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

(Me)

I wake up, groaning softly. I feel my hand tightly clenching onto something. I feel as though if I let go it’ll disappear forever. “Marron,” I whisper, almost whining.

“I’m here sweetie,” replies a voice, followed by a kiss to my forehead.

My cheeks burn softly as I open my eyes to see my sister lying beside me. She smiles gently as she strokes my cheek. “I’m right here, sweet Baby Ahri.”

I smile to her, having curled up tightly on the bed. She pulls me even tighter into her body, stroking my back. I bury my face into her chest. She plants another kiss onto my forehead. “You really are a baby now aren’t you?” she asks playfully.

I giggle softly.

The previous couple of nights have actually been the best for me in a long time. My nightmares seemed to have either dissipated or lessened to some extent, probably thanks in part to having Marron with me. I smile to myself, knowing that I have another of my pillars with me, supporting me again. I also would wake up early, having the constant fear that I would discover that she had left me. Childish I know, but I still worried over it.

She presses her head against mine, “Since you’re now awake, why don’t we see if breakfast has been made? If not, then we will make some.”

I nod, “Got it.”

She leans up and kisses my forehead as we rise off of the bed and leave the room.

It’s been several days since Marron joined us. The day after she did, she asked me to borrow Fenris for a while. I didn’t mind, especially when Marron said she was going to retrieve her car. I smiled, handing her the same cube that once housed my Sportage.

It still stings that I lost my car, but this gave us an option for travel. I watched as the pair disappears toward the clearing. They seemed to be chatting but they walked too far away for me to hear them.

Marron’s belongings were light, consisting of a single small bag. This however turned out to be yet another bag of holding similar to what Mom gave me. This meant she had everything she needed with her. I think it really helped her while moving from place to place.

We stayed hidden in the forest and far away from the main road. One would think to simply hit the road and hope for the best. But given how I now know that the other covens would more than likely be watching the roads and bus stops, it just seemed to be the better option to just stay put for the time being.

Fenris and I will go hunting for deer, not really caring about if we are caught. Heh, too far away from the road and no one can really hear a deer crying out as it’s dragged into a shadow. We also had the creek, which didn’t have much in the way of fish. But we still had a source of clean water. We did dig into the food reserves Mom gave us, having really not used them since we spent so much time at the Ranch.

I resisted the urge to call the Parkstons, wanting to hear from them. But I was worried that somehow my call could be traced and our location revealed. So I kept my phone stashed away in my bag.

I did however constantly check my bag if I received any letters from my aunts or Savero via the message stone. I really hadn’t sent either of them a letter since we fled the Ranch. Aside from the Xur’canah, the message stone was among the items I kept extremely close to me.

Marron and I would also go on daily walks with each other, finally feeling somewhat at peace for the first time in a while. We patrolled the makeshift perimeter we had erected a couple hundred yards away from camp, having placed wards and a barrier around us to both shield us from potential discovery while also acting as an early warning system again. I even placed a few kitsune wards to further strengthen our defense, albeit I’m still a very young kitsune so at best my enhancements will only go so far.

While I admit we are just hiding away (again), it’s better than trying to hit the open road. I still miss being at the Ranch with the Parkstons and their children, but I really can’t risk another chance of attack by another coven, something I know my knights and Marron can agree upon. The same risk applies to if another coven will spot us while traveling.

So for now, with the barriers and wards up, we can take a moment to simply rest. Plus I don’t have to worry about cops showing up.

Marron and my knights often spoke with each other. It was nothing serious like an interrogation, but more like they want to learn more about me from her and more about her. I often overheard the phrase, “two years ago” from her, something that’s become a reoccurring theme since the Ranch. I often sighed as I listened, remembering how chaotic it was for me.

This seems no different if not way worse. At least during that year I was still learning and slowly becoming who I am today. In the end, that truly marked the last gasps of my old life and the beginnings of my new one.

