Shattered - Completed

34 - My Cave

I can't fight the slight smile on my face. "Alright." I hold his hand as we walk away from the main lodge house. I show Salvatore the main square, but the red stains on the ground and the thin layer of ash on the street make us both hurry away. "That used to be the school," I point out the half-burned building.

Salvatore looks over it with a solemn look on his face. "Are you sad your school is gone?"

I hesitate before answering, "I didn't really spend much time there. I had to work," I explain.

"Oh."

"Um... that's the clinic." It's intact, and the windows glow with a soft yellow light. I look at the building, thinking that maybe that's a good place to start looking for the females.

"Princess?" a hard voice makes me jolt. With a start, I look around widely for Hilaria before realizing that I am the one being addressed.

The male rises from his post on Kyla's porch. He is fully nude, telling me that he just shifted back to feet. A pang of guilt hits me. He must have been sleeping outside on paws. Kyla hasn't forgiven him, yet.

"Nyel," I greet the male as Salvatore lets out a tiny growl.

Nyel ignores the pup's warning as he snatches a pair of pants and yanks them on before jogging over. I'm cold just looking at him. Nyel's eyes examine the area around Salvatore and me. "Where are your guards?" he asks.

The Knowing nudges me. "We're looking for the MoonGlist females," I reply without answering his question.

Nyel clearly doesn't fall for my ploy, but he plays along. "What females, Princess?"

"Um... the females that Gavin's elite are Claiming."

Nyel's eyebrows shoot up as he processes my words. "Princess," he says slowly, "the newly Claimed females are kept at the dens of their males."

Kept. Not that they live there, they're kept. Of course they are. Divide and conquer. I feel a burn of fury at the thought. They've isolated those females, just like I was. Well, I guess Gavin's elite learned that strategy from the best.

The Knowing didn't really happen, CeCe, I remind myself. But it's so real and with so many coinicidences. I know the pain of being alone while surrounded by a pack, only to be even more alone as my mate locks me away. "I want to see them. Now, Nyel," I demand.

Nyel, to my shock, nods. "Kyla first?" he asks.

"No," I decide quickly. Nyel may leave me alone with her and I can't be sure that he won't take the first opportunity to go tattle to Gavin. "I want to see Amya. She's mated to Peter?"

"Pietr," Nyel corrects me with a slight nod. "This way, Princess."

I follow him, still clutching a silent Salvatore's hand in mine. Nyel leads us past the burnt-out school to one of the dirt side alleys of the village. It's a relief to walk away from the obvious destruction and Salvatore and I both step quickly. The small cottage he takes me to is up a slight rise, overlooking the meat house. As we crest the hill and step up on the porch, I see smoke curling up from the smokehouse. Odd. Why would Gavin need to prepare more meat? I feel that we won't be here when winter truly sets in.

It starts to snow as Nyel knocks firmly on the door. Amya swings it open quickly, and without even looking at Nyel, tells me to come inside, "hurry, Princess."

I walk inside with Salvatore. Amya shuts the door in Nyel's face. Quiet falls over the three of us, until Amya bursts into tears. Burying her face in her hands, her shoulders shake with the force of her sobs.

Bewildered, I let go of Salvatore to go embrace this female who is practically a stranger to me. Salvatore cringes away and pretends to look at the pictures on the walls. This is Amya's parent's home, if the family photos are any indication. I never thought of that before. Amya has a family. I wonder if they were upset at her reputation? I wonder if they're still alive?