To Claim A Crown Book One: The Half-Blood King (Complete)

25.

Naomi's eyes flutter open and she looks at Raurlin who is frowning deeply, a look of shame on his face. Naomi holds a hand out and she clasps onto his.

"Show me more, Raurlin."

Naomi shuts her eyes again waiting to feel the warmth of his open hand hovering above her forehead. Raurlin is hesitant but he complies. He lifts his hand again and holds it just above Naomi's forehead. Naomi's breathing deepens again.

She is hunching over the river washing her face. The water is icy cold and her hands sting with the sensation. Jackson is beside her and he's cupping and drinking the water until it's dripping down his chin. Jackson tumbles slightly backwards until he's sitting with his legs laid out in front of him. He shuts his eyes and inhales deeply trying to level his breathing.

Naomi can feel his anxiety, it's as if it's radiating off his skin and pushing right against hers. She sits beside him in a huff. The two sit in silence.

"Jax...we do not know if this is of The God's."

"We don't know if it isn't of The God's either, Raurlin. What do we do?"

"We meet tonight, back here, bring a goat and I'll bring one too. We'll go up Sacred Hill and make a sacrifice. We will ask for clarity and for a sign."

Jackson nods with a deep frown and a look of intense ferocity in his eyes. There's a pause.

"What of our parents, Raurlin?"

"Smear the blood of the consumed animals across your hands and face. And hold on hard, don't crumble under this curse."

Jackson nods again.

Naomi's eyes flutter open and she's back in her body, back on Raurlin's bed. He is standing at his desk facing the wall. Naomi pushes herself up on one arm but she feels weak.

"Take it easy, Naomi. Your body is weak. You didn't just see my memories, you lived them."

Raurlin speaks slowly and his voice is shaky. Naomi feels guilty for pushing him, knowing that he has just lost his father. She wanted to see and to know.

She lies back down and waits until Raurlin turns around. There's a look of deep shame on his face and he can't bear to meet her eye. Naomi frowns and holds a hand out.

Raurlin sits back down on the chair beside Naomi and takes her hand. He holds it tightly and his hand is surprisingly cold.

"I'm not proud of the events that follow, Naomi. Forgive me I'm not ready to share them just yet."

"Can you tell me?"

"Yes. We made our offerings and as if on queue the next day the witch rode into our village on a white horse. White horses had always been thought of as a sign from the Gods so we believed her. She riled us up and prepared us for war."

Naomi nods slowly and Raurlin turns to the desk. He pulls the file off the desk and rests it on his thighs. He helps Naomi into a seating position and once she's comfortable he hands her the file.

"Before my father...passed. I went to visit him, actually around the same time I met you. He shared something with me about my childhood."

Naomi opens the file and begins reading through it. It seems to include a map of a pack...of werewolves? Naomi frowns.

"I don't understand?"

"The man you saw, Tormund, is not my real father. My real father is an Earth Beast, a lycan...a werewolf Alpha. His name is Maddox. We fought him in the war."