We took turns handling chores around the camp, cooking and cleaning mostly. Cooking inside the tent was interesting. While any smoke would pass harmlessly out of the tent, the smells of some of the dishes tended to cause the tent to stink a bit. That meant anything that couldn’t be cooked on the stove had to be taken outside. But meals were always inside.

There were a few times I fantasized that the five of us were a normal family just sitting around the table enjoying a meal. Yet the reality was anything but. A kid can dream right?

“Want to know something, sweetie?” asks Marron, as we walked among the trees.

I look to her as we continue on our walk, “What?”

She smiles, “I’m so proud of you for obtaining your ninth tail.”

I giggle, “Thanks, Marron.”

She pulls me close to her, “You’re welcome. But…how did you obtain it?”

I peer down to Fenris, who often joined us on our walks. “When I fought Diana, Fenris and I were in a tough spot. I was still incredibly injured and even the potion Mom gave me hadn’t fully healed me.”

She nods softly as she listens.

“Fenris then told me that we should fuse together in order that we could win,” I say, reaching over and stroking his fur.

“You…‘fused’ with Fenris?” she asks.

I nod, smiling softly, “He and I used to conduct experiments with our bond, only resulting in a single bad outcome. But he said that this was the purest form of that bond and only when I knew myself would it work. So I fully and completely embraced who I am and we fused. The extra power caused my ninth tail to grow.”

Marron’s grip tightened. “Hearing that makes what I did even more painful.”

I hug her tightly, “Marron, that’s all in the past. I still managed to survive and was able to make up with you again. So stop beating yourself up over it.”

She hugs me tightly in return, “Thank you, sweetie.” She then peers back at my bag, “You told me the only people who knew about the lantern were those who present at your home the day you learned about all your lineage and a vampire.”

I nod, “Arcturus even told me that Master Andriy told no one of it.”

“So how did Regulus learn of it?” she asks.

My shoulders shrug slightly, “I have no idea. It’s been gnawing at me ever since that night.”

I trust everyone who was there that day, and even Regulus told me that he couldn’t get to anyone on the Estate. I highly doubt he could’ve gotten to the gossip, because I never told them about the lantern.

Master Andriy was the one who told us to hide it away after becoming horrified when he saw that I had it. So who else could’ve told him? I sighed, pushing it away from my mind for the moment.

“So can you and Fenris fuse again?” she asks.

I shake my head, “We tried, but Fenris says that my heart is too chaotic right now.”

The wolf looks back to me, “You still bear much upon your heart. When it has settled, we will try again.”

I nod to him. With my nightmares still being a thing, I never can fully focus on remaining calm enough to steady my heart. I really wish I had somewhere to help settle both my heart and mind.

“Speaking of Arcturus,” says Marron, “I understand not wanting to contact the Coven, but why haven’t you contacted the Court? I am very certain they would want to come and snatch you up.”

I look up at her, “Two reasons, one of you which you can already guess.”

My sister stares at me for a moment and then pinches her nose, sighing, “Yeah…I guess when you have several dozen of their children show up at your home to come and murder will give you a few trust issues with them.”

“It’s not all of them that I don’t trust,” I reply. “I do trust Mom’s friends. In fact it was Kerrigan who told me about Arcturus being called away same as Mom and Master Titalos.”

“Who’s Kerrigan?” she asks.

My cheeks turn a soft pink as they warm up. “She’s the daughter of Sabine and Tobias Algernon. I met Lord Tobias at my birth family’s funeral, which surprised Mom when she saw him there.”

She nods, but notices my burning cheeks. A soft grin forms on her face, “So why are you blushing? Again, who is Kerrigan?”

I try to calm myself, but seeing her look at me didn’t help. “I met her in Rome last year. Her mom convinced my mom to let her take me out onto the city for a few hours the night before we flew back. We kept in contact afterwards and became friends.”

Her grin broadens, “Okay…what has you blushing about her then?”

