Ch. 211..215: Alpha King’s Lost Luna Chapter 211-215
Chapter 211
As Ronald continued to study me. | knew | had to come up with an answer to his question quickly, so without skipping a beat, | flashed him a kind smile and then offered a polite explanation.
“The king simply told me that he was in need of a healer, | said. “So he invited me to come back with him to Yurene”
Ronald raised a dark eyebrow in surprise and tilted his head slightly, a typical gesture in this palace, from what I’d gathered “And you agreed, just like that?” he wondered.
| nodded right away to keep any suspicions at bay. My answers were lies, but what else could | say? | figured that Ronald was probably a well-respected figure here in Viokwell, but | knew there was likely something tricky between him and Kaleb. As much as | wanted to get some useful information from Ronald needed to ensure | was safe before going any further.
So, until | could figure out this strange but polite man’s intentions, | needed to remain vague and guarded.
Ronald didn’t seem to believe me and studied me for a little while longer before releasing a light sigh. Before | could offer something more, he walked over to a bench nearby and rooted through a metal toolbox that sat in the middle. He retrieved a pair of secateurs and turned back to me
“Which color do you like the most?” he asked me, and when | frowned at him in confusion, he gestured at the plants. “The flowers. Which color do you like the best?”
“Oh.” | remarked, and then | glanced around at the variety of blooms around us. | noticed a small section of ivory roses. Their petals were a perfect shade, cream with a faint hint of pink, and they were very beautiful. | pointed to them. “I like
those ones there.”
Ronald nodded and then approached the bush. He used the pruning shears to cut off a few of the flowers and then carefully trimmed the thorns from their stems before handing them to me:
“Thank you,” | said as | accepted the flowers, and | held them up to my nose and inhaled deeply. Though this was all very strange and at least a little awkward, the roses smelled wonderful, and it was a kind thing for him to do.
“Of course,” he remarked, and his soft blue eyes stared into mine intensely. “I can see why Kaleb is interested in you. You're very kind”
Heat spread to my cheeks as embarrassment swept over me. | understood that people would easily assume that Kaleb would have a crush or infatuation with me and that those feelings would be a reasonable cause for him to bring me here. But it couldn’t be further from the truth
“Dit ista’t ike that, | muttered before | could stop myself. “Between us, | mean.”
“Is that sor Ronald asked, and his lips curled into a smile. “Interesting | had thought Kaleb changed He’s never brought a female back to Viok well with him | supposed that he felt something for you.”
“| understant, but you’re mistaken, | replied shonly, and then forced myself to smile The king has no feelings for me Between us. | think he probably overestimated my medal abilities, but i couldn’t deny his offer | was tired of living in Wegalla and the fluought of traveling somewhere new sounded lovely | was ready to move on and try something new. So, |
watty faithu back here to Yurene, and here | am
It was get le had one wided to leave Wegalla and had another late hadice |
moment wed starved but now that | was gone, all
wame was toman Bengage in a torvigu land wat al and couldnt stop dunking of Aster
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Ronald laughed lightly and then smirked. “I know what you mean. Change can always be refreshing Besides. | know m cousin well. He has always been a domineering person, and I’m sure it was difficult to decline his offer. But now that he’s returned. I've noticed something different about him. | suspected that he liked you.”
“Something different?” | wondered, and | frowned in confusion
Ronald nodded and then glanced at the roses
“Did you know that roses are the symbol of love and passion?” he asked, and then he continued before | could answer. These are two things that Viokwell is lacking. My cousin as well. But when you two were dancing in the banquet hall. swore | saw a trace of love and passion in his eyes”
My heart skipped a beat.
“It's probably just another misunderstanding | tried to assure him. “He was just being a decent gentleman-
“A decent gentleman!” Ronald repeated back, amused and then he shook his head. Now that is something my dear cousin is not. It's not in his nature to be decent. In fact, he’s quite the opposite, though I'll admit that he’s made some efforts to be a nicer person in the past few years.”
He approached me slowly, and then reached out and touched the flowers in my hands. Moments after he did, the roses fully blossomed My lips parted in surprise at this second display of magic and Ronald smiled at me.
