Lunaria (A Soulmark Series Finale), page 34
Jax stares back at me in wonder, throat, and jaw working for some response.
"Do you understand?" I ask.
A lazy and dazed sort of smile works its way onto Jax’s face. With a low chuckle, he throws an arm over my shoulders again and tugs me into his side. A small noise escapes me as he presses a kiss to my temple and squeezes me tight.
"You're one of the good ones, Luna," Jax murmurs against my skin before resting his forehead against my temple. "Don't change. Don't lose that light."
I blush, off-balance in more ways than one. "Okay."
We stay as such for a long moment until the shouting reaches our ears.
Jax and I pull apart with matching frowns. Rising, we move to the window. The group outside is nowhere to be seen. I jump to the worst conclusion.
"Where did they go?" My question fogs the window.
"I don't know," Jax replies, his voice equally low. The hair rises on my arms. Footsteps stampede up the nearby staircase. I jerk my head in the direction of the door, spine strung taut in anticipation. Out of the side of my eye, the lights outside turn off. My fear spikes. Adrian’s answering fear assaults me.
"Jax, what’s happening?"
He shifts to stand in front of me, the sharp crack of his cane striking the floor to emphasize his defensive pose. With the sound, the shadow tendrils reemerge, called forth by his will. Some shadow tendrils melt out from his back, others through the walls.
"Stay behind me. Nothing can harm us."
The shadows condense around the door frame waiting for the intruders to try their luck. They forge into a thunderous cloud, with electric sparks of purple and ominous bolts of blood-orange rippling across its odd expanse. My wings flatten against my back as the temperature drops dramatically, and yet...
"Jax, wait." I place a hand in the middle of his back and move out from behind him.
"Luna, stay back, it's not safe."
Jax attempts to slide back in front of me, but I resist. Adrian’s fear morphs to concern the nearer the footsteps sound. I eye the doorway expectantly.
"We're okay, Jax," I insist.
Before he can protest, Adrian's large frame appears. The shadows hugging the door freeze. I spare Jax a brief look. His face is set in stone. A moment later, the tense line of his body relaxes a fraction and he raps his cane against the floor a second time. The shadows vanish.
Adrian enters the room, oblivious to the shadow magic. Behind him trail Celosia, Alekos, and Winter.
"What's going on?" I ask. Winter flicks on the overhead light, her eyes scanning the room.
"Hellspawn," Adrian replies, advancing on our pair until he is at my side. His words are a punch to the stomach and no sooner do they leave his mouth than the vivid recollection of my assault resurfaces. Flashes of sickening green claws spear my vision as I recall the hellspawns’ glutenous appetite for me.
At once I can feel their jagged teeth gnawing at me and the hot sting of the bullet wound so near my heart.
"Luna?"
A calloused palm cups my cheek attempting to draw me back to reality, but it is no match for the horrifying face Callie spares me in my memories.
"Luna."
A voice with strict authority strives to reach me through the dense fog of my memories, but I'm stuck—
"Come back, Lunaria," Adrian commands, his other hand cupping my cheek.
I inhale deeply and breathe it out in a long stream of air. The world around me comes back into focus in pieces. I take another rasping breath. "I'm sorry," I whisper, centering on Adrian’s handsome face.
"Where did you go?" The low timbre of his voice tumbles over me, as his concern washes through our bond. I lean into the calloused palm and breathe deeply. With closed eyes I reply.
"Somewhere dark and far away. A memory, nothing more,” I answer, relishing in the warmth of his comfort as my nerves settle. His strength anchors me, and with each passing breath, my demons fall away.
Someone clears their throat. I peek around Adrian’s body to see Winter watching us.
"I'm going to take Celosia and Alekos back home with me now," she says. Nodding, I retreat from Adrian's embrace and meet my friends at the door.
"This is a dangerous place, Luna," Celosia declares. She throws her arms about me as soon as I am near enough, her glittering wings propelling her forward with extra earnest. "How did you survive?"