I look away, “She…she’s a lilith and about your age. In fact her mom and younger sisters are liliths as well. She…she stayed with us after I fought Diana and we had several chances to talk with each other.” My cheeks turn even hotter, “She says that she claims me and I…I think she might be in love with me.”

Marron’s eyes grew wide, “Okay…first off you are way too young for her. Secondly a lilith? Dear lord, your mother must’ve flipped out at the idea of you two being together.”

I nod slowly, cheeks still burning. “Yukari said the same thing when I spoke with her before the attack. But…but Kerrigan really is a nice person. Granted a bit affectionate towards me.”

Marron leans back her head and sighs, “My baby sister with a lilith. Dear God.”

I giggle, “I did tell her that I had someone already, but she says that she will be there waiting for me.”

My sister again sighs, “Never going to happen.”

I let out another giggle. “The second reason is kind of obvious. If I had gone with the Arcturus, it would’ve painted an even bigger target on my back. Plus I never would’ve found you.”

Marron smiles, pulling me close to her. “A decision we both agree was for the best.”

I nod, clinging to her.

To be honest, it really was the main reason why I never wanted to contact the Court. I wanted to find Marron and make up her. I knew from the moment I left the Estate I needed her to be with me. With Mom gone, Marron is the only other pillar in my life alongside Fenris. If I had gone to be with Arcturus, it would have haunted me for the rest of my life.

So yeah, I was being either selfish or an idiot, take your pick.

The sun peeked through the trees overhead, its light filters through the slowly falling leaves.

Late September, I couldn’t believe how fast the year was going by. I giggle to myself as I remembered at the start of the year all I worried about was my final semester at Concordia and wishing for my trip to Japan to come all the faster. I really miss my aunts and want to be with them.

I pull out my phone and check the time. 11:48. I figure lunch won’t be too far off. Aside from walking the perimeter of our camp, I often spent time inside the tent trying to get more sleep. Marron insisted that we all do. Even with our defenses up, we still could not afford to lose any sleep.

I still ran over a few of the lessons Mom gave me to work on. Marron even helped me with a couple of the alchemy experiments, which one unfortunately poofed into nonexistence. I sighed and redid the experiment.

“Sweetie,” perks up my sister, “we should talk about plans for the future. You know, as well as I, that we can’t stay here forever. Eventually we will need to move on.”

I turn and lean up against a tree. “Yeah…I know. We were planning to head towards St. Louis.”

She smiles, “Aside from Jenn being there, it actually would be a good idea. With over half a dozen families living there, with several being rather powerful. You’d be surrounded by a lot of people who are probably worried sick about you.”

I sigh. It wasn’t just Jenn who is worried about me. Miss Elizabeth and her family live about an hour west of St. Louis. I haven’t spoken to them since fleeing the Ranch. There were several times when she wanted to take me into her home. I’d decline, with her sighing. She’d then said that as long as I’m safe, then it’ll be enough for her.

“Yet we still have the problem of openly traveling.” I tell her.

“Can’t argue with that,” she replies. “So if not St. Louis, then where?”

I think for a moment, crossing my arms. I look up at her, “Why not Seattle? I’ve never been then before.”

Marron’s face grows tense as I see her dart away with reluctance. Her head droops for a moment then nods. “Well, with a good chunk of the Coven living there, Regulus would think twice about trying to come after you. Even the other covens won’t even attempt to touch you there. Miriam would see to that.”

I nod, but come closer to her, “I’ll be with you Marron, like you’re with me.”

She pulls me to her, hugging me tightly and kissing my forehead. “Thank you sweetie.” She holds me close, rocking us a bit.

“So how are we going to get there?” she asks while still holding me. “Kateryna told me that her wave-rider can at most carry two people and you definitely do not have the stamina to fly there are as a dragon. Not to mention how cramped my car will be for us.”

She’s right. I’ve never really enjoyed long car rides, always boring to me. Even if we took backroads, it’d take us several days to reach Washington State while also having to keep a lookout for other covens. There’s no doubt my paranoia would kick into overdrive.

