Broken, but Not Defeated

Chapter 25 (Wesley)

My heart leapt into my throat when I saw Juliana with a knife pressed to her throat. I hated myself for not attacking right away. For stopping like a coward instead of helping my sister. I had left everything up to Caldina. I stop my pacing long enough to say out loud. "I'm an idiot." Cole shakes his head and goes back to staring out the window. Juliana stands up from where she had been sitting next to Anya, who hadn't let her go. The only reason I'm not holding Juliana to my chest and telling her I am never going to let her go, is because I feel like I have failed her.

"Wesley." I feel Juliana grab my cheek. She moves my head so I am looking into her eyes. "You are not an idiot."

I grab her hands. "You could have died and all I could do was watch. I should have been the one to stab her, not you."

Something sparks in her eyes. "Wesley, I'm glad you stopped. If you hadn't I would be dead. That woman would have run me through." I almost throw up at the thought.

"Juliana..."

"Wesley, you were right in letting Caldina handle it."

"Yes, but she is not your blood." When I say that something passes in her eyes. She pulls back and walks back to Anya. She is hiding something.

Anya wraps her arms around her.

I walk over to Cole.

"How do we convince these witches to turn against their own kind? How do we convince them to fight with us?" Cole contemplates.

I lean my head against the window. "I have no idea."

"How do we tell the girls?"

I snap my head up and look back at them. "We don't."

"Wesley, they have a right to know."

I sigh. "I know, I just don't want them hurt."

Cole places a hand on my shoulder. "Wesley, if you don't tell them I will."

I am about to say something when a knock interrupts. Cole and I share a look but before we can move fast enough, Juliana has wrenched the door open. Cole and I move to stand behind her. The person at the door shocks me. Caldina. What does she want?

"Artic!" Juliana kneels down and throws her arms around the wolf, completely ignoring the witch who looks really uncomfortable.

"Um...uh." Caldina says. I want to laugh. Where is the witch who took down the commander only using words? Where is the proudful witch from the throne room? And where is the witch who somehow commanded fire?

"Oh, Caldina. Please come in." Juliana says standing up.

"I don't want to bother you, I just want to make sure that cut on your neck was taken care of."

"It was thank you." She goes to turn around but Juliana halts her with a hand on her arm. "Do you want me to tell them, or do you?"

Caldina raises her eyebrows. "Tell them what?"

"I know who you and I are."

Something flashes in Caldina's eyes. "I don't know what you mean."

Now I am really confused. And I know I am not the only one because Cole has both eyebrows raised.

"Yes, you do, otherwise you wouldn't have saved me."

Caldina pauses, and her face goes white. "You can." She goes to leave but Juliana stops her again.

"I want you to be there when I tell them. And besides, you know more about my mother's past than I do." Caldina looks uncertain, but I see Juliana give her an encouraging smile. As if to say 'you got this.' Caldina takes a deep breath and then walks in. Juliana moves to the bed where Anya is sitting, I take a spot by the window, and Caldina sits by the desk, which is also by a fire. It's almost like she takes comfort from its nearness. Cole leans against the door. We all look at Juliana who takes a deep breath. "Don't get angry Wesley, because it is not Caldina's fault it happened. We, all three of us, are the last children of Lady Evana."

"Not just Lady Evana, but Queen Evana of the witches, Queen Evana of the Doryukans. That is how you can see things only witches can. That is how you and I are witches." Caldina said, taking a step towards the fire. "It's also how I happen to be one of the last fire witches." I stop myself from growling. My sister can not be a witch. She can't! But I guess it makes sense why she could see the map and we couldn't. I look over at Anya. She doesn't move from her spot next to Juliana, she actually moves closer. I look at Cole who doesn't look too surprised.

"Am I the only one who didn't know?" I snap, trying not to show my anger.

"No, I didn't. I took a guess with their similar looks," Cole says, shoving off the doorframe. He moves towards Caldina. I lock eyes with Caldina. "How long have you known?!"

"Since midnight. And believe me, boy, I would have killed you if it wasn't for Nora."

"What did Nora do?"

"Convinced me in that letter that it was for the better to leave you alive until I retrieved what I needed to know."

"Why would you want to kill them?" Cole asks softly. "This isn't their fault."

"I know, but they stole my mother from me." I watch Juliana stand up. She moves slowly as if scared she will scare Caldina away. She wraps her arms around her. Caldina is almost half a head taller. Caldina sucks in a breath, but eventually puts her arms around Juliana and drops her forehead onto Juliana's shoulder. "I'm sorry. But I must go." She pulls out of Juliana's arms. She looks me in the eyes and bows. "Milord." And before I can help myself I smirk. I give her a bow back. "Your majesty."

We lock eyes, and it's almost like we understand each other. She nods to Anya and Cole and looks at Artic, who had made herself comfy by the fire. "Take care of her and she will guard you with her life." She turns and leaves. I see Esta and Sienna waiting by the door for her.