And Then There Were Four (Lilith Carrie)

Chapter 199: Mama’s Girl

Cassie.

After the long morning I had, I was quick to accept my mother's invitation to take a walk with her around the property. When I first got here, I didn't have the chance to really take things in and enjoy it.

“Things have changed a lot since you were here last."

My mother's words caused a grin to cross my lips as I looked around. “Yeah, I can see that. You guys have been busy."

With new buildings of various sizes, and the landscaping in the area well maintained and not overgrown, I could see that Trixie had been working hard to make this place just as much her own as it was my family's. It was just one more thing about this place that reminded me it wasn't my home anymore.

That I wasn't part of this world, and never would be.

“I can see something is troubling you, Cassie," my mother said calmly as we walked along cobbled paths lined by green grass that looked soft enough to sleep on. “Your fathers may have filled you in on how things used to be, but at the end of the day, the only way you will figure out who YOU need to be is by asking the questions you need to ask."

I had never known my mom to be some type of philosopher, but walking beside her in our homeland made me see things differently. All this time in Asgard, I assumed I had to do everything on my own and leave my old life behind, and it seemed that my old life perhaps was the salvation to my new one.

“I know, Mama. I'm starting to realize that perhaps I had been taking the hard way all along. Especially when the easy way was simply calling me home."

The chuckle that escaped us both was warming especially when she wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to her. The scent of her perfume wrapped around me like a warm hug that I didn't want to ever let me go.

“I'm glad you're home, sweetheart. The sunshine around here is a little brighter with you near me."

Glancing up at her I sighed, wishing I could feel the heat upon my skin. Yet, the moment I stepped foot in this place, it was as if nothing about the way this world worked affected me in the way it used to. Which was strange but not important enough for me to find out why.

“I'm glad I'm home as well." The shadowed figure beneath the canopy of trees to my right caught my attention. I focused my gaze and took in the sight of Silas' rippled body standing there, staring at me with his hands crossed over his shoulders and Talon's back to me as he obviously engaged in conversation with Silas.

“So, are you going to tell me about the two men you're here with?" my mother asked, causing me to glance at her. I opened and closed my mouth, trying to find the words to express the answer she was obviously seeking. “Don't act surprised, Cassie. I could tell the moment I laid eyes on them that there is something going on with you three."

My mother was clearly very perceptive, and I should have remembered that from when I was growing up. She always knew when something was going on, and though I used to get annoyed by it when I was younger, I was sort of glad she did point it out. Because I really wanted someone to talk to about everything.

“Well, Mama." I sighed, taking a seat on the cast iron bench beneath the limbs of a large oak tree. “I don't even know where to start when it comes to dealing with that issue."

Slight laughter escaped her as she took a seat next to me. Her blue eyes stared out at the green rolling fields in front of us where children ran around and flew kites within the sky. “Why don't you start from the beginning? Who are these two men?"

“Well, the brooding one talking to Talon is Silas." I finally fessed up. Starting with Silas seemed easier even though out of the three men, he was the one I was so unsure of. “He is a guardian of Asgard. Odin sent him with us to keep an eye on me."

“Oh, is he?" The tone my mother took was one that made me wonder if she was plotting something. A twinkle in her eye that turned her straight smile into one of mischievousness.

“Yeah…"

“I think he is here because he wants to be." I wasn't sure why my mother thought that but the more we seemed to speak on this, the more I saw her enjoying the topic of conversation. “In fact, I bet that he is here because he wants to make sure he doesn't lose you."

Laughter erupted from my lips at her remark, “he doesn't want

you haven't

filled me at her question as I sat there staring at her with wide eyes. I couldn't believe she was being so forward with my love life, but she sat laughing at me as if what she had asked was just natural for a

it, Cassie. You're not a little girl

my mother to have the conversation she was having, but at the end of the day if there was anyone I could talk to about this, at least it was her and not one

cast my gaze towards the ground and fiddled with my hands. “Yes, I have… on a

I watched a confident smile cross her lips. “He isn't a wolf, I know that much for

muttered as she looked at

But I thought they

tell her. I didn't even know they had existed until I met Silas so at least she knew they did even though she thought they were extinct. “Yeah, well, there he is in all

with the two of you by the way you're acting." Once again, her awareness of our

can't be and

was half tempted to smother them in

situation. She didn't know Silas like I did. There was no way that he would give in again. Ever since the last time,

over the fields. I'd have given anything to be able to read my mother's thoughts. To know what it was that made her keep going day after

me about the other one… the elf

don't even know what to say about that one. He is cocky and doesn't really know the meaning of personal space but … there is something

seem to be an odd

him odd wasn't the term I was expecting, and laughter filled the space between us

I realized otherwise. Still seems odd to know that elves are real. I mean… I knew a lot of

odd s**t is the leost of our worries onymore," I replied, cousing

os I wos enjoying the conversotion, I knew it wosn't meont to lost forever when she got this frozen look on her foce ond her smile fell slightly. Something wos wrong, ond os she stood to her feet I stood to mine

to heod bock to

Whot's wrong?" I osked os we both storted moking our woy bock rother quickly. A sense of urgency in her the woy she wos octing hod me on olert, but before we reoched the door she stopped ond turned to me with

with him isn't curoble, Cossie. He

situotion wos bock to the forefront. I didn't wont to think obout onyone thot I loved dying, but it wos o noturol port of life. I just hod expected he would hove

I don't understond why he is os sick os he is. The

I thought obout it, the more confused I wos. I knew the story of my porents. How they fell in

“I don't understond, Momo."

house before meeting my eyes once more. “The doy we took our immortolity ond gove it to Domion, to bring him bock to life, he

words were powerful, ond I

the long run becouse thot wos the order of things, ond my fother

octuolly mode him smile for the first time in o long time. Eventuolly, he will be in Asgord with you ond there the two of

Asgord put o thought into my heod thot I decided to keep to myself. Domion wos on the verge of deoth ond in poin, but perhops there wos something I could

know you wont to moke sure he is okoy. I'm just going to wolk oround for o while ond toke

she took my

to spend together before I leove. Go… hove fun, ond we

She loved my fothers with everything