Sewn & Scarred (The Fated Creations Trilogy #3)

Chapter NineEvaline

Chapter Nine

Evaline

I t took a few hours to make it up the mountain. Sage couldn’t portal us there because, while my mother had been to Correnti in the Night, she hadn’t been all the way up to James’ and Charlotte’s home.

It was slow at first because it was so dark here, but I quickly created a line of fire that floated above the ground a few feet ahead of us so that it could light our way. I’d considered using Neomaeries’ light, but it would shine painfully in my mother and Sage’s eyes if I looked at them.

The Night was an eerie place to be, and I felt my heart in my throat as we traveled. I couldn’t tell if it was from the unpleasant humming noise all around us, the shifting of the shadows as we moved, or the hope that had formed a lump in my chest. Or maybe it wasn’t hope, maybe it was desperation, because if this didn’t work, if she wasn’t there, I didn’t know what I could possibly try next.

When we arrived at James and Charlotte’s home, I held my breath as I turned the doorknob and swung it open. The home was quiet and dark so I lit a flame from my thumb as we walked through. Once my head cleared the doorway and I didn’t see anyone or hear anything, I cleared my throat.

“Hello? Is anyone here?” There was no sound but Sage shifting her weight beside me.

I swallowed. “Charlotte? Are you there? We talked to James. He told us what happened, and how you came back from being a Vasi.” I held my breath and listened for anything, but when I was only met with the quiet hum of the shadows, I continued. “My mate, he turned. And I’m trying to bring him back, but we need your help.”

There still wasn’t an answer so the three of us walked through the doorway of the home and split up to search it. My mother promised that no harm would come to us in the Night, but it was still uncomfortable to be stalking through the dark with the whisper of shadows around us. I shook off the newest wave of goosebumps and walked into what must’ve been their bedroom.

The window that hung across from their bed did nothing to let any light in as we were facing away from the moon. I slid my fingertips across the blanket on the bed as I walked past it and toward the closet door on the opposite side of the room. I checked to see if anyone was inside, and left the room when I deemed it empty.

When the three of us had finished searching the home completely, panic began to rise in my chest. But as soon as Sage saw it on my face, she grabbed my hand.

“It doesn’t mean she’s not here,” she said trying to give me a reassuring smile. “It just means we haven’t encountered her yet. She could be somewhere else in the kingdom.” Sage turned to my mother. “Right?”

My mother couldn’t hide the question on her face as her brows furrowed and she turned to me.

“I don’t know,” she said with a wince. “People usually stay with their loved ones in the Night. It’s what I’ve always done,” she said, then looked to Sage. “In the Night most souls pass the time by watching over their loved ones who are still living, or replaying memories that they experienced.” She turned to me. “It’s how I showed you the memories of Kovarrin and Vasier.” Sage straightened beside me. “But we should still look,” my mother finished.

And we did. Since we’d already been down to the castle Sage portaled us there so we didn’t have to climb all the way back down the mountain. I don’t know how long it took us to clear the kingdom for any sight of Charlotte, but my mother, Sage, and I went home to home, up and down the streets. We went through the castle looking in every room. She wasn’t there. And by the time the three of us had come back together in the middle of the desolate street having encountered exactly zero other souls, I spoke.

“How is there no one here?”

My mother shrugged. “There likely are souls here, they just choose not to show themselves to us.” My mother turned to me with sad eyes. “It’s possible that Charlotte could simply not be here. Or maybe, like I said before, she just hasn’t woken up yet.” Realization seemed to flash behind her eyes because they widened as she pursed her lips and turned to look at me. “I’ve never seen a Vasi here. In the Night,” she rushed out. “I’ve never seen a Vasi here before, and I’ve seen other souls. Humans, Sorceresses, Kova.” She chewed on her lip before she continued. “Your soul is what allows you to enter the Night once you’ve passed, but…”

She didn’t have to speak the next words because I understood. A cold wave of dread flashed through my body as I finished her thought.

“You’ve only seen souls here, and never a Vasi, because when they make the change their souls are marred forever.”

Sage gasped and shook her head. “You don’t think…”

I shook my head finally and turned away from them.

“No,” I said.

No, it’s not possible because it’s not fair. Because the only people who could be in the Night were souls. And becoming a Vasi, whether she came back from being one or not, and having a damaged soul could not be the reason she wasn’t here. Because if Vasi can’t enter the Night, then that meant I would never see Maddox again, not even in death.

My chin quivered as his words played in my head. His words from the very first night we made love, and every time since.

“I love you until the end of my days, and in the Night that follows.”

What if he couldn’t meet me in the Night? What if Vasi weren’t allowed here? My shoulders sagged and my knees shook. But just as I was about to fall and weep and just lie here or beg Sage to take me home, I thought of what it would feel like to go back to Kovarrin, empty handed, after all the grief he’d given me about going to Correnti.

And that sprouted another thought, one thought shook me from my trance.

“Rominia,” I said, straightening. “She has family in Rominia. When Kovarrin told me that he had banished them, part of his threat that they not go back was because their family was there. Maybe she’s with them instead of James. Maybe she splits her time between them both.”

My mother gave a small smile but I could see the doubt in her eyes. Sage nodded and opened a portal, then looked to my mother.

“You can take us there?” she asked and my mother nodded. They held hands and looked at the portal below us and I watched as it turned from stark black to a shade of light blue. The three of us joined hands and stepped in. When our feet hit solid ground again, I looked around to see mine and Maddox’s suite bathed in darkness.