“You must be wondering why | possess this ability?” he guessed, and when | nodded, he smiled. “My mother was a sorceress Since | have half of her blood. | inherited her magical skills. They’re the reason | survived
What do you mean!” | asked, baffled by the hidden meaning behind his words. Was he referring to the war? The one between Dark Abyss and Yurene?
Ronald seemed to read my mind and shook his head. “It wasn’t about the war, if that’s what you're wondering. It was something worse than that awful war, if you can believe that, and not to mention, far more brutal. It’s a tradition of Yurene. one | don’t particularly care for.
My frown deepened.
| was tired of these vague statements. | wasn’t sure if Ronald was being obtuse on purpose or not, but given that | was speaking to a total stranger, | was feeling a touch frustrated. | was tired of being left in the dark and having to guess what every statement meant.
But then again, since | knew so little about Yurene and its royal traditions, | needed to play along and probe further. | needed to know what I was dealing with here.
So | let out a soft breath and then spoke.”And what tradition is that?”
you
know
Ronald smiled at me and ran a hand through his long brown hair. “I'll make you a deal, Cass andra. | can see that very little about Yurene. | suppose that without my cousin’s permission, no one would dare to tell you much about this place. Except for me. | would love to tell you more about Yurene and its king. But in return, | want you to tell me the real reason why Kaleb brought you here.”
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Chapter 212| stood in front of the window in my study and stared out at the wall that surrounded the castle. The afternoon sky was cloudy, but the brightness of the snow on the surrounding mountains illuminated everything. I'd missed the sight of snow during my stay in Anemond, but now that | was back in Yurene. | found myself missing the greenness of Wegalla.
Behind me, Roxy and Anubis were seated in white leather chairs, waiting patiently for me to speak. Anubis had just come back from his investigative journey with disheartening news- there was no connection between the necklace and the Felix family. Even if there had been, there was no proof, since all of them were now gone. Since the Felixes were a warrior clan, the family didn’t usually purchase omaments or accessories. Such a delicate piece of jewelry didn’t seem like it would belong to such a family.
It was terrible news, but it wasn’t what concerned me the most. | had other things on my mind that circled within me like a
storm.
“So, can anyone give me a reason why Ronald is here?” | wondered, irritation seeping into my tone. My cousin had no reason to be back in Yurene. He was supposed to be in another small country not too far from ours, negotiating some kind of cooperation between our lands. Truth be told, | couldn’t remember the name of the land, nor was the negotiation
necessary.
But Ronald needed to be away on some sort of endeavor. It was important for him to be out of the way.
He wasn’t meant to return for another month.
So, why was he back?
“| hadn’t heard any reports of his returning, so it must have been a sudden decision,” Roxy offered, her dark eyebrows knitted together.
“He must have gotten information from someone,” Anubis chimed in. “He must have known that you had brought someone from Wegalla back to Yurene="
“But how?” Roxy questioned,
“It must have been one of the diplomats,” he replied to her quickly, and then his serious gaze fell upon me. “I told you they were not trustworthy. They should be executed for their insolence.”
“That’s absurd!” Roxy blurted out, and her nostrils flared in irritation as she shook her head. “Just imagine how much scrutiny Kaleb would face if he made such a decision. Yurene can’t operate with such ruthlessness anymore. We cannot just kill on a whim-”
“And what would a young girl like you know about politics?” Anubis snorted, and he rolled his eyes. “Brutality is necessary if you want to succeed. Yurene wouldn't be the country it is today without it-”
“Enough,” | interrupted their argument, and my head began to pound. “Have the guards we stationed around him reported anything? Are things operating according to plan?”
“They haven't reported anything, but they’re in position,” Anubis confirmed.
| nodded. Ronald had been making obvious moves over the past few years. Aside from the pointless endeavors he made in trying to look for alliances with tiny counties, he had built his farne among the civilians through his faux gentleness. Though he was kind and polite, | knew he had ulterior motives.
But | had never expected him to be a great threat.
Since when had my cousin become an obstacle?
