleep for five days. It is time for you to wake up.”
“Five days!” Ashleigh shouted. “Caleb must be losing his mind.”
“Yea, but you sent him a message before you were pulled back in time,” Lily said from behind her.
Ashleigh turned and looked at her with confusion.
“Ok, I sent him a message before you were pulled back,” Lily shrugged. “The point is, he at least knew that whatever was happening to you was with your knowledge… sort of.”
Ashleigh nodded and took a deep breath. She then looked around, only now realizing they were in the void of blues with the bright white in the distance. She also noticed that Talis and Solana were gone.
“Where are the others?” she asked.
“They were never here,” Lian replied. “This place we are in now is your personal connection to the ley lines. Almost like your own little pocket.”
Lily suddenly gasped.
“What’s wrong?” Ashleigh asked, but Lily did not respond.
Lily stared forward, her brows knitted together in a pained expression.
“Lily?” Ashleigh called once more.
“She can’t hear you,” Lian said. “She’s hearing the dead, sometimes, they call to her, and she has no choice but to listen to their last words.”
Ashleigh nodded and looked at Lily with concern.
“You need to go, but since she is a part of you, you will need to wait until she has regained herself.”
“That’s fine,” Ashleigh said.
Just then, Lily’s face crumpled in on itself, and she let out a soft groan.
“Lily? Are you alright?” Ashleigh asked, moving toward her.
Lily lifted her eyes to Lian.
“The Autumn wolves…” she whispered sadly.
Lian furrowed her brow and tilted her head gently to the side. Then her eyes widened, and she took a deep breath as she brought a shaky hand to her heart, clutching her chest.
“What… what has happened to them?” Lian whispered.
“They’re screaming….” Lily whispered. “Trapped inside those… things.”
Lian clenched her jaw and closed her eyes, trying to compose herself.
“You must go, Ashleigh,” she said. “Autumn has fallen. Spring is likely to follow soon. We must stop this evil from spreading beyond those packs.”
“I don’t understand,” Ashleigh replied.
“Lily can explain to you after you have woken,” Lian said, “but it is time for you to leave this place.”
Lian turned to leave.
“Wait!” Ashleigh called out.
Lian turned back, a look of exhaustion in her eyes.
“Am I able to share what I know?” Ashleigh asked. “The truth about where we actually came from, about the Goddess?”
Lian looked down, and after a moment, she looked back at Ashleigh.
“We, the original Lunas, are the ones bound to an oath.”
Lian took a deep breath before she continued.
“When Queen Luna saw the repercussions of Loki’s attacks on the humans. The absolute hatred that the humans and the wolves bore the fae, she decided neither should ever know about the true origin of the wolf,” she said. “She saw the fierceness with which the wolves protected ‘their people,’ and she feared that if they learned the truth, it would break that loyalty.”
Lian smiled.
“The humans are the true owners of this world,” she said. “The Fae were made to prepare and maintain it, and the werewolves were created to protect them.”
Lian looked back up at Ashleigh.
“The other Lunas and I made a selfish choice when we refused to let our Queen go. When we refused to cut the lines. And she made a fearful choice when she bound us to silence,” she said. “But Cain learned on his own, and then, you learned from Cain.”
Lian smiled again.
“The oath has not been broken, and you may share this knowledge with whomever you want.”
Ashleigh nodded.
“Thank you,” she said.
Lian took a slow breath and clutched her chest again.
“You need to go,” she whispered. “We are all depending on you, and he is waiting for you.”
The bright white light in the distance grew brighter and brighter with each passing second until it was blinding.
Her chest felt heavy as she took in her soft pulls of air. Her mouth was dry.
Slowly and with some effort, Ashleigh opened her eyes.
She could feel the oxygen strapped to her nose and recognized the ceiling. The familiar beeps of the monitors were the last confirmation she needed. She was in a hospital room.
Looking to her left, she saw the monitors and a closed door, but to her right, she saw him.
His messy, auburn hair was resting on her hip. She smiled.
Before she could speak or even try to get his attention, she heard him take a labored breath, and his body tensed.
“You’re back…” he whispered. “Ashleigh…”
He slowly lifted his head and turned to face her. His silvery eyes were bloodshot and tired. Filled with relief and happy tears.
“You’re back,” he smiled.
Ashleigh returned his smile weakly.
“I’m back,” she whispered.
Caleb leaned forward and kissed her lips. Their warmth filled Ashleigh’s heart with comfort and joy.
“I knew you’d come back,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me.”
Ashleigh felt the tears stinging her eyes. She couldn’t begin to imagine how scared he must have been, even with Lily’s message.
“Never,” she whispered in a shaky tone as the tears fell from her eyes. “I’ll never leave you.”