***AFTER FINDING THE CITY OF GODS***
I was tired after reaching there; mentally I wasn't prepared for what I saw. It stood magnificently before us, not like any building I had seen before; was an entire city made of rocks high on hill. The buildings still stand, void of color but had the structure of somewhat a civilized living, it was something to catch the eyes of an adventurer or a historic enthusiast. Every one of the supernatural knew of that place and could easily access it but what they were looking for was a total mystery even to a pure blood like Lord Orpheus; the Paradlag. Cassuis tried to find it, as I saw in Jake's memories not even him know what it looked like; the only ones to ever catch a glimpse of it other than the godly figures were, the bearers.
Two individuals chosen by the responsibility to hide the Paradlag and then immediately forget it not until it need arise they would find it. With each rule taken by a god the Paradlag take new bearers hence taken to another location of secrecy, which was Jake's mother and another mysterious bearer in my father's ruling. Now that both bearers are wiped off the planet the Paradlag had a beacon connection with the gods, subconsciously they knew exactly where it was. I was the only living deity of the Rayleigh blood, I alone was to know the location of it but to all out dismay I know neither how to unlock that connection with it nor did I actually knew its location.
The deal of my marriage with the vampire lord expired after a series of events, pushed me to offer the Paradlag for the peace of all and now the expiration will expire and reenact the deal all over again, and it was a tightening noose around my neck. The closer I got, the more fear rose inside
"I don't feel anything" I admitted.
Lord Orpheus said I would feel something after stepping on the sacred grounds for the gods especially now that I was standing in a formal place; the descendant wall. Initially when the world was at peace no soul besides that of the deity's was allowed into the descendent wall, it wasn't precisely a wall but a tomb full of stone carved statues of the past deities.
I stepped in the middle of the room, where an elevation was and on it a craving similar to the mark I was once wearing but mine had altered. My eyes danced about the statues of the highest livings on the planet, all adjourned and carved beautifully bring out each and every feature of them. One particularly caught my gaze the one that looked the most familiar to me; I didn't have to be told that was Luther, my birth father.
Ruby was right, I had the structure of his face and the shape of our eyes was the same, his hair was in waves and he had the tiniest lips I had ever seen. His head was held arrogantly high in the carving as his social image precedes, in his right hand was a scepter similar to all the ones handed by the other statues. It had a big gem at the top of it. He wore from the 50's fashion and a long robe flowed over it and in his eyes I could see his devilish intents.
I stepped down from the elevated stone and treaded towards him statue my heart enveloping in a wave of pain as I recognized the necklace around his neck; the pendant I was wearing. James gave it to me as a gift and asked me never to remove it and that all his love was in that necklace; that was the only reason no matter what, I had it on.
Seeing it on him made my heart twinge and I was swallowed by confusion and pain of realization, "It was my birth father's"
I reached my hand and touched the stone carving of the necklace around his neck and instantly I was electrified. I jerked back as images flashed through my head in great speed; I clasped my head as I was fed information from it. I retracted my hand from the necklace, now I know
"It's not here" The thing they wanted the most wasn't even located anywhere near this place. I got out of the descendants wall and they all followed after. Hunter quickly placed a hand over my shoulder from behind and asked worriedly "Are you ok?"
I nodded turning around to face him, I found his face was in agony just like I had on mine to see Luther; the man that caused the untimely death of his mate must had ignited something out of him.
"You were present after she birthed me, what happened?"
"I left to route for the safest place to keep your mother until the look for her subsided and on my way back something wiped out and I fell unconscious. What's wrong?"
"He gifted you something" I muttered
"Let's leave from here, I know where it is"
We walked the hill down with minimum issues, I could see how pressed lord Orpheus is to know what I know but I wasn't telling; I also don't know the whole truth yet. Since the journey was long, we came by car and it would be weird if a human catches glimpse of moving clothing. I, hunter, Leo and Cassuis as the driver I sat in the front passenger seat.
