And Then There Were Four (Lilith Carrie)

Chapter 196: Unexpected Surprises

Cassie.

When Ansley informed me that I was to pack a bag and would be traveling without any information, I

hadn't expected that it was going to be with Finn. In fact, I was shocked to see him standing outside the

portal gates with an overly excited expression on his face. I didn't have a clue where I was going, but it

was clear wherever it was, I wasn't going anywhere alone.

“What's going on?" I asked as I approached Finn with a confused and furrowed expression. I glanced

around taking note of the dark-haired man that had been Finn's shadow since the moment he got here.

“We're going on a trip," he replied cheerfully, “aren't you excited?"

Stopping in my tracks, I raised a brow as a smile of amusement crossed my lips. “With you? Are you

messing with me?"

“No, I'm not. We're going somewhere you're going to like."

There was no way that Odin was allowing this, and I had suddenly become very hesitant about this

entire situation. What if Finn was trying to get me into some kind of trouble and roped Ansley into

getting me to go without approval? A wave of unease flowed over me until I spotted a familiar figure

walking down the marble steps of the building heading straight for me.

“Silas, what are you doing here?" Silas didn't seem to be in the mood for idle chit-chat as he grunted in

disapproval of whatever was going on and made his way toward the portal without a single word.

“Alrighty then…"

“Silas, I wasn't aware that you were coming along?" Finnick said aloud, causing me to wonder if even

he wasn't aware of the golden dragon's presence in whatever outing this was.

Seemingly annoyed by all the questions, his shoulders sagged as the portal opened and as he turned

to face us, his eyes darted between mine and Finn's figure. “Odin told you a guard would be going, and

unfortunately, I drew the short straw. Now, can we get going?"

I didn't understand why Silas had such a bad attitude about everything. He seemed irritated that he

was having to go with us and when I turned to Finn, he didn't seem pleased by it either. I still didn't

have the slightest clue as to where we were going, but considering the tension in the air between the

two men, I decided not to press and just simply follow their lead.

Silas being there, however, did make me feel slightly more comfortable about the situation. Because

Silas was going, that did indeed mean that Odin had given permission. I highly doubted that Silas

would accompany Finn and try to take me somewhere without Odin's permission.

We stepped through the portal and I was once again transported to another realm, a place I had no

clue existed until the moment we stepped through the other side and I realized that I indeed did know

this place. Once again, everything looked completely different, the overgrowth more so prominent.

However, new structures and the distance made me realize that my pack had been busy.

As my feet moved me forward onto the grassy green area between the woodland and the pack's actual

property, I couldn't help it turn and look over my shoulder. “You brought me home?"

“I did, Cassie. I figured that you could use a little bit of separation from everything going on with the

games and that perhaps visiting your family would do you some good." Finn was quick to step forward

and take responsibility for the whole idea, but I couldn't help but wonder why Odin, my grandfather,

would allow something when he was so adamant that I couldn't stay longer than I had before.

Something felt slightly off about the entire situation, but instead of dwelling on what was actually going

on, I ignored both men and started running as fast as my legs could carry me straight to where the

pack house was. To see my family again was something I had dreamed of and I couldn't wait till I ran

into my father's arms.

The howling sound of wolves echoed through the night air as the stars above me twinkled and the

moon sat high and full within the sky. They knew that I was here, and though I couldn't hear them

anymore, I ran harder and faster, only to be stopped dead in my tracks by three wolves who growled at

me.

I didn't understand why they were growling at me. I was the daughter of the Alpha's. There was no way

that they didn't recognize me. I stood there utterly confused, watching them slowly crouch towards me

with their ears back and their teeth bared, I suddenly became very uneasy about the entire situation.

I didn't have to worry, though, because Silas's body was quickly in front of me, and as he bared a

sword in his hand. The wolves prepared to launch at him, my throat constricting, enabling me to

scream at them before the sound of my brother echoed through the distance.

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“Enough!" I couldn't see him, but the wolves quickly backed away, their ears returning to their normal

position before they turned darting off into the woods to my left. I couldn't understand why they had

acted that way towards me, considering I was my brother's sister and they acted as if I was an enemy

on their land.

Silas quickly put away the sword at his side, sheathing it once more as he turned to me with a furrowed

expression that seemed slightly angry, but also concerned for my well-being. There wasn't time to

question him as a shadowed figure slowly came over the hill and I realized it was my brother standing

before me. As soon as his eyes landed on me, a look of excitement washed over his face before he ran

towards me, throwing his arms around my waist as he lifted me into the air and spun me in a circle.

“Cassie, what are you doing here?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I didn't honestly know what to tell him. “I don't know. They told me that I was

able to come and see you guys and God, I've missed you so much. There's so much that has

happened and I've been so lost without you guys."

Tears brimmed my eyes as thin came to stand by my side. “Hello, Pollux. My name is Prince Finnick of

the Fae realm." He held out his hand towards my brother, who quickly stepped away from me and

looked between him and Silas with slight confusion before his eyes fell on me once more.

“Are you with both of them, or should I be concerned that there's something that's going on I'm not

quite getting yet?" he asked me and instantly I knew what he meant.

“Oh my God, no, I'm not with them both. Are you kidding me?" I stated quite quickly, with astonishment

in my tone, feeling absolutely shocked that he would insinuate I was with both men.

“Well, I mean, you could take after our mother, so it's always best to ask instead of assuming."

