The Beast And The Blessed

Fifty-Four: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

We moved carefully up to the front door. The latch was still broken, presumably from when Tobias had destroyed it during our visit over a week ago. But the way the heavy barrier of wood hung from only one loose hinge had the bottom corner on the floor and the top leaning toward us like it could fall at the slightest gust of wind.

Tobias moved in first, pulling the door right out of the frame and setting it to the side with ease. If it weren't for the interior looking like a tornado hit it and distracting me, I would have worried about him being the first to face whatever was on the other side of the door.

Everything was out of place. The large television that used to be mounted on the wall was on the floor, the screen shattered. The couch was charred, clearly having been set on fire, and sat hap hazardously with one side lifted on the upside-down entertainment center, the back cushions missing.

Every drawer was open and thrown across the room as if a poltergeist had come through with a fury. The contents were scattered around, littering the ground and mixed with the shards of glass from the demolished windows.

My chest dropped as the realization that I had been wrong sank in. All this time, I had been chasing the wrong person, and now another council member was either in danger or dead.

As much as I hated her and wished for her to be replaced on the council or for her to die, seeing the horror of the crime scene made my mouth water as my stomach rolled with nausea. Never before had I felt sick because of death. It was a part of life.

But I did wonder if by targetting her if I had put her killer's focus on her. Was she already a target, or did I just turn on the spotlight that made the killer decide to use her as a distraction or a scapegoat?

The problem was also that my failure could have killed Cyrus, someone I cared about. It was guilt making me feel this was. If I hadn't been chasing Rona all this time...

I pushed away the thought. There was no room for emotion when I was on a mission.

Whatever was going to happen here required my undivided attention, and I forced all emotions into a locked box in the back of my mind.

My eyes moved to the blood splatter across the wall. Someone had done some serious damage with that blow. I took tentative steps around the couch, seeing the larger pool of blood behind it, followed by drops that went right out the back door.

Whoever bled that much wouldn't have been walking on their own, and since there were no footprints, I assumed they had either been carried out, or someone used magic to get them through the door without dragging them.

I knew I needed to follow the trail to see if there were any survivors or if there was a struggle still going on, but a nagging feeling was pulling me away and urging me toward the bedroom. The debris crunched beneath my shoes as I rushed down the hallway, grabbing the door frame.

The room looked the same as when Tobias and I had been here. Better even, as the bed was made. But the dresser was bare beyond one long white hair hanging off one of the knobs of the top drawer as if it had been knocked off the surface without a second thought.

picked it up, shoving it into my pants pocket before looking up

so

let out a deep breath as I nodded in understanding and disappointment before straightening my spine and spinning back around. Tobias was in

me for more than a second before he stepped to the side and allowed me to pass. He was in work mode, and I appreciated his lack

down the castle; no one goes in or out. I want the rest of the council members restrained immediately. Let me know once they are all accounted for." I snapped,

one missing council member besides Rona. The Lycans were moving carefully about the room, and Aurora stood at the

get to the

the scent before racing out the back door. I moved with them, Aurora staying at my side

the area but quickly settled on one

would instead of jogging to keep up with them. Still, I couldn't justify exhausting my magic

recharge because we wouldn't stand a chance

beasts around me bristled in anticipation. The aura from the opening before us made the

moved in closer, staying in position, but

were here.' Tobias said to me through the mind link as the pack slowed, cautiously

eyes widen in surprise. The

She and her mate, Damien, had been staying with us a while ago during the war. Killian had hated Damien at first but warmed up to him

only reason they're on good terms with the

the hell were they doing

a protective circle in the tree line around us as the body

swallow hard to push down the acid

staring off into the distance. Blood dripped from the stones and onto the wet Earth below. Flies flew around

instinctively as if I could hide the markings on my skin that mirrored hers. But while mine had healed to leave black lines that moved and vibrated, hers were clean incisions. Open and draining her

nothing to say for once, which was unsettling. Her shaking fingers ran

Even though I wanted Rona to die when I thought she was a threat, no one

this ritual would

and one of the guards pointed to

but there is no sign of the witch.’ He picked up a large trampled leaf and sniffed it before wrinkling his nose

on her killer and everyone else who wronged her. But it was Aurora, working with her bare hands to get the chains off Rona’s