Chapter 26

Aren

I can't believe Ryland is the crown prince. We waited for him to return to the palace after Ora was taken, but he never did. We were worried he'd been taken as well until we learned the truth from one of Gia's visions. 

Gia tried to use her powers to help us locate Ora, but she was only able to get two visions. The first vision was of Ora walking down an aisle in a wedding dress towards Ryland with the Emperor looking on smugly. We were all shocked when we heard about this vision and knew that it meant Ryland was the first prince.

The second vision was of Ora on the island at the Oasis surrounded by The Emperor's guards. We all agreed that the vision of Ora at the oasis must mean that The Emperor plans on bringing her back to campus on her birthday, so she can come into her full power.

Even though we knew Ora would be returning to campus on her birthday, I still searched all day and night for two days for her. I couldn't find even a trace of where they had taken her. Fear of what tortures she might be enduring every moment was the only thing that kept me moving forward. I finally gave up and returned to the Academy on the morning of Ora's birthday.

As soon as I returned, my suitemates greeted me. I was surprised to see that Jayden was not among them.

"Where's Jay?"

"He got called to the palace." 

"And he actually went? He knows how important today is."

"He didn't have a choice. He tried to resist, but the guards threatened Ora's life."

"Shit. He is our strongest fighter."

"It will be okay." Gia says, stepping forward and putting a calming hand on my shoulder. "Let's make a plan."

"We should wait in the library. That way we'll know when The Emperor arrives."

"We can't all wait in the library. That would be suspicious."

"Why do we care about looking suspicious?"

"If the professors could be working for The Emperor. We don't want them stopping us before Ora even arrives."

"Good point." I pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. "Okay. Koda and Char will wait in the library and they will inform us as soon as The Emperor arrives." I look over to Gia to see if she approves. 

"I can't see any clear visions, but I can sense that is the right root."

"I guess the rest of us will wait here until we get news."

After a few painful hours of waiting our door flies open. I jump to my feet, almost dropping the sword I have been cleaning, expecting to see Char or Koda, but instead Olivia comes barreling in.

"We have to go now!" Olivia huffs, trying to regain her breath. "Madison was the spy. She's leading the Emperor to the oasis as we speak."

"Madison was the spy? Not Ryland?" I ask.

"I don't know about Ryland, but this morning Madison was bragging about being the right hand man of the Emperor." Olivia looks at us in a panic. "Apparently, she's been secretly meeting with one of his advisors since September and giving him information about Ora and all of you."

"And why should we trust you?" Kaden asks. I step forward to defend Olivia.

"After Madison attacked Ora, Olivia came to Jay and I and apologized. We told her she could make up for it by keeping an eye on Madison for us. She has been very helpful in diverting some of Madison's plans. We thought Madison had given up after the fiasco with James, but apparently she just found a bigger bully to work with."

Olivia frantically runs her hands through her hair. "There's no time for this. The Emperor is probably already in the building."

"He can't be. Koda and Char would have seen and told us." Kaden states.

"The Emperor is using witches to cloak his party. They are invisible."

"Oh shit." Kaden says and then hurriedly grabs his sword and slides it into his scabbard. "Let's go." 

I turn to Olivia and Gia. "You two should stay here. You aren't shifters and won't be much help in combat."

"I'm not just going to wait here while my best friend is in trouble." Gia argues, taking a step towards me.

"Look into the future. Will she be better off if you come?"

Gia's eyes go blurry for a moment before refocusing. Her shoulders slump with defeat "No. Her chances are actually better without me there." 

"Then it's settled." I say as I run out the door and catch up with my brothers in arms.

We slow our steps as we approach the library and quietly open the door. We tiptoe through the shelves of books and find Koda and Char fast asleep at a table. I give Koda a rough shake, but he doesn't stir. This sleep must be magical. We leave them at their table and make our way to the oldest room in the library, and the entrance to the lost library. 

I glance around the corner and into the room. The door to the lost library stands open with no one in sight. I signal for the group to follow me and we swiftly walk into the room and through the door. 

We make our way down the stairs and towards the lost library being as quiet as possible so we don't give ourselves away to The Emperor. When the room comes into view I sigh a breath of relief to see that Ora is okay. The Emperor and his entire party are now visible. From my hidden location, I watch as the Emperor waves Madison forward and she rips the locket off of Ora, handing it to a guard. I wait until they all disappear down the staircase before I follow, Kaden at my side with Max and Leon at our heels. We follow at a good distance through the long passageway. We stop again, hiding in the shadows when the Emperor's group makes it to the first cave. Leon lets out a small shriek when one of the Emperor's guards decapitates Madison. Kaden quickly silences him by placing his hand over his mouth before he alerts The Emperor to our presence. A few terrified seconds go by as we wait to see if we were heard. Thankfully, no one turns to look back down the hallway. 

