Chapter 49
Kayden's POV:
Deacon and I wanted to kill Delilah for her insolence! How dare she 'try' to humiliate my mate, even if it was completely unsuccessful.
Loiza turned the tables so fast it looks like the Delilah's head will spin forever. Loiza was in complete control of the situation and when she kissed her, taking Delilah completely off guard seemed to be more effective than an uppercut, she didn't give Delilah any chance to annoy her... I hadn't seen anything like that! Besides the fact that's one of the hottest and funniest things I have seen a woman do. I have never seen any wolf take complete control over a situation that way and not go completely ape shit. She just kept on walking and going about her day, she even trolled Delilah on how pathetic she looked. And afterwards didn't even mention it at all, as if it never even happened!
Marcus's words haunt me... 'I saw an Alpha. A REAL Alpha...' And as happy as I was with her companionship, the knowledge her people have about true harmony in a pack... The devotion that a Chef showed for her and viceversa makes me understand now that Marcus was right. Even in my joy, I was troubled. I truly hope she teaches me to be a true Alpha, I'm more determined than ever to understand the ways of her people and implement them in my pack.
To be able to just simply have a meal with my mate and learn more about her had Deacon acting like a puppy. Being near her kept me calm even in the moments that I thought I would lose control. Just being able to take in her scent, to hear her laughter, to enjoy her smile, to feel her joy, had ME feeling like a pup.
I lead us to a clearing by a ledge overlooking the Virginia Hills... This is always been a place for me to come since I was a boy if I wanted peace. And yet I have never brought anyone here, not even Marcus.
She takes off her black cloak and placed it on the ground under the shade of a tree and takes a seat and looks at me with those beautiful amber eyes to sit next to her. Like an idiot I'm just gawking at her beauty and thinking how it would feel to finally make love to her and Mark her. Fuck, now I'm getting hard. I sit down next to her fast hoping she doesn't notice... I remember Marcus saying she was taking jading potion, I really need to get my hands on some. I uncorked the wine, she takes the joint that she was smoking and lights it up again with a simple snap of her fingers. It's not something we particularly indulge in but it seems to be something non taboo in her pack. She takes a puff and extends her hand for the bottle of wine, just as I'm about to hand it to her I playfully take it back and take the first sip. We did not speak a single word on our way here but she broke the silence in a playful way.
"What a gentleman!" She said sarcastically playing along with a lovely smile on her lips. But she doesn't lower her hand and she gestures me to hand it over or else, while she takes another puff of her joint, and I hand her the bottle as she offers me a puff as she takes a sip of wine. "This place is beautiful Kayden, thank you for sharing it with me." Her voice is like raw silk, that smooth raspy voice is sexy as fuck, and again I remember Delilah yelling at her with that annoying high pitched voice of hers harassing my mate.
"I want to apologize for what happened earlier with Delilah, I have made many mistakes...." I should have listened to Marcus all these years.
"Why? I handled it. I am not one who tolerates petty bullshit or lingering on past stupidity Kayden." She said it while taking another sip of wine and looking over the hills like she didn't have a care in the world. And she handed me back the bottle. Uh oh, how to respond to reasonable logic? I didn't expect that curve ball.
"Um, to be honest... as you have clearly stated, we are not a harmonious pack like you--" She cuts me off. "Did you enjoy the food?" She clearly is over it and wants to pass the page. I love this woman!
"Definitely, that wasn't just lunch. It was an experience! I have never had a meal like that... Is that an everyday thing for your pack?!" For a moment I was jealous... Not of Domingo, well not latter, until I realized that it was unfounded... But of The Osupa. If this is common for them I might sign up!
"Well that's what happens when you use your resources correctly, Kappas are experts at their chosen craft. They train like any Warrior, but not as rigorous, we do not expect them to fight, they mostly work on becoming Masters of their craft. And once achieved they earn the title of Chef, for culinary artists, Master for the other arts, etc.
We merely want them to be able to defend themselves in case we're not there to do it for them. Also that's what happens when you don't put Omegas who will never be as skilled at cooking. It makes no sense, they will never reach the expertise in the culinary arts as a Kappa, just like a Kappa will never be a Master healer like an Omega. So yes, this is an everyday thing. My older sister is a Kappa, and even though she is an architect, her eye for detail, perfectionism and experimentation makes her the token cook of our home. I don't ever remember her failing at making a wonderful meal. Just please don't tell her I said it!" And she starts laughing making me smile.