A light then popped into my head as I suddenly remembered we had another option, one that I am sort of glad I forgot I had. I look up to her smiling, “We’ll go by fairy road.”

She stares at me in confusion, “Okay…how do you know about that? Aside from texts.”

My smile warms, “Titania came to visit me a couple days before we were attacked and gave me the ability to create them. We even spent time practicing it.”

“Why would Titania give you the ability to create them?” she asks.

I giggle, “Well…she and I became friends and wanted to give me something to show her support of me. We’d send each other little notes. She also sent me little gifts, sometimes some candy and even a dress. I thought it was creepy at first, but soon got over it.” I lay my head onto her chest, “She also sent Mom home during the attack.”

Marron’s arms held me even tighter. I know it still stung for her what she did, but I didn’t care anymore about that. I just hope she will let it go as well.

She smiles, shaking her head, “I still can’t over the idea of you and the queen of Tir Na Nog are friends. I still remember when you told me how scared you were during your first encounter with her.”

I pop my head up to look at her.

“Well…I guess we have a plan then.”

I giggle, “Yep. So you do have the leyline coordinates from Miriam’s house?”

Her grip twitches. Again, I know she’s nervous about going to Seattle, and worse, facing Miriam. She looks to me, “Are you sure you need them? I mean, couldn’t you use GPS?”

“Fairy roads don’t work like that,” I reply. “Since I’ve never been there, I can’t simply create a portal to her house.” I give a small smirk. “It’s like saying I know where something is, but don’t know how to get there.”

She smirks and nods, “Okay sweetie.” She lets me go and takes out a pen and paper and begins writing them down. “I never thought my lessons on leyline mapping would ever be needed.” I giggle as I watch her. When she finishes, she hands the paper to me, “Here you go.”

I smile taking it form her, “Thanks Marron.” I look them over, and nod. “I need to make a phone call.”

Marron looks to me, “Calling Miriam?”

I nod, smiling, “Can’t just show up unannounced.”

She sighs, nodding, “Guess we can’t.”

I giggle, pulling out my phone. I turn it on for the first time in over a week and scroll through my contacts. My heart stops for a moment as I see both Home and then Mom’s numbers on the list. I fought the urge to dial them. I just…just thought if I did, then somehow she’d pick up and tell me that I can come home, that all of this was just one big dream. I sigh, finally ignoring both numbers and scroll to Miriam’s. I tap on it and hold the phone my ear.

I hear the phone ringing on the other end. I feel my heart pounding in my chest. I hadn’t spoken to Miriam since she came to visit the Estate, and it still stung what I said to her.

The ring then stops, “Hello?” answers a male voice. The man sound like he’s in his late-forties, but I recognize the tone as being similar to Sebastian’s.

“Yes, is Miriam Cu Callen available?”

I hear the man let out an exasperated sigh, “Who is this? I do pray that this is not prank call.”

I smile, “This is Aria Edge.”

The line goes silent for a moment. “One moment.”

A minute passes. I train my ear, trying to listen for any telltale sound or voice as the phone is carted around. I felt my stomach turning into knots. My nervousness grew as the seconds pass. There are times when calling your grandparents you grow nervous just as you about to hear their voice.

“Aria?”

“Hi Granny,” I giggle nervously.

“You have no idea how worried I’ve been, young lady,” she responds. “When Jonathan and Evelyn told me that you and your party had to flee the Ranch I feared the worst. And when you haven’t called anyone in the last few days, you again made me worry. But now I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am to hear your voice.”

I giggle softly, “Sorry about that. I kinda wanted to stay quiet. I was hoping to reach St. Louis but that turned into a bust.”

I sigh heavily, which sounds more like a growl, “Edtrich blew up my car when they attacked us. After that, I tried getting another car, but the dealership we went to turned out to be manned by people from Mythcia. We fought them off and then escaped.”

The line goes quiet.

