Chapter 20

AURORA

She was a sight for sore eyes. Her body was youthful, but her face told a different story. It was lined with wrinkles, and her hair was a wild, white mess that framed her face and shoulders.

I screamed as she lunged at me, but her hands found nothing but air as I was yanked back. Suddenly, I was pressed against a solid body, and the woman was recoiling from four deep slashes across her face and a severed right arm.

It took me a second to realize that Rin was the one holding me, his left hand stained with the blood of the woman. “R-Rin?” I stammered, surprised to find my voice had returned.

“I’ve got you,” he assured me, his attention quickly returning to the woman. She was clutching her severed arm, her eyes filled with rage as her wounds began to heal. “Who gave you the order to lure her out?!”

The woman let out a chilling giggle, standing her ground. “Wouldn’t you like to know, you pathetic little half-breed!”

“What did you say?!” Rin growled.

“She won’t let you or your whore go! She’ll make sure your whole family dies so she can finally take her rightful place!” the woman declared.

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. Was she the puppet master behind the attacks on Rin and his family all those years ago?

Rin’s anger flared at her words, and he slashed at her again with his claws. But he quickly retreated, mindful of the fact that he was still holding me. I wanted to tell him to let me go, to finish her off, but fear held my tongue. I was afraid that if he let me go, she would seize the opportunity to attack me.

The woman staggered back a few steps, but the wounds on her face and neck healed almost instantly. “You can’t kill me! She made sure you can’t do it!” she taunted.

“Damn it!” Rin muttered, his arm tightening around me.

Summoning all my courage, I spoke up. “Let go of me. I’ll run if I have to.”

“I’m not doing that,” Rin replied.

“But if you don’t—”

“I won’t do it! I can’t let her get to you! She’ll kill you if she does!”

I was about to argue when the forest fell eerily silent. The woman stiffened, her eyes wide with shock. Then, in a flash of white, her head was severed from her body. Blood spurted from her neck, staining her red dress a darker shade.

A white figure stood behind her, slowly straightening up. He was tall and lean, with broad shoulders. His hair, ears, and tail were white as the moon, and his eyes were a piercing gold. He was dressed in a loose white shirt and dark pants and boots, and his nails were sharp white claws.

As I looked at him, I realized he bore a striking resemblance to Rin’s brother, Rayne. This must be Jekia, the ruler of the Northern Lands.

Rin remained calm, but I could see the shock in his eyes. It was reflected in his voice as he spoke. “You…actually came here?”

“I had planned to do so later, but hearing about this made my trip much more urgent,” Jekia replied calmly. I gasped as he held up the woman’s severed head by her hair, not even realizing until then that he’d had it in his hand. “Just as I suspected. Another puppet.”

“What the hell’s going on? How was she able to heal from my claws? I’ve never seen any creature do that before,” Rin said.

“Normally they wouldn’t be able to. However, a puppet is a different story, as you’ll see.”

Jekia used his claws to cut into the woman’s head, right between her eyes, then pulled something out. It was covered in blood, but it was clearly shaped like a butterfly. It looked just like the golden butterfly I’d seen earlier that day.

“A butterfly?” Rin murmured, sounding both amazed and confused.

The butterfly disintegrated in Jekia’s hand, turning into golden dust that disappeared before it hit the ground. He tossed the head aside. “It’s exactly what I thought. I knew I’d seen such tricks before. But enough of this for now. We will speak more of it in the morning at home,” he told Rin.

“You’re forcing me home now?” Rin guessed. “You know I might refuse.”

“You will listen or you will see her die out here. This event should’ve been enough to prove that to you already,” Jekia informed him.

Rin scowled but didn’t argue. He turned back to me, his expression softening as he hugged me. “It’s okay now. You’re safe, and I’ll make sure you stay that way,” he promised.

“I’m really here, right? I’m not still dreaming?” I asked softly.

“Yes, you’re here. This is all real,” Rin assured me, planting a gentle kiss on my forehead.

I noticed Jekia scanning the area, his white ears twitching as if he was listening for something. “This isn’t a choice, Rin. We need to get moving in case anything else shows up,” he said.

“Fine, but Aurora needs to get her things before we do,” Rin replied.

“There’s no need to worry about such things. Emelio will retrieve them for her.”

Jekia flicked his fingers and, like magic, a man materialized beside him from a cloud of white smoke. He was tall, his skin as luminous as a pearl, and his eyes were a spectacle—iridescent, reflecting a spectrum of colors even in the soft moonlight that seeped in. “You summoned me, my lord?” he asked, his voice gentle, a warm smile gracing his lips.

Jekia relayed his instructions. “We need to get back to the palace. Once we’re there, I’d like you to go back to Rin’s den and collect anything he and Aurora might need.”

This had to be Emelio, the Mage who was tasked with the stewardship of these lands. He was a vision of elegance, and his eyes were mesmerizing.

Emelio nodded, his smile unwavering. “Absolutely, sire. I’ll take care of it immediately.”

In the grand scheme of things, it seemed Rin’s return to his home and family was inevitable. And considering the close call I’d just had, it was probably for the best. This woman, whoever she was, posed a serious threat, and I was now on her hit list. If I wanted to stay alive—and stay with Rin—I needed his help, and the support of his family. I could only hope they’d welcome me.