Closing the box, I hand it off to Torben and walk around the room, looking at what's left of the little trinkets.
I turn toward the stairs.
And that's when I see it.
The white of a skull sticking out from under boards.
A deep growl escapes my lips as my hands shift. Using my claws, I rip at the wood until I uncover the skeleton.
Deep grooves are cut across the skull where the face should be. The finger bones all bear the same deep gouges, as if held up in defense.
He fought. He fought until the very end.
"By looking at the hip bones, Easton says this body is male." Diaval says, looking at the phoenix on his shoulder.
Nodding, I keep examining the area. A pocket watch is all that remains near the bones.Claridon Jökullis inscribed on the lid.
"This is my dad."
I say it with certainty. All the records point to him. Here he is, years dead, and I still don't know why.
The grief hits me like a physical blow. This pile of bones is my father. A man I never knew. A man who died protecting me.
"Why did they have so many different names for you?" Diaval muses.
"Thyra they put down as dead on the records here. Maybe Feray was the next name for her to assume for their next move—if we base it off the trunks being packed." Torben watches me gathering up my father's bones on a cloth. "What are you doing, little wolf?"
He crouches down and hands me several bones.
"I'm going to ask Easton to cremate him. If we find my mom too, I'll add her bones to the pile so we can lay them to rest."
I'm numb, if I'm being honest with myself. I want to cry and rage, but at what? At who?
"What did I miss?" Khal's voice comes from behind me, and I see Diaval move quickly to catch him up.
Easton glides over and stands close by, watching me work.
"I want to finish searching the house, then leave. We'll cremate my parents before we hit the tundra."
When I have all the bones stacked, I tie the cloth shut and stand.
I offer my forearm to Easton, and he flies up to land on it. Torben takes the bones from me as I wander around what's left of the downstairs.
Pots and pans remain on the stove as if making dinner. Bowls and utensils sit in the sink, waiting to be washed.
The guys remain silent as I explore.
I'm starting to piece together the final hours of my parents' lives. They were preparing a meal—maybe their last—before departure.
Turning my head quickly, I look back toward the front door. I can almost imagine a dark being ripping the door to pieces before it entered.
"Where would I send my mate with a baby to be safe?" I say out loud, moving to stand where we found my father's bones.
"What are you doing, Precious?" Khal moves toward me.
"She's working through the scene. We found what we can only assume to be her father's bones at the foot of the stairs." Diaval informs him.
Where would I send my mate and baby?I look up the stairs.
