Chapter 432: The Coming Storm
August shot up on the sofa of Nedra’s cottage, heart pounding in her throat. She looked around wildly, trying to get a bearing on her surroundings. She had just been with Graeme, now where was she?
"Something is coming," she whispered to herself.
Seth peeked out of the neighboring kitchen, a bowl and spoon in his hand.
"Well hello there," he chuckled. "Nedra was beginning to worry that you would cross over completely."
"Cross over?" August’s eyebrows pinched together as she pivoted, shifting to allow her legs to dangle off the side of the velvet sofa. "Where is Nedra? I need to talk to her," she rushed and attempted to get up but stumbled back into her sitting position.
"Slow down. You have been out for a long time. You are probably going to be a bit weak," Seth said distractedly, leaning against the doorway to the kitchen and spooning granola into his mouth.
"What? How long?" August asked.
The lycan shrugged. "A few weeks?"
"WEEKS?" She exclaimed, her mouth dropping in shock. "How is that possible? That’s... that’s not right."
"Like I said, Nedra was worried. That’s why I am here babysitting you," he replied before spooning the last bit of food in his mouth and turning to walk his dishes to the sink.
"What is this about crossing over?" August mumbled, glancing down at her stomach that was... rounder. "Goddess, I have a belly." She caressed the small swell under her shirt, tears springing to her eyes. This could not be happening. She looked like she was two or three months along already.
"Yeah," Seth mumbled an acknowledgement, grabbing the back of his neck as he returned to the doorway.
August’s progressing condition reminded him of the pregnancies that he had missed. Nedra had carried two of his children, and she had not allowed him to share in the miracle of it either time. He ached for those times and experiences that were lost and could never be returned to him.
"But... but..." August trailed off, tears beginning to fall silently down her cheeks. She needed Graeme with her for this. This was not right.
"What the hell is happening to me?" Her mouth dropped open further when she noticed an intricate white design trailing like vines down her left forearm.
"Like I said..." Seth repeated gruffly. "Nedra was worried."
"Worried? About what? What... what IS this?" She cried, turning her arm over and pulling up her sleeve to see how far it climbed.
"It starts at your shoulder blade," he told her, walking into the room and sitting on the chair opposite her.
"How do you know?" She glared at him.
He threw his palms out in defense, "Only because Nedra showed me."
"Lovely," she growled, pulling her sleeve back down. "What did you mean by Nedra worrying I would cross over?"
"She is really the one to talk to about that. All I know is what she told me," he said, leaving his palms up like he was anticipating an attack. And yet he was so relaxed. It was such a huge contrast to the panic that was quickly spiraling higher in August’s chest.
"Just tell me," she hissed.
"Something about... crossing over to the fae. Their dimension or something. I don’t know anything about portals or dimensions or fae, so I can’t tell you more than that," he said.
August scoffed. "How would that be possible? Just by being in the healing portal too long?"
"I don’t know, Luna," he replied, receiving another glare from her in response. "I don’t know, August," he quietly corrected. A lycan outside of her pack should not be addressing her as Luna. It was like calling someone mother.
"What DO you know?" She growled, running a hand along her arm to see if she could feel the design that had etched itself into her skin, but it had no discernible texture. It shimmered a pearlescent white in the light like an illusion. Or like a scar.
"Nedra started a daily ritual of covering you in herbs. She was trying to help you come out of it," he told her. "The design starts at your shoulder blade, but she didn’t notice it until it began coming down your arm. That was four days ago."
"Where is she?" She asked, glancing up from her arm to the male who was reclining across from her like he hadn’t just been describing something absolutely insane.
"She had an errand to run, but it shouldn’t be too long. She didn’t want to leave you, so I imagine she will be back quickly," he sighed, looking out the window in the direction of the castle.
August tried to get up again, and Seth rose to offer his help. She took his hand and then left him behind on wobbly legs as she walked slowly to the kitchen where the sound of the ocean was beckoning from the window, lace curtains fluttering inward with the salty smell of the sea. It was a lovely spot for a home. No wonder Nedra had chosen it.
As August gazed out the window allowing the salty breeze to wash across her face, something dark on the horizon caught her attention, and suddenly she remembered what she had awoken knowing.
"Seth, where is she exactly?" She called over her shoulder, eyes glued to the storm clouds that were rolling in quickly, threatening the shoreline.
"She went to take some research to Zagan," he replied from the other room.
"At the castle?" She asked. "Did he send for her?"
"No. We actually haven’t heard from him, and she was staying away in the hopes that it would keep you and your baby safe... especially now that you are showing," he told her, walking now to where she was staring out the window. "What is that?" He asked, his eyes squinting and then growing wide.
Thunder rumbled above them, and August sucked in a breath. She hadn’t been on this island long, so she wasn’t aware of the typical weather patterns. But something about these clouds intuitively prickled her hairs in alarm.
"Do you get storms here, Seth?" She whispered.
"Never."
"Come on. We need to get to her fast."
