Aurora's POV
"What? What do you mean brother?" I inquired curiously. I drew nearer to get the whole gist of the topic.
"I __" he paused when the door creaked open. Kane walked in and his countenance turned sour when he saw Rod beside me.
"Hey pal, long time no see. You look good," Rod said as Kane approached.
"Where were you?"
"Giving orders that you should have been doing. You are my beta for a reason, Rod,"
"I almost died, can you cut me some slack? The food will be distributed evenly, I know for sure,"
"Yeah to only the Crimson people!" Kane snapped at him.
"What about the people whose camps are in our territory? They won't get any food because they are not kin?"
"Woah! First, back off," Rid snarled back. I had no idea how the situation escalated but I had no idea what to say in the case.
"I was passed out and you don't expect me to ride to the border camps with a dead foot,"
"But you found your way to my room with the dead foot. You are here laughing with the dead foot and now you are telling me you can't give others because of it?"
"Hey!" I exclaimed, his tone was pissing me off.
"He came to check up on me. How is that a bad thing?"
"It's not," he replied sharply.
"You two enjoy each other's company. I'm going to find my own way to getting Salem since I'm the only one that cares about my mate's survival,"
He looked away before I could react. The statement was problematic because at that point he had two mates.
Rod sneered as watched Kane step out again. I was thrown into total confusion because I couldn't see what the problem was.
"What was that? That's wasn't cool,"
"He's just mad I am in here with you. This isn't about Alicia,"
He stood up to leave as well and his response sounded insane.
"What? No, he isn't. He's upset about Salem, don't leave,"
" I don't know what the deal is between you but I have known Kane long enough to know what's going on with him," He said.
"Don't worry. Besides I didn't even know your name until Salem mentioned it,"
Was it okay for me to feel hurt to see him leave? I couldn't explain why I was speechless, I was just frozen.
"See you around, Aurora,"
Once again I was left alone, my thoughts drifting in and outs of past events until I fell asleep
*******
"Hey," I tapped the guard's shoulder as he escorted me to the council room.
"Hope you are not still angry with me?"
"No," he grunted. He was the one who let me in when I told him I was a maid. His tone didn't fit his response but I walked quietly behind him. I got to the council to meet an argument like before but Rod was seated beside Kane this time.
Silence fell when I walked in, the elders scowled at me when I walked to Rod's side.
"What is she doing here again?" An elder asked.
"Here," Kane stood up for me to sit. They all gasped in shock, everyone including Rod. The seat was reserved for alphas and not even a beta can take up that seat.
"The fact that you think I can be manipulated and controlled irritates me. You all pushed my father to treason and he was the one executed for it,"
He locked gaze with me in the moment and I could recall that day. I held his little hands in mine as we watched my father take off his head.
They were all mute as he addressed them, speechless in fact.
"That moment sparked something in me and I understood what politics really meant. You ask for food I provided it, remember your place,"
"Apologies Alpha," The elder quickly fell to his knees.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Rod placed his legs on the table with a faint smile.
" Let's continue. The so called grand Alpha's religion had spread into our lands, now he has missionaries preaching about his so called good work and his attempt in unifying the continent,"
"Religion?" I muttered, clearly puzzled by the topic of discussion.
"Kylian is seen as a God," Kane explained as he handed a poster to me. It had the Crimson logo with an eye in the middle.
"They call themselves the Purifiers. His apostles are going to packs that are not yet touched by his so called light and spreading false teachings to their people,"
"And they are here? In Crescent?" I inquired.
"Yes. Hence the meeting," Rod answered.
"My squad caught one this morning in the market square, sharing flyers to the traders. He was telling them to rebel or their Lord's light would vanquish the sinners,"
"Bring him in," Kane ordered and a man was dragged into the room with chains binding his hands and legs. He sat on the council floor, mumbling words that made no sense.
"What's your name?"
He didn't respond, he kept on muttering to himself in a language I couldn't recognize and I was fluent in almost all natives.
"I think he's asleep, let me wake him," Rod spoke softly. In a blink, he stabbed his daggers into both of his shoulders. For someone so quiet and funny, he did give off a terrifying aura.
The man shrieked loudly, obviously going through agonizing pain.
"The next ones will go through your heart. So answer the question," Rod pulled his hair back, finally showing his face. Chills went through me as I strangely recognized the man. He was present on the day I was executed.
His gaze locked with mine, mirroring the same shock written across my expression.
"This is impossible," he uttered real words this time.
"It's proof that his holy light can bring even the dead back to life,"
"What is he ranting about?" An elder grunted.
"I …"
I froze as he sprinted toward me with Rod's dagger still jutting from his shoulder. I shrank back into the seat with heart hammering. Just before he reached me, Kane burst forward with an amazing speed and plunged a blade into his chest but his hand still brushed against me.
The second its fingers came in contact with me, I felt the same cold sensation I had been having in my dreams and once again I got pulled into the darkness.
I looked around and this time, there was no burning feather. Just emptiness that could be felt in my gut.
"Don't let him find it," it was my voice warning me like an echo.
"Don't let who finds what?" I shot back.
"Don't let me," a familiar voice responded behind me. I turned around slowly to meet a figure made out of the darkness.
"Hello sister, it's been a while,"