I return her hug with great enthusiasm, squeezing my eyes shut and breathing in a deep lungful of air. We exhale together, and I know without seeing, her radiant glow encompasses us both.
"I guess I'm stronger than I thought," I murmur. She hums her acknowledgment and pulls back, only for Alekos to sweep me into his arms next.
"You're okay? You’re not hurt?" I nod against his chest. "Good." Alekos steps away from me with a sigh, but he keeps both hands planted on my shoulders. "Will you be safe here? The wolves are chasing away the hellspawn as we speak, but…"
"I’ll be safe here. You don’t have to worry about me.” I pass a smile over my shoulder to Adrian. He ducks his chin in silent answer.
"We should really get going now,” Winter announces. “See you soon, Luna." Winter's hug is brief, and as she makes her exit, Celosia and Alekos swoop in for one more hug each. Adrian is at my side two heartbeats later, his arm wrapping around my waist as they depart.
"I don't suppose with all this chaos, Zoelle will be serving her chili anytime soon," Jax gripes with good nature as he walks up to us. He leans firmly on his cane for support. "I'll pass the time till then with the ravens and our new hybrid."
We shuffle out of his way, and I pass back the slim smile he sends us as he limps out. Adrian and I walk behind him, slipping off downstairs as Jax continues on. My eyebrows draw together as I watch him go. Before my time in this realm ends, I will make sure Jax finds his light.
++
My heart continues to open to my rokama warrior. I can’t help but marvel at the subtle changes in him and me as we build upon our newfound trust. The way we fight to curb our quick tempers in order to understand the other.
"What will you teach them today?" I ask from the coziness of our bed. Adrian dresses at the opposite end of the room, readying for another day of training the Adolphus pack.
Dressed in a pair of socks and trousers, Adrian lays out a set of fresh bandages and tape at the end of the bed. I study his methodical movements and let my gaze roam over his body. His close-cropped hair thickens by the day, and his stubble inches closer to a beard with each passing hour. The scratchy facial hair left its mark on the inside of my thighs late last night.
"The same as yesterday. I’ll be teaching a new group of wolves today. I offer no advantage to this pack by progressing with one group and not another," he explains, straightening out the bandages.
Adrian is meticulous at keeping the wounded stubs of his wings covered at all times unless bathing. But I hope with the recent developments between us, he’ll be more open to my concern and curiosity. Having emerged from the shower only minutes ago, I lick my lips in anticipation to try my hand again.
"Do you need any help, ov thera?"
Adrian freezes, his dark eyes lifting from the spread he’s created to stare at me. After a long second, he gives an almost imperceptible nod and slowly turns to offer me his back.
"Each side will need their own wrapping, and then a final bandage wrapped around my chest to secure them down," he instructs.
I hold my breath as I wait for him to complete his slow turn, but I’m unprepared for the sight that greets me. Gasping, my mouth hangs open with no words to express my emotions. Adrian twists his neck to peer back at me, a brief smile tilting up his lips and sparking a ridiculous excitement from me. I squeal in delight, unable to help myself as I scramble down the bed to inspect his healing wings.
"How? How is it possible?" I ask breathless, fingertips grazing the healthy skin clinging to the bottom blades of his wings. His flesh erupts with tiny bumps that draw my breath short once more. “How?” I ask again, desperate to know as tears come to cloud my vision.
“Do you forget so easily what our covenant entails?” he teases, though I catch the strained pitch in his voice. “My strength shall be yours—”
“And mine yours,” I finish, still in awe at the sight of his regenerating wings. “But how does that explain their growth?”
“You are a cultivator, are you not? You nurture and enrich that which is around you."
A frown puckers my forehead as I run my eyes over the leathery stubs. "My gift pertains to plant life—not creatures or people, Adrian."
"Our heart's content must have allowed for an exception."
The simple explanation brings a smile to my face. “I just can’t believe it,” I whisper, fingers reaching out once more to draw along the healing wings, marveling in their bristled, yet soft texture. My exploration stalls as a new thought occurs. “We completed our covenant days ago… why didn’t you say something sooner?”
