Heavy Hearts | Quil Ateara [3]

treize

The emotions that lingered in the air were thick, suffocating and she wasn't sure what exactly to do because these were old, complex and she couldn't reach them. They floated, hanging just out of her reach no matter how far she reached out to it, a part of her was drawn to it, mesmerized by the intensity of the emotion.

Billy Black's home was full of these smoky emotions, and sitting there, on his couch, she wondered how she had managed to miss it all the other times that she has been here.

Lifting Mr. Darcy onto her lap, she waited for the man to say something to Lynn. Since the moment they had come in, he had simply pointed to the couch and remained silent as he lit candles.

"You are both familiar with some of the legends. The warriors, the wolves," he began. "There are many stories that you both need to know about the pack and tribe but I would like to save those for the bonfire tonight."

"Bonfire?" Andy mumbled. "I thought the tribe legends were sacred?"

"Yes," he agreed. "But you are one of us now."

Glancing at her friend, she could see the sceptical look on the girl's face. Andy knew how incredibly important it was for her friend to hear what the man had to say. Relaxing herself, she pulled into a deep part of her mind and exhaled. The reaction was instant, and she crossed her fingers hoping she did it right because she could feel the serene feeling that released from her when she breathed. She could practically see it, the way it was a beautiful colour of wind that collided with her friend.

"Why did I need to see you? Why couldn't Sam just explain?" Lynn asked calmly.

A smile slipped onto Andy's face at her accomplishment. The twinkle in Billy's eyes hinted that he knew what she had done.

"Because they aren't your pack. Young Andrea here is your Alpha by luck," The man explained. "Sam is not the real Alpha, and a pack is not complete without an Alpha or a valerian. You are happy with her because you are complete. You will never need another person as long as she is here."

"I don't understand," Andy rushed out.

Billy rolled over to one of the lit candles and gestured for her to take it. "Only you will be able to sense it, the emotion that swirl and flicker in the smoke. If you are lucky, they will let you see."

Her hands shook as she reached for the candle. It was surprisingly heavy despite how small it was. The could see, small intricate patterns that were craved along the bottom. Wolves and men, children and women dancing around flames.

"It is the valerians that first bestowed the spirit warriors the ability to walk outside of their own skin. They were powerful, so incredibly kind hearted and they blessed them with what they needed to protect their own," Billy started his story at a slow rhythm.

"But all that power-" Andy shook her head "- to give someone transcendence when they are not deserving of it must have come with a price. They should have never..."

"Do you not feel it? The powerful emotions of others? The pain, and heartache? The Valerians did whatever was possible to free people of such misery," the man stated.

"Such power comes with a price," she looked him in the eye, years of tortured emotions shinning at the surface.

"It does. A young girl, no older than you are now stayed behind-" Billy's voice grew distant as the smoke began to swirl around her. She could see figures dancing, chasing a girl around the fire as she laughed and danced. She skipped, swirling around on nibble feet into a man's arms.

"She fell in love," the words slipped from her mouth.

"He was a warrior," Billy's voice echoed around her, replacing the steady drum of the dancers. "She loved him so incredibly much that when he grew ill she gave her life to save him."