Anya takes the minute and sinks into Morgan’s memories, seeking any information about her Mother’s death. Not finding it she releases him and steps back. Her wings return to her shoulders and she drops to her knees in the sand weak and powerless for the moment. Liam and Cass watch her in stunned admiration. “If he is fallen, why did you heal him?” Cass asks her.
“We are all fallen in some respects. The gate simply looked and saw… that.” Anya points at Morgan holding Katie’s weeping form. Morgan cleanses Katie’s body and gives her fresh clothing. It is nothing compared to what she has done for him. He presses a kiss to her forehead.
“You didn’t kill my mother, did you?”
“Who is your mother?” Liam asks.
“Lailah.” Anya watches them carefully and they look at each other in shock.
“That’s not possible. She was an Archangel. A traveler. It isn’t possible, is it?” Cass asks Liam.
“The Herald would be born to bring balance to this world. Of course, it’s possible.” Liam answers.
Morgan walks over pulling Katie with him, “The Twelve did not judge your mother, Anya.”
“Then how did she die?”
“I don’t know. We will help you, but first, we must stop Caius.”
Chapter 17
Keane pulls into his cottage style house that he raised Anya in and cuts the engine off. His body is throbbing as his aches and pains return to remind him that he is no longer a young hunter. “I will protect mine, no matter the cost,” he murmurs as he eases from the car. Keane hurries inside as fast as his foot in the booted cast will allow. His mind is so full of worry for his daughter that he misses the black vehicle parked across the street.
When the light is flipped on, Keane glances around his small living room with a sigh. So many happy memories here. Every corner in this house is touched with laughter and love. Anya brought to him a purpose greater than he could’ve ever imagined. If only… a dogs bark outside and causes Keane’s heart to accelerate.
Duster is the neighbor’s bulldog and he has claimed the surrounding houses as his domain. Any time he barks, it is to alert them of strangers. Keane moves quickly to cut the lights and rushes towards the kitchen sideboard. Before he can reach his stash of weapons a chuckle sounds out.
“Easy old man, we only wish to talk to you.” Vorn says, turning the light back on.
Keane takes the form of a big brown grizzly bear and leaps straight at the stunned Drow. Sebastian is in the back of the house searching for clues, as to who, and what, these people are when he hears the roar of outrage coming from the living room.
A powerful strike by the back of his large clawed paw, Keane sends Vorn flying over the kitchen counter and into the cabinets with a crash of shattered wood. Taking a running leap, he aims for the bay window in the living room intending to burst through to escape, but Sebastian is too quick for him. He casts a shadow net over the animal, effectively pinning him to the earth. Vorn stumbles into the room and stares down at the old man with a gleam of respect.
“You are fast for your age and stronger than you look,” he groans rubbing his jaw.
“Surely with all your Drow abilities you felt the buildup of his power.” Sebastian laughs at the embarrassed look his new friend gives him.
“Get this thing off me!” Keane snarls as he fights with the magically enhanced net. When he takes a look at the intruder’s companion, he loses all color in his face. “Sebastian?”
Sebastian jerks in surprise and walks closer to look Keane over. “How do you know who I am?”
A quick flash and Keane shifts to a tiny field mouse slipping through the net. Vorn is ready this time. He felt the shift as the magic flooded the man’s system and leaps to catch him the moment he bounds away. “Gotcha!” When he grabs Keane, the mouse sinks his tiny teeth into his silver skin, eliciting a yelp of pain.
“Damn!” He drops Keane and both men watch in amazement as he shifts back to his human form and lands on his feet. Breathing rapidly, Keane sits hard on the couch. Still wounded, he looks up at them and whispers, “I will tell you everything.”
“First, you should heal yourself, Druid before you keel over.” Vorn suggests. “Why haven’t you done it before now?” Sebastian watches quietly and takes a seat opposite Keane.
“It wasn’t safe. I couldn’t take the chance. I’m guessing that won’t be a problem any longer.” Swiftly he pushes his long silver hair out of his face and looks at Vorn. “I could use an assist?”
Vorn nods his head in ascent. The pain emanating from the old man is beating at him. The Drow are elves, first, and foremost. He has the ability to heal or at least enhance the gifts of the druid. They work together to heal Keane’s wounds. Sebastian places a small laptop computer on a table, that he drags it over and inserts the flash drive. He pulls up the video on Anya in the club and waits for Vorn to finish. Glancing around the room, he see’s pictures of the woman from the bar. Pictures of her as a child, holding her first ribbon in gymnastics. Pictures of her graduation from high school, of her with a blonde friend.
“Tell me what you know of this human?” Sebastian demands pressing play on the computer. Keane watches Anya and is stunned by the power coming from her. There can be no doubt that
