Page 150 of The Aurora Marelup Complete Saga Omnibus

Alaric roars at Aurora and she lifts herself up, sitting now on my forehead, and does her roar-howl call.I’ll protect you, Daddy. Always.Gently, she runs her hand over my scales before leaping off my head. I whip my head around and watch her free fall and land on Alaric’s back in a crouch. My baby definitely doesn’t fear death in any way, shape, or form. I regret not being able to fight side by side with her in hopefully what was her finalbattle. Carefully, I shake my head to clear it. Every day is a gift, and it’s time to stop being haunted by the past.

As we break over the horizon of the final mountain range, the castle’s spires can be seen in the distance. Aurora and Alaric call out in unison, then quickly are followed by their guards and then myself. It’s been forever since I had to roar and announce my arrival into royal airspace. My anxiety kicks up another notch, and I feel Helle trying to soothe me. Dante circles the castle first then lands in the clearing of the courtyard. Landing takes a while since room is so limited.

When it’s finally my turn, I land in the center and can’t help but look around at the devastation. Memories start to flood my mind as I remember what was compared to what is. I walk forward, towards the castle and reach my head up to what used to be Anca’s room. I peer into what’s left of the window, seeing what little is left of the room. My heart aches, remembering seeing Anca for the very last time, lying there on her bed. Unmoving and lifeless. From what I can see through the window, her bones lay scattered upon the floor from the attempts of someone who must have put the fire out. The fireIstarted to cremate her where she had laid.

Seeing the image laid before me, I suddenly back up and shift to my human form with swiftness. Clutching my chest, I feel haunted. Destroyed. My mate was never given a proper burial. I let out a guttural cry of anguish. Falling to my knees, Aurora cups my face with both hands, and within seconds she knows. I don’t need to tell her what’s transpired.

I dress quickly before we take off running, not listening to the others yelling for us to wait. Nothing and no one will be able to stop us from getting to our destination. We take the stairs two at a time to get to the second floor. Upon entering the corridor, Anca’s room is blocked off by stones. I start crying and hitting the stones with my bare fist in a fit of rage. My heart isbreaking all over again. Tears flow like rivers down my cheeks, and honestly, I don’t care who sees.

Aurora places a hand on my good shoulder to stop me from hurting myself. “I’ve got this, Daddy. I’ll get us in,” she says all choked up. Her eyes are red-rimmed from her own tears that are falling freely. She quickly strips out of her clothes and shifts to her Lycan beast. She uses her taloned gauntlet to motion me to back up. Seconds after, I hear the click as it echoes all through the empty corridor as her ignitor fires up. She opens her mouth, and her force-breath weapon is unleashed upon the stones, disintegrating them all. If I didn’t see this with my own eyes, I never would have believed it. I knew her weapon worked on flesh, but I was unaware of its effects on stone.

Minutes tick away like hours as I wait anxiously to get into Anca’s room. Aurora finally reins in her weapon and then blocks my path. She shifts back to her human form and redresses quickly. Her mates have finally caught up with us, and Jayce hands her a bottle of water. I watch her eyes assess the stone, then she steps into the room, moving the debris as she goes.

The waves of emotion coming off my daughter drives me to my knees. I watch her move quickly and drop to her knees near Anca’s bones. It’s now that I notice the much smaller set of bones. Far too small to be Anca’s. Aurora gently scoops them up and cradles them to her chest. She throws her head back, letting loose the most hauntingly, deathly howl I have heard from her to date. The tones she hits speak of loss and heartbreak. I feel like my heart is being ripped out all over again, listening to my daughter’s pain.

I move hesitantly closer to her and see the tiny bones she’s holding. The baby’s skull is shaped like her beasts. Aurora had a twin. Taking my eyes from the tiny bones, I glance at Aurora. Her eyes look haunted. She brings her gaze to lock on mine, staring at me like she’s asking for help.

“Daddy?” she says in the softest, weakest voice I’ve ever heard from her.

Jayce is the first to rush to her and wraps her up in his arms. It’s now that she finally breaks and starts crying hysterically. Aurora snuggles in close to Jayce, holding onto him like he’s her only lifeline. Had the baby lived, she wouldn’t have been alone all those years.

Dimitri moves forward to see what Aurora is holding and starts crying immediately. “I didn’t know... You have to believe me. There was no movement, I swear!” Dimitri keeps looking from Anca’s remains then back to the tiny bones in Aurora’s arms.

“There’s no way you could have known, Dimitri. I saw Anca myself; there was no movement.” I move forward and take my daughter from Jayce and kiss her temple. “I’m sorry, little one. We will build a pyre for them tonight and perform the rites that are long overdue.” Aurora nods slowly, still cradling her sibling’s bones to her chest.

