Chương 8: Chapter 7: "Are you nervous?"

Rebekah whispers, making Zayne look down at her, they stand outside a small cottage, it looks like something off of a puzzle box. Summertime in Alaska has the sun casting a faint gray glow on the stone walls, the glass reflecting odd colors over the rocky yard. Even though it's well past eight p.m.

He gives a faint shrug, smiling slightly as she nudges him closer to the door, "Then why are we still standing here?" she whispers.

He trudges up the steps, taking them one at a time, making Rebekah sigh loudly, he chuckles at her impatience. Going around him, she opens the door dragging him the rest of the way. Her excitement is tangible now, though as he had watched her over the last several days her eyes had been hollow.

Vor sits on the couch drinking a big mug of something steaming, her dreads piled high on top of her head. She squints at both of them glancing at the large clock over the fireplace. "You're late." she scoffs,

"Hardly" Rebekah sniffs plopping down next to the girl, laying her head in her lap. "You are late," a woman says from the kitchen making Zayne stiffen. He wasn't sure what to expect, an old witch figure from a movie, someone ugly and stooped over with a snaggle tooth.

But his grandmother barely looked over thirty. Though her hair, fashioned the same as Vor's, was salt white the thick locks braided tightly down her back. She had Zayne's eyes, or he should say he had her eyes. His mother had favored Addeline, with her high cheekbones, thin lips, and a broad smile. She comes around the couch, dressed in the same fashion he remembers his mother dressing. A plain t-shirt, leggings, and a baggy cardigan. Even her house resembles how his house had looked, though he didn't remember that until now. Dead flowers hung upside down on the walls, plants covering every surface, the color scheme all browns and grays. He couldn't hide his smile as he saw that anything and everything had been used as a flowerpot, from the basic clay set up, to coffee cups of every shape and size.

Addeline now stood before him, her face holding a secret smile, her hand came up and cupped his cheek, making him jump at the shock. A memory hit him making him sway, a sketchbook of his mothers had pictures full of his Grandmothers face. Her small smile, and gentle eyes with smile lines around them. She had one dimple, just like he did, and a dusting of freckles that his mother had.

Without thinking he pulled her into his arms, she made a sound of surprise but didn't pull away, instead, she squeezed him back.

"It's good to finally meet you little sunburst" she whispers making him squeeze tight, swallowing hard. He pulled back looking away from her, knowing Vor and Rebekah watched them carefully, the room felt tight. Rubbing the back of his neck he noticed he could not read Addeline or Vor. They must hide their energy. But Rebekah beamed at them, happiness making her yellow glow taller.

"The others are also late, are you hungry?" Addeline says breaking the silence, and Zayne only shakes his head no. "Your body will require fewer nutrients now that the seal is broken." Addeline agreed going back to the kitchen, she hands Rebekah a steaming mug making her smile "Tea?" she offers, Zayne only shakes his head walking around the small space.

The cottage was designed like a loft, the kitchen and living room were one big space, with a staircase that led to an open bedroom. He assumed the one door he saw was to a bathroom. He had imagined the walls would hold pictures and happy memories, instead all empty spaces held tall bookcases. Running his finger along the spines of homemade notebooks, similar to the ones his mother used to make, he stopped suddenly on one with a cracked spine.

Addeline and Vor spoke quietly in the kitchen, and Rebekah dozed on the couch, tea still in hand. No one stopped him from pulling it out, even though he felt like he was doing something he shouldn't be. Opening the old pages, he saw his mother's art style, the book full of different wolves, larger than a horse, next to trees for context on size. He assumed they were drawn so large because she just wasn't very good at drawing yet. No way a wolf would grow to that size. Other pages held other absurd creatures, like an odd hedgehog-looking one with its nose and legs too long. He ran a finger over a knobby tree creature when someone spoke, "She was quite the artist," a bored voice says, making him drop the book spinning around his hand over his heart. A dark-skinned woman with long thick dreadlocks stared at him, she was his height but thicker. Scanning over her he could not see a speck of fat, she was all corded muscle.

She picked the sketchbook up skimming over the pages, "She was about eleven when she drew these." she informed him handing the book back, "I'm not at all surprised that out of all these notebooks, you found an old one of Aethalia's" she gave him an appraising nod "Names Magnus." Tilting her head to the side when he didn't take the book back, she pushed it firmly into his chest before walking away.

