Dark Awakening: Echoes of Destiny (The Children Of The Gods #88)

60. Jade

60

JADE

T he sound of the front door opening had Jade whirl around, hope flaring in her chest, only to be replaced by a mix of relief and disappointment as Phinas stepped inside.

He crossed the room in three long strides, enveloping her in a tight embrace. "Are you okay?"

She wasn't, but she was a leader first and a mother second, and she couldn't allow herself to be weak.

Well, she could allow herself some comfort in his arms for a spell. "I'm fine." She pulled back. "Kagra's on her way to help."

"Good, I was thinking on the way that we might need reinforcements to search for her. Where do we start?"

"The playground," Jade said. "Parker mentioned they used to meet there, and also, that's where they stored the things they stole. He told Onegus where it was, so it's possible that Guardians have already dug it up, but it's still a good place to begin."

As they stepped outside, Kagra jogged up. "Any news?"

Jade shook her head. "We're heading to the playground first. Can you check the café and the surrounding area?"

Kagra grimaced. "Why would she be in the café? If she's hiding, that's the last place she would be. We need to go to the security office to see if they can find her by her phone signal, and if not, search for her through the camera feeds. If we can't find her that way, we will need to check the underground complex. That's the best place to hide in the village. There are so many classrooms and storage areas that we will need to recruit a team of Guardians to look for her there."

Jade nodded. "You are right. Let's go to the security office first."

She should have thought about all the things Kagra had suggested, but it seemed that her brain was frazzled, and she wasn't thinking straight.

Perhaps she was a mother first and a leader second after all.

As they headed to the underground complex where the security office was located, Jade pulled out her phone and called Kian.

"Do you have Drova?" he asked.

"No. She wasn't home and I don't know where she is. Phinas and Kagra are helping me look for her. We are heading to the security office first."

"Are you sure you don't want me to send Guardians to look for her? She could be hiding in someone's house, compelling them to keep quiet."

Kian was right, but she still wanted at least a chance to get to Drova first. "Give me a couple of hours. She can't leave the village without us knowing."

Kian sighed. "We have a big party this afternoon. I need her contained before we bring Ell-rom to the village. I didn't even tell my mother yet, and I know she's going to be upset. She likes Drova."

Jade hadn't known that the goddess had a fondness for her daughter, and hearing Kian say that right at this moment was just what she needed. It was like the dark clouds parted for a moment to admit a ray of sun.

"Thank you for saying that," she said.

"It's the truth. It's also true that we've suspected Drova for a while now. Maybe a few talks with my mother would help straighten her out."

It was good to hear Kian talk about Drova as a teenager who needed guidance rather than the tremendous risk she represented.

"I'm sure talking to the Clan Mother would be beneficial, but we shouldn't reward Drova for bad behavior. After she suffers the consequences of her deeds, we can arrange a talk with the Clan Mother, provided that she wants to, of course. She might lose her fond feelings for Drova after hearing that she was behind what was happening and that she compelled others to do bad deeds."

"That's wise, Jade. I'll leave you to your search. You have two hours starting now."

Kian ended the call before she could thank him.

On one side of her Phinas smiled, and on the other, Kagra shook her head.

"What?" Jade asked.

"Kian is too nice," Kagra said. "If it were me, I would sentence Drova to a whipping, and then lock her in a solitary cell for a month."

Jade shivered. That was the kind of punishment that she used to mete out when she was in charge of her own compound, but after suffering under Igor's rule for over two decades and then living with the immortals and their gentler ways, she had gotten softer. "We don't whip people anymore." She looked at Phinas. "We adopted the immortals' customs."

Phinas pursed his lips. "The immortals still whip their unruly teenagers when they commit serious transgressions, and even Guardians get whipped when they break the rules."

Jade hadn't known that, but there was no way she was subjecting Drova to a whipping. She'd really grown softer.

"Drova's offenses do not justify a harsh punishment like that. Petty thefts and insignificant sabotages do not merit a whipping."

Kagra shook her head. "Maybe not, but taking over the will of others and forcing them to do her dirty work might."

Not if Jade could help it.

The playground stood empty when they passed through it, the swings swaying gently in the morning breeze. Jade's eyes scanned the area, searching for any sign of her daughter, but other than some small creature scurrying through the underbrush, no one was hiding behind the dense greenery.