Perhaps it had all begun on that first day that my father decided to show mercy to Ronald after he brutally killed his brother. Of course, it wasn’t truly mercy... the only reason my father had Jet Ronald live was because he had that sorceress’ blood. His precious ability to use sorcery was something that couldn’t be wasted.
But now, my cousin had become a ticking time bomb, one that could explode the entire country if left unchecked.
1 exhaled heavily and glanced back at Anubis and Roxy, “You may leave now.”
Anubis rose from his seat immediately, but Roxy hesitated.
“| have something | need to ask,” she stated. “Why did you bring that woman back from Wegalla? She appears to be quite useless, but she could be a threat if she’s on the same side as Ronald.”
“Ca ssandra isn’t useless,” | assured her, and | crossed my arms against my chest. “In fact, she’s quite the opposite.”
“How Roxy countered, and her bluish-green eyes narrowed.
1 can’t explain it now.” | said, and | glanced at the door. The fewer people who know, the better.”
“So, why can Anubis know?” she wondered, and she offered him a venomous glare. “Do you not trust me?”
As a frown painted my expression. Anubis chuckled at her.
IMCIS
“| smell a touch of jealousy.” he remarked, and then he patted Roxy’s shoulder condescendingly and smirked at her. “Are you jealous of the healer?”
Roxy smacked his hand away from her and practically snarled at him. The intensity of her gaze was enough to make Anubis back off, but his cruel smile remained.
“| just don’t understand why someone so weak and incapable is here, she remarked.
“It's not for you to understand,” | stated coldly. “Might | remind you of your responsibilities, Roxy? Those should be your concern and nothing more.”
Roxy pursed her lips and clenched her fists at her side. She glared at Anubis but didn’t say anything more.
Anubis, however, continued to taunt her.
“Now, now, Roxy, let me assure you that there’s nothing between Kaleb and the healer,” he said, and then he shrugged. “At least not yet. So there’s nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about.”
“That’s not what | meant,” Roxy muttered as her cheeks flushed scarlet. Her lovely eyes fell to the ground, and she turned away from him.
Anubis laughed shortly. He seemed to be taking amusement from toying with her so much. | was about to put an end to it when suddenly, he turned to face me.
“Speaking of that, though, are you sure that you won’t consider marrying someone and producing an heir,” he asked as he crossed his arms. “Ronald's wedding is scheduled for next month, and if he were to have an heir, he would surely garner more support from the people. But if you were to marry Cas sandra, you could have an heir even faster. The girl is certainly capable of the task, seeing as she’s already had a child of her own. I’m sure the whole thing would be elfortless.”
| gave him a sharp glare and narrowed my eyes fiercely as a snarl formed in my chest.
“Remember your place,” | uttered, and Anubis’ smile left his pointed face. He held his hands up as if in surrender.
Chapter 213
Given my experience with Kaleb and his intensity, I’d half-expected Ronald to force me into an answer before letting me leave the greenhouse.
But much to my surprise, after he’d made his statement, he offered me a smile and a small, polite bow.
“You have plenty of time to consider my offer,” he said, his kind blue eyes earnest as they stared into mine.
| was relieved that | wasn’t being forced right away, but in the back of my mind, | knew | would have to face this again later. He didn’t say when he’d ask again for my answer, and instead, asked me some questions about Wegalla. They were small questions about Southern culture and how it compared to the cold North of Yurene. Had it not been for the deal he’d proposed, it would have been a comfortable chat between new acquaintances.
When we finally left the greenhouse, the party had nearly come to an end. | searched the expansive banquet hall, but | couldn’t find Roxy, Raven, or Kaleb, Guests were leaving all around us, and | was honestly relieved that it was over. | wasn’t looking forward to rejoining the party and potentially being made a spectacle again. The dance with Kaleb had been more than enough. Anything else and | may have died from embarrassment.
Despite my relief. Ronald seemed disappointed by the emptying room.
“I'm sorry for taking you away for so long.” he apologized to me sincerely. “I didn’t mean to rob you of your.evening.
It's alright. | assured him. “I enjoyed speaking with you.”
