Chapter 14

DAY 2: VALERIA’S POINT OF VIEW
I woke up with a terrible headache the following morning because I had spent half of the night crying. I missed my father so much and knowing Vladimir killed him made my blood boil. Looking around, Hannah was still sound asleep and so was Azura. My eyes remained glued to Hannah as she slept. How could she sleep after what her father did to mine?
“Stop looking at me.”
I gasped when Hannah suddenly spoke up. “I thought you were sleeping.”
“I was.” She admitted coolly, “A chill runs down my spine when someone stares at me.”
“Oh… Okay.”
I didn’t know what to say to her, especially after her confession. I was angry and confused, but I was glad she came clean.
“Red-head, get up.” Hannah also sat up before tapping Azura in a not-so-gentle manner. It was as if this princess didn’t know what being gentle was all about. “I swear to the goddess that I’ll pour water on you if you don’t open your eyes in five seconds.” She threatened, her hands digging into her bag.
“Try it and I’ll kill you.”
Hannah smirked as she removed her hand from her bag. “I love it when people threaten to kill me.”
Azura rolled her eyes at her before getting up. Hands on her waist, her eyes flickered between Hannah and me. “So, did anyone bother to bring with them a toothbrush?”
<<<>>>
Hannah and I were the only ones who brought a toothbrush. Azura brought a pack of mints with her, saying it was as good as a toothbrush. She said they performed the same function, and that was giving us fresh breath.
“Do you really know this forest?” I asked Hannah, feeling a little uncomfortable as she led us through a rocky part.
She stopped walking and spun around to look at me. “Having trust issues?” I opened to mouth to speak, but she wagged her index finger in my face. “Say nothing, Val. Griffins aren’t exactly trustworthy.”
“She actually knows.” Azura spoke under her breath.
“I heard that.” Hannah pointed a finger at her, eyes narrowing to slits.
Azura shrugged and avoided her gaze. She was getting under Hannah’s skin.
“Ignore her.” I said, “How long till we get to Mulnora? We are running out of time.”
“Seven hours if you don’t stop for breaks.”
Hannah immediately brought out a curved blade and me, I extended my claws. Azura only smiled, and that unnerved me. Leaves protested under the woman’s boots as she strode forward, a neutral demeanor on her face. Brown hair cascaded down her back in curls. Green eyes watched me and Hannah carefully. She reminded me of my mother. Father had shown me her picture, and they had similar features.
“You guys have really got to calm down, I swear.” Azura said, stepping in between the woman and me. “She is not a threat to us, I promise.”
I straightened myself. “And you know that because?”
“She’s my friend?” It came out as a question. “Yeah, she’s my friend.”
The woman nodded in Azura’s direction before speaking. “Princess Valeria, Princess Hannah.” She greeted, keeping her head straight. She didn’t bow. Even Azura, who was going to become the next oracle, bowed before me. So why didn’t she?
“My name is Rhea, and I have been sent to help you on your quest to get rid of the god of destruction.”
This strange woman had no scent. I couldn’t tell what she was.
“Who sent you?” Hannah eyed her, her grip tightening around the handle of her blade.
“I cannot answer that question.” She still maintained the same expression, and that angered Hannah.
“Start talking or I’ll chop off that tongue of yours.” Hannah threatened, stepping forward.
At this, Rhea’s nostrils flared, and she glared at Hannah. “Threaten me again and you will regret it. I make sure I keep my promises, mortal.”
Like before, Azura stood in front of Rhea. “I apologize on her behalf.” She bowed her head, “Please forgive her utterances.”
“Bitch, why are you bowing to her? She didn’t even accord us royals respect.”
“Hannah, stop.”
I was finally putting the pieces together. It now made sense to me why Rhea had no scent. She was a high-ranking immortal, almost as powerful as the twin gods. All I wanted to know was who sent her to us. It couldn’t have been the goddess. She hated us.
“I apologize for Hannah’s behavior, but could you please tell us who sent you here?”
Rhea averted her gaze from Azura and to my face. “Fitia.”
My jaw dropped at her confession. Why in the world would the goddess send someone to help us? Was she in any way reconsidering?
“Why?” I asked. “It just makes little sense why she would want you to help us. She herself cursed her own creation.”
“I do not know what goes on in the goddess’ head, but I know we have very little time here or I’ll die with you.”
Azura gasped. “You asked the goddess to send you.”
Rhea smiled at her. “You’ve been studying. Good job figuring that out. It’s a good thing Doris asked you to accompany Valeria. I do not have the patience to explain myself to her.”
“I will do my best.” Azura promised, stepping away from the strange woman.
“So, why do you have a thief with you?” Her eyes were now on Hannah. “Her father killed yours and he is planning on attacking your pack in three days.”
“My pack?” My eyes widened. “My family is there! Everyone I hold dear is there. Those people are important to me.”
Rhea nodded. “I know. He has already killed some of your people and the next time he attacks, it won’t be really easy on your people.”
“My brother and Logan can handle the pack in my absence.”
Logan was a skilled fighter, and so were the warriors in my pack. Zayne knew a few tricks I was certain would cause more casualty on the griffin side.
“Your brother left the pack in search of you.”
That stupid child!
“As much as I would love to go back and help my people, going to Mulnora is more important. Aethra knows a way to stop Mavros and his wolf. The griffins may kill my pack, but Mavros will wipe us all out of existence. He is more dangerous.”
“Aethra is dead.”
My knees buckled underneath me, and I fell to the ground. Stones bruised my skin, but I didn’t care. My only hope was dead. The only person who could help me was lying cold somewhere. I didn’t even get to see her.
“Who?” I managed to ask, feeling blood rush to my head. I was becoming light-headed.
“Fitia killed her the second Doris mentioned her name to you. You would have met a dead body.”
“Damn, the goddess is freezing-hearted.” Hannah mumbled, sitting on the ground. “I thought she was the sweetest being in the fucking universe.”
“Fitia is kind,” Rhea corrected her, “But anger is what she now runs on. The goddess is upset, and it is clouding her judgment.”
“She has no right to be mad at us. No right!” I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat. “One she-wolf disobeyed her, and she thinks the most rational thing to do is curse us? That’s fucking stupid!”
Rhea hissed at my choice of words before speaking. “Say no such thing about the goddess. She may choose to strike you dead.”
I looked up at the sky, the light of the sun stinging my eyes. “Let her! Let her do it! You think I fear you?”
I was scared, but not of the goddess. Losing the people I loved, the people my father cherished, the people who accepted my human mother made me scared. It scared me that memories of them would be forgotten by all. It scared me because I would lose my brother, my friends… my mate.
“Valeria!” Rhea hissed, bending down to my level. “Don’t speak ill of the goddess. Fitia will kill you.”
I turned to her with tear-filled eyes. “You think living like this is what I want? A crazed god and his wolf marked me, and for the next seven days, he will be unstoppable. Who knows when he’s going to strike? He’ll kill everyone.”
“That won’t happen.” She said, placing a hand on mine.
I almost scoffed at her. “What makes you say so? How sure are you that by sundown, werewolves will not lose their lives? Tell me.”
Still holding my hand, she said. “Remember that Mavros has a twin. A brother that keeps him sane… like a soul mate.”
Was she thinking…?
“I can call in a favor for your sake. I know I am going against the goddess by doing this, but I have seen the love you have for your people.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Aspro. I will call Aspro.”