“When we boarded a bus, I saw people from Hawkesvaine waiting for us at the next stop. We tried to slip into the woods but they came running after us and we fought them.”

“Hawkesvaine?” she bellows. “They were swayed to come after you as well?”

I nod, “They nearly got me. One of their members said that with my death, Colburn will be purged and they would take our place.”

“Purged?” her voice now sounding pissed. “They actually told you that?”

I nod, “Yep. Apparently Regulus has been promising all of the minor covens that if they capture me, they’ll take our place.”

She grumbles, “Of all the dirty tricks to pull. To promise the purging of a coven and to assume their place is unheard of.”

The line again goes silent.

“Unfortunately my dear, even with this startling information and with everything else dealing with you going on, we cannot make a move at this time. I will get into contact with Multhaine and Allister over this matter. Perhaps be able to build a bulwark against any future aggression. I know for a fact that neither hold any resentment towards you or your mother.”

I bite my lip, trying to hold back any tears that might form. With the second attack on my home by the other covens still fresh in my mind; I worry who else might turn on us. There’s no telling what the minor covens might do to anyone I know. My thoughts then wandered to all of my friends, worrying if they’re alright.

“I will inform the coven of this and tell them to be on alert,” she says. “Evelyn did confirm that Edtrich destroyed your car, so I will tell you this. I will buy you a brand new car for your sixteenth birthday.”

My eyes go wide, “Miriam, I can’t have you do that for me.” I feel panicked, “I could never accept that from you.” I look over to Marron, and then thinking about my friends. “You know I don’t like special treatment.”

I hear her cackle over the phone, “If you are worried what your friends might think then do not fret my dear. I believe they will understand. And I choose to do this for you. I believe this also to be a special case and will buy you a new car.”

I grip my phone tightly, “Please Miriam. Please reconsider.”

She laughs more, “Oh my dear Aria. I won’t and that is my final word on the matter.”

I want to argue with her more, but I know that in the end she’s already made up her mind. I sigh heavily. I then remember one other little thing between us that I have to clear up, seeing how when I last saw her, it didn’t end on a good note.

“Hey Granny, I want to apologize what I said to you at the Estate,” I say somberly. “I hope…I hope it didn’t mark me as a threat to anyone.”

“Aria,” she replies, sounding calm, “there’s nothing to forgive, my dear. I know full well that you will put your family first and are willing to fight for it. When I heard you tell me that, I saw a true child sitting before me. You actually argued with me, and stormed out of the room like a child. I couldn’t help but be amazed at how much you had changed.”

My cheeks blush, “Thanks Granny. Hey I have a question, would it be alright if we came to Seattle?”

“Of course you can, my dear,” she responds, sounding thrilled. “If you come to my home in fact, no one, not even Regulus will touch you.”

I smile, “That’s the idea we had.”

“We? Are you saying that you and your knights came up with plan?”

I take a deep breath, letting it come out slowly. “I found Marron,” looking to her.

The line goes quiet.

“When we come, please don’t hurt her,” I say, pleading with her.

“Aria, no one will hurt your sister,” she says.

“Please Miriam, please don’t hurt her,” I plead again.

“Aria! No one here will hurt your sister, I promise you,” she says assertively but calmly. “But there will be people who will want to talk to her.”

Talk? I thought if Marron returned she’d be facing expulsion or worse. Why just talk to her? Will the moment we arrive mean she’ll be taken and then judged? This didn’t make any sense. She and Mom were adamant about this when I was with them, so why the change in attitude?

“Fine,” I respond. “But I will be there as you talk to her. I don’t care what happens, I will still defend her.”

I hear Miriam sigh, but then chuckle, “Very well my dear, I accept your terms. But you needn’t worry. As I stated before, all we want to do is talk to her.”

I sigh into the phone, tapping the back of it with my finger. “Okay.”

“So how will you be traveling here?” she asks. “Should I have people meet with you at the airport or will you be traveling by car?”