He seemed relieved by this answer and glanced at the door.
“May | escort you to your room?” he asked politely. “It’s the least | could do.”
With Kaleb gone, | had no one else to lead me back, and though some alone time sounded nice, | had no reason to decline. So, | nodded in agreement, and the king’s cousin offered me his arm. | didn’t want to accept, but the shoes Kaleb had forced me into wearing had impossibly high heels, so | could use all of the assistance 1 could get.
He helped me keep steady as we left the banquet hall and covered my bare shoulders with his suit jacket once we got outside. | was appreciative of the gesture since Yurene was so much colder than Wegalla. Kaleb certainly hadn’t been considerate when he’d chosen such a revealing and ridiculous dress for me. | couldn’t wait to slip into comfier clothing and take my hair down. Though my updo had been pretty, my scalp had started to ache from the weight of my heavy hair.
Finnick and Erika were waiting for me at the door, and once Finnick caught sight of me, he ran into my arms.
“Mommy!” he exclaimed, and when | felt Ronald’s gaze upon me, | turned to face him. The king’s cousin had a confused look on his face.
“Ronald, this is my son, Finnick,” | explained, and his expression softened but remained surprised.
“| didn’t know you were married,” he remarked.
“| was,” | said as Finnick loosened his grip around me. “It’s a long story though. | would prefer not to talk about it.”
“Of course, Ronald said with a smile. “| understand completely. | know there are plenty of complicated marriages, but | still believe that they bring something wonderful into one’s life regardless of their outcomes.”
He then waved at Finnick “Hello there, Finnick My name is Ronald. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Hello!” Finnick spoke up kindly, his gray eyes regarding Ronald with curiosity. “It’s nice to meet you as well”
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“If there’s an opportunity for it, | would love to have you meet my fiancee, Helene,” Ronald addressed me, and his blue eyes glinted. “She loves children and would surely be a great friend to Finnick.”
Fiancee
| was surprised by this. | didn’t expect Ronald to be engaged, as he had appeared to be rather flirtatious at the party, but then again, that was normal for most werewolves. Especially those from prestigious families. Oftentimes, marriages were consummated for mutual benefits rather than love.
“That would be lovely,” | said. “I would love to meet her.”
Ronald said goodnight to us soon after, and once he left, | closed the door, and Erika let out a sigh. She’d been silent for the duration of Ronald's visit, but now that we were alone, she rushed to my side.
“Oh Ca ssandra,” she uttered, and she swept me into a hug. “I was so worried about you. Who was that man?”
“Kaleb’s cousin,” | explained, and then | gave her a brief recount of the night. Once | was finished, the maid seemed cautious. “He doesn’t seem to be a simple man,” she said. “I think you need to proceed carefully and watch out for him.”
| nodded in agreement. Ronald obviously wanted to use me to know more about Kaleb and | didn’t know if it was wise to collaborate with him. If Ronald could rein in Kaleb’s power, he could be a useful ally, but it was too early to know how things. would work out.
Ronald had been right in his assessment. Without Kaleb’s permission, | was quite literally grounded. No one was able to tell me anything more than a few pieces of unimportant anecdotes about Yurene.
For the next few days, Kaleb seemed to forget about my existence. | thought he would inquire about what Ronald had said to me in the greenhouse, but his absence told me he didn’t seem too worried about our conversations.
| spent most of my time in the room with Finnick and Erika. Food was sent directly to our room by Ms. Benn. Small walks
very limited. were permitted only with the accompaniment of guards, and the space | could walk in the castle was Unsurprisingly, | wasn’t allowed to go to the greenhouse again, as the guards informed me that the space belonged to Lord Ronald. Surprisingly, Ronald didn’t pay me another visit after his proposal, and | began to wonder if he had forgotten about it or decided it wasn’t worth it.
| started to think everyone had forgotten about me.
But that wasn't the case.
The day after the party, our belongings had been collected and sent out somewhere for an “inspection. According to the guards, my clothes, books, and everything else I’d brought from Anemond needed to be checked. | wasn’t told what they were looking for exactly, and although they told me everything would be sent back after their investigation, it was a great insult to us.
