Page 42 of The Night Calling

Killian’s brows knotted. “So, you think Conri is searching for the crystals?”

I nodded. When Raika had told me, I almost told her I knew what Conri was after, but then I stopped myself. She had already done so much for the pack, risked so much. If I told her, I knew she wouldn’t sit back and do nothing. She would do something reckless, like try to find the damn crystals by herself, before Conri could. And if she got caught … I didn’t know how Conri would react to that.

“What I don’t understand is how he knew about them or why he wants the crystals,” I said. “No one else in my pack knows about them. This knowledge is passed on from alpha to alpha. Sometimes the alpha tells their mate if they believe their lives are at risk, so the mate can tell the heir about it.”

“Your father told you,” Lavinia stated.

I nodded again. “My father told me my grandfather died young. While on his deathbed, he barely had time to tell my father everything he needed to know to run the pack. My father said he wanted to prepare me better, so when I turned eighteen, he told me several things about the pack.” Looking back, I could see how my father had been firm to the point of being mean. He had been a jerk, and in many instances, a bully. But then there were other moments, when he shared his knowledge with me, when he played with Tyren and Minsi, when he seemed to care. And he had always been caring and kind to my mother. The man had had a heart, but his temper spoke a lot louder.

“So you can get the crystals before he does,” Killian observed.

I shook my head. “My father told me about the crystals, but he didn’t show me where they were hidden. He planned on doing that later.”

“Shit,” Killian muttered.

“Then we need to go in there and search for them,” Lavinia said.

“It isn’t that simple,” I said. “The alpha commands the barrier. If Conri doesn’t allow you to enter, you can’t cross it.”

“But you were in there,” Killian mused.

“Yes, and I think it’s because Conri didn’t revoke my access once he became alpha. Before, I had free rein. My father stopped others from leaving—” Like Raika and her family. “—but I could come and go whenever I wanted. When Conri took over, he forbade the survivors who were there with him to leave, but he didn’t do anything about the ones who were killed or taken by the witches.”

“Makes sense,” Lavinia said. “However, this is a magical barrier made by witches.” She gestured to herself. “Powerful witch here.”

“Slash vampire,” Killian whispered, knowing all of us would hear it.

She shot him a fake glare. “I might not be able to undo the barrier or find a way around it, but I could at least assess it. Sometimes, the magic tells a lot. If I can feel it, maybe I’ll know how to break it.”

“That’s a good idea,” Killian said. “I bet that if we ask Thea, Almae, and Keeran to come, the four of you could easily break the barrier.” The three witches and the warlock had done something similar in the past. It might work.

“That’s worth a try,” I agreed.

“But …” Lavinia pressed her lips tight. “Hm, the full moon is coming in a few days. Whatever we’re doing, we need to do it fast.”

She didn’t need to remind me of that. “I know. But right now, I’m exhausted.” All that running back and forth from the pack lands was getting to me. “And it’s damn late.”

“Of course.” Lavinia stood from the chair and reached for Killian’s hand. “We’ll get a room for us and we'll go to the barrier tomorrow.”

I nodded. They headed for the door.

“Killian, Lavinia,” I said. Hand on the knob, they stopped and turned to look at me. “Thank you for coming, for wanting to help.”

“We are friends,” Killian said.

“We’re family,” Lavinia added. “If you let us, we’ll always help.”

They left and I sank into bed again. But this time when I stared at the dirty ceiling, a little hope snaked shyly around my heart.

Tomorrow, the three of us would inspect the barrier.

I didn’t have a plan yet, but I had a starting point, and that was way better than nothing.