Ascended (War of the Covens 3)

“First, we’re going to deal with Marita, and then if the time is right, we’ll call on your help with the Midnights. And if you do hear anything in the trace that concerns you, you’ll let us know.”

They smiled at her like an adult would to a child. If she heard anything? Yeah, she was hearing something, all right. The Daylights wanted her out of their business until it was convenient for them, while the Midnights grew steadily more anxious and suspicious of Nikolai’s motives. And Reuben! Hah, he was a peach! This was his doing! He’d told Vanne to convince the Council to let her go so she could concentrate all her time on killing innocent people in order to free them all from the trace!

She felt a twitch in her arm and held in a gasp. My goddess. She was so pissed off, she was starting to change.

Breathe, Caia, breathe.

She had to get out of there before she lost total control.

“Caia.”

Startled, she whirled at the familiar voice and immediately felt the change recede. “Vil?” She rushed forward, hearing the scrape of chairs at her back as the Council tensed at the intruder.

Vil was out of breath, his pale eyes stark as he reached for her. “They told me to come get you.”

Oh gods, oh gods … what had happened now? She trembled, holding on to him. She didn’t want to know. She didn’t want any more bad things to happen.

Are you listening to yourself? You’re in a freaking war, Caia. Bad things are going to happen. And people are going to come to you for help, so shake it off and be cool!

“Vil,” she said calmly. “Who told you to come get me?”

He shook his head, blinking back tears. Oh gods, now she was near hyperventilating.

“Vil?” she demanded.

“Ella … Mal … they told me to come get you.”

“Why?”

He shook his head again, his gaze so sympathetic, she thought she might die of panic. “Marita … she attacked the house.”

Someone brushed by her and she blinked, watching Vanne grip Vil’s arm. “When? Did she get away? Did anyone get hurt?”

He nodded and his head dropped as he whispered, “A few hours ago. She and the magiks that were with her are gone. Six. Six members of the pack are dead.”

A sob erupted out of her throat like a wail, and she felt someone holding on to her. It was Penelope. “W-w-who?” she choked.

He was crying now, wiping his nose. “I’m sorry, Caia. I’m so sorry. Laila felt something and I wouldn’t let her go but she begged and begged me to take her to the house and when I finally gave in, it was too late.”

“Who? Vil, who?”

“Mal’s parents—Morgan. Natalia. The twins. And Yvana. Dimitri.”

Oh gods, no. No. No, no …

She felt the world fall away from her feet. Dana and Daniel were gone. Alexa and Malek’s parents too. Yvana and Dimitri. No, no, no, no, no …

“How?” Vanne asked.

Vil slumped, holding his hand out to Caia. “They just want you to come back.”

A face appeared in front of her. Doukas, his eyes kind and sad. “Go get Lucien, Caia. And the others. We’ll have a portal ready and waiting to take you straight home.”

She nodded numbly and let someone escort her out. Saffron. She held Caia’s elbow lightly, as if afraid the slightest touch would break her. Caia was thankful for her grip. The corridor kept tilting under her feet.

“I’m so sorry, Caia. This is too much grief for someone so young.”

Caia shook her head. “I’ll be fine,” she whispered hoarsely, her heart aching. “But Lucien … he’ll blame himself.”

And Jaeden. Oh goddess, Jaeden. Her dad.

“A good Alpha always does.”

13

Broken

It wasn’t real. It didn’t feel real, anyway. He could feel Caia’s hand clasped tightly in his. That was real. His heart thudded. But everyone was so quiet as they waited for the portal to be opened that a sense of unreality washed over him. He heard sniffles and then looked at Jaeden who stood pale and shocked, frigid against anyone’s touch. Ryder stood near her, watching her anxiously but keeping his distance.

If Lucien looked close enough, he could see the hurt her distance caused in his friend’s eyes. Ryder had lost his mother. Jaeden wasn’t the only one who’d lost a parent today. Alexa stood off to the side, her face mottled with anger, and he knew what she was thinking. She didn’t believe her parents were gone. She thought this was all some nasty trick. But it wasn’t. His pack members were dead.

And he hadn’t been there to save them.

Dimitri. Yvana. Morgan. Natalia. Dana. Daniel. Hell, the twins were just starting out. At that thought, he glanced over at Irini and Aidan holding Sunday and Kerianna. Aidan kept glancing at his brother, unshed tears in his eyes for his mom. And Christian and Lucia, Lucia holding tight to Jaela and Christian holding Ivan’s little hand in his. His face was taut with grief, but he stood close to his wife and watched his daughter’s face. At the forefront of the group stood Magnus, his eyes catching Lucien’s every once in a while, seeming to match his, feeling for feeling. The grief oozed into him, replacing numbness with anger and pain so deep, it made him tremble.