Chapter 103: ALLIES IN DARKNESS
Chapter 103: Allies in Darkness
The Sacred Grove looked like a war. Ancient trees lay split in half, their silver bark burned black.
The holy pool where Liana first met the Moon Goddess was now cracked and empty. Even the air felt broken, charged with dangerous magic. "What happened here?" Sara whispered, her young voice shaking.
Marcus stepped through the dimensional opening last, his crystal dimming as it closed behind them.
"The Council hit this place first. They knew supernatural beings draw power from holy sites." Liana knelt beside the ruined pool, her heart hurting. This was where she’d learned about her destiny.
Where the Moon Goddess had spoken to her. Now it felt dead. "She’s not here anymore," River said barely from Talia’s arms. The little girl’s fever was getting worse. "The goddess left when they broke her altar."
"Then how am I supposed to talk to her?" Liana demanded. "You don’t," said a familiar voice from the treeline. "You talk to me." Everyone spun around, guns ready. But the person stepping out of the shadows made Liana’s blood freeze. Darius.
The evil Alpha who’d tried to kill them. Who’d supposedly died in their last fight. Who looked exactly like Marcus but with rage burning in his dark eyes. Except now, those eyes looked clear. "Hello, brother," Darius said to Marcus, his voice heavy with pain. "Sorry I tried to kill everyone. Mind control is a real problem." "You’re supposed to be dead," Kael growled, his Alpha power flaring.
"I was," Darius answered simply. "For about ten minutes. Death has a way of breaking magical chains." He rolled up his sleeves, showing arms covered in scars that looked like burned marks.
"The Council branded me when I was fifteen. Spent two hundred years making me do their dirty work while thinking I was fighting against them." "Prove it," Jace ordered, his green eyes flashing with anger.
"Prove you’re not still working for them." Darius smiled sadly and pulled something from his pocket. A small metal locket that made Elder Mira gasp.
"That belonged to Liana’s mother," the old woman breathed. "My sister," Darius said, his voice breaking. "They made me watch them kill her. Made me think it was my idea. Then they sent me after Liana because they knew I’d fail. They wanted me to push her toward the triplets." Liana felt sick.