Reaching Out
*Hezzlie*
A few days have passed since my brother told me he wanted to go with me to Moonstryker. I need to talk to Rowan, to feel him out, to see if he’d even consider it, but that is difficult when he doesn’t know that my brother is his sister’s mate, and I’m afraid to tell him. I promised Aiden I wouldn’t.
Since I showed my brother my powers, I’ve been practicing a lot. He suggested some useful skills–like unlocking doors and blasting through gates. I can’t really practice breaking anything without drawing attention to myself, but I have been working on unlocking the bathroom door, and I’m getting pretty good at that.
It’s just making it a little difficult to continue to pretend with Alistair that I don’t have any magic.
I’m sitting in my room, trying to decide whether or not to reach out to Rowan when my cell phone rings. I see that it’s my mom, and my heart lurches into my throat a bit. I haven’t talked to her in a while because there’s so much going on, and I haven’t been sure what to tell her.
“Hello?”
“Hi, baby,” she says. “How are you doing?”
I can tell she’s upset. “I’m okay. How are you?”
“Good. There’s been a lot going on. I’m at the Moonstryker Mansion.”
I catch my breath. “Wh-what? You are? Why? Why didn’t you tell me?” Why didn’t anyone tell me?
“Some of King Rowan’s people showed up at my house and said they thought your father had some people lurking around potentially trying to take me in. I think he suspects I might be a witch.” She sighs heavily.
“Right. I hope that you’re comfortable there, Mama.”
“I’m fine,” she says, but I still hear that tinge of sadness in her voice. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine, but I can’t get over there easily, Mom. Father doesn’t want me to leave.” That’s to put it mildly.
“I’m starting to understand more about what’s going on, baby, and I do believe that your father isn’t a kind person. In fact, I think he had something to do with the princess killing the queen. I just came from the funeral. It was so sad. I think Rowan isn’t handling it all very well, though he’s trying to pretend that he is.”
Mom’s words say more than she even knows. A tear forms in the corner of my eye. I wish I could just leave this place right now and go to her–go to him. “That’s terrible.”
“It was a lovely service, though I didn’t quite understand all of it. They sure do like wolves over here.”
She still doesn’t know, and it’s not something I feel comfortable telling her over the phone. So I say, “They do. How is the princess now?”
“She’s sedated. At least, that’s what I’ve gathered. No one will tell me much of anything. Wilma speaks more than she is probably supposed to, but everyone else is quiet. I do my best to put the pieces of the puzzle together, but it’s difficult.” I hear her frustration.
“I felt the same way while I was there. Listen, Mom, I’m gonna try to get over there. I’m going to have to sneak out, though. I think I need to talk to Rowan about it first. My half-brother wants to go with me, but I’m not sure he’d be welcome.”
“Since he wants to kill your father, I’m guessing he’s not a huge fan of your brothers at the moment either,” she mutters.
“No, I know he’s not, but I think Aiden and Mara were very close, and she will be better if he is allowed to come to Moonstryker Mansion. Rowan does know it wasn’t Mara’s fault, right?” I ask her.
“He seems to think she was in a trance or something, that someone there hypnotized her or something like that. Is there some creepy guy who might be capable of that sort of thing there? He isn’t bothering you, is he?”
“There are a few creepy guys here, Mom. It’s a castle.” I think of Alistair first, of course, since I’m certain he’s the one who messed with Mara’s mind, but I also remember Zeb and a few of the other guys. I wouldn’t want to run into any of them in a dark alley–or hallway–at night. Or any time of day for that matter.
“You be careful, my love. I wish I could just drive over there and get you myself. God, it’s just like you’re back in that place again.” Mom breaks down, and I listen to her sob on the phone. My heart breaks hearing her cry. Tears flow down my cheeks as well.
But then I have to remind her that she’s wrong. “No, Mama. This isn’t the same. I’m much stronger now than I was then. I’m not sedated or tied to a bed. I have the ability to roam freely around the castle. I have friends here, ones that are sane. It’s going to be okay, I promise you. And I’ll find a way to get over there to you.” I just hope my father doesn’t chase me and bring all hell down on Moonstryker Mansion.
“Okay, baby. I should go. They’re digging in the back garden, and I want to help.” She’s still sniffling, but she’s a bit better now.
Her comment gives me pause. “Digging? Like… a grave?”
“No, no. The queen was buried in a huge mausoleum. It was quite beautiful, but so strange.”
I am sure the mausoleum is full of wolfy sculptures, but I’m still stuck on the digging. “What are they digging, Mom?”
“Oh, well, after the funeral, Rowan started pulling up a bunch of grass. We thought he’d lost his mind at first, but then, he unburied a big rectangular piece of concrete. Turns out it’s a door. It has stairs that lead down into the ground. They found several more. They don’t know what they are, though.”
“Holy shit,” I mumble.
“Language, baby,” Mom warns me.
“Sorry. I just….” I realize I can’t say what I’m suspecting. “I’ll let you go then, Mom.”
“I love you so much, my precious baby.”
“I love you, too.” I hang up, but I don’t put my phone down. I note that the battery isn’t draining any more. I must know how to control my powers well enough not to accidentally drain them.
I call Dean and hold my breath, waiting for him to answer. I have to know if these stairwells are connected to the mines–to the moonstones.
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