Page 65 of Moon Raven Rising
“I suppose she has learned well then.” A voice sounds from behind us, and out of habit, I stiffen as my mother’s voice drifts closer. My time walking around as a dead man, hiding from those I loved, caused me to be cautious of the sound of their voices.
Her arm hooks through mine just as my sister holds me, and something tugs in the middle of my chest. It’s moments like this when I realize everything I missed while I was…dead. Looking between the two women I love more than any other woman, I can’t help but smile.
“I’m just glad to have such wise women on my side, though I do wish you guys would speak in less riddles. All of you empaths are the same. Even the seer back in Loema only spoke in rhymes.” I laugh, but when I look down at my Ma, her lips are parted and a deep wrinkle is forming in the middle of her eyes.
“You went to see a seer in Loema?” She whispers.
“I needed answers.” Her throat works on a swallow, and she begins nodding. Confused, I press on, “Do you know who—”
“You went to see Seriah?” My mother interrupts as we continue our walk, but she slows noticeably.
“I guess that’s her name. She spoke in more nonsense than you two.” I say, shaking my head, and I pull free of both of their arms. “She was just as cryptic when I first met her with Raelle. She was hardly helpful.” My mother stops walking altogether.
“The queen met with Seriah?” I see her eyes flickering through thoughts in her mind, and my thoughts now turn to concern.
“Yes? She met her through Dax, and then I went back to see her on my own. What does it matter?” I say with a sneer, my annoyance with my mother no longer easy to mask.
“What did she say? Alaric, whatexactlydid she say?” Shaking my head, I shrug her off and continue walking.
“She said what all of you say… Riddles and rhymes that may or may not have a ring of truth.”
“Alaric, stop.” I don’t stop to listen to my mother’s pleas. I’m unwilling to revisit the painful memories of my birth father. So many times I asked her questions, and she knew exactly who he was. The king and queen were long dead, and she could have easily given me the answers I wanted my whole life, but instead, she kept it from me. I grind my teeth and keep stomping forward. I feel her magic brush against the barriers in my mind and whirl around to face them.
“Are you only keen on keeping secrets when they are yours?” I growl, unable to keep my anger from the question any longer; my voice rises with each word. “Stay out of my head!”
“Ma? What is going on?” Ambriel asks, coming to a stop at my mother’s side.
“Maybe we need to give them a moment to speak alone?” Trent says, and I silently send my thanks with a slight nod of my head as he steers my sister away. There is no good that can come from her witnessing any of this.
“You made it out alive!” I hear Trent yell, and he and my sister hustle forward.
“Barely,” I hear Cano respond, and my mother’s gaze widens as it floats over my shoulder.
“Declan.” She whispers, and I roll my eyes.
“Oh, so now you’ll admit he has a name?”
“Alaric, no… you don’t understand.” Her lips part and her trembling hands wring in front of her. I follow her line of sight and my eyes train on the group of Fae embracing just beyond the trees.
“I—I don't believe it.” Her eyes fill with tears as they bounce between my face and the approaching Fae. “Declan is…alive?” My eyebrows drop dramatically low as my eyes land on a face I would always remember—no matter only ever seeing it in a picture and in the memories from the fountain. Right before me, standing in front of Trent and my sister, is my birth father in the flesh and bone.
Chapter fifty-one
My heart swells atthe sight of each one of our family members coming into view as Dax and I glide in on the glimmering winter breeze. All of their eyes follow the path we take through the sky except one.
Alaric’s eyes are glued to the man who resembles an older version of himself. His dark emotions are radiating from him copiously, and my happiness is quickly transformed into worry for my friend.
“Maybe he just needs a moment alone with Declan,” Dax whispers for only me to hear as we land and I shake my head.
“No, I don’t think that’s what he needs at all, Dax. I think he needs to get away. He is overwhelmed and surrounded when he’s used to being alone.” My gaze locks with his, and the plea of help is clear in my mind, as though he shouted it within the very confines of just my brain alone.
“I’ll address the people.” Dax bends down, kissing me briefly on my forehead. “Don’t go far.” His understanding means more than anything else. Nodding my head, I smile up at him.
Crossing the space between me and Alaric, I step between him and his father. The bond mark on my arm tingles as I pull Alaric from his internal turmoil. His eyes sweep me, then swing to Dax and he drops his head in a slight bow. I’m realizing that so much has changed in the time I have been gone. Since all of us came together and lived through everything we have, I can see that there is a mutual respect that was not there before. Dax has also become more patient; whether or not he would admit it is yet to be seen, but this small gesture tells me enough to know they have accepted the respect they have for one another.
Declan drops into a low bow, creating a ripple effect. Everyone around us drops to one knee. A sea of Fae around us create a wave of bodies as they all follow suit until it is only the leaders and our select trusted few left standing.
“Thank you for pulling me out of my own head,” Alaric says quietly. He turns at my side, unsheathing the sword at his back and placing the sharp tip into the now snow-coated ground in front of him.“My Queen.”His voice carries on the wind as he keeps his eyes trained forward. He too pridefully takes a knee, then the others drop as well. Until the only two left standing are Dax and me. Our eyes meet before we both turn to face the people.
