Sophia's POV
My joy was short lived as Noah flew out the back door and sprinted our way.
"She's gone. Mom. Dad. Ella is gone..."
"What do you mean she is gone? Raine was just with you both, how could she be gone?"
"Mom she was there one minute and then the room exploded in color. By the time I stopped rubbing my eyes the bed was empty. Like I said, she is gone."
My heart was pounding like it was trying to break free of my chest. This was just too much. How much could possibly go wrong in one day. Squeezing my hand I looked down at my barely conscious mate as he tried to whisper something. I leaned closer to his lips so I could hear. Use GPS.
How did I forget? When I first connected with Gaea she installed a link that I called GPS to each of the kids.
Gaea, I know you are tired but please...find Ella.
I would never be too tired for that Sophia...she is still in this world and still knocked out from using her powers.
Okay, not much can you pinpoint her location.
Unfortunately no. Whoever has her is currently moving so I can't get an accurate read on them. I will keep trying.
"Okay, Noah relax. Gaea is tracking them. They are still moving so she cannot get an accurate read."
Standing up I release Knox's hand and face our pack.
"Everyone please listen up as we don't have much time. The danger is not over as my daughter Ella has been taken. If any of you have any information please come forward.
Now I need the common area cleaned up. The bodies of our dead need to be burned and their families informed. Alex and Jane please handle the notifications and burial preparations. Vlad I need you and your best assisting me with Ella, meet me in Knox's office.
Raine you and Noah take Knox to the infirmary so that he can be cleaned up and give some fluids. Knox don't argue with me right now I need you to recover as fast as possible so please sleep and allow the doctors to help you. Noah do not leave your father's side.
Vlad feel free to have one of your men transport your dead home with my deepest apologizes. Warriors please stay on guard we don't know what else is out there. If I could have the witches of the pack gather up the Council member's bodies and do what needs to be done to ensure none of them pop back up ever. I don't want to take any chances in case any of them have multiple lives."
Taking a deep breath I let it out as I let the day's events roll off my back. Now was not the time to waver, my daughter needed me.
"Thank you all. Proceed."
Turning I gave Knox a kiss as Raine transported him and Noah out of sight. People were pitching in all around. Picking up broken tables and chairs to use to burn the bodies. Some people were pulling the bodies in a line for easy identification. Beside me Vlad grabbed my arm and pulled me inside.
I had to stay strong, I could not collapse yet. But where was she? Who would want Ella? It didn't make any sense.
Any luck Gaea?
No, but I won't give up.
With not knowing how I got there, I was placed in Knox's big chair and a plate of food was shoved in front of me. Vlad instructed me to eat while he dealt with his men and their dead. As I slowly picked up and ate, not tasting anything, my mind wandered over all the possible scenarios that we could face.
Who has her? What do they want? Where are they? Could it be Mae? Has she come out of hiding?
"Stop it Sophia, you will drive yourself crazy. We will find her. I have my own trying to track her as well. Not many have the ability to appear and disappear with a small child. We are locating the ones we know of. That power is very rare one and no many possess it. Actually 5 that did, well we can cross them off the list."
Ah, the council members. Of course they would have that ability but who else? A knock at the door startled us. Vlad made his way over to open it and reveal on of our pack witches.
"My Queen, if I may speak with you."
"Of course Patricia, please come in."
"My Queen, if I may speak freely...Did you truly know your ex-husband? I mean no disrespect but when he stood on the stage before his neck was snapped, I sensed a weird magic surrounding him. It was hard to place but me and my sister after viewing his body figured it out."
"Please proceed Patricia. What did you figure out?"
"Did your ex have any tattoos or markings on his body that you know of?"
"No he did not. Why."
"That is what I was afraid of. If I may ask you to join me outside where my sister is still examining the body. It would be best to just show you."
Looking over at Vlad, we nodded in agreement. Pushing my empty plate aside I grabbed the water bottle and headed back out to see what was going on. As we approached the small group I noticed that they had removed Brian's shirt to expose the intricate design of tattoos that covered his torso. I definitely know those were not there when I last saw him before today that is.
The group of witches took a step back as I examined his body. You could make out weird words and symbols but I wasn't sure what language it was.