Erika had protested against it, but it was no use. The guards didn’t give her a second glance when she tried to stop them. They were well-trained and had impressive poker faces. It was as if we didn’t matter or exist to them. They didn’t care about us. They were just there to carry out their duties.
As strange as it was, | didn’t fight them and simply allowed it to happen.
My belongings would be returned to me on what would be my fifth day in Viokwell.
| wasn’t sure what would happen when they came back.
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Chapter 214
KALEB
“So, you're saying that she had been the wife of the king of Wegalla and the wife of Emmett Keller?” Raven uttered with a look of shock on her face after Anubis briefly told her the story. And then she just went back to the king after Emmett died, only she had assumed a new identity? That sounds... unrealistic!”
| rolled my eyes but then forced myself to conduct myself with more decorum. Raven hadn’t met Emmett Keller in person. When Emmett was alive and visiting Yurene, Raven and Roxy had been too young. But the twins, along with everyone else in Yurene, knew all about the great sorcerer who was capable of impressive magic and then disappeared like a ghost,
Before | could offer a comment, Raven spoke again.
“Do you believe that Cas sandra is the key to Emmett’s great sorcery?” she wondered, and when | offered the smallest of nods, she nodded too. “That’s possibly true, but there’s also a chance that Emmett just ruined all of his inventions before his death and hadn't kept any trace of his research or information.
“| don’t think that’s true,” | remarked. “Just before Emmett died, he didn’t have time to deal with anything back in Wild Crawler. So, the talisman must have been back there.
Raven nodded thoughifully.
“Is there a possibility that Emmett used a certain spell to keep the talisman from being found?” | ask moment to think about it and then shook her head firmly.
her. Raven took a
“No” she said. “If something contained magical power, it would be sensed, as it would surely emanate a certain amount of energy. But none of Ca ssandra’s things emit any power. We would have been able to discover it immediately”
“Are you sure you haven’t just missed it?” Anubis demanded.
Raven seemed irked by his angry tone and glared at him with ferocity. Her nostrils flared and her posture shifted from relaxed to defensive. “How dare you challenge me? You're nothing more than a low-rank sorcerer-”
“That’s enough,” | said, and before the two could get into a quarrel, | stepped between them. My head began to ache and | found myself glowering at Anubis. Though she was so young, Raven was the best sorceress in the whole of Yurene. If she said that the necklace and the rest of Ca ssandra’s belongings didn’t have any traces of magic, | didn’t doubt her. She would be able to sense the energy an object like that would emit.
“Do you have any other ideas?” | asked Raven. She considered the question for a moment and then seemed to have a realization.
“Yes,” she answered softly. “An idea occurred to me just now but I’m not sure if it’s possible.”
“Tell me.” | insisted calmly, though | was eager to hear her theories. She tended to ramble, but she was incredibly smart. Her theories weren't anything to brush off, and if she could find an answer when | couldn't, | would be elated..
“Normally, a sorcerer needs a talisman to perform powerful magic,” she explained. “But the talisman isn’t necessarily a.... thing.” | frowned. “What do you mean?”
Raven tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. “What | mean is that it could also be a person.”
1 froze in place for a moment as | tried to make sense of what she was suggesting. Did she mean Cas sandra? Was the beautiful, mysterious healer from Wegalla more than just that?
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Did Emmett Keller use Cas s andra as his talisman?
When | asked Raven just that, she lifted an eyebrow and glanced at the ground. “It’s possible. Using a person to be a talisman would give a sorcerer more power than say gold or silver. But | highly doubt it because it sounds far too brutal. You see, a talisman can be permanently damaged by powerful magic. Sorcery usually takes a terrible toll. So if a sorcerer used a person as a talisman.”
Her voice trailed off and she inhaled deeply. Her statement hung in the air and | didn’t quite know how to react.
Would Emmett do that to Cas sandra?
| wasn’t sure. | didn’t know the complexities of their relationship. Would he use her in that kind of way? He didn’t seem like a cruel, manipulative man, but then again, surely there were things | didn’t know about him.
