42.

“I reached my mother. Farryn she requests you to visit her at the temple. She has information that may be of use.” Ashia spoke as the two females seated themselves in the living room. Tristan seemed to perk up just slightly.

“We can get to Aeston by sun up if we were to leave now.” He said but Ashia shook her head with a sharp glare in his direction.

“Just Farryn. You… I request you come with me.” Farryn and Tristan both shared a look of concern though for different reasons. Tristan wanted to know what was so urgent that Farryn needed to speak with Nelai as soon as possible, while Farryn was concerned with what the Dragonkin might have hidden up her sleeve by separating the two.

“And where is it that you will be going?” Farryn asked calmly, watching as Ashia seemed to shrink in her seat in discomfort.

“North, to Steepguard, just outside but in the area.” No one spoke after Ashia announced she would be traveling to the human town, the very town that housed those who murdered Farryns original pack. Farryn waited for an explanation, and she wasn’t going to let anyone cross the border before she had one. Ashia fidgeted in her seat before straightening herself out.

“My mother has said my father lives outside of town, if he holds answers for Tristan, then Tristan should hear them.”

“Your father is a human?” There was a hint of disgust in Tristan’s tone as he leaned forward in curiosity. Ashia’s eyes flickered with disdain briefly.

“A warlock. He is descended from a powerful line of witches.” She responded curtly without glancing in his direction. A chill ran down Farryns spine as she suddenly understood the connection that Carthal spoke of. Ashias ancestors on her fathers side were responsible for the start of the spiral that Tristan was going through.

Farryn rubbed at her cheek slowly as her gaze drifted between the two seated on her couch. The sooner they had answers the better and if it took her and Tristan splitting up then it could help solve their issues sooner. Now that she had given herself a deadline she didn’t have a choice but to concede to Ashias request.

“Fine, but Tristan, the humans of Steepguard can’t know you are from this pack. In fact it’s best if they didn’t know you were a werewolf to begin with.” Ashia rose to her feet the second Farryn consented on their journey.

“I understand, I promise to stay out of trouble.” He flashed Farryn a grin and a quick wink that, despite her best efforts, warmed her cheeks.

Steepguard was not as far away as Aeston, the pair would be able to make the journey by nightfall if they had no delays. Farryn couldn’t stop herself from gently clasping Ashias shoulders and wishing her safe travels. The young female had thought her father was dead this whole time just to find out in a day that, not only is he alive, but he’s close by too. Farryn could see the cloud of emotions in her eyes, but despite it all there wasn’t an ounce of excitement or happiness to be seen. It saddened Farryn but she had to remind herself that they were in different positions, and at the end of the day Farryn couldn’t add an outsiders problems to her plate.

~

Tristan had been right, Farryn reached the town of Aeston as the sun was entering the sky. She stifled back a yawn and resisted the urge to rub her eyes as she forced energy into her legs. She would give anything to be able to fall into a bed but she had been taking the easy route thus far. Using everyone else to find information for her while she remained at the pack. It was her turn to deal with some discomfort.

Luckily Farryns memory was rather good so it was easy for her to find her way to the temple, as she opened the door she was greeted by Nelai at the altar.

“You made it faster than I expected, but you came alone, good good what I need to discuss with you should be for your ears only. Come young Alpha, you are running out of time.” Nelai ushered Farryn to follow her along into her office. The tired female hardly had a chance to register all of her words before she was seated in front of the oak desk while the Dragonkin Priestess went to the other side and seated herself.

“At this point I’m sure you know about your companions… affliction, correct?”

“Yes, it’s more or less a curse passed on from his father.” Farryn responded slowly as she crossed on leg over the other.

“Not more or less, it *is* a curse passed on. I am not sure how much help Ashias father will be, if he might have an idea to remedy it or not. But I have found a solution.” Farryn perked herself up, a new wave of relief washed over her body at the Priestess’ words but it was quickly chilled by her grim expression.

“Alpha Farryn, what do you know of your own lineage?” The question threw Farryn off guard. A bitter taste quickly entered her mouth and even Lola and Namia rose to attention suddenly.

“What do you mean? There isn’t much to tell, I am no one special.” The answer was automatic but felt wrong on her tongue. She was someone special even if she couldn’t see it yet. She was a female Alpha, that alone made her special. Nelai hummed thoughtfully before propping her chin into her palm.

