After War Storm

Mare

I thought I'd do another Mare chapter since we've had a lot more of Cal recently.

My choices were physics homework due tomorrow, or write this chapter. Definitely write this chapter. I mean, I like science, but physics is the worst.

We were all gathered in the Council Room, the rest of the Council sat around the table as well as Evangeline, Ptolemus, Wren, Jake and myself. Cameron was missing though.

We had agreed that Cal would tell everyone. I wasn't ready to speak about Ti and though he was still extremely upset, he wanted to do this so I didn't have to. I felt kind of guilty about making him speak but at the same time it just made me love him more as he was willing to tell the others so I didn't have to.

Just as Cal stood to let the others know why we had called a meeting, the door burst open and in walked Cameron accompanied by...Kilorn?

"Kilorn!" I cried as soon as our eyes met and I rushed out of my seat and over to him, throwing my arms around his neck.
"Mare" he spoke quietly as his arms wrapped around me also "I am so so sorry."

I couldn't help the tears that escaped from my eyes as I hugged Kilorn. I'd missed him and I was so glad he was here now. Kilorn brought me comfort. We'd been friends our entire lives and I needed that stability and comfort right now.

Kilorn led me back to the table where I sat down in my previous seat next to Cal, Kilorn pilling ip a chair in between me and Eve. Cameron did too.

I quickly sat up and wiped my tears as I noticed everyone staring at me. Cal squeezed my hand before he stood up to address the room.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why you're here," he began "and also why Mare I'm crying. You all know that Mare and I recently went on a trip to attempt to find Newbloods who had had their abilities taken. We were successful in finding one Newblood who this had happened to but before we could search any further, we had to make a sudden return to the palace. In short, our son had been murdered."

I felt the silent tears begin to roll down my cheeks at that last sentence. Ti and really been murdered.

They were a few gasps from around the room and many sympathetic looks sent to both myself and Cal.

"We called you here because it is important we find who did this, not just because they are a murdered, but because we have also found out that the person is a Merandus," Cal continued. More gasps were heard.

"How do you know?" Ada asked.
"Jake," Cal said, gesturing to him, "saw Maria in the palace, with Ti, on the day he was murdered. He had met her in the past so therefore knew who she was."

"Who were her parents?" Halley asked.
"We don't know who her mother was but her father was Samson, making Elara her aunt," Cal  told everyone. "We do not know how she was hidden or why she didn't partake in the war or anything else. We also do not know where she is now but it is important we find her before she cashed any more destruction."

"What do you suggest we do?" Sara spoke this time.
"I suggest we send Jake, with several soldiers, back to his hometown. That is where he met Maria so she may have returned there. We then need to search the palace to see if she is still here. Based on a further inspection of my bedroom, which she destroyed, she was posing here as a maid and she had left some of the equipment in the room."

Suddenly, Cal gasped, a look of shock crossing his face.

"What is it?" I asked quietly, taking his hand in mine.
"Nothing," he answered after a moment of hesitation.

It was clearly not nothing but I would ask him about it later.

"Anyway, back to the task at hand," Cal continued. "We do not search for Maria alone. I am assuming she is a very strong Whisper but it will still be harder for her to control multiple minds at once. If you're alone and you see her, I suggest not confronting her at the risk of her getting into your head and controlling your mind. Maria has the typical features of a Merandus: ash blonde hair and ice blue eyes. She is around my age and roughly 5' 5"."

How did he know her height? Or her age? That and never been discussed with Jake.

Julian stood up at that point and said "Finding Maria is a top priority. Obviously, we are still investigating the disappearance of Newbloods' abilities but Maria being found and caught is the number one priority for all of you. Cal, if you could select a few soldiers to accompany Jake to his hometown then that would be great, then they can set off as soon as possible. The rest of us will search here and maybe a few more of your men if they are free." The last words were directed to Cal and I sincerely hoped there would be men free.

The more people we had searching the better.

After the meeting was over, everyone in the room came over to Cal and I to give their condolences. We thanked each one, not really knowing what to say; I'd much rather not talk about it at all.

Cal checked to make sure I'd be alright before going with Jake to find some of his soldiers. He'd told me he'd destroyed the training centre and was scared to tell Julian because he knew he wouldn't be pleased, which I couldn't help but find slightly amusing. Hopefully, we could fix it soon.

I went back to the room I was currently staying in, since Cal's had been destroyed, with Cameron and Kilorn.

I didn't particularly want to be alone right now and it would be nice to talk to Kilorn before we went in search of Maria.

"How are you holding up?" Kilorn asked me after we all sat down on the bed.
"Not too well," I replied. "You?"
"Not too great either," Kilorn responded.

"Me neither," Cameron agreed. "I just feel so guilty, like this entire thing is my fault."
"It's not your fault," I assured her quickly. Even though it was kind of her fault, I didn't want her to bare that guilt.

"We don't really know what happened," I continued "Maybe you and Evangeline are both right."

"How could we both be right?" Cameron asked, confused at my words.
"Well, maybe you did take Ti but you don't remember it. Maybe you were on your way back to your room and came across Maria. You would have had no idea who she was and therefore no chance to use your ability on her before she was in your head. She then took Ti but made you think Evangeline had kept him. So you and Evangeline are both saying what you believe to be true."

Neither of them spoke.

"What?" I asked after a moment of silence.
"It's just that could be exactly it," Kilorn said. "It would explain why Evangeline and Cam think different thinks but neither of them are lying. It would also mean it was neither of their faults because Evangeline had left Ti in safe hands with Cam, and Cam had had her mind controlled by a Whisper, meaning she had no control over what she did. So this was all Maria's fault, not yours," Kilorn added the last sentence for Cameron.

"You're right," she said after a moment, the smallest smile crossing her lips.

We stayed and spoke for a while longer until Cal came back and Cameron and Kilorn left.

Both exhausted, it wanted long before Cal and I went to bed. I curled up into his side, his arm draped around me. I was always comforted by his embrace but something was missing.

And that something was Ti.

It took me awhile to drift off to sleep and let's just say it was not peaceful in the slightest.

My head was filled with Ti and Maria and neither were going to let me get a good nights sleep.

Each time I drifted off, a nightmare would wake me and Cal would hold my trembling body in his arms until I calmed down.

He was always there for me when I needed him and I was so glad of that right now.