Chapter 85: She Can See the Future
Maeve
The village was buzzing with activity as I followed Mom into the center of the rows of cottages and buildings housing the shops and market. Gretchen had bundled her up in a thick, heavy red wool coat and a matching hat, the color a stark
contrast to the snow and white-washed buildings. Mom was barking orders to the warriors who had surrounded a group of a dozen or so weary-looking people, strangers.
“Who are they? How did they get here?” I turned to Gemma, who shrugged, her face lined with suspicion.
She had heard the commotion from her house and came to fetch us, but the warriors had beaten her there, and we were already in the driveway when Gemma arrived. She had given George to Gretchen and then followed us down to the village, where the warrior had gathered the unfamiliar group into the snow-covered market square.
“They shouldn’t be out here; it’s freezing. Take them up to the castle. Offer food and water. Now!” Mom’s voice rang out through the square.
She sounded every ounce the queen, and I couldn’t help but smile to myself as I watched her commanding the warriors. The group began to move, the warriors herding them away. But an elderly woman had stopped walking, separating from the group.
She was looking past me, her eyes fixated on something behind me. I turned to look over my shoulder in the direction of her gaze and saw a young woman standing at the edge of the market square, her black hair dappled with snowflakes.
“Who is that?” I asked Gemma, who turned to look.
“Oh, that’s Hanna.”
“Hanna of Red Lakes?”
Hanna’s gaze shifted from the elderly woman to me, and I quickly turned back around, a blush rising to my cheeks. I vaguely remember Hanna from when her family visited. She was a year older than me, but aside from a formal introduction when their family arrived, I didn’t think I’d seen her for the rest of their short-lived trip. She had been nowhere to be seen when Aaron fell from the tree.
“Yeah, she’s Rowan’s mate. I’m sure someone told you,” Gemma said.
“I feel like I’ve only been told snippets of what’s been happening here, Gem. Who are these people? They didn’t come by boat. That means they would’ve had to come through-through the forest? How is that possible?” The old roads were so overgrown now; it would take so long for anyone to get through that way.
Gemma glanced at me, somewhat shocked. “Did your dad not tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“Maeve? Is that really you?” A familiar male voice cut through
the air, and I found myself paralyzed by surprise. It couldn’t
be.
“O-Otto?” I said, my voice wavering as a man walked toward me dressed in warrior garb. He stopped walking a few feet from where Gemma and I were standing, looking.me up and down. I wasn’t sure I recognized him at first, but then his mouth twitched into a wide smile. “Oh, my Goddess. How?”
“Oh, Maeve. It’s so good to see you!” He closed the distance between us, taking my hand in his and squeezing it. “I heard you were home. I’ve been busy, I should have come up to the house right away but it was my son’s birthday,”
“Son?” I was stunned.
Thadn’t seen Otto in fifteen years, not since he went with the expedition party to explore the Eastern Mountains that separated Mirage and Winter Forest. We all thought he was dead, along with Gemma’s mother, Seraphine.
“I have five children. My wife, Shelly, she,” he paused, looking between Gemma and me to where Hanna had been standing.
I turned to look at her again, an unusual feeling creeping over me. Her gaze was still locked on the elderly woman, who was being rounded up with the rest of the group.
patted my shoulder, then jogged back to the
as she turned, tucking her gloved hands into the pockets of her jacket. “Do you
feel like I do. Does that sound crazy?” Hanna replied, walking toward us as if Gemma’s words had
went still at her words, her
she
then looked around. “Where’s Rowan?” she asked, looking
he went to the castle with
go to them. Come on Hanna took us by the hands, the feeling of her skin against mine sending a ripple of familiar energy through my body.
and not when we
was bustling with life as I stepped inside behind Hanna and Gemma, shielding my eyes from the heavy snow falling from the deep gray sky. It was late afternoon, and the sun had already set behind the clouds. The castle grounds
second I stepped into the grand foyer, taking my hand and leading me away from Hanna and Gemma. “I’m sorry I
for a while. And then… do you know
to their leader right now in the library. I think we should go
“Why?”
