Chapter 180: What if she is not ready?
~Third POV~
The council villa stood like a fortress against the darkening sky. Its stone walls were uniquely painted with silver and blue design with the Lystra Royal emblem all over the walls.
Countless meetings, and decisions that shaped the fate of their people had been held in that hall. It was in there that Ava's mother had been resting for the past two years.
Tonight would be no different. Lorraine thought as she stepped out of the car, her boots hitting the gravel with determination, I will not let them tear my family apart was she kept whispering in her mind. She had spent the entire journey preparing herself for this moment.
Captain Cassius walked beside her, his hand resting on the hilt of his gun out of habit. The guards at the entrance nodded respectfully as they passed. Everyone knew who Lorraine was, even if many had never seen her in person. Her reputation had a way of traveling ahead of her.
Inside the villa, the familiar scent of lavender wood and burning candles filled the air. The hallways were lined with portraits of past leaders, their painted eyes seeming to follow Lorraine as she made her way to the main chamber.
She had walked these halls many times before, but tonight felt different. Tonight, everything was about to change.
The council chamber doors were huge, carved from ancient oak and reinforced with iron mixed with Lavender.
They creaked open as Lorraine approached, revealing the circular room with a long round table where the most important decisions. Twelve chairs surrounded a large table, though only eight were occupied tonight.
"Queen Lorraine," said Elder Marcus, rising from his seat at the head of the table. His gray beard was longer than she remembered, his face more wrinkled with worry. "Thank you for coming."
"Did I have a choice?" Lorraine asked, taking her seat at the table. She looked around at the familiar faces, noting who was present and who was absent. The missing members told her as much as the ones who were there.
Elder Sarah, sitting to Marcus's right, leaned forward. "We wouldn't have called you if it wasn't urgent."
Lorraine folded her hands on the table. "Let me guess. This is about granddaughter."
The council members exchanged glances. Elder Thomas, the youngest of the group, cleared his throat. "Your granddaughter has been... different lately."
"Different how?" Lorraine's voice was calm, but her eyes were sharp.
"Weak," said Elder Maria. "Much weaker than anyone expected. The sacred beast's power is not growing within her."
Lorraine had known this day would come. She had seen the signs in Ava, although not the weak signs the elders are talking about. No, her granddaughter is stronger.
Even stronger than her past selves. The girl was changing, becoming something more than what she had been born to be. And that makes her happy because people won't be expecting that.
"And this frightens you," Lorraine said. It wasn't a question.
"It should frighten everyone," Elder Marcus replied. "The new king of Lystra is seeking her out, still searching for her and us. We heard from our Intel that rumours have been going on in their kingdom that the Mesodomica people were back. Imagine if they start scavenging for us, with the powers they have now. Our people in Mesodomica would be wiped off again. We need someone stronger that revel their powers."
"Are you don't ranting?" Lorraine asked "Just like you all have been doing for three millennium now?" She looks at them with disgust in her eyes
The room fell silent. Everyone knew the story, but no one liked to speak of it. The sacred beast had been too powerful, too dangerous in the eyes of the third realm gods, so they took from him the only thing he loved most.
Norelle. They took his memory from him, making him act cold and distant to Norelle even hurting her once. All these were seen by the Mesodomica people that were on the side of the third realm, forgetting who had their back and have been for them.
"We need to know what you know," Elder Sarah said. "About the beast, about Ava's connection to him, about what we need to prepare for."
Lorraine stood and walked to the window. Outside, the Manhattan stretched into darkness. Somewhere out there, her people were living their lives, unaware of the storm that was brewing. They don't even know about the dark one.
"The sacred beast is Ava's Mate," she said without turning around. "Not randomly, not by accident. Their fates is still tied together."
"What did he see in her to take his mate?" Elder Thomas asked. Lorraine brittle at his stupid comment clenching her fist tight.
She turned back to face the council. "Strength. The kind that comes from being broken and choosing to heal. That's what my granddaughter has gone through. Don't think I don't know what one of you did, selling out my granddaughter to the witch Alasia."
The elders starts murmuring annoyed by her time of voice and choice of words. They just want what's best for their kingdom and people.
" It is not our fault that the gods do not want your granddaughter alive. If we keep her alive further, they won't stand for it. They would sacrifice us all just to get rid of her. So we did what was best for our people." Elder Marcus said.
"The gods of the third realm have always been afraid of what they couldn't control," Lorraine replied. "But they forget that they're not the only powers in this world." Lorraine ignored elder Marcus words. When the time comes, she, Lorraine will feed her enemies their blood and flesh.
Elder Maria frowned. " Are you talking about the moon goddess."
"Selene has protected us this long," Lorraine said, more to herself than the council. "She won't abandon us now. Especially not when one of her own is finally going to be strong enough to stand against the third realm."
"And if she can't protect Ava?"
Lorraine's eyes hardened. "Then I will protect her myself."
The council members shifted in their seats. This wasn't the answer they had been expecting, and certainly not what they had wanted to hear.
"What do you suggest we do until then?" Elder Sarah asked.
"I'm suggesting we stop hiding," Lorraine said. "We've been running from the third realm for too long. It's time to make a stand."
"That's suicide," Elder Thomas protested, screaming. "They're too powerful."
"Are they?" Lorraine challenged. "If they were all powerful, they wouldn't be scared of losing the moon goddess to us. They need her power to maintain their own. And she's on our side."
She walked back to the table, placing her hands on its surface. "Ava is the key to everything. The sacred beast is in love with her and would do anything for her, plus her powers would awaken soon even though you all don't believe me. You will see that my granddaughter will be strong enough to destroy the third for all the wicked things they have done."
"And if she's not ready?" Elder Marcus asked.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
