Chapter 260 The weakening 2

Chapter 260: Chapter 260 The weakening 2

Talia’s POV

Kaelen’s hand found mine, and his fingers were warm through the cloth. "She survived, Talia."

"I know," I said. "But seeing this, Kaelen... it makes it real. She was here, or a Silvertongue lady was here, and they walked through this same ground."

Jax looked around at the dead trees, with his voice quieter than usual. "They walked through this nightmare and survived, Luna. Your mother and all the Silvertongues are strong. But your mother herself, she is stronger than I thought."

I looked up at Jax. "She is the strongest person I know, Jax. Besides all of you."

I tucked the fabric into my pocket. It was a small piece of my mother, and I would carry it with me.

Kaelen helped me to my feet. "We keep going, Talia."

I nodded. "We keep going."

We stopped to rest a while later. The others were a few feet away, giving us privacy.

Kaelen sat beside me, with his back against a dead tree. The welts on his neck were still visible, but the cloth was holding.

"I can feel it getting worse, Kaelen," I admitted, with my voice low. "My magic. It is not just fading anymore, it is like something is actively pulling it out of me."

Kaelen looked at me. "Malachai?"

I shook my head. "I do not know, Kaelen. But it is getting harder to breathe, and harder to think."

"Is it also getting harder to walk?" he asked.

I nodded. "I do not know how much longer I can keep going like this, Kaelen."

He reached over and took my hand, and his fingers were warm through the cloth. "Then we slow down, Talia. We take breaks, and we do whatever we need to do."

"Kaelen, we do not have time," I said. "My mother is out there, and she is running out of time."

"And you are running out of strength, Talia," he said. "If you collapse, we cannot move at all."

I looked at him, and I felt the tears prick at my eyes. "I do not want to be the reason we fail, Kaelen."

"You are not," he said. "You are the reason we are still going, Talia."

I leaned into him, and his arm wrapped around me. "What if I cannot do this, Kaelen?"

"Then I will do it for you, Talia," Kaelen said.

"What if I cannot save her?" I asked.

"Then I will save her for you," he said again.

I looked up at him. "You would do that, Kaelen? For me?"

He pressed his lips to my forehead. "I would do anything for you, Talia."

Piper walked over, with her voice soft. "Talia, are you okay?"

I nodded, wiping my eyes. "I am fine, Piper. Just tired."

Piper sat beside me. "We are all tired, Talia. But we are not giving up."

Jax walked over, with his voice lighter than before. "Piper is right, Luna. We have come this far, and we are not turning back now."

Silas stepped forward, with his voice calm. "There is a path ahead, Luna. It leads toward the fortress."

Cain spoke from the shadows. "I will scout ahead, Alpha."

Kaelen nodded. "Be careful, Cain."

Cain disappeared into the gray landscape.

Jax looked at the path ahead, his voice flat. "So, we are really doing this, Piper. Walking into the heart of enemy territory."

Piper shook her head. "Jax, stop being dramatic."

"I am not being dramatic, Piper," Jax said. "I am being realistic."

"You are being dramatic," Piper repeated.

"I am being realistic," Jax countered.

"You are still being dramatic," Piper said again.

Jax threw his hands up. "Fine. I am being dramatic. Happy now, Piper?"

Piper smiled. "Very happy, Jax."

I looked at the path ahead, and I felt the weight of everything pressing down on me. But I also felt the warmth of Kaelen’s hand in mine, and the presence of my pack around me.

"I am scared," I admitted, my voice soft. "But I am not going to stop, Piper. My mother is out there, and she needs me."

Kaelen squeezed my hand. "Then we go, Talia."

I took a breath, and I stepped forward. The gray sky stretched out before us, and the dead trees lined the path.

Jax fell into step beside Piper. "You know, Piper, I think you are actually enjoying this."

Piper looked at Jax. "Enjoying what, Jax?"

"Watching me suffer," Jax said.

Piper smiled. "Maybe a little, Jax."

Jax shook his head. "I knew it. I knew you were secretly enjoying my pain."

Silas walked beside them. "Jax, everyone enjoys your pain."

Jax gasped. "Silas! That is harsh."

"It is true," Silas said.

Jax looked at Kaelen. "Alpha, are you going to let them talk to me like this?"

Kaelen did not look back. "I am not your keeper, Jax."

Jax sighed. "Now I know that I am surrounded by enemies."

Piper laughed. "You are surrounded by friends, Jax."

"That is worse," Jax said.

I laughed, and the sound carried through the gray silence. It was a small thing, but it felt important.

I looked ahead at the path, and I gripped my pendant. Somewhere out there, my mother was waiting.

I whispered to myself. "I am coming, Mother. I am coming."

Kaelen heard me. "She is waiting for you, Talia."

I looked at him. "I know, Kaelen."

Piper moved to walk beside me. "We are going to find her, Talia. I know we are."

I looked at Piper. "How do you know, Piper?"

Piper smiled. "Because I believe in you, Talia."

Jax walked on my other side. "And because we are too stubborn to fail, Luna."

I laughed despite everything. "That is true, Jax."

Silas spoke from behind us. "It is also because we have no other choice, Luna."

Cain reappeared, with his face grim. "The path is clear, Alpha. But the fortress is close. I could see it in the distance."

Kaelen nodded. "How close, Cain?"

Cain looked at me, with his eyes steady. "A day’s walk, Luna. Or maybe less."

I felt my heart pound. A day’s walk. My mother was a day’s walk away.

"Then we keep moving," I said. "We do not stop until we get there."

Kaelen took my hand. "Together, Talia."

I squeezed his hand. "Together, Kaelen."

We walked forward into the gray landscape. The dead trees stretched out before us, and the silver dust hung in the air.

But I was not afraid.

I had Kaelen beside me, Piper on my other side, Jax cracking jokes behind us, Silas watching our backs, and Cain scouting ahead.

I had a family that had chosen me, and there was no doubt in my heart that I would find my mother.