Although Leo and I were still not on friendly terms he abided by the order of his Alpha never to leave my side. It's been six months without Jake and haven't heard a word from him, worried and stressed out about where he's been I tried to use his belongings to locate him but each time it turned out in clouds. Ruby even tried to help me concentrate through the enchantment but I could only reach that far, to Terent mill and never beyond it. I know Jake promised me to be alive and in good health while he's away but I also had seen the mess kai left behind him that day. We drove down the dirt path for a while before Cassuis decided to speak; I was still not used to him being protective about me
"Are you well?" he asked in a mild tone, not really suiting his fierce features. There was a time I used to shiver at the sound of his voice I answered plainly, "Yes I am"
"Where are we headed?"
"To your place" I answered simply, he took his eyes off the road for a moment glancing my way
"Back there something happened with you, if Lucinda's presence is needed there's no need to head back to Westlake, I can be of help" His voice was tender towards me and I can feel the awkwardness rising in the car. He returned his gaze to the road after he finished talking.
Leo spoke immediately almost protectively,
"Any word of Jake yet?" he asked from behind, his voice was sharp and firm as though he was filling the space for Jake at his absence.
I knew what he was trying to do because he's asked me yesterday night about it after we were half way to the city of the gods.
"No, I'm still trying to"
"I believe you will soon. You know him better" it was like a bomb exploded from my side as Cassuis roughly went on the high way from the steep mouth of the road, causing us to bounce around unevenly in the car
"The Paradlag is in Westlake coterie" I announced, the car was flooded with silence after that even the air conditioning went mute for a moment
"Why there?" Leo asked sheepishly still being harsh in his tone
"I don't know but maybe because they both died there" I said uncertain
"Gia?" hunter called after he's been silent for long
"Your birth parents loved you more than anything, I want you to know" It felt heavy reaching me because I knew I resented them with all I had in me. Night befall us again, Cassuis was still driving after we refueled at a gas station. I rested my forehead on the cold glass of the window and my sneakered feet against the dashboard. In my hand rested Jake's phone, the screen had cracked but it worked fine. I found myself thinking about him every now and then, how alone he must be feeling at the moment? Is he watching the dark night sky as I was? Was he missing me? Did he remember our promise−our first kiss and how it tasted like? My eyes quickly clouded with tears as I looked down at his wallpaper, how didn't I notice him before while he was everywhere in my life? My chest pinged with pain as I caress the phone in my hands.
"You must be hungry" I almost forgot not everyone was asleep at the moment. After we got gas he bought a little of bites for the road and I said I wasn't hungry.
"I will have some water" my voice was pinched with pain as I knew he heard. I drew my feet down and rested the phone of the seat before reaching for the water bottle in the cup holder. I unscrewed the cap and held it up to have a swig when he glanced at me again, I could see some degree of regret in his gaze. I took one big swig before putting it down
"I was reckless then," I looked to him now whom was still looking at me. He broke his gaze and put it back on the road
"I performed reckless but now I have something to lose. Don't hand the Paradlag to lord Orpheus" he literarily pleaded with me
"I have to; you know why I'm doing this. It's my decision anyways"
"Gia," he glanced at me again falling silent on his words
"You claimed me unwilling, why don't you break it already?" his voice was laced with strain and I could see he was griping the wheel tightly
"I don't want to," The words slipped out of my mouth without control, I had to look away from him for a moment to get my mind straight
What just happened?
"I need your help now and I wouldn't want to lose control over you, hence the claim" I tried to clarify against my own words but deep down I knew it wasn't the only reason I kept Cassuis under my claim
"You lie" His voice turned harsh and in my fear of him to wake the others I tried to end the conversation right there
"That's the truth. You are just a pawn in your own game" The silence fall in the far but the tension coming from him suffocated the air around my throat, for some reason I could feel his pain. I was confused although I knew a claim can be very strong but I didn't expect it to be this strong, I kept a watch on him through my peripheral vision keeping the urge to look at his face. The air was getting heavier of me by the second; I squeezed my eyes shot for a moment before I opened them back up again. I grabbed the water bottle roughly and chugged the whole of it. I achieved my initial sitting position with Jake's phone tight in my grip, I watch as the trees bounce from my view before I slipped into a light snooze.