The Chronicles of Moon
Chapter 76

Light of the Sun

Kenna paces closer to the goddess, crumpled on the ground, the earth burning under her paws. It’s impressive the meadow hasn’t erupted in flames. The once beautiful field of flowers filled with dancing fireflies is a wasteland of blood and burnt ground. If Bella could see it now, she would be in tears. This was her place, and now it’s destroyed.

“You think you have won, don’t you?” Eos’s voice is low, just above a murmur. Her body trembles with the combination of rage and exhaustion.

“I think it is time you pay for your crimes against my children and me,” Selene replies, standing tall, chin raised, as she looks down at her sister.

“What about your crimes against me? Shouldn’t you pay for those as well?” Eos spits back, raising her head, defiantly looking back at her sister. Burning hatred is all that lives in her gaze.

“What crimes have I committed against you? This nonsense must stop Eos.” Selene retorts, her anger raising at the bold accusation.

“What you don’t remember then, do you? Why would you recall the things you have done to me? It would be just like you to play innocent even now.” She screams back.

“Why don’t you refresh my memory then?” Selene insists crossing her arms defensively.

“Orion ring a bell?” Eos says, raising an arched eyebrow. “You killed him! that scorpion would never have bested him without your interfering. I loved him, and you killed him. You took him from me.”

Selene gasps, remembering now she was responsible for the hunter’s demise. It was only done to protect her wolves from him. His blood lust knew no limit, and he had killed many of her children. She felt her actions against him then had been just. Had her sister really been holding this against her for so long now?

“I will never forgive you, Selene!” Eos shrieks as the ground trembles, and she starts to glow like the rising sun. Kenna sprang forward, sinking her teeth deep into the goddess’s neck and shoulder. Both glowing like the sun itself, everyone but Helios had to look away from them. The screams of Eos grew louder, and Kiara could feel her ears begin to bleed from the sound of it. Helios ran into the burning white light just as it erupted into the blinding detonation of a solar flare. Everyone in the field was knocked back, and the ground for a half mile around shook with the force. Kiara was knocked back at least thirty feet, hitting a tree whimpering in pain, and her vision blurs. She needs to stay conscious. She has to know what happened to Kenna.

The last thing she sees is the glowing yellow form of Helios holding the burning wolf tight in his great arms. Was he larger than before? Kiara wondered before her vision started to blacken, and she couldn’t hold on any longer.

***

Colin is trying to think what to do. Should he listen to Caleb? Does he really know what happened to Callie, or is it just a lie to live a little longer? He could always take him prisoner and make him talk.

Don’t listen to him. He only wants to save his pathetic hide. Farrell growls, his interest is piqued though part of him wants to hear what Caleb has to say, he wants to learn what happened to Callie. It has been a pain they could never get over, and replaceing a way to heal that pain is tempting to both. Farrell always knew that Caleb was behind whatever happened to her. Colin was the one willing to blame himself. His years of abuse made it easy to believe he could be a monster.

Colin clenches his fits as he stands there, breathing hard, and flashbacks of that night and every horrible childhood memory begin to bombard his mind.

Don’t fall into his trap Colin. Farrell pleads with him. But Colin can barely hear him now, the memories taking over. This has been what Caleb has wanted; knowing what to say to trigger every painful memory for Colin is something he is good at by now.

Caleb is beginning to advance on Colin, planning to catch him off guard, smirking at the pain and turmoil he can cause his brother just by saying their little sister’s name. Shrieking from across the field stops him in his tracks and seems to snap Colin out of his downward spiral.

They both look just in time to see the blinding white hot light, and Colin instantly thinks of Moon and Bella’s wolf Kenna. They are all he is worried about now. He shifts, linking Chris not to let his brother escape and not to kill him either. Chris doesn’t hide his feelings about keeping Caleb alive, but he also doesn’t argue. Everything around the meadow feels like it is frozen in time. As Colin approaches the light, it bursts, sending him flying back. He can’t see Moon or even what happened to her and Kenna in the explosion.

***

Helios holds Bella’s small body tightly, stroking her face. Eos has vanished into thin air, leaving them sitting in the dark crater of earth. Even though Selene was hurled back from the blast. She is quick to her feet, joining her brother.

“Is the child hurt?” She asks, draping a cloak over her small limp body.

“I don’t think she is.” He tucks it around her and replaces the gold chain around her neck, adjusting it. “Looks like my charm worked better to protect her than it did her mother.”

“It would seem so. You know you could take her with us. She is a demi-god.” Selene suggests.

“And what kind of life would that be for her? You know the others would have difficulty accepting her, and she doesn’t know me as her father. She is happy with them. There will be a time that she can choose for herself what she wants.” Helios sighs, brushing the hair from her face. Looking at the little face that looks so much like her mother, it hurts. Having her with him would almost be too painful for him. If he still had Callie with him and they could live the quiet happy life they dreamed of, that would be one thing, but now the thought of taking Bella away from everything she knows would only be cruel to her.

“No, she will be better off with them, and I will keep looking for her mother. One day she will make her choice.” Helios lays her down on the ground, standing and joining Selene. “Where has our sister gone? Was she killed in the blast?”

“I truly do not know the answer to that, but I think we will replace out soon enough?”