Chapter 162: The Lighthouse
**James**
If my mate is carrying the Primal Flame, that puts us in even more danger than any of us can comprehend. I might not fully trust Donn and Vincent, but they are the only ones I can discuss this with. While Avery is spending time with the Trio, I seize the opportunity to pull Donn and Vincent aside. “Close your links; this needs to stay between us for now,” I urge.
“Something has gotten your panties in a twist,” Donn jokes, but I glare at him. He sighs as his expression turns serious. “Alright, let’s talk,” he says as he sits on a fallen tree branch.
“Nightfall is approaching, and we need shelter. Besides that, are you both certain that Avery is now carrying more than just the Trio’s eggs?” I inquire.
Vincent puts his hand on my shoulder. “Yes. It is both a miracle and terrifying because those children hold the world in their hands. Now more than ever, it is imperative that Avery be protected and her use of magic limited. Regina is a very powerful dragon, and her magic is strong, but she needs some of Avery’s to help her keep our offspring from unleashing their powers too soon. James, I know that you don’t trust me, especially after the trials that I put you all through, but it was necessary.”
“How so?”
“When I was cursed, I was to never find a mate. I was a shifter, which the cursed were forced to become a beast…a beast that stole others’ life force to survive. When Avery gave me a bit of her life force, I sensed something and became instantly addicted. I wanted it for myself. I put you all through those trials to see if you were worthy of her and to prove something to myself,” Vincent admits. I nod, urging him to continue. “Avery is my mate because of her hidden flame. It is the light in the darkness. Her being the Primal Flame makes sense because it is the one thing that darkness will never be able to extinguish. It is the one thing that darkness fears. But it is chaotic, or at least was. I think Avery can control it. I think she can use it for more than destruction. I think she can use it for rebirth,” he pauses. “I think that thing knows it, which is why it sought to unnerve her and put in seeds of doubt. It wants to separate her from us and ultimately separate her from herself.”
Donn says, “That makes sense. It used the shade that her brother used to put doubt about him into her mind. It doesn’t want her to reach Altima. It doesn’t want us to stay bound to her either. Her darkness is what drew me to her, but it was only a small fraction. We need to help her tap into the rest of herself. Avery isn’t whole yet, but she’s so close to being.” He puts his hand on my shoulder. “James, in all seriousness, I love Avery. I would give up eternity for her. Ravens don’t get mates, but I am thankful for her. She makes the impossible possible by just being herself. We can’t let her lose that.”
“We won’t. Let’s rejoin the others. If they ask what we discussed, it was to bury the hatchet between us and think of possible places to stay the night. When we know for certain that Avery is the Primal Flame, we will tell them.” They nodded, and we went back to find the others.
We gathered the others and then set out toward the unknown. We need to either find or make a portal to get off this dark, haunted island. As we near the coastline, a storm comes out of nowhere. “Everyone inside now!” I commanded as I pointed to a lighthouse. We entered, and I immediately felt uneasy. The wind howls through the abandoned lighthouse, its mournful cry echoing like a dying beast as it whips against the weathered stone walls. The air is thick with the salty tang of the sea, but beneath it, I sense something darker, something ancient and hungry. We’ve taken refuge here, the seven of us, after the forest of Altima Island tried to swallow us whole. Its gnarled roots had reached for us like skeletal fingers, and the shadows within seemed to pulse with a malevolent life of their own. Now, the lighthouse stands as our fragile sanctuary, its towering form a defiant silhouette against the storm-ravaged sky. But as we step inside, the sense of safety is fleeting, like a whisper snuffed out by the wind.
The interior is a tomb of dust and decay. The air is heavy with the scent of rot and forgotten things, and every step we take stirs up clouds of ancient particles that dance in the faint light filtering through cracked, salt-crusted windows. Avery leads the way, her crown slightly askew, a testament to the chaos we’ve endured. Her dragon-scale jewelry glimmers faintly, catching the light like shards of captured moonlight. She moves with a grace that belies the fear I know she feels, her striking red and blonde hair cascading down her back like a river of fire and gold. Her gown, form-fitting and regal, clings to her voluptuous figure, a subtle hint of her shifter nature. She dresses to suit the situation, and tonight, her attire is both a shield and a weapon.
Behind her, the rest of us follow, each lost in our thoughts. Cassius, his lean, athletic frame coiled like a spring, keeps his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His piercing blue eyes scan the surroundings with a sharp intelligence, as if he’s already mapping out every potential threat. Clint, his fair skin pale in the dim light, adjusts the leather jacket that accentuates his muscular frame. His green eyes, usually playful, are now narrowed in concentration, his jaw set with determination. Conner, tall and broad-shouldered, moves with a quiet confidence, his dark blonde hair falling casually over his sharp features. His bright blue eyes, though, betray a hint of unease, a flicker of uncertainty in the face of the unknown.
Donn, his usual smirk absent, trails behind, his black leather creaking as he moves. His void-like eyes seem to absorb the darkness around us, and for once, his smirk is replaced by a grim seriousness. Vincent, towering and commanding, brings up the rear. His tattoos, usually glowing faintly with magical energy, pulse in rhythm with the storm outside, a disconcerting sight. His long, dark hair whips around him like a living thing, and his piercing eyes shift between hues of amber and black, reflecting his dual nature. I bring up the rear, my senses on high alert. My green eyes pierce through the gloom, and my hand rests on the hilt of my dagger, a reminder of the battles we’ve fought and those yet to come.
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