They all went into the meeting room Nova rubbed her forehead and then started.
"Let me just preface, this is going to sound insane."
Cael poured everyone a glass of whiskey. "Do you want one Nova?"
"No thanks Cael." She said laughing. She had just puked blood and only had 3 tonics in her stomach.
There was so much information where to even start.
"What did they tell you? I felt it." Aeron said, gazing at her with knowing eyes.
"I heard it." Fin said. Nova looked at him, relieved it wasn't just going to be her.
"I heard it also." Jax said.
"That was a lot of information for one person. While she was trying to not throw up. I don't know why they wouldn't let the 3 pack leaders and Aeron listen." Fin said.
"How did you hear it?" Nova wondered.
"Seraphine channeled what you were hearing to me." Fin said.
She nodded.
"Will someone tell me what we're talking about? Who the hell is Seraphine?" Cael asked. None of them answered, but instead Nova spoke.
"When I put my hand into the fire, it whispers to me. The first time, the whispers were warm and this t-time, the whispers sounded different, and gave me instructions to change our f-fate. It was a lot of information so I want to m-make sure we have it all." Nova said, still stuttering.
"Taking notes." Aeron said.
Her eyes glowed full silver but she didn't notice.
"In one day there will be an emergency summit high council meeting. Before tomorrow sunset, I am to gather every blade for Jax, Cael, Elle, and Fin. I am to attend that for Fin. Fin needs to be marked before sunset tomorrow and will be out for 7 days. I am to hold on invading."
She continued, "I need to stay in the battle tent that Fin would normally stay and have Elias with me. I need an antidote to poisoning. I am not to bring anyone with me on meeting number 3 or 4. Jax is to wait outside with his blade on the fourth meeting and kill the Starfang Alpha after his attempt to kill me."
Her eyes flashed green. "I'm assuming the use of blade there was intentional."
Her eyes flashed silver again, unaware. "We have to kill anyone who is against us. I will hesitate, so I will need someone else there who can do it. There will be 4 ruin books behind a hidden door in the library. An arrow will be shot when the door opens that has been tampered with. Jax or Fin needs to be there to get rid of the black magic within. I must retrieve four artifacts through the books. And the prophecy to save our Beta's lives before the full moon following the black rain in the Moonveil ruins. Whoever comes with me will share my destiny, prepare a contingency plan if blood claims us."
Her eyes flashed back green completely unaware. Jax stared at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Everything she did made him awe her.
Cael whistled, "That was a lot."
Nova had watered it down and he didn't know the half of it. She started at Cael with conflict in her eyes if she should say it all or hold back. She would want to know if it was her.
"I assume they presented the future if you are unsuccessful, what did they say?" Aeron said, and then added "It's important to understand this and chain of events. We need the full story."
Nova swallowed and shook her head. She didn't want to say it. Someone else should.
Jax's eyes flashed sapphire and he began to speak. "Nova will lose her first child to poison, both betas will die in 30 days. I will be murdered before the end of the summer at the hands of my fated. There will be a great war that destroys the north, south, and east. Fin will be killed by Ashbane. Nova will be taken by Ashbane and…" his voice cracked. He couldn't say the rest either. But then his eyes lit up like it was involuntary and in a different voice finished "Her daughter will be raped, her son murdered, and a child cut from her womb."
Nova swallowed at that relatively calm but hearing him say it made her shiver. Fin grabbed her hand and kissed it.
She continued with steady green eyes. "I asked if I could wake Fin earlier, and they said no sooner than three days. If he's woken before the seventh, it will take fourteen days for his powers to fully manifest. If he's woken at two days, it will take twenty-one. He can't attend the summit until Starfang is dead."
Fin snorted, and shook his head annoyed. "I'll stay hidden. I'm not sleeping for a week while all this goes on."
"I got pulled back in… and we… Marra," Nova couldn't finish.
Jax finished for her, "We have to keep her away and in chains when the prophecy activates. She will hunt me at night, possessed. We can't tell her why. While Fin is out, I'm supposed to have the final decision. I don't know what they were referring to with that."
"Did they say how I would die?" Cael asked.
"No." Jax answered, frowning.
Nova remembered that fortune teller from months ago. Her eyes went wide for a second and she shook her head but didn't say anything. She needed to meet Elle tonight.
Fin just threw up blood for her and she's not letting him hurt himself. She would do anything to protect him even if that meant marking him tonight. She looked at him, conflict in her eyes. He would be upset if she did it. But if that was the best way to keep him alive, she would do it.
"Don't even think about it." Fin said darkly to her. No warmth in his voice. She jumped unaware that the room was watching her. She looked at him shocked and her face flushed. Did he know what she was thinking?
"I am okay. If you are fine from today, then I am too." He said not elaborating.
Cael piped in, wondering if this had to do with Elle. "Care to share with the class?"