I shake my head, “No thanks, Granny. I’m pretty sure that Regulus will have people waiting for us at the airport or worse, might still have more dragons to call upon. If we go my road, he’ll no doubt have people forming checkpoints or placed in certain towns to monitor us.”

“Then how will you be traveling to us?”

I grin, “By way of fairy road.”

“Fair-,” she says, sighing. “So what your mother said of you and Titania being friends is true.”

I giggle, “Uh-huh.”

She cackles over the phone. “You truly do seem to have an innate ability to make friends even with the most powerful of beings.”

My cheeks turn beet red.

I hear her settling down. “When should we expect you?”

I look over to Marron, placing my hand over the mic. “Hey,” I whisper, “she wants to know when we want to arrive."

Marron crosses her arms, clenching them tightly. I can see her tensing up. I step closer to her. She looks to me. “Tell her…tell her early tomorrow morning. I think the earlier we leave the better.”

I nod, removing my hand from the mic. “Hey Granny, will be coming early in the morning. Given the time difference it might still be dark when we arrive."

“Very well Aria,” she says. “I will quietly alert everyone here of your impending arrival. Know that you will have fresh warm beds waiting for all of you. So get some rest and I will see you bright and early in the morning.”

“Love you Granny, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I love you too, my granddaughter,” she replies. “Until tomorrow.”

I nod and end the call.

“What were you apologizing to Miriam for?” asks Marron.

I stash my phone into my bag. “Well…I got angry when she and Mom were talking about you. I told them that I would fight the coven if I had to protect you.”

She rolls her eyes, “You’re crazy. You know that missy?”

I shrug, giggling, “Maybe.”

She sighs and pulls me into a tight hug. “But that’s what I get for having a baby sister like you.”

I grin, but then feel another sting from the day as I peer over to Fenris. I stare into his eyes and press my forehead into his. “Sorry again for snapping at you, Papa Wolf.”

The massive wolf presses back, pressing my cheek with his face. “It is alright, little Aria. I, like your mother, were stunned by it. But it is all in the past.” I reach up to his face, nuzzling the side, and stroking his fur.

“We should go tell Orga and Kateryna our plans, sweetie,” she says.

I nod, letting go of him. “Yep, plus I’m getting hungry.”

She smiles, “Somehow you remind me of a certain dragon we both know.”

I giggle softly, nodding. I miss everyone from home, I just miss home in general. But the truth is that I don’t have one right now. I look up to Marron, giving her a smile. While my home is gone, I still have my family. I step over to her and the three of us head off towards the campsite. The idea of a nice warm bed really sounds appealing, so I can’t wait for tomorrow.

A stray thought enters my mind about the Court again. I had pushed out the numerous questions about how Regulus came to learn of the Xur’canah being in my possession, having no really idea how he did.

While I do and ever will trust Master Andriy, it still stands that he was the first person I told about the Xur’canah. I know he isn’t the one who told Regulus about it. What would he gain from betraying me? The vampire went absolutely pale when he first laid eyes upon it.

Now given my paranoid and scenarialist mind, I could think that after I showed Arcturus and Master Titalos the lantern, either one of them would’ve told him about seeing it.

But the problem with the scenario is that he actually went even paler when I told him Regulus knew about it and his plans for me. His tone was fearful and grave as his crimson eyes darted about trying figure how it happened.

He looked up to me as we vid chatted. “I am appalled beyond words, Aria,” he says. “I still do not understand how that man learned of your possessing the Xur’canah. I know you and your mother told no one of it other than showing it to those you trust on that day.”

I sighed and nodded to him.

“Only show it or even mention it to who you have the upmost faith in.”

I smiled, “I will, Master Andriy.”

So Andriy is out…but then who? My eyes then bulge. While not Andriy…I know who could’ve told Regulus. It’s kind of stupid and I don’t have any proof, but the clues do point to someone. Sadly for now, I can’t do anything about it at the present.

I took a deep breath, letting the rising tide of conspiracy ebb and die. Tomorrow is coming and I need to prepare for it.