A Court of Heritance and Destiny

Chapter 5 Etera

Life was too peaceful here, too calm. The Order residence in the Middle looked like some strange version of a world that had never seen troubles. Etera watched it all from different branches, in different forms, waiting for one single glimpse of Dorothea. Waiting to drag her through the forest and back to the Night Court, to that room under Hewn City, leaving her to Orion and Azriel to do their work.

She was so done, twenty one years of search, pain and waiting. She wanted to end this. To move forward. To the future she had put to the side for so long. If it even existed...

She ruffled up her feathers, as the summer rain dropped down over her. Making the slow life in the camp even more annoying. They walked there in their robes, not caring about the rain, not even taking some running steps to escape it. She huffed and pressed her wings closer to keep warm. She would not say no to a long warm bath back home right now. If only Dorothea could show up. If she even was in the country... This power, if Amren's interpretation of the text was correct then they could lose months of time as she moved across the world. Hidden from all. How can one hunt a ghost?

At the same time, for the first time since that night, that ending was near. So so near... The rain continued to fall down, making time drag by even slower. If that even was possible.

Wishing that you had a strong warm Illyrian warrior next to you right now? Ikarad asked over the bond, Etera huffed.

One that always complains over a running nose after being out flying in the rain? She said back, shifting in her position again.

I can survive that to be with you. A warm touch came over the bond. She might have left the Island, hiding somewhere else in the world.

I know... The members walked around, still not hasting in the rain. But Amaya had a gut feeling, and I trust that one. We all knew that Tamlin was involved before, just not how. It is the same feeling.

Sure?

Yes. She followed one of the females living here, her robe had turned dark by the rain. But I would not say no to less rain.

Hopefully it will not be for too long. A moment of silence. I miss you.

I miss you too...

I think we have spent more time apart than together in the last years. More of the females started to walk out in the rain.

That is on me... They started to move towards the temple. How is it going back home? She had been gone for weeks now.

We have started some combat training. Etera took off and flew in the rain over to a better vantage point. She may not have the wings, but she is Illyrian in her blood.

Not surprising... Why are they all here? She wished that she had shifted to a falcon for better eyesight. Anything else?

Her powers are amazing, she can do almost anything. Just then everything almost froze, the feeling of her stomach dropping... Etera?

Something is happening. From frozen to complete stillness. It is the same... The same stillness before Rhys exploded that night. It was not a moment because of what she was going through, it was something else.

Azriel is on his way.

Ask him to stand back! Then it happened. Before her, the air folded in on itself, like a wrinkle in fabric, and Dorothea walked out from nothing, she looked distressed, her blond hair in tangles. She is here!

Dorothea? She let him see her vision. Fucking Cauldron...

"My sisters!" Dorothea called out. "The Mother and Fate have talked to me!"