 The Emperor signals for a water magic user to create a bubble around them and they all disappear under the water's surface. We enter the cave and Leon falls to his knees in front of Madison's body gasping for breath through his tears.

"Why are you crying over her, she got what she deserved?" Kaden asks.

"No one deserves a death like this." Leon responds. Then his face hardens. "We have to stop The Emperor's plans."

We aren't lucky enough to have a water magic user with us to keep us dry, so we are forced to swim through the water. When my head breaks the surface, I can see through the legs of the guards that Ora and Ryland are being carried through the pond to the island by another bubble courtesy of the water magic user. The bubble pops once it reaches the island, and Ora stumbles towards the tree, Ryland holding her hand and trying to steady her. 

Together they look otherworldly with their beautiful faces and white clothes. Ora manages to straighten herself and she looks back towards us. I think she looks right at me before the tree starts glowing. The glow starts at its leaves and then shoots down its branches, into its trunk and then to the roots. The glowing spreads outward covering the whole small island. Ora and Ryland look as if they are standing on a field of gold. 

Finally, the glow starts waving out through the water and to the shore. In minutes, the entire cavern is glowing. I swim to the shore, reach my hand out gliding it over the glowing grass. I pull myself up out of the water and watch as Ora's glowing body rises into the air. In the next second she is engulfed in flames. The flames explode outward and shake the cavern with power. I cry out lunging forward, desperate to get to her. 

The Emperor's guards notice us then and turn to hold us back. They must all be non-shifter's because my pheromones do nothing to them. I fight the guards, trying to break past their line, but there are too many of them. I look to my left to see the others fighting just as hard as I am. All of us fighting together still aren't strong enough. I look back at the floating fireball that used to be Ora, and the light from it starts to dim. The flames unfold to reveal a phoenix. 

Eudora

I open my wings wide, reveling in the feeling of flying. I feel powerful, unstoppable, it's like nothing I have ever felt before. I didn't realize how incomplete I felt until now. My blood burns through my veins, strengthening me and reminding me of my almost unlimited power. I feel strings pulling me five ways, but one of the strings is stronger than the rest. I look towards the pull and see my potential mates fighting the guards, trying to get to me. 

The scuffle between the guards and my mates increases into a full on brawl. I worry someone will get hurt. Before I can swoop down and end the violence, I hear a loud bang, and a flash of black streaks through my vision. It startles me and I drop suddenly to the ground. I shift back into my human form as my butt hits the ground and the gold glowing coming from everything fades away.

Stunned, I look around and see Ryland staggering towards me with his hand across his chest. Under his hand I see a red stain spreading through his white jacket. I run to him and catch him just as he falls. His blood pools beneath us. The whole world goes silent and Ryland gasps for air. I feel my string connecting me to him fading as his breaths slow and his eyes dim.

I feel another presence near me and I look up to see Aren slicing open his hand with one of his claws as he runs towards us, working his legs hard through the shallow water. He skids to a step by my side, falling to his knees. He tips Ryland's head back and drips his blood into Ryland's mouth. The wound over Ryland's heart heals but his chest does not start to rise. He lays there just as motionless as before. His eyes stare empty. All I feel is the tiniest glimmer of a connection to him and I'm not even sure if I really do or if I am just imagining it.

Aren looks at me expectantly. "Ora, you have to try your blood. It is stronger than mine." 

I shake my head, tears running down my face. "I… I don't know how."

"You have to try." I reach for the power in me and focus on healing, then I use my own claw and slice my hand open and bring it over Ryland's mouth letting my blood drip into it.

Again, nothing happens. By this time the rest of my friends have made it to us and they look on, tears filling their eyes. I realize that Ryland is gone and I begin to sob. I used to think that he was just a senseless flirt, always chasing tail, but the last few days have shown me how fun, caring, and loyal he can be. He was forced to be near me for an entire heat cycle, and he didn't lay a finger on me. I knew he wanted desperately to touch me, and went almost mad from my pheromones, but he made me feel safe the entire time. 

Today, he jumped in front of a bullet for me. He sacrificed himself for me. The tears rolling down my face start to glow and slowly drift towards Ryland. I glance up and see that everyone in the room is crying and all of their tears are glowing and floating towards Ryland. The Emperor and his guards' tears travel all the way across the water. The water begins to glow again but this time it is silver. I gesture for Aren to help and without words, he knows what I want. We gently lift Ryland's body up and together, we carry him into the water of the oasis. We wade deeper into the pool, the water slowly rising higher and higher up my legs until I am hip deep in the water. The glowing water almost reaches out to Ryland and we lower him in until he is fully submerged. 

