Chapter 9: Blood Truth
785 Words
Seraphine’s POV
I sat on the edge of the bed with my knees pulled up tight against my chest.
The room felt too choky tonight and every creak of the pack house made my heart jump.
Outside my door the guard hadn’t said a word since Rhydian left hours ago.
My wrist still burned where Rhydian grabbed me earlier, from memories that refused to fade away. I rubbed the spot hard with my thumb, but it didn’t help.
Down the hall voices started again. I pressed my ear to the door but all I caught was Rhydian’s angry voice.
My stomach twisted. I knew they were talking about me.
The arguing stopped suddenly and footsteps came closer.
Quickly I backed off, and the door opened without a knock.
Rhydian stood in the doorway, staring at me as if he was so full of questions.
I stood up slowly, my legs shook badly.
“Alpha?” the guard asked behind him.
“Out,” Rhydian said.
The guard left and the door was half closed.
Rhydian didn’t move from the doorway, he just kept looking at me.
I wanted to say something, but he spoke first.
“Eldric ran tests.” He said roughly. “Your blood.”
My heart slammed once.
He walked in fully, but the door stayed open behind him.
“He says it matches.” He swallowed. “Exactly. Same lunar resonance, and signature, down to the last vibration.”
I felt the blood drain from my face, and my fingers went cold. I couldn’t say a word.
Rhydian’s hands clenched at his sides. “Seraphine is dead.” He said, trying to convince himself. “I held her. I felt her heart stop, I carried her body back myself and I buried pieces of her dress under the old oak because I couldn’t bury all of her.”
His voice cracked on the last word. Then I took a small step toward him. “Rhydian—”
“No.” He held up one hand. “Don’t.”
He turned away quickly, stopped and turned back at me.
“I tore the first report in half and threw it in the fire. I told Eldric he was either blind or lying to my face.”
He laughed bitterly. “He was so certain and pulled out another set. Said he ran it three times with three different mystics, but got same result every time.”
Rhydian dragged a hand down his face and looked at me again.
“My wolf goes quiet when you’re close.” His voice dropped lower. “He hasn’t done that since… since her. He paces and snarls and rips at me every waking second, except when you walk into a room. Then he lies down.”
My throat closed up.
“The mark on your ribs glowed tonight.” He pointed at my side even though the dress covered it now. “Right when Lysandra tried to force the ritual. It lit up as if it was answering something like a remembrance.”
He took another step closer, but I didn’t move back.
“When you touched my wrist earlier…” He swallowed, “It felt as if every broken piece inside me clicked back together for two seconds.”
“I keep remembering things,” he said.
“The way you knew exactly where to press your thumb on my neck when the nightmares came. I woke up shaking and you were already there, whispering the same words she used to use. ‘Breathe with me, just breathe.’”
His voice broke completely on the last sentence and a tear rolled down my cheeks. I wiped it away immediately.
“If this is a trick,” he said quietly, “it’s the cruelest one anyone ever played on me.”
I shook my head. “It’s not a trick.”
His eyes looked terrified.
“Then what is it?” he asked. “Tell me what it is.”
I stayed silent.
Rhydian’s face changed. “Eldric thinks maybe… your soul found a way back, through the witch body. Maybe old resurrection magic.”
He looked at me, still terrified.
“If that’s true, then you’ve been here watching me fall apart with Lysandra next to me. You’ve been seeing my betrayal and confusion.”
I saw pain in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “If it’s you… I’m so sorry.”
My chest hurt so bad I couldn’t breathe.
He stepped even closer to me.
“I’m taking you somewhere tomorrow,” he said. “Places only Seraphine knew. Places we never showed anyone else. If you’re her… you’ll remember.”
- Writer
