Blessed Blade

Dragana POV

I was numb. Everything that happened on the beach and during the battle shook me to my core. Why did I react that way to that voice?? What power did that strange woman possess??? I was devastated about Cybela. I did not know what happened, and could not stop shaking from fear and anxiety. I suspected the worst. The pain of potentially losing her was crippling me. I tried to reach out to her and connect, but all my efforts were in vain. I sobbed and felt like I failed her, like I failed everyone. I wanted to fight, I wanted to save her, and tried to reason as to why Jasmine pushed me through the Silver Gate. I tried to understand her motives, but all I felt was pain. Art carried me to the lake house as if I was a child, holding me close to him. He was injured, however, his wounds were not horrible, and the pack doctors had already patched him up and he was healing after we got to the lake house. I offered to heal him, but he knew my energy was limited at best. “You need to recover my love. This is nothing. I am a wolf, I will heal love. You need to rest”, he nudged me gently, planting a soft kiss on my forehead. My heart was pinning for Jasmine. However, on some level, I knew she was alive. The family bond with her was strong and I knew I would have felt it if she were dead.

Lady Asma met us and chanted something accelerating Art’s healing. However, there was nothing she could do for me – there was no spell for a broken heart. She was trying to encourage me, and simply be there. Alpha King Jonathan did not say much – he just held me tight and thanked the Goddess I was alive. The moment Roman walked through the door, I heard Aisha scream in my head “MATE!!! CALEB IS HERE!! MATE!! WE MUST GO TO HIM!!”. Luckily, I wore the ring of my great grandmother, a ring that ensured he could not hear her or sense me as a mate. But my suspicions and her earlier words were confirmed, as was Solomon’s comment about his bond with Alice. Seeing him made my stomach flutter and my heartbeat accelerate. Art sensed my internal struggle and pulled me closer into a hug, his scent and presence calming me down. Seeing Roman standing there, handsome as ever, his energy pulling me in, I was in a daze. Too many emotions were swirling in my head and I did not know where to begin when I heard him growl and say “Save it Art!!! Spare me of your excuses… What is this now – are you two mates???!”

Was he jealous???? “Of course, he is!! He is one of our mates and he sees you in the arms of another man!!” Aisha chimed in. “Not now Aisha, this is not the time”. I spat back at her, fully aware she was not deserving of my attitude at that time, but I was in no mode to entertain Roman’s ego right now. Before anyone could say anything, he sat down, obviously angry at the world. Silver Gate opened again and the bloodied and bruised body of Jasmine fell through, causing me to jolt up and run to her. “JASMINE!!!” Everybody was moving in her direction - I made it first and held her. Her pulse was weak, but she was alive. “Quick, Lady Asma, bring the healers”, I heard Alpha King Jonathan bark out orders. “Roman, Art – you boys pick her up, carefully, let’s put her in one of the bedrooms”. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at me, her life hanging by a thread. The dark magic, unlike any I have ever seen, was rolling off her wounds. “She needs more than healers. She is hurt by very dark magic”, I said, and everybody exchanged worried glances. Roman and Art picked her up gently and rushed over to one of the guest bedrooms. Lady Asma and I were hot on their heels. I had to do something. With each passing moment, I felt her life was weaker, her energy depleting. Lady Asma started chanting something, but nothing was happening. Jasmine opened her eyes again, looking at me. She tried to speak, but words were not coming to her. “Don’t speak.. save your strength”, I nudged her, wiping the blood off her face, trying to clean her up. I was trying my best not to cry seeing her in that condition, trying my best to put on a brave face. “Dragana… please” she croaked.

“Shhhhh..shhhh.. its ok, I understand, save your strength..” Lady Asma’s chants continued and even though I could not see any major changes, I noticed that Jasmine at least stopped bleeding. “I cannot reach Calypso”, Vasilla notified me, her words sending cold shivers down my spine. This was not good, not good at all! Jasmine needed her Lycan if she was to rely on her faster healing abilities. The feeling of dread overcame me, my mind reeling. My mother died because of me. According to stories, so did my father. Jasmine was now for the second time on her death bed, again because of me. Art was injured because of me. Cybela was likely dead, again, because of me. Everyone I loved died, everything around me was falling apart – because of me!!! I could not hold my tears any longer. I started crying, wailling in fact, uncontrollably, every fiber of my being shaking. My tears were falling on Jasmine’s face. I held in my lap and I felt that the world would be better off without me. What did it matter that I was a Tribrid? What did any of this matter??? Nothing mattered if I continued to hurt the people I loved, if somehow everybody died, simply because of me.

“You cannot blame yourself, none of this is your fault”, Roman’s voice came from the door. He and Art were both standing there, watching me with indescribable faces, fire in both of their eyes. I could sense both wanted to rush over to comfort me but neither one dared because of the other. I heard him, but I did not believe him. “He is right, this is not your fault!”, Vasilla stated. We will figure out the way. I was just sobbing, holding Jasmine’s face in my lap, crying rivers of pain. There was no pint. Nothing made sense anymore. I could not forgive myself if she died. I could not live with myself. Kissing her forehead gently, I felt something, something within Jasmine stir. Faint, but it was there.. “Dragana… prince..prin..princess…” I heard Calypso’s weak voice. “We … ah.. no..we… we do not have much time… we… umm… we must”, she said, struggling to speak. Vassila connected with her immediately. “Do not strain, tell Vasilla what we must do”, I replied gently, still sobbing into Jasmine’s hair. Lady Asma was in a trance of some kind, purple light radiating off her. I did not know what she was doing, but I needed to know what Calypso had to say.

Instinctively I knew she would be the only one who could tell us how to save Jasmine. After a few moments, Vassila came forth. “There might be a way. First off, we need to shift. Secondly, we need to take Jasmine to the lake, by the blue-blooming tree, it is a source of great power. And third, we will need a Blessed Blade dipped in the waters of the Yamuna River. We must perform a ritual during the full moon”, she notified me. Jasmine’s pulse was growing weaker. I heard Vassila but had no strength to move. “Did you hear me??? We do not have time for tears Dragana!!! We must take her to the lake – NOW!!!” I nodded, completely confused and feeling weak. I got up slowly, everyone’s eyes now on me.

“What is a Blessed Blade?”, I asked softly.