Daughter of the Red Dawn (The Lost Kingdom of Fallada) (26 page)

Selena shook her head, half in disbelief and half because his bare skin felt so nice against her cheek. “I thought you believed that
the fulfillment of the prophec
y was a long shot.”

“It is,” Titus said, “but everything has changed for me now. I
may not believe much in prophec
y, but I have come to believe in you. I mean, if the Grimm Brothers can find you, then maybe they can find those other lost girls. Maybe all hope isn’t lost after all.”

His arms tightened around her and he trembled. “Maybe there is still hope for my family.”

Selena stiffened, bringing her hands up to his chest and pushing gently. She hated to ruin the moment
,
but Titus had to know about Orem.

“About your family
…
”

Titus’ brow furrowed with worry. “What is it? What do you know?”

“My mother came to me after I left dinner. She showed me the Eye of Damu and we looked in on Eranna in Mollac. Titus, it’s not good.”

He clenched his jaw and sighed. “Just tell me.”

“Your father
…
he’s
…
he’s one of them now, possessed by Eranna. She has an army of shifter wolves, some of them may even be from your pack. She has them brainwashed, Titus, their eyes are glowing red just like yours were. She has them breaking all their loyalties to their own kind. When she marches on Damu next week, they’re going to be with her and your father will be at the forefront.”

Titus covered his mouth with his hand, squeezing his mouth shut as shivers caused goose bumps to break out over his skin.
“My mother?
My sister?”

His voice was a raw whisper and his pain ripped through her in a jagged slash of pain. She clutched her heart and felt tears coming to her eyes uncontrollably. Was this what it meant to be bound to someone? Selena didn’t think she’d ever get used to sharing someone else’s emotions.

“They weren’t there. Axonia thinks
that your father might have sacrificed himself for their release. They could be safe in Goldun
, but we don’t know for sure.”

Titus’s hands rested on the stone railing again and he bowed his head, eyes closed, hair falling haphazardly over his brow. Selena came up behind him and placed her hand on his back.

“We will save them, Titus. You just have to give me a chance to save them. I won’t let you down.”

Titus’s laughter was bitter.
“My little princess, taking the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

He stood erect and turned, backing away from her and bending to shift into his
animal
form. The silk trousers ripped in two and lay in tatters on the floor as the white wolf emerged. The blue eyes were mournful, bearing into her soul in a single glance that left her feeling invaded and crestfallen all at once.

We all have our parts to play in the time to come,
he said, turning to prance down the tower stairs on all fours.
I have just realized what mine will be.

Where are you going?

Do not worry for me, Selena. I will return well before the Red Dawn. If you need me, you know how to reach me.

You mean this telepathic communication thing has a long-distance plan?

Wherever I am,
you can always reach me. Always remember that, my love.

Titus?

Yes.

I think …
love you
,
too.

A chuckle.

Selena could already see his white form disappearing away from the palace at a run.

Selena?

Yeah?

I know you do.

~*~

Titus hated to leave Selena, but he knew that his mission was crucial. With only seven days left until the Red Dawn, time was of the essence and the journey back to Goldun would be a dangerous
one
. Thankfully, he still wore the enchanted Talisman that
blocked the reach of Eranna’s E
ye. Hopefully, he wouldn’t run into any of her hunters. He
didn’t fear a fight, but he didn’t exactly
have
time to stop and play around with the Minotaurs.

As he ran, surety gripped him. It urged him
on,
reminding him what was at stake here; his home, his family, his pack mates and now, his love. Her parting words stayed with him, warming him from the i
nside out. That she would voice her feelings out loud, even being unsure of them, gave Titus hope. Hope that she would not abandon him; that even if the battle was lost and Damu were to fall into ashes, she would find a reason to stay. It took everything he had to focus on the task at hand and not lose himself in daydreams of Selena as his mate and a shared life. That a future with her in it was possible would sustain him for now. Everything else would have to wait.

Titus traveled through the night, stopping to take water and rest whenever he could. When hunger overcame him, he hunted and ate, remaining in his wolf form. His respites were brief, and he was back on the trail again, making his way stealthily down the lesser known paths to Goldun.

Adrah had mentioned other wolves, shifters who had retreated to the
Fae
realm hoping for refuge. It was for this reason that Titus traveled there now. Not just to search for his mother and sister—although knowing they were safe was important to him—but to gather those lost wolves, those separated from their families and packs, those looking to come out of hiding and join the fight.

Like him, many of the wolf shifters had thought of the prophecy as a long shot. Titus only hoped that he could convince them otherwise. It was clear to him now that winning this battle on the Day of the Red Dawn
could mean the difference between life and death for many of his kind. It might just be the start of something big; the Falladians taking back their world and saving the unsuspecting human world from enslavement. He knew many men who would want to join him, and hoped that they would be instrumental in convincing others. Titus knew that each and every man would count against Eranna and her hoard. He had been to Mollac and knew firsthand the kind of army her
Witches
and
Sorcerers
had
crossbred in their dark lairs. Despite the thick fur running down his back, he shivered
.