I try to catch Adrian’s eye, but he swiftly turns his face away from me. His back flexes minutely before he clears his throat.
"I couldn’t be certain, and if I was wrong...” Adrian’s voice trails off.
“I understand,” I say, leaning forward to place a kiss in between his shoulder blades. The tension glides from Adrian’s body.
“I knew if my assumptions were correct, the Wselfwulfs would try to take them from me again. I could not risk it.”
With gentle but insistent guidance, I turn Adrian back around. I take his face in my hands, a small smile on my face. “This is the most magnificent news.” Adrian closes his eyes as a bashful smile crosses his lips. He ducks his head with a chuckle, a large sigh following after.
“Indeed, it is.”
“But why cover them? Won’t the bandages stunt their growth? Gran says a little fresh air does wounds good.”
Adrian’s obsidian eyes gleam with amusement as he leans toward me. “Your heart's content says that while whipping these pups into shape, the best course of action is to confine his healing wings for protection."
His teasing brings a pleasant flush to my cheeks as I perk up. "Then I will help to keep my work protected—cultivators are quite thorough in their work." He chuckles but says nothing more as I grin impishly back at him. Adrian turns around again.
I secure each wing down with careful precision and wrap the final length of wrap around his upper body tightly.
“Finished!” I chirp.
Adrian rounds on me immediately, his full lips capturing mine, demanding submission. I comply all too eagerly. I chase after his lips when he pulls away too soon. His amusement thrums through our connection.
"Enjoy your day with the witches, ov thera." Adrian skirts his lips across my cheek. "I'll rejoin you this evening."
"Prepare them, Adrian," I reply. Adrian snags the sweater hanging precariously at the corner of the bed. He shrugs it on, abdominal and pectoral muscles contracting.
"As you wish."
++
The Elder Triad’s kitchen bustles with activity as coven members pass through the house on various errands. Magic charges the air. It tickles the skin and emboldens the room’s energy. Each available seat boasts a witch preparing some magical medical provision or weapon.
“See you later!” someone calls, retreating swiftly from the house. A number of voices call out farewells in return. I smile. The comings and goings are welcome breaks in the conversations that happen at the kitchen table I occupy, where I’m told all of what occurred in my absence.
The lengths the pack and coven have gone to keep the townspeople unaware.
The spells and incantations used to keep Zoelle and the baby stable.
The forest fights along the border.
I choose not to speak of my time at the Wselfwulfs, though many of the witches attempt to pry the information from me.
“Where exactly did they keep you? I can’t imagine they offered up their beds to you.” Jessica asks, as I trail off in my description of my home in the Hollow Woods, where we make our home inside the trees and atop their brawny branches.
“Enough, Jessica,” Adeline scolds. The older witch wears her salt-and-pepper hair close to her head, and she glares at the younger witch through half-moon spectacles. “The next time you go poking your nose where it doesn’t belong, you can move that behind of yours somewhere else. Now, Luna, won’t you be a dear and speak a bit more on how we might help our gardens?”
I smile gratefully at Adeline and continue on. "You must always keep in mind that your gardens understand all that you say," I tell them as I tie together another bag of flash powder meant to provide both cover and distraction for those in battle. "Be kind in your words to them. Sing to them or gossip—most especially to your flower stock. They are vain and fickle and will delight in these things. Oh, and do not forget the soil! Without the soil, all your efforts will be for not."
"And when dealing with our foxgloves?" Rose inquires. She is a withered looking woman whose smile is as bright as any child's.
"Rest assured, I put them in their rightful place yesterday. They won't dare make a fuss again," I respond with kindness.
The witches chatter excitedly, their busy hands never stopping their work. I glance about the room. A fondness creeps over me, only to be followed by a soft lull of resentment and the sharp nip of fear. I duck my head.
Fondness for the way they looked after me as if I were their own.
Resentment for never sending me home, and further still for the way they turned away Adrian, Deval, and Jax—an issue I’d yet to bring up.
