Page 37 of Bound By the Moon

“Um, yeah, that of a wolf.” Ashley chimed in. Icould almost hear her internally screaming, ‘duh!’ at Layla.

Layla schooled her face quickly to hide the smirkthat had started when Ashley spoke. “I meant that his wolf will notlook the way anyone remembers. I’m giving this an educated guess,mind you. I think since he appears so normal now, that is where wewill all be able to see his wraith traits in action.” Layla spokeone on one to Jack then, “we can test that out later, if youlike?”

Jack nodded his head, but said no more. I think hewas afraid to appear too curious about his new-found gifts. As hepondered that, I just stood there staring down at my baby girl. Ithought of my dad, and how he would never get to see her growingup. He would never get to watch her run with the pack for the firsttime, the way he had always wanted me to run with everyone. Hewouldn’t be there to see if I had any more children either. I don’tknow when the tears started falling, but they did. After a fewminutes a hand appeared in front of face, catching a tear thatwould have fallen directly on my daughter’s cheek. I looked up intothe warm emerald pools of Mikael’s eyes, and I managed to get out,“I really need to know what happened to my dad. Please!”

“When Louis showed up, your dad was already fightingsome stray dark ones. I don’t know,” Mikael started as he ran hisfingers nervously through his hair. “I think they did it on purposeto make sure the bulk of our toughest fighters were already busywhen Louis showed up. When he did, he saw me standing there, stillholding Willow. I imagine he put two and two together, and realizedthat the baby you went to rescue at the portal wasn’t yours afterall.” Mikael reached down and swiped his finger gently acrossWillow’s jawline then. “I turned to pass Willow to Eileen, so thatshe could get her somewhere safe, but just as she reached for thebaby, I felt the crack in my leg. Your mom’s quick thinking savedWillow. She grabbed the baby, and called out to your dad all atonce. I’m sure she gave him some boost to get their faster, orsomething. She had to, because he was nowhere near us when Louisgot there.”

“Your dad threw himself between Louis and I. Hejumped into his wolf form to attack, but before he could fullytransform, Louis had his neck snapped. I heard it breaking just assurely as I heard my own leg snapping under the weight of hisoriginal attack. He was shouting that Jameson was just thebeginning. He had plans to send the lot of us straight to hell togreet our famed white wolf ruler, who he’d already put there.”

“He didn’t put me there.” I whispered through mytears.

“We know that, now. Before Louis could come for meagain, Jonah showed up, and called out to him.” Mikael looked overat Jonah then. “I’m not sure why, but Louis turned as if he had nochoice, but to listen.”

“You are correct. He had no choice. I wasn’t awareit would be like that for another Fiul Sange, but it was worth ashot. I have a sort of control over the lesser beings like that aresomewhat like myself. My Aunt Bryn, she was believed to be theValkyrie Brynhildr, was adept with the death arts. She was muchlike my sister, Layla. I could not tell you if she were actually aValkyrie, as she used to laugh at my inquiries as to how she chosethe men who died in battle.”

Serena seemed to find that funny. “I bet she didlaugh at that.”

“Yes, well, she used to say, ‘why would I chose themen, when the women are the real power?’” Jonah smiled at his ownmemory, but remembered his audience, and continued on. “As I wassaying, I seem to have inherited her abilities to commune with thedead, or should I say, those who have been to the brink andback.”

“I have been to the brink and back, technically.” Ispoke up nervously. “Can you control me?”

“Jessica, come to me,” Jonah called out with intent.I didn’t feel a damn bit different, and certainly had no suddenurge-or any at all-to go to Jonah. Mikael’s hand twitched forward,ready to snatch me back if I moved. This amused Jonah to no end.The side of his full mouth hitched up in a grin before he addressedme again. “It would appear not. Nor, as we have already seen, was Iable to control your Guardian Wraith.”

“What about Louis? What exactly did you do to getrid of him and his minions?”

“Oh, I sent him home with his tail between his legs,and his minions, as you call them, have been dispatched into thegreat beyond.”

“What exactly does, ‘sent him home with his tailbetween his legs’ mean to you?”

“Exactly that. He has gone to the place he callshome, and he won’t be able to make another move until he buildsanother army, and is able to have my suggestion scrubbed from hissubconscious. I’m sure that’s something that my sister, Viviannawill help him with after she feels he has been punished for hisfailures long enough.”

I turned to address Serena then. “Your familyliterally makes my head hurt with the weirdness that surrounds youall.”

“And you as well, my dear many-times-greatgranddaughter.” Jack and Asi both snickered at that, but checkedthemselves, and stopped, when I sent them both my best evil eyeimpression. “Jessica, I wish that I could have saved your father.He was a good man. He will be greatly missed.” Serena thenapproached my mother, “I am here to help in any way until you areable to heal and move forward.”

“Thank you,” my mother offered weakly. “Actually,right now, I think I just want to hug my daughter for a minute, andthen head off to bed for a bit.”

“Understandable.” Serena moved away quickly so thatI could get to my mom.

“Do we need to worry about Vivianna giving Louis aquick recharge?” I asked as I shifted Willow so I could hold her onmy left side while I wrapped my right arm around my mother’sshoulders.

“No. I have already spoken to her. She understandsthat no more of this nonsense will be tolerated right now. Besides,even if she were going to ignore our warnings. It takes a while tofor the Fiul Sange to recharge their batteries after a creation.For every dark one he creates in the future, it will take a lot ofeffort and some magical aid for each one from my sister’s part inorder to make it work. He doesn’t have the ability to create newdark ones without the aid of a witch. That is one thing we all dohave in our favor. It’s a very draining process for all thoseconcerned when you’re starting from scratch.”

“Okay, I understand now.” I looked at my motherthen. “Can I get you anything?” I asked.

“No, I’ll be fine. I just really want to go curl upand sleep for a little while.” When I gave my mom a concerned look,she nearly smiled. “I’m not going to sleep permanently. I do wantto watch Willow grow up. I just need some time to heal first.”

***

THE OTHER SIDE

I didn’t bother with the public hug. Instead, Ifollowed my mom into her bedroom after handing Willow to Mikael. Ittook me a moment to realize that Jack was following me as well.“What are you doing?”

He had the presence of mind to look a tiny bitstartled by his own actions, and a little bit more embarrassed bythem. “I don’t know. Honestly, Jessie, this is really weird for me.You move, I feel compelled to follow.”

“Well, go protect your other charges right now, andgive me a few minutes alone with my mom, please.”

“I really don’t think…”

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