Dominik enters the room with two silken cloths that he had found and offers one to me, and holds the other out to Aurora. Klaus and Alaric move alongside Aurora to support the cloth for her. Reverently, she arranges her sibling’s bones, then carefully closes the cloth over them. “Klaus? Please go with Arnulf and gather enough herbs for mother and Seraphina.” Aurora sniffles before continuing. “Mother wanted to name her daughter Seraphina, so I am naming this daughter Seraphina.” Klaus and Arnulf leave swiftly after Aurora settles down enough to assist me.

“What was my mother like?” Aurora asks as she kneels beside her mother’s bones. Her sister’s bones lay bound, resting on her legs.

I can’t help but smile at the thought of Anca. “She was wonderful; a strong and fierce leader. Not very different fromyou, to be honest. Sometimes I have to look twice to make sure it’s not your mother talking.” I chuckle softly as I help the best I can to get the cloth situated. “Unlike you, Anca refused to eat raw meat. Everything had to be cooked.” I can’t help but laugh at the disgusted face that Aurora makes at the thought of cooked meat.

“Father, I’ll perform the rites in the pyre like I did for Andre. The fire won’t hurt me,” Aurora says softly. Somehow this is hurting her more than Andre’s passing.

“Shall Alaric and I breathe fire upon them?” I tilt my head, trying to see where my daughter’s head is with this. She nods, then begins to arrange her mother’s bones on the silk. Aurora uncovers a necklace, earrings, as well as several rings. Carefully, she sets them aside so she can focus on her work. My daughter’s emotions hit us like a freight train; her pain and sadness is almost overwhelming. Aurora’s emotions feel like a storm upon the ocean; waves of grief hit like a sledgehammer, only to build up to hit again. My eyes focus on Aurora’s stoic face. Beneath the surface, I observe the slight shifting of bone plates. It’s terrifying to think how calm she appears doesn’t betray the raging emotions’ turbulent waves ripping her apart on the inside.

Carefully, Aurora closes up the silk and passes her mother to Dimitri. With a gentleness I didn’t know my daughter possessed, she cradles her twin’s remains. “I’ll meet you in the courtyard at dusk,” Aurora says, then exits the room quickly with Dimitri in tow.

“Will she be okay?” Dominik questions as he absently rubs his sternum. His action betrays how badly my daughter is hurting.

My eyes drift from where Anca’s remains were to where Aurora had gone. “I’m not sure. Finding the pup was a shock to all of us.” My chest aches all over again, just wondering if my second daughter would have survived if I had gotten theresooner. My gaze sweeps the room as I gather what worldly possessions Anca had.

“Alaric, would you and Dominik be so kind as to help organize the building of the pyre in the courtyard?” I don’t bother facing them; I already know they will agree. By the time I look up and over to where they were, they are gone to work on their tasks. I have a feeling tonight’s going to be a very long night.

CHAPTER 120

Aurora

Close to my chest,I carry the sibling I never got to meet. My heart breaks thinking of all the what ifs that come along with this discovery. Why didn’t she survive? Did someone try to kill us in utero? I’m plagued by these questions that keep circling in my head. I wander aimlessly through the castle, searching for a room with a suitable table to tend to my mom and sister.

My precious sister, poor defenseless, tiny little thing. She probably didn’t even get the chance to take her first breath of air. It makes me wonder if she passed on, and that’s what caused me to be born early. Several turns later, I find the great library with a large oak table sitting in the center.Perfect.Through the bond, I reach out to my children and my mates. I wish for everyone to witness the final rites. Father taught me, and now I will teach my children. Dimitri enters silently and gently places my mother’s remains on the table.

Eventually, everyone gathers around the table. Luckily, my father had somehow managed to acquire suitable types of cloth to do the wrappings. Arnulf offers to assist me with the herbs and wrappings. “Please explain to the children why I am doing these steps, so I don’t break my concentration.” I raise my eyesto him, and his sadness mirrors my own. A slow, steady nod is given as he positions himself near our children.

Quickly, I shift my hands to my gauntlets, and I begin to cut the strips I need. Klaus and Dominik start using their claws to cut fabric for me. Slowly, I draw in a deep breath, trying to be strong through all of this. “Arnulf? Is there a way to reach my sister in the great beyond?”

I look from her remains up into his eyes. They shift to his eagles then back to normal. “I’m sorry, my love, the elders say no. She was far too young to make that kind of connection.” He feels like he’s failed me.

I set the cloth down that I was holding and move over to hug him tightly. “Thank you for asking.” I kiss his lips gently before returning to my task at hand.

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