“Then what of your wolf? The second one, whom you had not met until your second awakening?” It was another question that Farryn was not expecting, and another question she did not like. While the female and wolf had grown closer while dealing with the Storm Pack Farryn had never taken the time to truly acquaint herself with the white wolf.

“Priestess what does this have to do with Tristan?” She snapped sharply, her patience growing thin thanks to her exhaustion. Nelai huffed slightly in annoyance with her tone, Farryn noticed a faint tendril of smoke escaping the Priestess nose as she did so before she rose to her feet.

“Foolish wolf, this has *everything* to do with your companion!” She hissed before making her way to one of the bookshelves she had on her back wall.

“Obviously you are denser than I would have hoped, but please tell me you have at least noticed your connection with the male?” Nelai spoke as she scanned her booked, not bothering to look back while Farryn chewed on the inside of her cheek.

“Of course I have,” She grumbled “I have little doubt that he, well his wolf, is Lola’s mate. But Namia’s mate is someone else.” Nelai waved her hand dismissively, apparently she hadn’t asked because she cared to hear about Farryns love issues.

“The connection between the wolves goes deeper than that you fool.” She snapped while pulling a rather thick looking book from her shelf. She gently set it down in front of Farryn who was doing her best not to snap back again. Nelai quickly flipped through the pages, each one yellowed slightly with age, they seemed as if they would crumble at any second but Nelai had a surprisingly gentle touch. She came to a halt at the section she was looking for and pointed sharply.

“Read.” She commanded as she walked back to her seat.

Farryn found herself feeling as though she was a young pup back at home being forced to focus on a lesson she had zoned out on while her mother scolded her. Sighing deeply she leaned forward with her forehead in her hands to keep herself propped up while she read a passage that detailed the Moon Goddess.

It was nothing new to her, a simple history of how their Goddess descended to the Earth and blessed her children with the gift of the moon. She peeked up with a questioning gaze through her fingers to the Priestess who sighed in frustration. She pointed to the final passage quickly, though her eyes had not yet left the Alpha seated before her. Farryn shook her head in silence before looking back down and reading.

*It has long since been said that while the generous and loving Moon Goddess was willing to bless her children with a gift she still felt lonely. In a bid to feel closer to her children she gifted herself with a wolf spirit as well so that she could one day walk among them all, not as a Goddess, but as an equal. The Moon Goddess’ beauty was unparalleled, but the beauty of her wolf was breath taking. With fur as white as snow that seemed to glow like the moon itself, it would be impossible to mistake the wolf for anyone other than the Goddess. Her ghostly blue eyes that looked to be blind but truly saw all struck even the most challenging wolf with the comprehension that there was no escaping her sharp gaze.*

Farryn reread the passage a total of twelve times before laughter bubbled out of her chest.

“This is familiar to you, isn’t it?” The Priestess knew her answer, otherwise she wouldn’t have shown the passage to Farryn. She rose quickly to her feet.

“Do you understand just how insulting it is to me that you would dare try and suggest that my wolf…” Farryns words died in her throat, it was Lola that stopped her. The white wolf was radiating sadness as she tried to calm Farryn down.

“What made you show this to me.” Farryn choked out the words as her gaze lowered to the floor, she wouldn’t accept this.

“I spoke with several High Priests of the Moon Goddess, they have all made claims that she had either disappeared or weakened, the timeline to your second awakening that I heard of, it was too convenient. But there’s more.” Farryn barked out a sharp laugh as she forcefully shoved her fingers through her hair.

“More?! What more could there be? You are saying this wolf inside me is the Goddess’ wolf!” For the first time since Lola became a part of her soul Farryn felt the wolf lower herself, she was trying to speak to Farryn but the wall she was building was too high.

“She is your key to curing your companion. If you wish for him to stay by your side, she can lock away his curse once everything has been returned the way it should be but there is a price to pay.” Nelai spoke calmly and slow, letting her words sink in before she continued.
“I don’t know what will happen to your true wolf if you do this.”

Farryn felt as if she was being stabbed in the heart as tears began to well in her eyes. A bitter smile played on her lips as she chuckled while shaking her head in disbelief.
“So in other words, if I wanted to save Tristan, I have to lose Lola, and possibly Namia too.”