Chapter Nine

Everleigh’s POV

I had only been asleep for a few short hours when I heard the unmistakable squeal of Beth reverberating through the halls of the castle and echoing down to the tower. The sound fills me with delight, and I jump out of bed in a flurry of excitement and dash towards my best friend as she steps into the room, flanked by her three hulking escorts. I knew she wouldn’t put up much of a fight. Unlike me, Beth loves male attention, and has such confidence she has no trouble turning heads wherever she goes.

"I knew it! I knew you would find your mate! I’m so happy for you Ev." Beth cries, embracing me in a tight, comforting hug.

"You couldn’t believe how happy I am that you’re here Beth. We need to find the High Priestess and lift her curse. She has bound my dragon, can you believe it? I have a dragon. And you are a witch, like an actual real witch, aren’t you?" I blurt everything out, this is what I had needed, my best friend, the one person who has been there to help me put the world to rights every time it falls down around my ears. She never judges, even when I hit rock bottom, she supported me whilst I dragged myself up, dusted myself off, and started the long journey back to ‘normal’.

“Absolutely, I always knew it, Ev. From the moment we first met, I knew that you had an aura of immense strength and power that only a dragon could possess. Have you received any of the ancient runes yet?” Beth’s response is a surprise and I’m taken aback that she knows about the runes. She has never hidden what she is from me even though I never believed it. I heave a sigh of relief that I don’t have to figure out a way of explaining everything to her, because I don’t really understand it all myself.

"Yeah, I received one yesterday. It actually really hurt because I don't have my dragon. The dragon witch said it could kill me, and if I don't get the binding lifted and free my dragon I'm basically going to have too much power for my body to handle." I wave my hand through the air in exasperation as I explain the details we found out this morning.

"That's absolutely terrifying. I can't believe you didn't tell me about this before you left so suddenly. I would have dropped everything and come with you, you know that, right?" Beth asks, her voice full of concern and just a hint of scolding. Of course I knew she would have come with me, but I didn’t want to put her in danger, or for her to think I have lost my marbles.

"We had no other option but to come here, the veil is the only thing that can keep me safe from my father's old coven. Oh my goodness, Beth, my dad is here, he's been alive this entire time! It's unbelievable that I've been so close to him without realizing it." My body is filled with a roller coaster of emotions, transitioning from worried, to happy to overwhelmed as I erupt with everything else we have learned in the couple of days since we last spoke. Beth stands by absorbing it all with a blank expression on her face. I know, it’s a lot to take in, but she is so level headed, I know she will process it all and be the anchor I need right now.

Xavier has swiftly donned a pair of bottoms and joined his brothers in the doorway, watching with amusement as I catch Beth up on everything, my hands shake her shoulders gently, coaxing her back to me and out if whatever is going on in her head.

“There is something you need to know, but promise you will hear me out before you pass judgement.” I see Xavier raise an eyebrow from where he stands behind Beth. My heart sinks, I get the feeling that whatever she is going to say, isn’t going to make our lives any easier. I nod, and wait for her to tell me, my mouth is suddenly drained of all moisture and words won’t come out.

“You are my best friend, and no matter what, I’ll always have your back. But our meeting wasn’t a coincidence. Your father asked me to watch over you. He knew that his coven would come for you and that there was a chance he wouldn’t survive if it came down to it. They are relentless in their quest to rid the world of the hunters, and he knew that they would sacrifice you and your dragon if it could save the lives of hundreds. I have never lied to you, and our friendship is real. Now you know who and what you are, there is no need to hide the truth anymore.” Stunned silence overtakes me and Beth’s words seem to bounce around the room.

“He knew he would be killed, but still kept this massive secret from me?” Words finally escape and I can’t process what she is telling me. Why wouldn’t he change things? Do something different, we could have ran, hidden, anything.

“He told you, in a way. You just never knew his stories were real.” Beth steps forward and cups my face in her hands. Her sparkling eyes had always been piercing blue, but now they have a hint of purple, almost the same colour as the veil. She is right. He told me more than I realised, but I didn’t need stories, I needed him.

“Beth, I thought I heard you.” Father waltzes past Xavier and Jackson and right up to Beth. He grins and wraps her up in his arms.

“It’s good to see you alive and well Karrick. How have you been?” she slips out of his grasp and comes to stand next to me. It’s a token gesture of her allegiance, but I appreciate it more than she knows.

“Daddy, you knew I would be all alone, and rather than leave to go somewhere safe you thought it would be better to fight your own coven. “ I struggle to hold back the salty tears which burn my eyes. I won’t let him see me cry, I have already shed so many tears and I need to be strong.

“It wasn’t quite that simple pumpkin. They needed to think I was gone, and that everything I knew about your mother died with me. I knew you would find your way here somehow, and I would be waiting to help you find freedom. I’m so sorry you suffered, but it was the only way to protect you. You had Beth, and now you have Xavier too.” I feel a little childish, I should have known he wouldn’t have sacrificed himself if there was another way.

“I’m sorry Daddy. I don’t know what I’m thinking.” The tears I had been holding in, rather  impressively until now, all burst forth at once.

“I think we should all head to dinner, it’s been a long and emotional day and it’s hard to think clearly on an empty stomach.” Xavier clears the room in three giant strides and comes to stand behind me. The heat of his body warms my back, and his hand snakes over my hip and around my waist until his palm lays flat just below my ribs. His touch seems to take away all of my nervous, pent up energy and frustration

“Would you allow me to escort you.” Jackson offers Beth his arm and his face lights up with a devilish grin. She doesn’t need asking twice. I almost giggle in spite of myself when she looks back and gives me a cheeky wink.

“I hope Jackson knows what he is getting into.” I laugh to Xavier telepathically. I know I probably shouldn’t use the runic powers, but I figure it won’t do any harm if I don’t kick the backside out of it. After all, how often does someone like me actually get to use magic?

A searing pain flashes to life, as if I imagined the worst into existence. I’ve felt this pain before, I know without even looking, it’s another rune. Should it be happening this quickly? Xavier said it took years and years to get all of his. We should have more time. I struggle to hide my pain from everyone as we make our way to the great Hall. Xavier is no fool, he slows his pace until the rest of our group is a good fifteen paces ahead of us.

“Show me.” He whispers and looks down at where my first rune is hiding beneath the waistband of my jeans.  There is no point in arguing, so I start to undo the brass buttons with shaking fingers, the pain is radiating out to the rest of my body, becoming harder to hide.

“Let me Princess.” He takes both of my hands in one of his, then expertly undoes the rest of my buttons in seconds. He drops to his knees and slowly rolls down the waistband just enough to reveal the burning mark appearing on my skin. I can’t ask what it is, my teeth are clenched so tightly my head hurts, and if I open my mouth to speak, I know only a scream will come out.

The corridor is empty, Jackson, Beth and my father have all disappeared through the double doors into the Great Hall. This one is excruciating and for a moment I entertain the thought that it might actually kill me. At least they won’t be around to see it.