Carter is sitting in the corner, his head resting against the wall, his eyes red. My lips turn downwards, tears threatening to spill, and I take a few steadying breaths.
Luna Robyn, Kataleya and Grandpa Marcel are also here. The other quints are missing. I know the rest of the family is helping out, so their absence is understandable, but they should be here with their family!
My eyes turn to Katara, who is sitting in her grandmother’s embrace. Her bloodshot eyes are unseeing and empty, the tear stains on her face a sign that she had cried her heart out. But it’s the haunting pain in her eyes that really hits hard. The eyes of someone who has lost everything, and it hits hard.
I’ve been there when Dad died. Knowing I had to grow up without him, that he wouldn’t be there to see me reach all the goals and dreams I wanted to attain in life. He won’t be there to walk me down the aisle or be there to see my children. No longer there to share everything we dreamt of…
And losing her mama… I can’t imagine how hard that would be. I turn away, unable to hide the tears in my eyes.
“Heaven, come on in. I’ll have someone bring you food,” Grandma Scarlett says softly. I look at her and shake my head.
“I’m… I’m going to go find Theo,” I find myself saying without thinking. Her tired eyes observe me for a moment before she nods.
“But eat something, you’ve done a lot.”
“It wasn’t much,” I answer, unable to stop the tears, and turn, rushing from the house.
This shouldn’t have happened.
I find a quiet place, needing a moment before I try to find Theo. I sit down on the low wall of the mansion, staring into the darkness, feeling defeated. I wish there were more I could have done. I wish there had been a way to protect her!
After a few moments, I wipe my tears and take a deep breath, channelling the wind to pick up any sign of Theo. I frown when I hear his voice on the wind.
He’s arguing…
“Why were you so adamant, Ahren? Try to go back to that moment. What were you testing?” I hear Ares growl. I look up sharply; they’re nowhere in sight.
“Like I fucking said, that attack didn’t feel like it was done by one of the monsters-”
Jayce cuts Theo off. “Listen to yourself, Theo. You’re implying it’s one of our own!” he says quietly.
“Yeah, I fucking am, and IknowI’m right. I have my suspicions, but it was the same as then, wasn’t it, Ahren?” Theocounters coldly.
I frown, instantly realising what they mean. Back then, Ahren had tried and failed to teleport back in time to the point Ares was attacked to find the culprit. He hadn’t been able to, almost as if something deflected him from going to that specific moment in time.
Ares scoffs. “Just like he tried when I was fucking attacked. So, you’re implying it was the same person?”
“Yeah, I think so. There’s something bigger at play,” Theo answers.
“You accused Renji, man. Renji! That dickhead wouldn’t hurt anyone!” Ares growls.
“I’m not so sure,” Theo says, and my stomach twists. I know I shouldn’t be listening to this conversation.
So, does this mean Ahren tried to go to the moment Aunty Raven was killed? What powers are in play here that he wasn’t able to?
Isolara, is there a way to visit an area and see what happened there in the past? Endora has been trying to find a way, but we have yet to find the answer, and there is nothing in the Trinity Witch grimoires.
There was said to be a way, but it is not known to me. We can find the answer,Isolara answers.
Oh, I am already working on it; you can sit this one out. You’re good at being pathetic, anyway,Endora sneers.
You need to drop your resentment and hatred; it didn’t get you far in life, and now in death, you should respect thatthis isn’t about you,Isolara counters coldly.
Both of you, please look for an answer; the quicker we find it, the quicker we may be able to get an answer,I speak. If the culprit doesn’t have another trick up their sleeve anyway.
I shut them out after their response, needing some quiet in my mind.
“I trust no one, alright!” Theo snaps, and I find myself listening to their conversation again.