And a growing fear that threatens to surpass both the formers, because some of the women in this room may not survive the coming war.
"Well, I'm pleased to see the progress happening here," Gran announces standing in the kitchen entrance, "Luna,"—she rolls her wrist, waving after herself as she exits the room just as soon as she garnered my attention—"follow me."
I excuse myself from the kitchen table, tucked snug near the large back windows. Gran doesn't wait for me. I hustle to keep up, my wings fluttering behind me to gain lost ground as I maneuver with ease between passing witches who come barreling down the hall. Gran is already halfway up the stairs. I stretch upward and fly to the second-floor landing, beating the old witch with a grin.
"You know the rules, Luna."
"Sorry, Gran." She bites down her smile at my half-hearted apology. Gran’s shoulders sag. She holds out her hands, and I place mine in hers wordlessly.
"We've missed you here. Terribly. You don't need to stay at the Adolphus manor. No one's touched your room, it's just as you left it." My lips part to interject, but Gran merely shakes her head. Her pearlescent hair, framed bountifully about her head, lacks its usual luster. "I can't imagine being housed up with a bunch of vampyrés and that dreadful beast—"
"Don't call him that," I snap, quick to anger and yanking my hands back. She blinks in astonishment at my rushed defense. "They've all been wonderful, most of all, Adrian. That's his name: Adrian. He's mine, and I am his." I swallow and hold onto my nerves. "Know that when you speak ill of him or them, you speak ill of me."
Gran stays silent, her owlish eyes replaced with narrowed slits as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Is that so?"
"Yes,"—I puff up my chest—"and if you want my continued assistance, I advise you adjust your attitude." Gran arches a brow as I throw back one of her signature phrases at her. "This war isn't just about freeing the Adolphus pack from their ties with the Wselfwulfs. You're fighting for true change in your supernatural community."
Gran huffs and goes left down the hallway toward Aunt Mo and Lydia's room. "I know that."
"Do you?" I ask right on her heels. "For all the unity you preach with the pack, you sure stick up your nose at the vampyrés, Adrian, and Jax."
Gran doesn't stop walking until she's at Aunt Mo's bedroom door. Her hand, poised to knock, drops to her side as she faces me instead.
"You've got it turned around, Luna. Those vampyrés are the ones who look down on us and they have for centuries. Their kind is only death and destruction. As for your Adrian," she continues hotly, "he was part of the attack that hurt many a fine witch only days ago. Would you have me forget the violent acts he's committed? Would you have Winter forget that he chased her down—multiple times—and invaded her home?"
Though I can feel the blood drain from my face, I keep my head held high. "They made him do that, Gran. They tortured him. They tortured all of us!"
"I suppose they tortured him into killing those young wolves too?” My eyes widen at Gran’s vindictive tone. “Oh yes, I heard about that. One of my girls got left behind during the attack and stayed hidden until the coast was clear. She saw him slay those Wselfwulf men without a second’s hesitation after the order was given. He can’t be trusted. He’s ruthless. A monster.”
"A monster?" I nearly choke on the words. Trammel House fills my head, and all I can feel is the weight of that damn collar around my neck. "He killed them without hesitation because of me. If he didn’t follow their orders it was me who would have paid the price. I would have—" I squeeze my eyes shut and relish in the biting sensation my fingernails derive as they dig into my palms. An inkling of doubt creeps into my connection with Adrian, but I knock it far away, eyes snapping open to glare at Gran. "Time and again they forced our hands by threatening one of ours, or through violence by fist, and fang, and magic. Jax was tortured because of me, and I because of him. Keenan withstood their beatings. My friends their biting magic.
“We weren't allowed decency, dignity, or respect there, let alone a choice. We all did what we had to in order to survive. Don’t you see? Adrian hurt those witches and killed the wolves because he had no other choice. I cannot fault him for that. Please,” I choke out, forcing myself to step back as my anger loses its potency. “Do not fault him for what was out of his control.”
Gran's eyes grow glossy. She reaches her hand out to me, though it trembles.
