The Delta's Daughter Chapter 239

HUNJI/KIAN

My wolf whimpers as we watch Morgan walk away. The look in her eyes broke our hearts and almost our resolve. The urge to take her in my arms and take back everything I just said to her, was so great.

It was better this way. She was destined for great things and my place had already been allocated to me. It was my burden to bear, and mine alone.

I would return to Riocht eventually - if I lived. And we would lead separate lives.

It was my decision and duty to go back to Eririat, where it all began, and finish what I have should have done 14 YEARS ago. Rostam would be freed; Farid would die, and the rightful king would take his place. As it was always meant to be.

I remember my father telling me, he would pass on his crown when the rightful heir presented himself and was ready. He never said who he thought should be crowned the king, but I highly doubt he had Farid in mind.

I still held animosity toward my father, for letting me fall from grace and supporting the courts and Farid. I think that’s what stung the most. He knew exactly what was going on and he still allowed Farid to get away with literal murder. It made me wonder just how much he actually fought for me that day. If he ever did.

'Laws are put in place for a reason, Kian. Even I am not above them.' he had said to me. Yet it was he, King of Asiarian, that set the laws. He could have changed them. He could have overruled their decision. He didn't though. Not even for the son of his true mate. He should have had Farid and Divya locked up for their crime against the bond.

Just because we were taught that a crowned prince or king should never mark their mate, that didn’t mean a crowned prince could do what he wanted with another man’s mate.

It was late evening when Ruda growled and began pacing, I was brought out my deep thoughts, by his behavior. I had always had a good relationship with my wolf. Before I lost him and even more so when he was returned to me.

'What is it? Ruda?'

'Trouble. I sense our witches discomfort'

I let My wolf open up his senses and search out for Morgan. Through the slight connection we now shared, I felt her worry. Then like a tidal wave alarm and panic hit me like a ton of bricks. Then the feeling and connection were gone just as fast as they had come.

Something was definitely wrong, or somebody was scaring my little witch. I hadn’t seen her since she walked out of the great hall. I assumed she needed time alone to process as I did. So, I avoided her and didn’t even go to the sanctuary dining hall for dinner.

I will admit, I had become accustomed to my little witch being near me and I didn’t want to let her go. But I knew it was the right thing to do no matter how difficult the decision was. Asena and Ashe were right, the bond would fade over time and the more distance between us the faster her imprint would begin to dissolve. She was never meant to be ours.

I took off at high speed my nose twitching trying to find her scent. Briskly walking through the long and many corridors of the sanctuary.

Her fading scent led us out into the thick of the forest. “Morgan!” I called out as I circled where her scent was the strongest but still it was weak, suddenly picking up another scent, a very light trace of a recognizable and familiar scent.

‘There was a struggle,’ Ruda growled. I looked around noticing the broken low-lying offshoot branches and disturbed ground.

“Abbas” I snarled along with Ruda. ‘How long ago?’ I asked my wolf trying to determine how far they could have gotten with Morgan. It had only been a few hours, maybe more, since she left us standing there. Time had escaped me while lost in my self-loathing.

‘Six - seven, at the most’ He replied. The urgency to take off after them, rip Abbas to pieces and save our little witch welling up beyond measure.

I glanced around, I didn’t need to track them, I knew where he was taking her. It was the same place I was heading to. The only difference is my timeline just moved up. My attention was caught by a tree with Morgan’s scent all over it, a brown piece of paper nailed to it.

I snatched the paper and read the offending handwriting.

You lose again Kian. We have your witch come for her alone.

Ruda was angry and we roared out loud and guttural, shaking the trees and their bare branches. His Alpha aura rolled out. He would destroy anyone and everyone who laid a hand on her.

I rushed back into the sanctuary, with no time to waste. Walking into the artifact room and grabbing the pair of cutlass swords, I had always admired, hanging up on the wall. Both are trimmed with gold, and both are etched with the lunar phases on one side of the blade. The only difference – is their handles. One woven in white the other black. The supposed twin swords of Skoll and Hati. The sons of Fenrir.

The balance in both blades was perfect, as I tested them out, rotating my wrist and twirling the blades. The sun catching the finely sharpened edges.

“You will be wanting this to go with those.” I swung around at the sound of Asena’s voice. She held out a red leather vest, with buckles of gold. “Ashe sends her regards and wishes you luck.”

I place the swords on a nearby table and take the vest from Asena. It fits perfectly. It’s lightweight but the feeling of the fabric is heavy and textured, almost like scales, and has built-in scabbards on the back, designed specifically for these weapons.

“It’s like it was almost made for you” Asena sighs. “Be careful Hunji, I have a feeling your queen will be very disappointed if you go and die on her.”

“I don’t plan on dying.” I gruff out. Sheathing the swords that fit snuggly against me. I head for the door, my plan to is to race down the mountain to the vehicle Morgan and I left there and drive as far and as close to Eririat as I can.

“Hunji!” Asena stops me her hand gently lays on my arm. I look at her. Her eyes were worried and her expression full of concern. I see it now, in this moment, her emerald eyes the same as Queen Lamia’s. “Before Ashe left, she asked me to give you one more gift. You, maybe angry at us, but know that we still hold faith in you. We believe in you.”

Asena’s hand dips into the pocket of her long white robes taking out something small. When she opens her hand a small vile of glittery blue liquid sits in her palm.

“What is that?” I ask, hesitant at taking the tiny vile from her.

“Pure magic, from when the gods still walked amongst us, my favorite disciple.” I scowl at her and then at the vile, looking back up at her. “Drink this and your Shifter abilities will become tenfold. When you shift you will not lose your garments, when you shift back you will be as if you were before – fully clothed.”

