*Noah*
I was starting to go mad in the safe house. We used the ti we spent waiting for our n to heal to send investigators to the outskirts of Malphas’ property. Our stealthy team snuck around the periter, searching for gaps in security and other details that would aid us in the attack.
The more I learned about the palace stronghold, the more restless I beca to march up to the building and start tearing it down to get to Zara.
“Has the healer been in today?” I asked Caleb. We were sitting in the living room area of the main safe house. Many of us gathered there to et and discuss our battle strategies for the upcoming assault.
Caleb looked up from the papers sprawled out on the desk in front of us. “I believe she was here this morning,” he replied.
“Did she offer any updates?” I pressed impatiently.
Caleb nodded slowly. “She ntioned that our n are steadily improving.”
I clenched my teeth. Steadily was ant to sound optimistic, but it was really just another word for slowly.
“We’re going to get Ms. Zara back,” Caleb said with a hard tone full of conviction.
I nodded curtly. I was just about to divert our attention back to our battle strategy when a firm knock ca from the front door.
Caleb jumped up and answered it, reeling slightly when he saw that it was Luna Kiela on the other side of the door.
I stood imdiately. “Good afternoon, Luna Kiela,” I said. “Please co in. To what do we owe the pleasure?”
I could tell by the way the alpha female glanced between us that whatever she ca for was urgent. She seed quite a busy leader so that in itself made this matter important. “I require an audience with Miss Niva.”
That was not what I was expecting to hear, but I ordered one of our n to go and fetch my mate’s forr instructor imdiately.
“May I ask what this is about?” I asked as we waited for Niva to arrive. I was concerned, hoping that she wasn’t in so kind of trouble.
Kiela glanced over at and easily read the concern in my tone. “Nothing is wrong,” she said, looking like she was resisting the urge to roll her dark eyes. “I would like the matchmaker to confirm sothing for is all.”
That only caused more questions to rise in my mind, but I figured I would be learning soon enough since Kiela had not asked to leave the room.
Niva entered a few minutes later, her warm brown eyes wide with apprehension.
To my surprise, Kiela crossed the room and grasped Niva’s hands warmly. “I am almost certain but must ask regardless,” the alpha female said. “Could it be that you are the long lost honored child who bravely smuggled Amara’s baby out of this realm?”
Caleb and I watched in astonishnt as Niva’s jaw dropped, and her cheeks beca dusted with pink. She shifted slightly but finally managed to nod. “Yes, I took Zara from this world when she was just minutes old. I did it to save her from the cruel demon sorcerer Malphas.”
“I thought so,” Kiela said, her voice full of awe. “If I may ask, how old is Miss Zara now?”
Niva blinked at the seemingly random question. “It has been just over twenty years or so since I brought Zara out of this realm,” she answered, her eyebrows furrowing.
Kiela nodded, her dark eyes round and amazed. “She is a young woman,” she said with a nod. “Nearly double the ti has passed in this realm than yours.” Kiela looked at as she said that part.
Caleb and I shared a wide-eyed look as we digested that piece of information.
Kiela gripped Niva’s hands even tighter. “I have always admired your selfless act of defiance to save the precious Zara from Malphas. You are a great hero, Niva.”
Niva clearly wasn’t used to receiving praise of that magnitude. Her cheeks turned an even darker pink, and she fidgeted from foot to foot under the alpha female’s admiration. “I only wished to serve Lady Amara. I owe her much, even now.”
“Yes, the benevolent Lady Amara,” Kiela said wistfully as if she was speaking of a celebrity, and in a sense, she was. “How I wished I could have t her. She was the bravest priestess to ever live and loved by all.”
Niva’s warm brown eyes filled with tears as she nodded in agreent.
I straightened when Kiela turned to . “And you are Zara’s mate?”
“Yes, I am,” I said, lifting my chin slightly with pride.
Kiela’s eyes shone with amazent. She bowed her head. “Forgive my initial rudeness. I was unaware of who you were. From this mont on, you are Moonthorne’s honored guests.”
“We are eternally grateful,” I said, not knowing what else to say since I was shocked by the turn of events.
We all turned toward the door when a beautiful woman with long blonde hair entered. She wore long, flowing white robes with gold-colored embroidery on the edges and hem. “You have summoned , Luna Kiela?”
“Yes, thank you for coming so swiftly,” Kiela said. She dropped Niva’s hands and gestured toward the woman. “This is High Priestess Orphelia. I have requested her to co and provide your battle-weary warriors with potent dicinal elixirs and mystical strength augntation to aid them during your rescue mission.”
