Moon Child (Complete!)

Chapter 12

"Are you mad!?" Cole exclaimed pointing at me from his position on the worn leather couch. All I could do was shrug my shoulders in response. He ran his hand over his close cropped hair sighing. His small cottage in town was quite cute with its small cream colored rooms. 

"I know what you must be thinking but I need to do this." I paused looking Cole in his wide eyes. "Even if you disprove it I'm still going."

"when do you leave?."

"In a week, it'll give me the time I need to make the necessary arrangements." I had told Cole everything beginning with Dena and the dream. I left out the parts with valric. But I'd warned him to keep an eye out for danger.  

"You're going North then?," It was more of a statement than a question. But I answered anyway.

"Yes while you are here. I expect you to fill in for me, and lead anyone off of my tracks." He gave a slight nod of his head in understanding. I hated to leave like this but I had to. It was time for me to find the clans and train my newly gifted powers. If I stood any chance against Valric I had to do this. 

I said a silent goodbye as I walked out of Coles house leaving him far behind. I made it to the forest secluding me from the eyes of people. Gingerly I peeled back the fake skin covering the palm of my left hand. I was met with plain pale untainted skin. Not a sign of the mark having ever been there. I felt sick at the sight of it. 

Even though I barley knew Jared. He was still my mate, and he had been killed. 

No not killed.

Murdered. 

I clenched my hand into a fist. My nails digging into the soft flesh of my palm. Right there secluded by the woods I made an oath. I swore to whatever out there that I would kill Valric and put a stop to him. 

A click of a beak sounded above me. I looked up to see a eagle watching me from the top of a branch. It's beady eyes seemed to bore into my soul. I growl ripped it's way out of my throat. The eagle gave a caw before taking off on the wind. I watched as It disappeared over the tree line.

I should be lucky I hadn't accepted the bond. It saved me from it being in place. If it had been snapped into place by me accepting. Than I would have been an empty shell of the girl I used to be. Once you lost that other half of you there would be no surviving that. 

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of that. I would have been so vulnerable. The ruby against my chest warmed pulsing with a faint light. I hadn't realized I had been standing northward. Where that blasted eagle had flown off to. 

Back at my house I scrubbed and scrubbed the kitchen floor. It was a soaked soapy mess. The stuck on cranberry juice clung to the kitchen tiles. My back and shoulder ached from the hours of scrubbing. The enormous stain soiled the once white tiles. I couldn't help but feel dizzy at the sight of the color. It looked like that lifeless man's blood as he had laid on the forest floor. I closed my eyes trying to erase the image of him. 

After a few more hours of scrubbing I managed to get most of the stain out. Only a faint trace of it could be seen. I hadn't known who spilled the juice and let it dry on the floor. Whoever it was, lets just say next time I wouldn't be the one to clean the floors. 

"Lainey! what happened?" My mother rounded the corner taking me in on the kitchen floor. A bucket beside me, a brush in hand. I was soaked head to toe in soapy water. All I could do was offer her a sheepish smile. I looked down at my soaked shirt which now regrettably had cranberry juice on it as well. 

Well at-least I got most of it cleaned up off of the white tiled kitchen floor. I bet it was my father who had spilled it. He was a pig when it came to food. 

"Go get cleaned up darling, I'll be having a talk with your father." She smiled at me taking the brush from my hand. Standing up water constantly dripped off of my shirt as I stalked out of the kitchen and into the bathroom. 

The sudden bright lights of the bathroom. Reflected against the white walls and tiles blinded me. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust as I turned on the faucet filling the bathtub with warm water. Striping off the wet clothes I threw them haphazardly around the bathroom. The little window situated above the bathtub showed the darkening sky. 

Stepping inside the tub I let the warm water caress my skin. Washing away the memory of the dead healer, and of Jared. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was getting way over my head. The main tasks at hand was to travel to Agrela, train to harness my powers, and only then could I hope to stand against defeating valric. 

I felt a tingle at the back of my neck. my hairs stood up on end. I had the sinking feeling of being watched. I quickly looked around the small enclosed space of the bathroom. Nothing was here even the door was firmly shut and locked. I let out a sigh of relief. Too soon as a caw echoed from above my head. 

Quickly looked up at the window above my head. A damn eagle was perched peering in at me. What the hell was wrong with this eagle?. If it wasn't an animal I would have sworn it to be stalking me. 

Standing up, I grabbed a towel, wrapping it around myself. I drained the bathtub keeping one eye on the eagle who just ruffled its feathers. Once the finale bit of water slithered down the drain. I stepped into the tub standing on my tiptoes coming eye to eye with the bird. Its white head and tail stood starkly against its black body. It's head tilted both ways taking in the sight of me. The yellow eyes boring into my grey ones. 

I rolled my eyes opening the window shoeing it away with a sweep of my arm. It flew off the window ledge with a screech. It hovered there for a few seconds still looking at me, before flying off to wherever it deemed to live.  With a huff I slammed the window shut. With the fall creeping over our town of New Haven. Our gardens started to loose it's colors most of the flowers dying off. Thankfully frost has yet to show its ugly face. 

In my room I contemplated the trek north, that I would have to do on foot. I would need freeze dried and canned food. I would also need to bring bottles of water. There was no way I would go without a weapon as well. I would have to think of a way to get my hands on a weapon. I would be shifted for most of the journey as It would be faster to travel as a wolf. 

I grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, and began writing down plans. I scribbled a few notes going over the list of items to bring. I touched the necklace around my throat. Over the past few days it has become a source of comfort to me. It was always there around my neck, I never took it off. It was the only thing that truly anchored me in this mess of things. 

A knock at my door startled me, I dropped the pen I had been holding. The door opened to reveal Kira standing in the doorway. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy. She had been crying I realized. I ushered her in, shutting the door once more. 

"What's wrong?" I asked sincerely as we both sat on my bed. I took her hands in mine offering comfort. She looked up at me her hazel eyes clouded. 

"Cole told me your leaving. He wouldn't tell me to where." Tears once again filled her eyes.

"Hey it'll be okay. I'll be back before you know it." I smiled bumping my shoulder with hers. 

"I know, I'm just scared."

"Scared of what?." 

"Of whatever had killed one of our healers." I hesitated for a moment as once again the image of him laying on the forest floor filled my mind.

"It was probably just a freakish accident." I reassured her steering her away of thinking any thing worse. 

"But what if he was murdered?." She said still wide eyed, "What if they are tracking down and killing the healers?." We sat in silence. I couldn't tell her that she was right. Someone did kill him, but I couldn't say who it was. It was for her own safety. I hoped he wasn't killing off the healers. So far there haven't been any other deaths. But that didn't comfort me.

If Kira ever got hurt I wouldn't stop blaming myself. And Cole, oh god, Cole would never be the same. 

"You just gotta believe it'll be okay" That was the only piece of advice I could offer her.