"You're late," Vor calls from the kitchen, Magnus just waves her away joining Rebekah on the couch who smiles at the woman sweetly before closing her eyes again. Zayne's heart slowed as he clumsily put the book back where it was, wiping his hands on his jeans. They were all comfortable with the fact that she just came out of nowhere. No warning. Twisting the ring with the runes on it over his finger he sat down next to Rebekah as the door opened again. A petite red-headed woman shut the door yawning big, "I hate these early mornings" she chirped, a thick French accent making her words sound enchanting. Zayne raised his eyebrows in surprise, though it shouldn't be a shock that there would be Auromni in different countries. Then he glanced at the clock and saw it was almost ten p.m., this was the morning to her?

"Oh! Addeline he looks just like you," the redhead squeals rushing up to Zayne, though he could not sense the other three, he could definitely feel her. She was like rich spice bread with cloves, a hint of orange, her aura a silverish blue that danced fluidly around her. He was surprised to see that it wafted out and tangled with Rebekah's soft yellow, mixing making a lime-colored mixture where they touched. Magnus rolls her eyes seeming to waft it away, "You didn't tell her she was late." she mumbles making Vor scoff, "It goes without saying."

She sits on Rebekah's other side nodding towards Addeline who brings out two other mugs, "Severine is always late. Can we get on with this?" she sighs glancing up at the clock nervously. "Patrol comes back in two hours." Rebekah opens her eyes to this glancing up at the clock her face going from relaxed to tense.

Zayne watched Severine's aura cover the gray edges of Rebekah's making that pretty green again. Rebekah relaxes again, smiling over at the woman with a knowing look.

"Zayne, I know Rebekah has filled you in slightly on what you are," Addeline says, finally sitting on the couch, with her own steaming mug. He only nods, "So you know you're a Seior, and you know that we don't really know much of what that means." Magnus says tucking her feet under her, her expression bored.

Severine smiles sweetly at Zayne who blinks at them irritation rising, Rebekah hadn't really said that. That they didn't know what exactly his abilities were.

"Then what the fuck am I supposed to do then?" he starts, Vor leans forward giving him a stern look, "The first thing you're going to do is watch your fucking mouth in front of a recognized auromni. Your grandmother no less. Have some fucking respect." this makes Severine giggle and Magnus sigh.

Addeline waves them all away, "This is going to be a frustrating process but your mother gave very specific instructions for us for when you arrived." At the mention of his Mother Vor makes a face falling back on the couch, Rebekah takes her friend's hand and smiles at Zayne. "It's all going to make sense according to Aethalia. Like I said before, Auromni and Seior's abilities are the opposite. And they have been killed off for generations." Severine looks away at this, her aura becoming tight as she wraps her arms around her torso. "This will be a learning curve for all of us." Rebekah finished squeezing the redhead's hand.

"If Mom knew how to do all of this what was the point in her offing herself," Zayne says his agitation growing again, pain stabbed his chest at the thought. Rubbing the spot, unsure how to handle the strong emotion he sniffs indifferently.

"Seems like a waste of knowledge." He grumbles he notices Rebekah gripping Vor's hand looking up at her with sad eyes. "She did it for you. Because she sealed your abilities with the condition that they wouldn't be unsealed until you were ready." Vor snaps gritting her teeth at him.

The realization hit him at that moment, like a punch to the gut, "She was your mom too," he nods understanding her frustration towards the subject.

How hard it must have been to grow up not knowing your mom, knowing she would never get to meet her because she was with her other child. Absorbed in his destiny rather than wanting anything to do with your own. Addeline rests a hand on her granddaughter as Vor snarled as if she was about to say something but Magnus cut her off, "Aethalia had her way of doing things, she was very powerful. Let's get started." She stands wiggling her fingers at everyone,

"Come on then." Severine stands taking Magnus's hand, they follow them to the back deck.

"What exactly are we doing then?" Zayne calls from the back of the group, shutting the door behind him. Severine smiles brightly back at him pointing to the smooth stones in the middle of the garden, they are set in a circular pattern the gray light of the evening sun showing different colors in each stone.

"It's called a trance circle. Aethalia has buried training in you when you were young and moldable." She sits down on one of the stones holding her hand out. "We are going to dig it out." Magnus finishes sitting on the other side of Severine with a sigh. Zayne hesitates as Rebekah sits next to Vor holding her hand out to him.

"I thought you weren't Auromni?" he sits next to her nervously and she nods. "Yes. That is correct." Rebekah smiles lacing her fingers in his squeezing him. That same sensation returning at the contact of her skin, like she was grounding him, everything seemed to focus on her.

"She's our lightning rod so to speak." Vor says looking at him wearily, "Zayne, you're going to see things that aren't your memories, just like we will see your memories." Addeline explains at the head of the circle giving him an encouraging smile, she gestures for him to take off the ring. Obliging he sets it next to her grabbing Severine and Rebekah's hands.

