Queen of Death

Chapter 21

Ace and I are out of our seats just as fast, our lips curling into snarls signaling to anyone around us that no one will harm her ever again, we'd sooner go to war for her.

His two hands are on either shoulder and he's bent forward so they're eye to eye. "You could have come to me. You can come to me. I'm so sorry you went through that, and to have done it alone. Solana, I can't tell you how sorry I am." He crushes her in a bear hug.

Ace and I share a look of relief that this is going as well as it is. Cole reaches out a hand to me, keeping the other tightly around his sister. "I'm not saying I'm ready to forgive you and go back to normal, but I can understand why you thought you had to do what you did."

"I can live with that," I release a shaky breath and shake his hand.

Solana gravitates towards me and Ace again and Cole allows it. He walks back around the table over to Griffin and promptly punches him square in the nose. The bones break with a sickening crunch and blood pours down his front.

"Ah! What the fuck was that for?" His nose is already healed before the end of his sentence.

Cole punches him again, re-snapping the bones and draining more blood. "That's for keeping this shit a secret for the last four years."

"Enough, Cole. He was only doing as I asked. He's a loyal friend." Solana defends Griffin from any more of her brother's fists.

Cole stands there with his hands at his hips, steaming with rage. He's so angry he hardly knows what to do with himself. Ace gestures for us to wait him out and let him steam for a minute before continuing.

Slowly he does just that. His anger, like sand in the ocean, settles back down to the bottom. We need to wade gently lest we kick up the sand again.

He drags a hand down his face and rubs his chin. "We need to tell mom. If Elena really is behind this we need to be careful with what information we share and with whom."

"We couldn't agree more," Solana says. "Which is why we need you to help soften the blow when we bring Hunter to the Grove. Mom will be less likely to kill on sight with you and Griffin behind us."

— — —

Solana

Telling my brother the truth wasn't a walk in the park but it proved to be easier than I had expected. I'm hoping the inverse doesn't apply to my parents where it'll be more difficult than I expect.

We discussed with Cole and Griffin for a while on how and where to meet with our parents. There are several non-negotiables that need to be followed. The most crucial of them being that neither Dex nor Elena can find out that we are meeting with my parents. Not even a whisper in the wind can reach their ears or else we'll be compromised.

Pulling my parents out of the Grove for an emergency meeting would raise many eyebrows, and it would expose the secret locations of their safehouses. Showing up in the Grove for a meeting would be just as suspicious.

Historically there has always been one place that they frequently travel to outside of the Grove, a place where I have close connections of my own. Caligo.

While my brother and Griffin went off with the guys to catch up and strategize, I texted my mother.

"Nightshade requests an audience."

Just as I had predicted, she texted back, "Caligo. 10pm tonight."

She'll bring my dads and Xander, no doubt. As their beta, Runidar might come. Ideally I'd also have Ember and Mia, Hunter's mom, to support us. It might be too much, too soon to have his parents there, but if it were my son then I'd want to be there the night he was redeemed. I notify my mom to bring those four people with her tonight, and although she doesn't respond, I know she'll honor my request.