Caleb and I glanced at each other, speechless at the generosity. “We are forever in your favor,” I said. “We are overwheld by your support. Thank you.”
Kiela nodded seriously. It was strange to see that ruthless leader so warm and eager to help us. She had been so suspicious of us upon our arrival. I was so grateful for the turn. With her support, maybe we had a real chance at saving my family.
“If you require anything else at all, please do alert imdiately,” Kiela said. The tone made it sound like an order.
I hoped my voice conveyed my gratitude. “We will.”
Niva stepped forward. “Perhaps there is sothing,” she said. “It will require so lengthy explanation, I’m afraid.”
We invited Kiela and Orphelia to have a seat while Niva stood before us all, readying to tell us a tale of Zara’s benevolent mother, Amara.
“Very appropriately, my lady hailed from a wondrous land, a remote sacred valley,” Niva began. “Celestial Valley is ho to a very elite ancestral line of light priestesses. Legends say that the grass is truly greener there, alive with gold flowers and an endless blue sky that glows with a heavenly light.”
We all sat in awe, feeling very much like young children during storyti.
I imagined the beautiful face of Amara in my mind. She looked so much like Zara. I could tell even in the brief flashes I saw in the mystical pools of the seaside caves. I rembered the way her bright green eyes lted once they settled on Zara’s face. The new mother had glowed like an angel, her benevolent spirit radiating brightly at that mont.
It was easy to believe that such a woman was from the magical land that was Celestial Valley.
“While much of the realm is riddled in darkness,” Niva continued, her voice light and airy as she recounted the tale, “Celestial Valley still thrives in harmony despite the spreading blight. It is said to be the most peaceful settlent in all of Embervale, filled with music and laughter that rivals that of angels rejoicing in the heavens.”
“Could such a place exist?” asked one of our n. “It sounds like nothing but a fairytale.”
Niva chuckled, amused by the man’s comnt. “I can assure you that it does exist. I have never been there, but my lady Amara hailed from there and spoke often of the wonders that existed there. She longed to return but was kept as a prisoner in Malphas’ castle.”
“May I ask what you are proposing, Miss Niva?” Kiela, who had been listening quietly, asked.
Niva clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture as she turned to face the Moonthorne alpha female. “I believe that the magic users of Celestial Valley may be able to provide powerful allies against Malphas.”
“Despite the land being known as the most peaceful?” demanded another one of our warriors.
“Do not misunderstand,” Niva cautioned him. “While the magic wielders are known as a peaceful settlent, they are extrely just and have been known to fight for causes similar to this one. They will not stand by while innocent people are threatened. Plus, the blessed location could offer much-needed rest and refuge for you warriors before you face Malphas.”
“So you are suggesting a retreat of sorts,” I said, enthralled and slightly amused by the notion.
Niva flashed a grin, sensing my amusent. “Of sorts,” she agreed with a nod. “It could be just what your warriors need. The valley is filled with magical energy that could fill you all with unspeakable advantageous power.”
Hope filled as I stared at Niva’s eager expression. I realized that she could very well be right. It could give us the advantage we had been praying for.
Luna Kiela stood from her seat and again crossed the room so she could grasp Niva’s hands. “You have been an idol of mine ever since I first heard of your courage. Your bravery has been a tale I have heard as a child. I would be honored to provide you with twenty of my fiercest warriors to escort you to the Celestial Valley.”
I watched on in amazent as Niva thanked the alpha female profusely. Just days earlier, we had stumbled into this pack community with unconscious warriors and no plan as to how to proceed. We now had a real shot at succeeding.
The next morning, I stood atop a hill with Caleb on one side and Niva on my other side. They glanced at with such a look of conviction that it filled with an almost overwhelming sense of confidence. The strange Embervale breeze danced around us as if blessing this endeavor we had decided to take on.
As promised, Luna Kiela provided us with almost two dozen mighty warriors to join us on our quest. They were just as powerful as the guards that had flanked Kiela when we first arrived in Moonthorne. I knew she had spoken true and sent her strongest n to accompany us. Among them were our n from Drogomor, battle-ready after the light priestess’ attention.
I felt invigorated and hopeful as I led the way through the forest toward Amara’s ancestral ho valley. As we marched through the mystical landscape, I couldn’t help but think of Zara and Briella.
It felt odd to be going to my mate’s ancestral ho, which she had never been to. It made her seem even further away.
I shook the thought away, reminding myself that by starting this journey, I was drawing even closer to reaching my captive mate.
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