"This seems like a lot of work. Why couldn't she just train me? Why did she do all of this extra shit?" Zayne's irritation grew, feeling overstimulated at the feel of everything touching him. With the ring removed, he felt every tree, every blade of grass, every breath each person attached to him. It was too much. The group shuddered to rush to release their hands. Rebekah held firm squeezing again.

"Couple of things you need to think about, we pull energy from other things and manipulate it, you pull energy and push it back out as your own energy," Vor snaps shaking her hands, "So if you could keep a lid on it." Addeline gives her a look and looks back to Zayne,

"There is a reason why the older generation cares for the younger. We are more powerful because we know our own abilities and strength. But a young Auromni has extreme power. They have no idea how to use it. Like an electric fence with no pulse. It just grabs on and keeps pushing." Magnus clears her throat, Addeline nods towards her "Your mother was extremely powerful. But you are not an auromni, once you got to a certain age, she couldn't control your power. Especially through puberty. She taught you everything she could, and capped it to protect herself and most importantly protect you." She nods to Severine who pulls Zayne's attention to her by squeezing his hand, a light current shooting through him "Since you've taken off the ring, I'm sure you feel the ongoing current between us," he nods in response. Trying to keep his anxiety on the back burner, Severine starts "If you were just holding one of our hands you would completely drain us. That's why Rebekah is very important for this trance. Your mother did not have us to rely on. And she couldn't bring you back, because Eerikki and his Father were on a rampage looking for people like you." She swallows at this, and Zayne feels the jolt of sadness, it was hot and sharp. "This was the best option. Eerikki believes the Seiors are all dead," Magnus finishes pulling his attention to her.

"Why is Eerikki so afraid of us?" Vor groans loudly at his question, "Enough we have a time limit, come on now. Everyone shut your eyes and get to it." Addeline laughs at Vor's outburst, "Zayne you are going to close your eyes and breath in our presence. Again, you are going to see memories that aren't yours and we will see yours as well. Don't be alarmed." Zayne tried to reign in his temper at Vor readjusting himself on the cold stone, feeling cheated in the sibling department.

It wasn't his fault for their mother's decisions. He looks down to see Severine has let go of his hand again rubbing her arm, "Sorry love, it's just such a grab." She titters, the others rub their shoulders glaring at him. Rebekah remains hand in hand she glances up at him through her lashes, "Just focus on me. Ok?" she gives a reassuring smile and he can only nod.

Closing his eyes, Severine takes his hand and he focuses solely on Rebekah.

The weight of her, how soft her hands are, the smell and warmth of her. It was easy to get lost, he could hear her talking, laughing. The way she felt free when she ran through the woods, the buoyant happiness on her chest.

"Rebekah, you don't have a choice," a man said to her, Zayne seemed to see this from her point of view. She respected this man, had a deep love for him. "It's for the best of us." He said wiping hot tears from her face, she tried to stop them she needed to be brave. But the sobs racked her chest, so young to have something so heavy put on her.

She ran, not feeling buoyant, but feeling caged, trapped, wanting to be free. She was older, she felt anger, betrayal, but the thing that stuck to Zayne's ribs the most was the feeling of absolute defeat. Her body ached her throat raw from screaming.

"If your own family cannot keep you here, then what is the point in me sparing them?" Eerikki asked holding Rebekah's face tightly, Zayne felt her cheeks biting into her teeth, but she could only focus on the smell of blood on his fingers. When he dropped her, she scrambled on the wet ground, leaves sticking to her palms as she crawled to the man from before, "Dad, dad no please," her voice was raspy, but the man was rigid. Cold. He had forgotten her. His eyes, the same shade of green as hers, stared up at the sky, empty.

Pain ripped through Zayne for Rebekah as she curled up next to him sobbing, guilt making her head pound. She wanted to seep into the ground with her father's blood. It was her fault they were all dead. Her mother. Her brother. And now her father.

"Come down Vor!" she laughed the memory spinning somewhere else. They were in a grassy field Vor high up in a tree hanging upside down. "You come up!" Vor laughed her hair not yet dreaded, but in curled ringlets that hugged close to her full face. They were young, around six or seven. Zayne again saw everything from Rebekah's point of view as she looked up at her friend. Fear sitting low in her belly, "I belong on the ground," Rebekah sniffed catching the smell of something in the wind. She turned towards the woods, where she knew her father and brothers were building. "Someone new is here?" Vor dropped down the tree to stand next to her friend. She was much taller than her already, making Rebekah look up at her. "Who?" she whispered wrapping her arms around her chest, "We should find Mom," Vor said but Rebekah pulled away from her grasp, her point of view shifting as she ran through the trees. "Wait!" Vor hissed following unable to keep up.

