BOOK II: Dawn of Aetheria(G!P)

Ch 23: Third Family

Denise clenched the parchment tighter in her hand, the names of the heads of the five families- Calder Voss, Lucan Eldridge, Theron Finch, Arerden Hale and Ronan Fell- etched into her mind. She had no time to waste.

The sun was dipping low on the horizon, casting long shadows over the small village, and she knew she had to move quickly. The southwest province was vast, but she was relentless. With the list in hand, she set off, determination propelling her forward.

She moved from house to house, her inquiries sharp and focused. Two of the families had been easy to track down. But disappointment greeted her at both-no women in sight, only fathers and their sons, roughened by years of tending the land. They were of no use to her, and the hours slipped by with nothing to show for it.

Her hopes lifted when she reached the third family. There was a daughter here, a girl of fifteen, someone who might just fit the wizard's description. Denise knew she couldn't check for the mark now, not in the open where anyone could see. Patience gnawed at her, but she had no choice. She would wait.

Midnight came, and the village had fallen quiet, the warmth of hearths extinguished as the chill of night set in. Denise tracked the girl from a distance, her glowing eyes concealed in the shadows as the young girl walked home, oblivious to the predator following her.

The girl's light steps crunched against the dirt road. She inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar scents of the countryside-the earth, the crops, the simple life she knew so well.

But Denise was close now, watching as the girl neared her family's farm. That's when the girl faltered, an instinctive shiver running through her as she felt something watching her. She paused, turning slowly, her eyes wide with fear as she scanned the dark fields. Then she saw them-those blood-red eyes, glowing ominously against the blackness of the night.

Before she could cry out, Denise was upon her. A cold hand clamped over the girl's mouth, muffling her scream, and with one swift motion, a sharp blow to the back of her neck rendered her unconscious.

The girl's body went limp in Denise's arms, and she was swiftly carried her away from the path, deeper into the fields where no one would find them.

Once Denise was sure they were hidden, she laid the girl gently on the ground, her heart pounding not with guilt, but with a cold anticipation. She knelt down and lifted the hem of the girl's shirt, revealing her lower back. Her sharp eyes scanned the exposed skin, searching for any sign of the mark. But there was nothing. No birthmark, no tattoo-just smooth, tanned skin and a few scattered moles.

Frustration surged through Denise like a wave, and she let out a low, angry growl. Another dead end. She cursed under her breath, pulling the girl's shirt back down before laying her in the tall grass, far enough from the road that she wouldn't be discovered too soon.

Without wasting another moment, Denise rose to her feet, her mind already racing toward the next name on the list. There were only two families left. She had to find the woman-she would find her. Time was running out, and failure was not an option.

With a burst of supernatural speed, she disappeared into the night, her heart thudding with dark purpose. Elo would be hers. This bond, this rival, would be severed before it could ever take root. Nothing-and no one-would stand in her way.

Denise's frustration mounted as she sped through the darkened countryside, her movements swift and silent under the blanket of night. The stars above were indifferent witnesses to her increasingly frantic search.

With the list of names crumpled in her pocket, she moved on from the unconscious girl, her heart pounding with the weight of obsession.

She darted past fields and houses, barely pausing to catch her breath. Time was slipping away, and with each failed attempt, Denise could feel her patience wearing thinner, her control starting to fray.

As she neared the fourth family's property, the moonlight revealed the outline of a modest farmhouse surrounded by a sprawling field of crops. She approached cautiously, her sharp eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. The house was quiet, its inhabitants likely asleep, but that didn't concern her. If there was a woman here, she would find her.

Denise slipped around the house, eyes on the windows, careful to avoid any light that might expose her presence. Her senses were on high alert, ears straining to catch even the faintest sounds. She knew she had to be quick, and this time, she couldn't afford another mistake. The thought of Elo-of losing her to another-drove her forward, sharpening her resolve.

There was no turning back now.