“You've been in close proximity to her, Raven,” | noted in confusion.” | saw you hug her in the banquet hall the night of the party. If the talisman is indeed Cas sandra herself, they why couldn’t you sense the energy emanating from her?”
“That’s another problem, the young sorceress remarked, and she crossed her arms against her chest. “There’s no telling where it could be. The magic power can be sealed inside a person’s body. It could be a leg, an arm, or even half of the body. But there’s a cost in being a talisman. It would require a major sacrifice in return..”
“A sacrifice? | repeated back. “What kind of sacrifice?”
“The greater the power, the greater the sacrifice would be,” Raven continued without looking at him. “That's why | said it would be brutal. Anyway this is all just an assumption, and likely a false one, since Cas sandra seems complete. If she were a talisman, something would be amiss. The magic would take its toll in some kind of way”
Anubis suddenly cleared his throat, and when | glanced over at him, he had a strange look on his face.
“Maybe she isn’t as complete as we think,” he suggested, and then he tilted his head to the side slightly. “When | was investigating the Wild Crawler Pack, | had heard something about Cas sandra. It was mentioned that she seemed unable to shift. People believed she was born with the inability. But if she had been Cora Felix, it’s impossible that she was born that way. It would be a complete anomaly for a member of such a high-ranking family, and she wouldn’t have been matched with Asher Collins.”
“So what are you suggesting?” | wondered, and | felt the flares of my headache sp ik e again. This was a lot to make sense of and | was irritated that | hadn’t known enough about talismans to have this idea sooner.
“Ifa sacrifice is indeed necessary to become a living talisman, then | think that Cas sandra sacrificed her wolf,” Anubis stated clearly. “Or Emmett Keller made her sacrifice it
The idea was a powerful one. | had no idea that Ca sandra was unable to shift into her wolf form. Though I'd done a great deal of investigating the healer, it had never been brought to my attention that she was unable to make the change.
This changed everything.
If Cas sandra was indeed the talisman we'd been searching for...
“If that’s the case, things would be difficult,” Raven interrupted my thoughts, and when | turned to face her, | detected a solemn expression on her pretty face. “For talismans who lost their limbs, their magic power would be reactivated by cutting their wounds. But if its the wolf spirit... They would need to provoke it properly.”
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Chapter 215So, you're saying that she had been the wife of the king of Wegalla and the wife of Emmett Keller?” Raven uttered with a look of shock on her face after Anubis briefly told her the story. And then she just went back to the king after Emmett died, only she had assumed a new identity? That sounds... unrealistic!” | rolled my eyes but then forced myself to conduct myself with more decorum. Raven hadn’t met Emmett Keller in person. When Emmett was alive and visiting Yurene, Raven and Roxy had been too young. But the twins, along with everyone else in Yurene, knew all about the great sorcerer who was capable of impressive magic and then disappeared like a ghost, Before | could offer a comment, Raven spoke again. “Do you believe that Cas sandra is the key to Emmett’s great sorcery?” she wondered, and when | offered the smallest of nods, she nodded too. “That’s possibly true, but there’s also a chance that Emmett just ruined all of his inventions before his death and hadn't kept any trace of his research or information. “I don’t think that’s true,” | remarked. “Just before Emmett died, he didn’t have time to deal with anything back in Wild Crawler. So, the talisman must have been back there. Raven nodded thoughtfully. “Is there a possibility that Emmett used a certain spell to keep the talisman from being found?” | ask moment to think about it and then shook her head firmly. her. Raven took a “No” she said. “If something contained magical power, it would be sensed, as it would surely emanate a certain amount of energy. But none of Ca ssandra’s things emit any power. We would have been able to discover it immediately” “Are you sure you haven't just missed it?” Anubis demanded. Raven seemed irked by his angry tone and glared at him with ferocity. Her nostrils flared and her posture shifted from relaxed to defensive. “How dare you challenge me? You're nothing more than a low-rank sorcerer-” “That’s enough,” | said, and before the two could get into a quarrel, | stepped between them. My head began to ache and | found myself