"Vlad does this mean anything to you?"
Shaking his head no, he continued to study them from over my shoulder. He could make out some symbols but not many. The group parted further as Knox appeared and knelt at the other side.
Holding up his hand he stopped me from speaking. "Enough mate, I am fine. All healed up and have eaten and rehydrated. Stop fussing over me. Now will someone tell me what the hell I am looking at?"
Patricia stepped forward. "My King. It appears to be some kind of spell written into his skin with ink. We are trying to decipher it but none of us have seen this before."
"I have." A quiet voice spoke behind me. Turning I could see Raine staring down at the dead man's chest. Her face had gone pale white and her eyes widened.
We all waited as she continued to read over his chest. Slowly she reached down and grabbed my water bottle from me. Opening the lid she held out the bottle to me.
"My Queen if you could add some magic to this that would help greatly."
Reaching out I placed my finger over the small opening and allowed some magic to flow from my finger to the water turning it purple. Well I am definitely not drinking that now. We watched as Raine leaned down and poured the water over his torso. Before our eyes the tattoos either evaporated or were absorbed into the skin, leaving his chest blank once again.
Shocking everyone even more, the features of the dead man began to change. Where once laid the face of my ex, now laid the face of a stranger. A stranger who looked very similar to my ex, but not exact. Starring up at Raine I waited for the explanation.
"It is very old magic. Magic that was once prohibited to ever be used. The tattoos once imprinted onto the skin of a person, adjust their appearance to match that of the name engraved into his chest. Brian's name was written just above his heart in an ancient Fairy language. There is no Fairy alive that knows how to perform this magic, but we do know if it. Only someone very powerful has this ability or knowledge to pull this off."
I knew the answer but I just wanted it said out loud to confirm my assumptions but I was just to chicken to ask. Luckily my mate was not such a coward.
"Raine do you know anyone who is still alive that could pull this off?"
Raine stared down at the body once again before she looked between me and Knox. "I am afraid there is only one left alive that has this type of magic to pull this off. I am sorry my Queen but Mae, your grandmother is the only one I can think of."
And right then she confirmed my suspicions. The only thing I did not want to admit was staring me in the face. Mae, the woman who once gave me a fighting chance to live, was now involved in this mess. How was she connected?
Did she approach Brian and if so why? Why go through all this secrecy instead of just coming straight at me. At any time she could have ended my life with little effort. What was her end desire? And according to rumor Mae wanted no association what so ever with anything to do with the Council, so what did this mean?
Maximus admitted that he and James were the ones to put Brian in my path, but how did Mae tie into all of this? And did the Council know? If so what was their end game? Nothing made sense. But as I stared down at the body of a man that looked similarly close to my ex there was no denying the truth.
"Now what. How do I find Mae or Brian? One of them has my daughter and I want her back! Raine what can you tell me."
"My Queen, Mae has not been seen or heard from for over 150 years. The last known event she was a part of was back in 1839 when she took out a clan of elves in what is now northern North Dakota. She killed all 300 of them under an hour leaving nothing but smoke and ash behind. After that she disappeared to never be heard from again. No one knows why or where she is.
I guess if she possess this magic she could have changed her appearance and we would never know, but there is just no way to tell. According to the archives, they estimate her age to be over two centuries of age but no one knows for sure. For a witch that is unheard of. Most of their kind never make it past 500 years. Magic tends to grow with age and experience, making it too powerful for the human side to cope with and in the end that is their downfall. That is why in history witches are portrayed as crazy or unstable, leading to all of them being burned at the stake.
Mae was known as the Council's enforcer from the 1720's until she disappeared. She killed and eliminated many of our kind in those years. People feared her more than the Council, still do. She is lethal and malicious make no mistake on that. Just her name sends terror far and wide. Until recently many have gone into hiding to avoid placing them in her path...that was until you showed up that is."
Raine grew silent as everyone took in the little information she had. But it didn't make sense. If she was such a monster than why did she bind my magic to save me? Even Vlad agreed that if she did not do that then the Council would have found out about me quickly and I would have been killed immediately. So why try to protect me?
Nothing made sense.
Sophia...
Yes Gaea...
I found her...