Chapter 88:

Pythia POV:

While half of everyone was training and the other half was getting familiar with the maze the rest of us stepped to the side to figure out a good way to set up a trap that would hold Bartholomew. I was picking up sticks and laying out an area that I would figure would be big enough but I needed to make sure that even if he is in wolf form it would still be big enough to hold him but small enough that he couldn't hardly move. "How tall do you think he is?" I asked. "I would say around our height at least." Tye replied as he helped me arrange the sticks. "Okay so I am open to ideas about this." I said looking around. "What if we dug up a hole and when he fell in, the latch top could close. Kind of like a raccoon trap." Jasper said. "That's not a bad idea but we want him to see what is happening. If he falls in a hole and gets out we won't know." Jenson replied. "Good point, a root cage probably wouldn't hold him either, with as strong as he is supposed to be he would rip right through it." Alley said. "Use thorns." Delilah whispered. "Thorns? Would that even hurt him?" I asked. "If it is laced with wolfs bane it will weaken him." Delilah replied. "That's brilliant!" I said. "What are you smiling at?" Tye asked, looking at me.

"Well I have a very smart wolf, Delilah said to use thorns and lace it with wolfs bane to weaken him." I replied with a smile. "That is a good idea but, how are we supposed to get that? We all have a wolf now so we can't touch it." Stephen replied. "My dad doesn't have a wolf, he didn't want one so he can go and get it and mix it all together and everything for us." I said. "Wait your dad didn't get a wolf?'' Alley asked. "No, he said he would be fine without one." I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "Well alright then, how are we going to put the cage in place?" Lee asked. "Well we could kind of do like what we did with the maze, I do like the idea of the door closing on its own though, that would be helpful since it'll be covered in wolfs bane." I replied. "I'll design a few of them out step by step to get a few ideas before we put one together, it needs to be perfect the first time around. We don't have much time left." Jasper said, picking up his paper and pencils. "Okay I'll go and find my dad and let him know the plan and I want to check on everyone else while I'm out too." I said, hooking my arm around Tyes. 

"The rest of you need to figure out how to divide everyone and then work with your group." Tye said, looking around. "We do need to divide everyone but we need to decide who is going to be scattered throughout it as well to weaken them as they go." Alley replied. "I would let people choose that for themselves and whoever volunteers to make them compete. We don't need a bunch of them, just enough to hit certain spots to keep them moving and hurt them." I said. "Yes, maybe a handful need to be scattered, two people together like a battle buddy." Jax said. "Okay, let's go to my office to figure that out." Stephen nodded at Tye and I as he walked by. "Where is your dad? He has been absent lately." Tye asked. "I'm not really sure. I have noticed he hasn't been around all that much. Makes me curious as to what he is up to." I replied. "I know he hasn't left the property  because Alley and Stephen would have felt it. Did your aunt and uncle get a wolf?" Tye asked. "I think they did, honestly I haven't had the time to talk to them." I replied. 

I wonder what my dad has been up to. We usually see him every day but lately he has been spending time leaving before we pick up Apollo. "Let's find him and watch what he is doing. It's not like him to behave this way." I said as we walked. I looked around and could see everyone training in their sections. I needed to remind myself to do something for the element carriers after all of this for all the help they have given us. The warriors were training the others in wolf form but differently than before, we were told to expect the unexpected and the last thing we want to do is train them in a way that would not be useful. Instead they are taking the approach to show them where to protect themselves most which will come in handy as well as teaching them how to protect one that is down an injured. With how strong these creatures are supposed to be we decided that no one is to take anyone on alone. Always have someone with them no matter what. It'll be safer for us all and with everyone knowing how to protect those who are injured we have a better chance at not losing anyone. 

"How are you feeling about everything?" I asked Tye. "I would feel a lot better if you weren't going to be bait." Tye replied. I know he has been struggling with that but it is the only chance we have at trapping Bartholomew. "I won't truly be alone, I'll have you and the twins and Jason." I replied. "Add Brandon and Leia to that list as well." Tye replied quietly. I couldn't help the laugh that came out. "I figured you would add a few other names to the list, I won't argue so long as you are comfortable with it." I replied. "I just don't want anything to happen to you. Should you get hurt you will have us all there. That and if anyone gets out of the maze we can hold them off." Tye said, pulling me close to him. "I will be okay, I have all of you and I have Delilah. She's a strong girl." I replied. "I know she is, but look at what happened to Alley. She nearly died. I would never forgive myself if you die." Tye whispered. Is that why he is so afraid? Because Alley was stabbed? I stopped and stood in front of him and placed my hands under his jaw line. "What happened to Alley was horrifying but she lived. Please don't have it in your mind that I am going to die, I need your faith in me. I need your strength and mostly I need your love. I have many things to live for and I'm not going to go down so easily." I whispered.