I take the vile from her hands, cautiously handling it as if it would burn me.

“The effects will last for 24 hours; you will not feel any fatigue during that period or after, and you will reach your destination in time. I hope.” As if reading my mind, she explains the effects of the potion.

“Thank you,” I tell her.

“For what it’s worth, I am sorry Hunji. I ran away from here a long time ago, looking for more… than this. I found love, but with it came destruction and a price I was never willing to pay again. I do not wish that for you, I never have. Go. Save your witch and maybe one day you will find love again.”

I turn and head for the door, anxious to catch up with Abbas before he reaches Eririat.

“Stop by and see Chakor before you leave!” I hear Asena’s fading voice as I rush down the halls of the sanctuary. I do as she asks, and despite her and Ashe royally pissing me off, I still trust her. She saved my life all those years ago, no matter what the purpose was, she chose me. I refused to believe that meant nothing.

Chakor was waiting for me with a pair of red pants and black boots. “For your journey, Hunji. May the gods favor you. If they do, I pray you never return here and live a full and happy life.” The old man’s sentiment brought tears to my eyes. I leaned forward and pressed my forehead against his, gripping the back of his neck.

“Thank you, my friend.”

“I will pray for you, my son; you are the best student I ever had and ever will have. God speed Hunji.” He claps my back hugging me, the old were-cat gripping me tightly in a lasting embrace. A fatherly hug that tells me he is proud and honored. “Say nothing to me Hunji, your words are mute. Now save the girl!”

I bob my head and swallow the thick lump of saliva. “It has been my honor.” I croak out, then disengaging from the manly hug.

I don’t stop again; I don’t look back. I am a man on a mission with a vexed wolf who is out for revenge and ready to serve his vengeance. I look ahead and begin my descent of the mountain. My mind is set on getting Morgan back and killing Farid.

When I reach the car after several hours of running down the mountain’s trails, I take a moment and relax my mind, opening up a link to King Kellen. *The time is now, tell our troops to move toward Eririat.* I cut the link and start the car.

The vile of blue sparkling liquid in my vest pocket. I would not take it yet, instead, I would get as far as I could in the car and then drink it. Sending the message to King Kellen depleted my wolf’s energy and mine, but the car ride would be easygoing, there was no time to sleep and rejuvenate our strength. If this potion did what Asena said it would do. Then there was no need to take it now.

Well into the night and several hundred miles the car finally ran out of fuel. There were no fuel stations here on the second continent they had devised their own fuel using a source of corn oil to power their motors. So, the car sat dead in the middle of nowhere.

I climbed out, I calculated how far I was from Eririat. Under normal circumstances, if in wolf form it could take me up to 2 days to run from here. By horse about the same. I was coming from Mint in a different direction than we arrived in, taking a straight path toward the kingdom’s capital. I was already in Asiarian, but it was a vast country and cities were few and far between, especially on this side of the country and Abbas already had a huge lead on me.

I wondered if Abbas had already reached Eririat, I tried to scent their trail, but it had disappeared before I had even left the woods. Ruda was unable to lock onto Morgan's scent which sent him further into a rage. He was worried for her, acting as if she belonged to us. As a protective Alpha wolf, this, Morgan being taken from under our noses, drove him into a feral state.

He had lost his charge, the female he was meant to protect and the female who had imprinted on him. He had failed his job.

It wasn't just him. I too felt the loss. I could not describe how discontent I was with my own failure. The thought of anything happening to her, more than it already has, weighs on our conscious.

I stepped out of the car, securing the swords to my back. The boots, pants, and vest fitting as if the gods had sewn them themselves just for me.

I took out the small vile, popping the cork from the top.

'Just half' Ruda told me.

I look at the glittery blue liquid, wondering if I was doing the right thing.

'it’s a gift from the gods' Ruda growled feeling my hesitance at drinking the liquid that looked like something Petra would use paint with. I internally smiled when I thought about the young bear shifter we found, or I should say found us, just about a year ago. It would soon be her birthday and I would miss it. That little girl had claimed my heart and I loved it when she called me uncle.

'Just drink it, you are wasting precious time,' Ruda cut through my memory. I took a deep breath and knocked back half of the liquid in the small vile which equated to about a teaspoon.

It tasted sweet like candy. At least it wasn't disgusting, I thought running my tongue along the edges of my teeth. I corked and pocketed the vile.

Waiting to feel different. And waited some more waiting for the potion to take effect.

'I don't feel any different ' I told Ruda.

'I can feel it, let me take over. We will reach Eririat in a day. I can feel the magic and power. The potion was for me. Not you.'

As soon as I allowed Ruda to take over and shift, that's when I felt the immense and heightened stamina that surged through my whole being.

Ruda shook out his fur, lifted his head, and howled in the night. Paying homage to Ashe for the gift.

He took off faster than a shifter’s speed would normally allow. The force with which we ran was exhilarating as the flat land rushed under our feet leaving a trail of dust. And the landscape passed by in a blur. At this speed, we should reach Eririat in a little over twenty-four hours. Hopefully before Abbas and catching him off guard and hopefully stupefying Farid with a surprise attack.

While Ruda was in control and rushing toward our destination with vigor and inhuman, and faster than a shifter speed, my thoughts trailed to Morgan. Hoping she was untouched by my brothers. Which led me to think of Rostam and Sonia. I prayed Rostam had not met the same fate I had by Farid and could only hope that Sonia had been mixed up with whatever was going on in the kingdom’s capital.

My father was always a firm leader, as he was a father. In his own way, he cared for us but was never a part of our lives unless it was to do with business or to show us off. If I was to face Farid, then I would need to face my father too, no matter what state he was in. He too would need to answer for his part in my punishment.