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.

pocket before looking up at the

blue electrical field was gone, and so were the bones that

and disappointment before straightening my spine and spinning back around. Tobias was in the doorway, looking every

the room, looking for a threat. His gaze didn't land on me for more than a second before he stepped to the side and allowed me to pass. He was in work mode, and I

queen to safety. Lock down the castle; no one goes in or out. I want the rest of the council members restrained immediately. Let

be reporting back at least one missing council member besides Rona. The Lycans were moving carefully about the room, and Aurora stood at the back door, staring out into

to get to

to memorize the scent before racing

quickly settled

and me. I was tempted to teleport ahead of the group like I usually would instead of jogging to keep up with them. Still, I couldn't justify exhausting my magic any more than I already had when I had

Sanctum of Light to recharge because

breath. The smell of death washed over my senses, and the beasts around me bristled in anticipation. The aura from the opening before us made the hair on the back of my neck

moved in closer, staying in position,

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

eyes widen in surprise. The

mated into. 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 over time... at least until Charlie left again to go back with Damien to live in the forest

with the Lycans. Killian had been

hell were they

a protective circle in the

childhood, that I had to swallow hard to push down the

Blood dripped from the

I could hide the markings on my skin that mirrored hers. But while mine had healed to leave black lines that moved and vibrated,

over her mouth before moving to Rona's head. The older woman had nothing to say for once, which was unsettling. Her shaking fingers ran over

though I wanted Rona to die when I thought she

occasionally, but this

they go?" I asked, and one

up a large trampled

expected to see Rona returning to life and wanting revenge on her killer and everyone