Chapter 5.4

After leaving the office, she stood at the foot of the stairs. She looked up and began walking up. When she touched the handrail, another memory surfaced. 

Her mom was casting a spell over the entire house. A spell that will activate once they are gone. 

Celeste's heart was breaking, and there was nothing more they could do. They have avoided their death numerous times, and it is time to finally accept it. But it was so tempting to run again, to hide, to just forget everything. However, fate will always be one step ahead of them. 

"Lem, Beth, Lily, Mac," she called the Sparks. One by one they showed themselves. All looked the same, but their eyes and manner differ from one another. 

"Queen," they bowed and hovered around her. 

"It's time, my loves. This will be the last time we will be together. I have set rules on the other familiars that I possess. They know what will happen if they fall into the wrong hands."

"They would rather be free than to be used," Lily said. "Death is not an option for them."

"My queen," Beth began, "what about the princess? The prince? We do not know where Prince Zahir is, how can we reach him?”

Celeste smiled, and gave Beth a tiny pat, “Do not worry about him. I think some of my familiars will seek him out. He is safe. It is Rena we should be worried about. I am not sure if her mate can help her.”

“We have to believe that Alpha Rooka can handle all her mood swings,” Said Mac. 

Celeste just smiled remembering the young man they had met when they visited Seraphina. He was enchanted the first time he saw Rena, but with what they had done, the young man he was once, maybe had changed him to something darker.

“We cannot regret our decisions, my queen,” Lem said. "What is done is done. Kids were dying, it was the only way to save them. We still do not know why all those things happened…"

"That is the mystery the kids will have to solve," Celeste said. Her mate was hugging their daughter. One last hug. 

Mackenzie was dying inside. Looking at the car leaving the driveway was one of the most painful decisions they have made. He felt his mate hug him. In a broken whisper, she said, "It is the only way to keep her safe."

His wolf howled in pain, so much pain that he also howled. 

Death.

Acceptance.

Pain.

Love.

Love, because it was the reason why they chose to send her away. Pain, because the consequence will lead to a painful feeling. Acceptance, for it, was time to do so...and death... because it was meant to be.

"My life and yours, forever intertwined. We shall see each other again, on the other side," Celeste whispered, as tears fell, soaking his shirt. 

I love you, my daughter, he whispered. 

It was too much. Their memories. The pain, the anticipation of death looming over them. She finally understood why they had to live this way. All because of her. 

She looked at her room, she saw how the door shimmered in existence. Rena was afraid to touch it, another memory will reveal itself, can she handle it? But when she touched her door, nothing happened. She turned the knob, there, on the center of her table, were five empty vials. As she looked at them closely, they were not just vials. Each of them was engraved with some sort of crest.

"You need to deliver those to the right families, princess," Lem said. "The one with the bear -"

"Is for my brother," she said quietly. 

She picked them up and put them in her pockets. Still, nothing happened. She went down to retrieve the small chest. Hugging it, she gave the office one last look. The boxes were nowhere to be seen. It was probably teleported to the place it should go. Stepped out of the office, and walked out of the house. Once she was in the front door, she knelt one last time and kissed her parents' forehead.

"I love you, mom, dad... goodbye."

The moment she began to walk away, the memories rushed in. 

Flash. Her mom, smiling so much because her dad was dancing with her outside in the rain.

As the tears started to fall, the first flame ignited. 

Rooka, Wayne, and Megan could not believe what they were seeing. White-blue flames suddenly appeared on Alpha Daire's body, quickly spreading to his mate. 

Flash. The three of them were in her room, decorating it to suit her needs.

Another one started at Rena's room. They watched in awe as the small flame grew, engulfing even the walls outside. 

Flash. Her dad, making chocolate, while mom cooks their dinner. Her favorite, pizza.

The side room where the kitchen was, exploded. Rooka rushed to Rena only to stop as she continued to walk aimlessly toward them. He looked at the flames coming out the kitchen, white-blue. 

Flash. A man, she hadn't seen before, stood in front of the house. His eyes scanned the property. When the front door opened, it was her father, he was smiling. "Zahir".

Then the whole house started burning, the same time Serena started crying brokenly. With each sob, the flames grew, with every hiccup something exploded, and with every wail, the flames became hotter.

Rooka was there to catch her before she hit the ground. He gently pries the chest from her hands and sets it aside, so he can hold her throughout her grief. He sat on the dry grass, with his mate in his arms, face buried against his neck, arms warped around his shoulder. Trying so hard to hold on. He kissed her head, a poor substitute for what she had lost. 

They watched as white-blue flames consumed the house. It was an amazing sight, the flames were dancing. Like they were being controlled. Then it hit them. Serena. The cries, the wails, the sob...it responded to the movement of the flames. 

She was controlling the fire.

Rooka knew his mate had some ability. But he wasn't aware of what kind they are. Seeing how the fire started, it didn't take a genius to figure out she made it happen. Then again, she didn't know.

He held her tightly, making sure she was safe, making her feel she was not alone. He gently rubbed her back. She pulled back and looked at him. With eyes red and tears streaming, she said, "Rooka, Alpha, they are gone...my mom...my dad...t…they are gone…"

"I know, my minx... I am sorry," he whispered. He dropped a kiss on her trembling mouth. "It's hard, and no words can make you feel better. So, just cry, let it out. I'm here. I will always be here." He tucked her head on his neck again and hummed. 

It was a lullaby song that was sung to her when she was a child, the same song she heard her mom humming whenever she was alone. Hearing it made her cry harder, causing the flames to burn more. 

All Wayne and Megan could do were watch as the flames quickly destroyed a once-loving home, filled with laughter and joy, to ashes. While the only living Daire in the world cries her heart out.