glowering at Anubis. Though she was so young, Raven was the best sorceress in the whole of Yurene. If she said that the necklace and the rest of Ca ssandra’s belongings didn’t have any traces of magic, | didn’t doubt her. She would be able to sense the energy an object like that would emit. “Do you have any other ideas?” | asked Raven. She considered the question for a moment and then seemed to have a realization. “Yes,” she answered softly. “An idea occurred to me just now but I’m not sure if it's possible.” “Tell me.” | insisted calmly, though | was eager to hear her theories. She tended to ramble, but she was incredibly smart. Her theories weren’t anything to brush off, and if she could find an answer when | couldn't, | would be elated.. “Normally, a sorcerer needs a talisman to perform powerful magic,” she explained. “But the talisman isn’t necessarily a.... thing.” | frowned. “What do you mean?” Raven tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. “What | mean is that it could also be a person.” 1 froze in place for a moment as | tried to make sense of what she was suggesting. Did she mean Cas sandra? Was the beautiful, mysterious healer from Wegalla more than just that? 1/3 Find CRM For St Small Businesses 11:45 FM, FED Chapter 214 Did Emmett Keller use Cas s andra as his talisman? When | asked Raven just that, she lifted an eyebrow and glanced at the ground. “It’s possible. Using a person to be a talisman would give a sorcerer more power than say gold or silver. But | highly doubt it because it sounds far too brutal. You see, a talisman can be permanently damaged by powerful magic. Sorcery usually takes a terrible toll. So if a sorcerer used a person as a talisman.” Her voice trailed off and she inhaled deeply. Her statement hung in the air and | didn’t quite know how to react. Would Emmett do that to Cas sandra? | wasn’t sure. | didn’t know the complexities of their relationship. Would he use her in that kind of way? He didn’t seem like a cruel, manipulative man, but then again, surely there were things | didn’t know about him. “You've been in close proximity to her, Raven,” | noted in confusion.” | saw you hug her in the banquet hall the night of the party. If the talisman is indeed Cas sandra herself, they why couldn’t you sense the energy emanating from her?” “That’s another problem, the young sorceress remarked, and she crossed her arms against her chest. “There’s no telling where it could be. The magic power can be sealed inside a person’s body. It could be a leg, an arm, or even half of the body. But there’s a cost in being a talisman. It would require a major sacrifice in return..” “A sacrifice? | repeated back. “What kind of sacrifice?” “The greater the power, the greater the sacrifice would be,” Raven continued without looking at him. “That’s why | said it would be brutal. Anyway this is all just an assumption, and likely a false one, since Cas sandra seems complete. If she were a talisman, something would be amiss. The magic would take its toll in some kind of way” Anubis suddenly cleared his throat, and when | glanced over at him, he had a strange look on his face. “Maybe she isn’t as complete as we think,” he suggested, and then he tilted his head to the side slightly. “When | was investigating the Wild Crawler Pack, | had heard something about Cas sandra. It was mentioned that she seemed unable to shift. People believed she was born with the inability. But if she had been Cora Felix, it's impossible that she was born that way. It would be a complete anomaly for a member of such a high-ranking family, and she wouldn't have been matched with Asher Collins.” “So what are you suggesting?” | wondered, and | felt the flares of my headache sp ik e again. This was a lot to make sense of and | was irritated that | hadn’t known enough about talismans to have this idea sooner. “If a sacrifice is indeed necessary to become a living talisman, then | think that Cas sandra sacrificed her wolf,” Anubis stated clearly. “Or Emmett Keller made her sacrifice it The idea was a powerful one. | had no idea that Ca sandra was unable to shift into her wolf form. Though I'd done a great deal of investigating the healer, it had never been brought to my attention that she was unable to make the change. This changed everything. If Cas sandra was indeed the talisman we’d been searching for... “If that’s the case, things would be difficult,” Raven interrupted my thoughts, and when | turned to face her, | detected a solemn expression on her pretty face. “For talismans who lost their limbs, their magic power would be reactivated by cutting their wounds. But if its the wolf spirit... They would need to provoke it properly.” Find CRM For Small Businesses Fl, FED 29