"And yes, like I said before, I am well aware of the lack of harmony here, but I was wrong to state your pack was the worst... Blue Moon beat you at that title. That's why I ordered High Priestess Cresta and the Priestesses to unleash hell on Blue Moon, you can be pretty sure that Moira will order you execute every single member of that pack except those who did not partake. A dead unicorn whose blood was drained is one of the most heinous offenses against the Goddess. But don't worry, I won't allow it to get to that." I can't believe my ears.
"Marius killed a unicorn?! Have the Priestesses captured him?" So not only have my own parents offended the Goddess, but our neighboring pack too? Did Marius's Dad also break the Blood Oath?
"They have not, but I'm in no way shape or form worried for them. These women are powerful individually, and with the numbers I sent, they are invincible. When I order to unleash hell, I am not ordering the slaughter of the people, the same rule that applies to those who will be executed tomorrow applies for Blue Moon. My order is basically to rain terror the old fashioned way like a warlord. Apparently it's been going on for quite a while, and those who are innocent will see this day as one of horror and consequence for breaking the law of the Goddess. Unfortunately, without Moira present it fell onto me to give the order, but because I am Alpha of The Osupa I have to go through the humiliation of not joining them because it is an internal Avalon matter. Just like it falls upon to you mate to execute the will of the Goddess. I would have done it myself with pleasure, but I'm forbidden from touching Clarent." I feel like the class moron. Clarent?
She turns her head to look at me to get the joint again. "Kayden I want to apologize for what I said last night. I was outraged and the anger got the better of me. It's not your fault for now knowing something you are not taught, I am just very used to people who know all of this information. But keeping a question bottled in, instead of asking it keeps you in that state of ignorance. So if you have any questions I advise you to ask them. There's no shame on not knowing something, the shame comes from not actually learning about it when you have the opportunity to do so." And again I remember Marcus's words: 'I saw an ALPHA who is knowledgeable of everything that surrounds her.' And she's 19...
"Fair enough, I guess my first question is who is Clarent?" I really hope it isn't something obvious.
"Clarent is The Sword of Peace. The one you will be using to execute the slavers. I am forbidden from touching it because it contains a very powerful curse. The only person who can touch it from Avalon is Moira and it's because she is protected from head to toe by powerful spells and runes. No Priestess is allowed to touch it." She said plainly without any mocking tone.
"Then it takes me to my next questions, why is that sword cursed? Why is it that you cannot touch it? Why does it send people directly to Hades and not to the realm of the Goddess?" I have been wondering this from this morning. And she looks a bit sad.
"Have you ever heard of The Sword in the Stone which gave King Arthur reign over Britannia?" Whoa, is that what that is?
"I have, is the Sword of Peace, The Sword in the Stone?" Marcus is not the only one who has gone to the library at the council but I have never heard of this and Marcus has never mentioned it.
"Yes, it was the sword embedded in stone declaring that he who shall retrieve it from the stone shall become king. It wasn't always a cursed blade, originally it was exactly what its name meant, The Sword of Peace. King Arthur would only use it for peace treaties and knighthoods, it was Excalibur the one he used to protect Camelot. Unfortunately it was also the blade that killed him. Morgana's great-great-grandmother Morgaine Le Fae gave birth to her and Arthur's son Mordred. She instilled so much hatred in the boy that he grew up to be something close to a monster. Morgaine retrieved the Sword of Peace and gifted it to her son, she wished him to be king, she would whisper in his ear that it was his Birthright. In the Battle of Camlann, Mordred achieved to kill King Arthur with the very blade which made him King. It's also known as Caliburn. That Cosmic irony cursed the blade forever. Every Priestess of Avalon it's forbidden from touching it because it can corrupt us, and with the amount of power we are granted by the Goddess we could potentially wreak havoc on the world should we wield it." She took a deep breath. I had heard some of the legends but I didn't actually believe them to be true, and most of the Legends don't even contain much of this information. The Sword in the Stone that I heard as a boy has three more names! And it makes absolute sense that she knows this information as a Priestess of Avalon. But it seemed not to be a secret among her people either, so they know exactly what it was since it wasn't even her who asked for it. And I see her became somber.