The Journey of Two Sisters: Book 4 of the Kinstone series

(Marron)

I arrive at the Parkston ranch, having gotten lost while following the Edtrich members from the bar last night. I couldn’t believe that I had also overslept, choosing to pull off on the side of the road for the night.

Police, sheriffs, and the fire department were strewn about the property. The house has minor fire damage but even while still a hundred yards away there appears to be more.

I pull off some distance away, hiding my car under a dense patch of trees. Taking the guise of a state trooper, I climb out of my car and carefully make my way over to them.

Out along the main road, I see half a dozen cars had either crashed into the one in front of them or a few that flipped over and crashed into the ditches on one side on the road. The road itself appeared to have had something slam into it and melt it. A long stretching crater of cooled, melted asphalt streaked across the road leading towards the driveway. The only thing close that came to mind was that dragon strafed the road.

A small smile rose on my face. Aria.

I turn towards the driveway to see the fields run over by the SUVs from the ditches. I pan all around, seeing burnt husks of SUVs having been completely snuffed out by the fireman. A couple more appeared to have been cleaved in two.

“Only Orga could’ve done this,” I whisper. So the other two people with her are her knights. Makes sense, but again, why is she on the run? Why isn’t she home? I then remembered hearing how she had fled from a battle. What happened at her home that would’ve forced her to flee the Estate and her mother?

The police were handcuffing the Edtrich members, hauling them away from the front yard. I then saw a group of animal control officers escorting out a trio of Rottweilers from behind the house. Another pair of officers carefully laid a fourth into a bag. My eyes quickly trained onto the back of its neck, which appeared to have been grabbed by something massive and then snapped. Fenris.

One of the Edtrich members was still struggling as he was being arrested. The officers holding him tried to push him down, but were failing. One of them looked up at me. “Hey, we could use some help here.”

I hesitate for a moment but soon join the other officers pin him as they handcuff him.

As I stand up, I pan over to see Jon and Evie talking to several deputies with one of them I recognize of Matt Lancaster, who apparently is a lieutenant in the county’s sheriff’s department. I stay relatively hidden as I inch closer appearing to be looking over the scene. Littered around I see fragments belonging to a car of some kind.

I then hear several of the cruisers beginning to pull away, meaning that my cover might be blown pretty soon. I look over to them. Even with my worry for my sister growing, wanting to gleam any and all information I can about her from them, I hesitate.

I still have no idea how they’d react to me. Would they want to lash out at me, since what I did pretty much meant I betrayed the coven? I still want to know, but…I’m too scared to just simply go over and ask them.

With the sounds the cruisers now leaving, I turn back down the driveway.

“Marron!” I hear Evie shout out to me. “She headed north.”

I turn to see all three looking at me. None of them seemed angry at my being there. None of them appeared to want to race over and kill me. I stare into Evie’s eyes. They look as if to be filled with a mixture of worry and joy.

Why? I took Aria; I took her from her mother, and then abandoned her out of fear. According to the laws of the coven, you all should be rushing over to me, magic flaring and with the desire to kill me. But why, why are they happy to see me?

“Please...please find her and protect her,” she continues but now crying as Jon takes hold of her, nodding in agreement.

I nod to her and turn, heading back down the driveway. But…what will happen when I do find my sister? Will I stay with her, or will my guilt force me to leave her once more?

As I walk down the driveway, I hear her trying to shout something to me, but it’s drowned out by the sounds of trucks as they drive over the gravel road. I quickly duck out and over to my car, dropping the disguise. I slip inside and close my door. I hold there for a moment, wondering what my next move should be.

I peer back towards the ranch and the Parkstons. If Aria had to run again, then I have to find her. My sin may be too great for her to forgive, but I still have to find her. I insert the key and start the car.