tracing a circle
Dianny. I think… I think these are the people Una talked about, the ones Lycaon
the library. I wondered cynically if we were ever going to have an ounce of normalcy in our lives ever
and his body leaning forward as he conversed with the same elderly woman I had seen in the
Someone had covered her with a thick blanket and given
as we came into the room, nodding tightly as Troy stationed us against the wall near the door. Mom was seated next to Dad, still in her red coat, but she was pale, her face flushed with
up and down with interest before turning back to Dad, settling herself
seat as she closed her
guarantee our refuge?” Her voice contradicted her appearance. She was small, old, and
the table, looking
on whether you will tell us who you are and why you’re here,” Mom said stoically and unblinking, tilting her head toward Dad. “We won’t risk the
knows who we are,” the woman said, pointing
happened to your Alpha? Dad
old bastard. He outlived his sons and grandsons. His great-grandsons were fighting over his
“Who prevailed?” Dad asked.
of them killed each
Mom’s voice
Julien in some way. So anyone could be the Alpha, any man that is.
into silence. I felt nervous sweat forming along my brow as the room seemed
is the dark-haired girl from the market? I need to speak with her,” said the
said, not meaning to
mine. “I’ll tell you everything you need to know if I
“Why?” Mom asked defensively.
leader of Lycenna, as her mother should have been. And her grandmother before
Mom’s voice wavered, and Dad stood, motioning to Troy to
the pack when Leera was just an infant,
help but flinch, my stomach tightening into a contraction as I watched Mom lean forward, her hands flat against the
it to you? Why
coming, White Queen. I got my people out before the Dream Dancer could ravage what was left of our pack, those true followers of Lycaon.
a familiar. I can feel it. The dog I saw in the village, is it?
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W9C3v4eDV6CsmkzYhuDXnLgfSBWQJsX/7F7+XRig+TedXyT2bVgtHVB1gYrepthPMD4f5spEn0A0yLE7Bad7I46b5acpfYODvL3VA3qhRBMBxl6JRPt2h5wZKH2/FN3Hwo9o7eWeeDMn9GtTmhnxjDXnyMHanv6end0aKH3dQkWfB/TXro2YmXVxq3IEBnRE9GuwdNucXil6SH03zrcg6/EV6A4RY4GSDWl1XZOKqIWrDFfl0oAPwRaAQtSxYXroQw72+bPMDPvwzbQvyyo5KYjIXe3izywjv5ttUgvlkLwCCtU32ji9OOkvZZreP7+3x5B/4oc0S56inPksgB4UpL52Nk0MnovpNcDOaG8Ol69dMvT12TN81/fFPXttPqHjD8Wx9fokm0qYg6QiAJgSAdJWPREMtGNboEYs6sDleE2/PMhx6cZyHwGMWw4qu80d7TDEm05SJ+kR1uvF9SOMoz1iBvT9N1QVtZPkGwaAl5QQIQy1r29EnIK5ULmfQZk4fxVT5iL+qGub0RZGeBXX5eyabto8TRT3ZnTPBtup3mSHwTmx4r3GdV/tL9YcP7SeIGHPTY3ySwyQIWgE18jSNHUoNEM+d7Es6pIfGFVxVEEL8OLgQ2MQ+WMasWSBzAAs+ThkKY6D+GVsi/rUiDAkM9ePMNXqwBOix87zVM5ooeXkKdFDP/mabHL+YmlRokNewUaorCKgaNqgYDnZg2vlwzHDGv8+L9HGvzdjw05/bodHWltWfRYT4RmB4yREHZb0POEVxCtJlQsCAwygo0G+jRjqfRJsYXOeWBnI6r0l3DaQuAN0wfY6EsuRL5MnJEIwH2QDS4wwAR2AMIZ6n+6RY25QeOyE7A90+mG8UPmA8lHHWN006GMd7FPKxuMbYcuUnNi/LXot4U3ubz0uwNuf/XZckO0aArOTljGGhMtAjZ2CHEgGgaOXd/LuYzTkDdODgSxo3n2Pc4kTOK1vJp3Hu67npkVPUsTFI7Uvc0UcERFZgHRnKZWgm17duUh4RZ+TBV9tbQxjXA0rQMIbOsuoufGBctVX1jT3scLqzIpN6kgJrx/YkT5SyiisMeMVcqsByCNoWJ9i0YnLkxsyTh5Fr4WCiAA0fkJgC2i24v+jLffVk3XoNwIUJs1bOctIaiGHVU+ypaU6iWmAwvd4BUaRGz/SVxWEFUMiHz+ASue6ezozzw2dIae7gRXEWt9NQJaiHERD+WjOGJXTdz9jC1sHyE6rDI9ts82dIFwFJIO5T+vQE3yWO0xnnaOu79uQRJcc9LcVv+1uxvVufNesP76K6xoQWX6VczcjXuMXrE5Qun6AmALw7Q0apskDBnj8bvaxnH5Z1uqXgjkFQ3Lxv55ka/KEJf7nOo2/L1UnIUZOAYshN+jpOcYOpOoef1cb2yDFjvzEHHAy4FZTuG/NbdbjgtCtxpDN1I6+PezrzaqifO+n/OpfD4Sk/8lF6f/JTzey/YbZZs5H1yTYFTw6Hu3WWqmomvwHRSOut43v3sqediHZ0sxsMk4Hm60FKDDNvQHEvsVP83+ygj9iHbUmhXJHdf5qpyRX4Q+Gxro5U4T/9xPYF8ZV3oCtJRPPqBuIJa2ehdzpPoMCHvFl4NC6hZpnWzQxI+1c/5yNoF3npF3YsOEqNzDzVOYkzRikkRyh2hFR2DNUuS+M4o3dzQX8+2oHwQKsVlCi4sFyZWY6qu84PWCSaW5ur8dQ+PbviV0ck13mrAn72GWrOjlYZUuUUvlGOUc88dG5B46AXQiPsZI1Lf7GEcbZGqo1ybPrEsP6EoF04SGvuIGU+oHUuRwS4uNr1BpVywbC9ekZkJbw7Wm3TWWh4Seflbco4X0+n8NWAL12ScOSOakGc1Bn9iFPB5kQEZDHHji/uX6716yG3mpDMfEkC1BgKdm1Ts6IQ1q1j3MkI1dJ/9t9lVBDi2MTZ97bYtO+wS3dd0zTv5IjImKFNq05+sG9Al7IHXQRX9R4of+DWgIzCZMyXLxDQuBzpIC3da/TkVtd31awa+thYUvhuAW8/gKH3JNl07XUUPmwCFPtFCZJ8ov5Q5z4JOryDOCzsmd7NUcWSCaRy08fI24e6feo+SJ6vYnwsq7vyg1cvIZbg+zzp0xkzekrM0IwF5TaoE++msgycXV9Ws89lD3AX9oRgLBTxf6Nb/tXMasb6FB1O5dUslx1PRWZh3Qtt8wmiVbVog+tH0L9YSRU/kr4/U8sJvhaXgsEXtCqGfw55knQFjFZc2lNBqt0bQkronsV/JEANmpdj5qk7qZr25Nn5yzkNFm0wK4+Rkfmx+UxE1FgM+G+yBNW+pJUC54UpXQFokT87YUw4LMzQKRc9Llw88+Q2GR2Oc4JYslXhPu+ZkEqTrIIWxHh23jGTVUEwmmqN2HWNHamRo02ZnKQ2aUCfa1F6LTendhFcLCSB+W+xdmTy2TegJdSPuPt1JtK5UpavQIIxK/rKg6+feKFt5iDtsmFFw0fCXmJL3gkhLbwzHlvzrmCzEf90DNKkMQr27I8BCRhBWeU3jxPctgQsvFcypKUn5L+ipXbW99DGwqWYHgS
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