Her youngling squeaked in excitement when she turned in the direction of the city and started to walk. Rapidly, she built up her speed until she was sprinting through the trees as if they weren’t even there. On foot, the journey back would take several days. On Bayla’s back, it would take far less than that.
She leapt high into the air, bounding over the tallest trees and covering ground more swiftly than I could have hoped for. Her claws dug into the ground, propelling her forward in one of the most graceful runs of any animal I’d ever seen. The fates had rewarded me for caring her so long ago.
I prayed to Oslin to grant me even more fortune in the coming days.
I would need it.
Bayla would ensure that I made it back to Valgertha as fast as possible. I had to call a meeting with the Ghost as soon as I arrived and then I had to rush back to Ravenrath to rescue my omega.
I would protect what’s mine no matter the cost.
* * *
I rode Bayla all the way to the clearing just outside Valgertha. I asked her to stay close if she was able, in case I needed her to go back. The moment I walked back through the city gates, I sent word for those I led to meet with me that night at our usual meeting place, but more important, I needed to meet with the Ghost first. I rushed to my home, located only a short walk from the castle, and lit a candle in my window. In addition, I tied a scarf to the ledge of the windowsill. The Ghost would have someone watching and before long, he would knock on my door. He would know and he would come.
It didn’t take long.
He arrived within the hour. I’d left the door unlocked and he had taken a seat in my foyer, waiting for me as I prepared for what was to come next.
The Ghost cleared his
throat and I left my personal armory room to meet with him. I had been gathering the best of my weapons for the days to come. I dropped my eyes respectfully once I entered the room before I sat down by his side.
“Welcome to my home, Ghost,” I said in greeting. As expected, his face was covered by his mask and his cloak signifying his membership was closed tight enough so that I had no idea what he was wearing underneath.
“Thank you for having me, Sage Vikar. Pray tell though. Why have you called me here?” he demanded gently.
“The Cult has taken Luna,” I said angrily.
“Tell me everything,” he said softly.
I guided him through it all, from the second I’d realized that Luna was planning to flee the city to the moment I’d seen the face of the man who had taken her away from me. He listened patiently.
“I need your help,” I finally said, and he nodded slowly. The ache in my heart had grown. Such a large distance between an alpha and her omega was physically painful, and it would only intensify the longer we were apart. It angered me knowing that she was likely hurting as well, so much so that it overcame my own pain completely.
I had to save her. I would do whatever it took.
The Ghost cleared his throat and that made the blood rush through my veins.
“Ravenrath has stood against us for a long time, Sage Vikar,” he began. “Valgertha stood against her once and crushed her with only a fraction of the Brotherhood’s assistance. We have many more stocks of liquid fire at our disposal. Perhaps it’s time to throw the world into chaos so that we may tip the balance in our favor and unseat the Cult once and for all.”
“What are you suggesting?” I asked.
My heart pounded in my chest. I feared what he was about to say, but my gut told me to welcome it.
“Perhaps the world is finally ready to be consumed by the Second Great War,” he whispered darkly.
I turned my gaze toward him. To all of us, the Ghost was a mystery. We didn’t know his name. We didn’t know what he looked like, but there was one thing all of us knew. The Ghost had a direct connection with the gods, and I had always wondered if he was in fact a god himself. I’d known him since I was small and the skin around his eyes had never wrinkled with age. He spoke and carried himself like he was in his mid-forties, but he’d been that way since I’d been old enough to carry a sword and shield all by myself.
I thought that he might be immortal. I’d never had the balls to ask.
“Have the gods given you a sign?” I replied anxiously.
“They’ve screamed for action every single day since you left the city gates in pursuit of your fated mate. Now that you’ve returned without her, I know that it’s time,” he whispered.
“The Second Great War,” I said softly.
“Yes. Many will suffer but a great deal more will live on without ever knowing the cruelty of the Cult,” he sneered.