Finally Found

Chapter 50 - Bel

It's taken us almost a month but we've finally tracked down where Erika's taken Emmy. A house in the middle of a forest near the border of Nerkise which is quickly coming into view as Kor flies us there. Lilas and I are clinging onto his back as he flies just slightly slower than when we raced from Nerkise back to Hadlau.

As we'd planned before setting out Kor slows down and flies closer to the ground as we get closer. It gives me the opportunity to carefully slid off his back clinging to one of his legs before jumping onto one of the trees. Kor and Lilas will continue on to the house in plain sight while I run there through the forest and sneak inside to find Emmy, with my speed I should reach the house before them. I'll have few minutes to search before they land and Rhistel realises that I'm not with them.

Climbing down the tree I race towards the house stopping at the tree line and scanning the house for any guards. From here I can only see the back of the house and there are no guards here so either Rhistel didn't think we'd find him so soon or the guards are on the other side of the house at the entrance. It works for me though as I dart forward and climb up the side of the house intending to start my search from the top floor.

I find an empty room at the top of the house with the window not even locked giving me easy access to the floor. He's made this almost too easy but from what reports we've managed to get from prisoners, especially those close to Rhistel, have told us that he's nothing short of insane. And that he's gotten worse since we started winning the war so I suppose that it's not surprising he'd thought to take Emmy.

Listening at the door I don't hear anyone out there so I step outside moving to the next door and then the next. The rooms are either empty or being used as storage but I check each one anyway desperate for any sign of my missing mate. I'm down to the last few doors on this floor when I hear it, her voice which I haven't heard in so long.

"-find us. It shouldn't be long." I don't know who she's talking to but she doesn't sound scared instead she's speaking softly and comforting whoever it is.

Over joyed at having found her I don't hesitate to open the door and walk inside. It's a basic room but none of that, not even the second person, matter to me as I get my first look at Emmy in over two years. She's even more beautiful than I remember despite her dress being dirty and her hair is a mess, clearly since she was taken she hasn't been given a chance to clean up.

"Bel." She breathes out in relief and then in the blink of an eye she's in my arms burying her head into my neck, "You're really here."

"I'm here." I whisper to her stroking her hair as I hold her tight, "We're all here. Kor and Lilas will be landing soon, we decided that I'd come on my own to find you before they land. Are you hurt? How is the baby?"

"We're both well, or at least as well as we can be. There's someone you should meet." She says pulling her head out from my neck but staying close to me and pulling one of my hands to rest on her stomach where I can faintly feel movement plus when I listen carefully I can hear the baby's heartbeat. Turning towards the bed she indicates the other person in the room. She's an elderly human woman whose been watching us fondly without saying anything. "This is Julianna. She Rhistel's Soulmate. Julianna this is Bel."

I'd never have expected that Rhistel had found his Soulmate let alone kept her close. He'd preached about destroying Stones and how Soulmates are just curses sent down by the Gods yet here is his Soulmate. Although seeing how they must have met when Julianna was already elderly it's not surprising that he'd have some hatred towards the Gods.

"A pleasure to meet you Lord Belath." She greets from the bed as Emmy walks over and helps her sit up more arranging the pillows for her to rest against, "Emilia has told me so much about you. And don't worry about me being his Soulmate, I only wish to be free of him."