The Gifted (Book 2 of Seer Series)

Chapter 15

My mother breathed a sigh of relief when she saw me walk over at her a few minutes later. "Thank, Gods," she said, her voice barely above a whisper while she breathed a small sigh of relief. "You're alive." She walked the rest of the way over to me and pulled me into a hug, and I couldn't help but hug her back just as tight while I closed my eyes and bit back a small sniffle, feeling drained and happy that I was in my mother's comforting grasp.

"Yes, I am alive, Mom," I said, my voice barely above a whisper and cracking. I cleared my throat and held onto her tighter while I buried my face into her shirt and took in her scent, enjoying the comfort and safety she brought with her. "I was scared."

My mother bit back a small chuckle before she slowly nodded. "I know," she said and rubbed a hand through my hair and across my back. "I would have been scared, too."

"And, she was scared before you were safely in her arms," Michael said, and I looked at him. He smiled and dipped his head closer to his chest, his eyes filled with relief and happiness. He cleared his throat and shifted on his feet before he held out his arms so that I could give him a hug.

I bit back a small chuckle while my mother let me go, and I walked over to him and gave him a hug.

Michael kissed the side of my head and rubbed my back, and I closed my eyes and enjoyed his peace. "Ruckur protected you like he said, right?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded in confirmation. He pulled me back but kept his hands on my arms while he looked me over to make sure that I was safe and not injured.

"Yes, Sir," I said and nodded in confirmation again, not knowing what I needed to tell him. "He protected me like he said that he would."

Michael nodded and squeezed my arms again before he released me and took a step back. "Good," he said before he cleared throat and grew serious. "Now, what have you found out?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question. "Can we see the body?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

Tell him that they can, Ruckur said softly.

"Yes," I said and nodded in confirmation. "Ruckur says that you can." I paused and cleared my throat, my cheeks turning red while I thought about the body and the markings on it. "There... is something that you two need to see..."

My mother and Michael looked at each other before they looked at me, their faces blank and not giving me any information that I might need from them.

I bit back an annoyed sigh before I shook my head and cleared my throat. "Anyway, can we go ahead and go see what I want you to see?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in question, and my mother and Michael nodded in confirmation.

"We can," Mom said before she cleared her throat and shifted on her feet, growing serious. "Let's go." She gestured for me to lead them that way, and I held back an eye roll while I scowled but did what I was told to do and started to walk that way with them following me.

You will know what that look means in time, Ruckur said, and I bit back an annoyed sigh before I pursed my lips in annoyance. Ruckur chuckled softly, amused. Don't act like that, Alexandria, he said softly. You are fine. You will be fine. That look doesn't mean anything.

I didn't say a word to him and set my jaw. My whole body was tense while I looked around to make sure that we were safe, and my mom cleared her throat while she moved to my side and brushed her arm against mine before she took my hand in one of hers.

I looked at her and slowly blinked while I waited for her to say or do something, not knowing what she wanted to say or do. I didn't take my hand out of hers, having a small feeling that she was nervous and worried for some reason, even though she didn't need to be.

"So," she started before she cleared her throat and squeezed my hand, and I looked at her. "What have you found out?" she asked and raised an eyebrow in question while she looked at me, cocking her head and studying me. "Or do you want us to see it first before we talk about it?"

"I want to show it to you before we talk about it," I said. "What I can say is that it was very dark magic, and I don't think it was something that Ruckur had dealt with before today..." I trailed off before I cleared my throat and pressed my lips into a thin line, not knowing if what I said was true.

I haven't dealt with this type of magic before, Ruckur said softly with a small chuckle in his voice. You were correct in saying that.

I bit back a small sigh of relief, and my shoulders sagged with relief, grateful that he said that because I didn't want to give anyone the wrong information, which was why I hadn't said anything yet about the girl and the marks I found on her body.

"I... don't think we have dealt with this either," Mom said and looked at Michael before she looked at me. "So this might be something new that we are going to have to face together." She squeezed my hand again, and I breathed a small sigh of relief while I slowly nodded, pressing my lips into a thin line.

I was happy and very relieved that we were going to look at this together and that I was not alone in dealing with this. I didn't say a word while I stared ahead, not knowing what the future would hold but knew that I was going to be ok with them at my side.

"She's right," Michael said and nodded, and I looked at him from the corner of my eye. "We will teach you everything that we know and make sure that you stay safe. Ok?"

I hesitated and pressed my lips into a thin line before I slowly nodded while I looked between the two of them before I looked at Michael. "Promise?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Michael chuckled softly and nodded in confirmation. He held out his arm to the side, silently indicating that he wanted me to go that way, and my mother let go of my hand. He didn't say a word while he stared at me, waiting patiently for me to move over there.

I looked at my mother before I looked at him and then walked over to his side, letting him pull me into a tight side hug and place a kiss on my head, and I closed my eyes, biting back a small smile.

"I promise, Director," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper and placed another kiss to the side of my head before he released me and cleared his throat, bowing his head. "I will always promise to do that."

And with that, we walked the rest of the way to the room in silence, each one of us lost in our own thoughts.