I could see it in his eyes how worried he was. "My mind has been working in overdrive with worry, these things are much worse than a dusty old witch. Just promise me that if you need us to step in to call on us. I know you are the only one to match him but there will be a lot of us there for you." Tye whispered as he rested his forehead against mine. "I promise. Try not to worry so much. We have time to prepare for this." I replied. "I know, I am going to train you myself. All day everyday I don't care. I want you to have as much knowledge as I can shove into your head." Tye said determined. I nodded my head and smiled, I knew he would want to it was just a matter of time before he told me. As we walked I could hear everything that was happening and it honestly amazed me. This is what they hear all the time? It's no wonder they sound proof everything. We started getting closer to the tree line when I started hearing small chanting, it wasn't a language that I knew or was aware of, I could smell the smoke from a fire but when I looked around I didn't see any smoke which told me that it wasn't a big fire at all.

I started to walk faster when Tye pulled me to a stop, I looked at him and he shook his head then pointed. I followed his finger to see my uncle storming towards a small area in the back far corner of the property. I looked back at Tye who pointed at his ears telling me to listen. I wanted to get closer so I could hear better. "It's easy, just focus on your uncle." Delilah said.  "Adam! What the fuck are you doing? Do you even know what spell that is?" Phil yelled. "Of course I know what spell it is, you idiot! Shut up before someone hears you." My dad yelled back. "What are you thinking Phil? I mean honestly! Pythia will be fine, she has an entire army behind her." Phil said harshly. Oh shit so this is about me? My hand tightened a little around Tye, "I know she will be fine. This is just a back up plan just in case. Anything could happen to Phil and I refuse to let that outcome kill her. It's already done so don't start with me." My dad snapped back. What is done? What did he do? I started to feel a little panicked. "Are you going to tell her?" Phil asked. "When the time is right I will tell her. Until then keep your mouth shut." My dad stated.

"She is going to be furious you know that." Phil snapped. "I don't care if she hates me but this is to ensure she lives! You don't have kids so you don't understand." My dad said with sadness. "I know I don't have kids, asshole but you didn't even take her feelings about this into consideration. I told you to talk to her about it first." Phil snapped. "She wouldn't have allowed it. In the long run she will see this is for her." My dad replied. "There are other ways than tying her life force to yours. We could have found another way!" Phil yelled. Wait what? What does he mean he tied my life force to his? "We don't have time to look for another way! Keep your voice down idiot! I'll tell her today." My dad replied. "You better or I will. She deserves to know before this fight happens." Phil snapped. I watched as my uncle stormed off cursing under his breath. I looked up to Tye with a confused face. "Let's go now." Tye said, pulling me forward. As we got closer I saw my dad cleaning up the mess that was made. "Dad?" I called unsteadily. He turned around and it looked like he aged a few years and I felt my heart tighten. 

"Pythia, I wasn't expecting to see you yet." My dad replied. "What did you do?" I asked, looking around. "Oh sweetie nothing it's fine." My dad replied with a small smile. "Don't you dare lie to me, I heard the conversation. What did you do?" I asked as my lips started to tremble. My dads shoulders slumped down and he lowered his head. "I did something to ensure you live no matter what. I tied your life source to me." My dad whispered. "What does that mean Adam?" Tye asked. My grip on his hand was tighter than I realized and my mind was spinning as I tried to figure all of this out. "It means that if something were to happen that would cause her to die, it would kill me instead." My dad whispered. "Wha- What?! No! You can't die to save me." I yelled, feeling the tears form in my eyes. My dad looked up and gave a soft smile. "Out of everything in this world Pythia you deserve to live. You need to be there for your family, and they deserve to have you here with them alive and well. I knew you wouldn't allow it so I did it anyway. I refuse to stand by and take that chance that something would happen to you." My dad replied, stepping towards me. 

"You deserve to be here too. We need you here dad you can't do this. undo the spell." I said sobbing. "I can't and even if I could I would not. I've missed so much of your life and I will forever regret that, I will not let your son grow up and not have you or Tye with him. What is done is done and there is no reversing it." My dad said, wrapping me up in a hug. I clung to him in a crying mess as his words finally sunk in my head. If something were to happen to cause my death he would take my place instead. I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let that happen. I will train day in and day out if I had to, I won't take the risk that would cause my dad to die. Somehow someway we were all going to survive this.