He begins to glow. Now only does the blood stain leave his jacket, but the fabric stitches itself together. A warmth returns to his skin and awareness comes back into his eyes. The glow stops and his body twitches and then he stands up, head breaking the surface of the water. I cry out and leap into his arms. I nuzzle my face into his chest and he holds me tightly. I feel Aren's arms wrap around us and then more arms join until we have a huge group hug. All of us are soaking wet and crying.

"I am glad you are okay." The Emperor's voice cracks and we all break apart to look at the Emperor standing knee deep in water a few feet away. He clears his throat. "Since you have come into your full power, it is time you return to the palace for the wedding."

"You really think I am just going to go along with your plan?" I ask incredulously. "Your son almost just died and the first thing you think about is forcing me to wed him. Don't you care at all about your son?"

"My son didn't die today, so I am doing what is best for him. He will have you as his bride. My line will finally have what they are owed, which is you, the moon goddess herself."

"You're sick. I will never go with you."

"I guess we are going to have to do this the hard way." He claps his hands together and his guards step forward. Rage fills me and I let my power flow out of me creating a flaming shield between my friends and the Emperor.

"If you ever get near me again, you will pay. I am not a pawn for you to play with." I push my shield out forcing the Emperor and his guards closer and closer towards the exit pool. 

"This isn't the end, Eudora, I will get what I want. I will have you. Once you see your people suffer, you will change your mind and start begging me to let you mate with my son." The Emperor sneers at me as his water mage creates a bubble around him and the rest of the guards and exits into the pool. Once I am sure that they are gone, I relax and drop the fire shield. I look at Ryland who is standing beside me and looking just as angry as I feel.

"Are you okay?"

Ryland looks at me and smiles, his body relaxing for the first time in days. "I feel great. Better than I have in a while."

I smile. "Good." I walk over to him and take his hand. His green eyes are almost glowing with joy now that we are safe. 

Max clears his throat and breaks me and Ryland out of our moment. He looks a little embarrassed as he hands me his wet jacket. "You should put this on to cover yourself." 

I look down and for the first time realize that I am buck naked. I would be more embarrassed but I don't have the energy to be. I giggle to myself, I guess I really am a true shifter now if my own nudity no longer bothers me. I push my arms through the way too big jacket sleeves and take a long inhale of Max's scent that still lingers on the damp fabric. Max's scent calms me and I feel myself relax even more. 

I finish buttoning up the jacket, which reaches past my knees, just as Kaden speaks up directing his question to Ryland. "So you're the crown prince huh. Have you been working with your father?"

Ryland looks around the small group and answers. "I am sorry I kept my identity from all of you. I wanted to live my life at the academy as a normal student. I had no idea about my father's plans or the prophecy. If I had known what my father's true plans were, I would have told you about it. I hope you can forgive me for misleading you about my identity."

"Dude, you were never normal." Kaden says, slapping Ryland on the back. "But, we forgive you."

"Come on, let's get out of here and get dried off." Leon says. We all turn towards the exit pool and swim towards it. Once we make it out of the oasis and into the small cave I turn to Aren, who has refused to move more than a few inches from my side. 

"How did you find me here?" I ask him.

"Gia had a vision of you here, but Olivia was the one who found us when The Emperor was on campus." At my quizzical look, he explains. "She's been spying on Madison for Jay and I for a few weeks now. She found out about Madison's part in relaying information to the Emperor and let us know."

"She's the only reason we made it here in time, although, I don't know how much help we really did. If we weren't here there wouldn't have been a scuffle and one of the guards' guns wouldn't have gone off." Leon states looking a little sad.

"I don't think that's true." I gasp and spin to see Professor Solace taking off an invisibility cloak.

"How long have you been here?" I ask. At the same time a chorus of questions comes from my friends.

"Why didn't you do anything to help?" 

"What do you mean you don't think it's true? Do you think someone purposely tried to shoot Ora?"

"How did you know we were here?"

"Are you working for the Emperor?"

"Shush, I will answer all of your questions in due time. For now, Dean Charlies is waiting for you in his office." Professor Solace says and then turns to head towards the corridor.

"Why should we go with you?" Kaden asks.

She glances back over her shoulder and answers his question with another question. "Where else do you have to go?" She has a point, so we all follow.