They both stopped short of the construction, hidden behind lumber, Rebekah's oldest brother Levi glancing over to see them. He winked holding a finger to his mouth turning back to the house.

Zayne recognized Eerikki, standing next to a man who looked identical to him, only older. "You've come back for another visit then?" Rebekah's father said glancing back at the woodpile. No doubt knowing the girls hid there. Vor gripped Rebekah's hand pulling her away, "Come on, Mama said we should stay away from them." Vor hissed into her ear.

The memory shifted to someone else entirely, Zayne watched as Magnus handed Severine a bundle of blankets. The baby crying loudly. Who Zayne now realized was Eerikki's father stood at the doorway watching with cold silver eyes, "The gender?" Severine grabbed the bundle, he saw the baby from her point of view. This had been the third time. Please be a girl she said over and over in her head. Magnus remained silent backing away from the man looking at Severine with pity. "Gannon, wait," Severine gasped as the man ripped the child from her. Dread filled her as he tore the blanket away to expose the child's naked body. "Please," Severine whispered her body weak from delivery, she crawled towards the end of the bed, reaching for the screaming baby boy.

"Levi!" Vor called running alongside August who clamped his fingers around hers possessively. They were around ten, Rebekah's oldest brother turned to grin at them. "What report do you have for me?" he dropped on his knee embracing them both, "Rebekah won't play with us." Vor sniffed and August nodded looking at Vor. "She's busy right now." Levi gestured towards the tall house, the fresh wood still unpainted. Vor looked up at the house, having a mixture of emotions from excitement to dread. She knew Eerikki and Gannon were in there, that's why August was here in the first place. "They are making nice," August reassured her whispering something in Levi's ear. The man's smile faltered, Zayne was seeing him from Vor's perspective, but it was so odd to see the resemblance. He had the same oak green eyes as Rebekah, the same teeth, and the same shaped face. But where Rebekah's skin was fairer, her brother's was more olive, her hair dark brown, his matched the almost black of their father. Did he take after their mother?

"Rebekah!" a woman called from the porch as Rebekah ran down the steps "I won't!" she screeched up at the woman who put her hands on her hips. Vor recognized the woman as Rebekah's sister, another woman followed, who was her mother. Vor backed up from Levi to go to Rebekah, but he held up a large hand. "Best let them sort this one out," he glanced down at August, who looked confused. "She isn't excited?" he didn't seem to understand.

Zayne filtered through each memory, slowly they all went from Magnus to Severine to Addeline, to Vor. Them all showing Zayne Rebekah's life at different stages, seeing the love she held for her family. Seeing peaks into who they were and how they were affected by her life. Eerrikki had come for her, Gannon had brought Severine into the fold. Magnus had always been with Addeline as had Vor. Severine stayed after Gannon was gone, Zayne had no idea where he had went. The memories blurred together. Until every time he turned, he was at a different spot in her life.

To Rebekah and Vor wrestling as toddlers on the forest floor, to her sleeping next to her sisters and brothers warm in the snow. The sky above them. To the fear of every time Eerikki and his father came. To the delight of spending her days with her family.

He learned that Rebekah's father, Salomon, had multiple women who had borne his children. Almost all of her siblings were half. It was hard to know who was actually related to her though because she referred to everyone as her family in her thoughts.

She grew up with Ople and Gray, Xander was a teenager in these memories but Zayne recognized him in the different moments. Aaron showed up later but wasn't with Eerikki's family. He knew that much.

Rebekah was showered with love her whole life, dark moments twisted in. Then one by one he watched all of them die. Just as she had. Watched her help burn their bodies, her spirit becoming more and more hardened. The memories came faster and faster, every mistake Rebekah made resulted in gut-wrenching guilt as she resulted in the death of someone else. Until he felt her actually break. The strong resolve she had, the fierce protective nature, the stubbornness. Shattered as she buried one after another. Children, adults. It was unclear what actions she took that resulted in this, but Eerikki always let it be known that it was her fault. Or her father's softness.

He felt her shatter into a million pieces.

"For life," Eerikki said holding Rebekah's cold hands. She looked up at him, this memory more recent. Zayne felt the dread in her chest looking out at her remaining family. Ople, Gray, Xander, and Aaron were all the remains of her previous life. Aside from Vor, Addeline, Magnus and Severine stood at the tree line. Eerikki bent down and kissed her, and she wanted to vomit. Why hadn't she agreed to this sooner? So many dead. Because of her.

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