~*~

When morning came and Titus still hadn’t returned, Selena couldn’t help but be worried. She tried not to think about it too much, especially since he’d specifically told her not to worry.
She’d dropped a pretty big bombshell on him the night before and he’d been through a lot in the short time they’d known each other. Maybe it was best this way, being apart while preparing for what next week would bring. Selena had to do what she had to do and so did Titus. It would be awfully hard to concentrate on training for battle if she was constantly around him, staring into those fathomless, sky blue eyes or longing to run her fingers through that silky dark hair. And if he was going to keep walking around without a shirt on, then she and Damu were both going to be in really big trouble because she couldn’t seem to focus on anything else when Titus
’
naked chest decided to make an appearance.

Selena shook her head as she once again donned her leather pants, tunic, vest and boots from Goldun. She hated to give up her silky, gem-studded Princess wardrobe, but these clothes were better for what she’d be doing this week. Thankfully
,
someone had washed them and hung them up in her wardrobe. After getting dressed and pulling her hair up into a ponytail, Selena met her mother in the dining room for a quick breakfast. Then the two started off for the war room, where Thaddeus and Eldalwen waited eagerly for their arrival. Axonia happily left her in their care.

Nerves created a tight knot in her stomach as Eldalwen and Thaddeus showed her the various wind harnessing weapons lining the walls of the war room. After the time she’d spent with Axonia last night, Selena felt closer and more comfortable with her mother. Thaddeus and Eldalwen intimidated her, which she figured she’d have to get over sooner or later since they’d be fighting side by side. Still, it was hard to get over that fear of not measuring up to two men who obviously knew their way around a war room.

Selena’s eye caught on a long, golden-handled instrument and she paused
, ignoring the surrounding blades, swords, and other oddly shaped apparatuses in favor of it. The scepter was
long,
nearly as tall as she was and carved with the same markings that lined her brother’s and fathers arms and chests. At the top a golden cage of branches held a red ruby, much like the one that dangled around her neck.

“What about this one?” she asked, reaching out to touch the engraved gold’s smooth surface. “It’s beautiful.”

Thaddeus and Eldalwen smiled at each other and chuckled, stepping up to lower the weapon from the wall.

“What’s so funny?”

“It is not funny so much as it is ironic,” Eldawen said as he held the staff out to Selena. “You have chosen the very same weapon used by the previous daughters of the Red Dawn. Every last one of them has wielded that staff.”

Selena grabbed the staff and felt a jolt of awareness rushing up her arm and straight into her heart. A vibration began within her and slowly rippled outward, pulsating with an undeniable energy that Selena couldn’t have ignored if she wanted to. A whisper of something moved over her skin, creating a chilling effect that left her shivering. Thaddeus smiled proudly and nodded.

“The power of the staff calls to you,” he said. “Even if we had any doubts about your status as our eldest princess—which we do not—this would prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt. That weapon carries the spirits of the previous owners. They
now
live in you. You are the daughter of the Red Dawn.”

Tears filled her eyes and Selena allowed them to spill uncontrolled. This moment felt like something out of a movie—like Rocky making
it to the top of the stairs, or Neo learning how to dodge bullets
while in the Matrix
—one of those moments that would be immortalized in her memories until the day she died. She didn’t understand how or why, but Selena just knew that this occasion would mark the defining moment of her life. Her entire life she’d felt as if she didn’t belong, like something was wrong with her because she didn’t fit the same mold as
the other kids. Selena knew better now. She turned her tearful eyes to Eldawen and found identical ones staining his weathered cheeks. He smiled.

“I have waited for almost two decades to see you holding that staff. What do you say your brother and I show you how to use it?”

Selena wiped at her tears with the back of her hand and nodded. “I’d like that.”

~*~

Chapter
Fourteen

Titus waited impatiently in the sitting area of Adrah’s chambers, nursing a cup of tea he didn’t want and pretending to be patient. He had arrived in Goldun that morning after a long night of nonstop running and he was exhausted. He wanted a meal, a hot bath
,
and a cool rock to curl up on and sleep, but he wanted something else more than he wanted that. His need to know what had happened to his mother and sister kept him going. He wouldn’t be able to close his eyes until he knew that they were safe in Goldun.

Titus was just reaching the edge of his patience’s rope when the door to the chambers swung open
and
the
Faerie
queen
came
gliding in. She was clothed in white and silver as always, her nearly white hair unbound and flowing almost to her ankles. That secretive grin curled her lips as she swept into the room and came toward him with open arms.

“Titus!” she exclaimed, her voice a lyrical and soothing balm. It eased the tension from his shoulders the second he heard and it and Titus released the breath he’d been holding as she kissed both of his cheeks warmly. “How wonderful it is to see you, my dear. I have been waiting for you.”

“You have?”

She nodded.
“Of course.
I knew that once Axonia told Selena the news of your father’s unfortunate circumstance, you would return here to inquire about the rest of your family.”

Titus’ eyebrows shot up. “Is there anything you cannot see, Your Majesty?”

The coy smile was back, crinkling her iridescent eyes at the corners. “Your mother and sister are here,” she said instead of answering his question. “I will, of course, take you to them straightaway. First, there is something else that you and I must speak of, something of the utmost importance.”

This time, Titus was one step ahead of Adrah. “You want me to lead an army of the shifter refugees against Eranna in the Battle of the Red Dawn.”

Adrah lifted on eyebrow and dipped her chin. “My, now who’s seeing things clearly?”