Nova didn't want to lie. But she didn't want to tell them. There was a reason Elle said she needed to be alone. She put her hand on her neck and swallowed, thinking.
This was driving Jax crazy. He always could tell what Nova was thinking and right now there was something going on behind her eyes that he couldn't sense. What was she going to do? There was a reason why she wasn't sharing.
Then it hit him. There would be only one reason.
Jax: She's thinking about what Elle and her have tonight and that's why she's not answering. She can't.
Fin: Let me see if Nova tells me about it. Elle said she couldn't tell Cael so that's probably why she's not saying anything.
Jax: Are you going to let her go?
Cael: I don't feel comfortable. I know Elle wouldn't ask Nova if it wasn't really important. But them running at night with everything going on on top of a bounty for Nova… and the last time they were out together they ran into a hostage situation.
Cael snorted, shaking his head in disbelief.
Fin: I don't like it but Elle said it had to do with your life. There's no way in hell I won't be following them though. Cael maybe you should stay behind and we'll mindlink you.
Jax grinned.
Jax: Who is we?
Aeron spoke, sensing all the hidden conversations.
"I'll get all of these notes organized. Let's start with tomorrow. Marking. Summit." he said.
Nova felt anxious. She needed to get to Elle and get Fin asleep fast.
Like Elle read her mind,
Elle: Is it still going on?
Nova: Yes, they are mindlinking each other. I think I know what we're going to be doing tonight.
Elle: Smart woman.
Nova: I am going to tell Fin. I can't shake this feeling that I need to.
Elle: I get it. But you can't. He has to stay behind. Will he do that?
Nova: No. Probably not. Did they say anything about Jax? Could we bring him? That way I can tell Fin and you can tell Cael.
Elle: Jax just found his fated mate. They are probably very active if you catch my drift. And Marra probably wouldn't love finding out he was coming with us without her.
Nova: You mean with me of all people.
Elle: Yes.
Nova felt a wave of sadness at that and swallowed a lump in her throat.
Nova: I understand. She's had a rough enough day.
She took a steadying breath, eyes glassy.
Nova: How do I go from being able to tell Jax everything… to this? From him being my everything to not being able to tell him anything. I feel like I've lost my best friend.
Nova swallowed again, refusing to let herself get upset.
Elle: Marra is very sweet. I know you and her used to be friends. Nova… I have some shit to tell you.
Nova: You're killing me here.
Elle: It might upset you.
Nova: I won't be upset.
Elle: You will be.
Nova: I'll deal with it then.
Elle:I'm building suspense. You're welcome.
Nova: I can't shake this feeling. All of my instincts are saying I should tell Fin where we are going and my wolf agrees.
Elle: We're back on this again. This is different. And you know I can't tell Cael. I've wanted to tell him. I cannot tell him. Specifically him. It's eating away at me. What am I supposed to do?
Nova: Did they ever say why?
Elle: No. And it's infuriating. But he's my mate. It's Cael. I'll do whatever I have to, and he'll get mad, and then he'll get over it. Eventually. In a century or two.
Nova nodded her head absent minded.
Nova: Why can't Fin come? Maybe he won't tell Cael if he comes with us.
Elle: They said you couldn't bring your mate. You have to come alone.
Nova: Explicitly, I have to come alone?
Elle: Yes.
Nova: Doesn't that sound odd to you?
Elle: Yes.
Nova: What if he comes with us and stays back while we handle the activities?
Elle: Activities. That's funny.
Nova: Just in case, I'll just tell him not to intervene at all costs.
Elle: You and I both know he won't do that. Would we? Absolutely not.
Nova: No. I guess not.
Elle: I get it, I don't like it either. But we will be fine. You'll be back before sunrise. Stop worrying. We have a long night ahead of us.
Nova sighed to herself not realizing everyone was listening to this intently.
Nova: The other things is my magic, Elle. To say I'm drained would be an understatement. I might need help. Can we at least tell Aeron?
Elle: No. You'll feel better once you get fresh air.
Nova's eyes flashed silver in frustration.
Nova: Let's get off mindlink.
Elle: Say you need to grab something from me and meet me on the stairs.
"I need to grab something from Elle. I'll let you all take things from here." Nova said not looking at any of them.
She moved quickly still in her robe down the stairs to Elle.
"I forgot you were wearing that."
"Me too." Nova laughed.
Nova: I know where we can talk. Follow me.
They both had grown suspicious that their mates could eaves drop on mindlinks but weren't 100% certain.
They moved quickly to a door that Nova knew was enchanted and sound proof. It was an empty room, but the door held and made this conversation private.
Jax could feel her sadness and it broke his heart. He saw her eyes turn red and felt her resolve not to cry. When she left, he felt his own eyes well up and wiped them.
He felt like he lost half of his soul and a best friend. He could relate.