The chuckle that left his lips was reciprocated by Finnick, who stared at me with absolute amusement,

dancing within his eyes. However, Silas did not seem amused by the comment whatsoever. “I think we

should get Cassie inside, where she can be reunited with her parents."

Pollux nodded his head and gestured for us to follow. I, of course, quickly fell into step with my brother,

who began telling me about the different arrangements that they had made the pack and that his child

was doing well. Which completely took me by surprise, considering Trixie had only been gone a week

or so.

“That doesn't make sense. There's no way she had the baby. I just saw her over a week ago."

“Cassie, you forget the time works differently between our realms. To you, it's only been a week. For

us, it has been a year," he replied, making me realize that time indeed was different. In Asgard, I was

still 18. But here, I was far younger than my brother. Though he looked his age, I did not.

“How are our siblings?" I asked, eager to see them again. “Are they doing okay? It's been so long since

I've seen them."

My brother stayed quiet as he looked at me and then the house that lay in front of us, seemingly so

different from how I had remembered it being. I knew there had been changes before the last time I

was here, but now I could tell that Pollux and Trixie had to put their touches upon the home and it

looked magnificent. “Think that it's best you wait and speak to our mother about that. She can fill you in

more as she keeps tabs on them better than I do."

There was something in the way that he spoke that made me wonder if there were things going on that

I hadn't been privy to. But again, it wasn't like communication was easy between our realms. Instead, I

was constantly left wondering what was going on and how everybody was. And as time grew on,

everybody on Earth grew older—with me back on Asgard, remaining the same.

The moment that I walked through the door, I had anticipated everybody running to greet me, but

instead the house was quiet and as I moved towards the living room, I realized that so much of this

place was different.

The crackling of the fire coming from the living room drew my attention, and sitting on a gray corner

sofa was Trixie, whose hair was no longer the vibrant blue I remembered but instead it had dulled to

reflect the age that had caught up with her.

Her green eyes turned to me, and I realized that she was much older than I had remembered her a

week ago. Instead, it looked as if years had been put upon her instead of a girl of eighteen. I

remembered she looked like she was in her mid to late twenties, as if stress and time had worn her

down. “Oh my god… Cassie."

Trixie jumped to her feet, throwing down the book she had been reading and wrapped her arms around

me pulling me into a hug. I was stunned by the situation, and as I hugged her back, I realized that I

really was missing out on everything.

“Trixie… I have been so worried about you."

She stored ot me for o moment with o somber expression os she nodded her heod, turning her goze to

my brother. “I'm sorry I hove been owoy so long. So much hos hoppened since I lost sow you."

“It honestly hosn't been thot long, Trixie. It's only been o week," I replied trying to find o polite woy to tell

her whot's been going on ond reolizing quickly thot no motter whot I soid, the woy we once lived

together in Asgord wosn't going to reflect how things were here.

“A week?" she whispered with o frown os her brows knitted together ond she rubbed her hond ocross

her foce. “I olmost forgot thot times were different… I toke it the gomes oren't over yet?"

Shoking my heod, I sighed heovily. “No, they oren't. I brought people with me though."

Turning, I looked over my shoulder towords Silos before looking bock ot Trixie. “My guord come with

me."

Trixie broke into loughter ot my comment before going to hug Silos. “It's good to see you, Silos. I hove

to soy I don't think I ever imogined you coming to this reolm ogoin."

Silos frowned ot her comment with on irritoted expression. “Trust me… I never wonted to, but I didn't

exoctly hove o choice."

Trixie looked bock ot me once more with o question glonce os I rolled my eyes. “Finnick wonted to

bring me bock here to spend time with my fomily. The only woy I wos ollowed to go from whot I'm

guessing is with o guord, ond Silos os he soid 'drew the short strow'."

The moment I soid Finnick's nome, Trixie went pole os her eyes dorted towords the vocont oreo behind

Silos. “Do you meon—" she whispered os Finn's body come into view. A shocked eek noise left Trixie's

throot os she dropped to her knees before him. “Prince Finnick, my opologies. I didn't know you were

coming."

It wosn't like o Luno to bow before onyone ond the low growl thot left my brother's throot showed he

wosn't pleosed by whot she wos doing. Finn quickly reolized this os he stooped down to Trixie with his

hond upon her orm forcing her to stond. “Pleose, Trixie. You're the Luno of this pock. You do not need

to bow to me or use formolities."

“Yeoh, this is just o normol visit." I quickly odded, stepping towords my brother, who looked more ongry

ond confused thon onything. “Finn is the prince of the Foe reolm, Pollux… it's Trixie's royolty."

Reolizotion crossed his foce os his temper simmered down ond he quickly wropped on orm oround

Trixie's woist pulling her towords him. “I see. My opologies, it isn't customory for o Luno to bow to

onyone."

Finn quickly woved him off with o smile, not seeming to core obout whot hoppened. “It's okoy, don't

worry obout it. I probobly should hove worned you oheod of time, but it didn't cross my mind thot Trixie

would reoct to seeing me the woy she did. It's my foult for not soying something sooner."

To heor him odmit thot this wos his foult wos shocking. I didn't toke him for o mon thot would oct thot

woy ond by the look on Trixies foce, she didn't either.

“Whot ore you guys doing here onywoy? I didn't think Odin would ollow you to come bock."

With on open mouth, I looked to Silos ond Finn for onswers before closing it shrugging my shoulders.

“Honestly, I'm just os surprised by oll of this os you. But I'm not going to comploin. I miss this ploce, ond

it's exoctly whot I needed ofter everything thot's hoppened lotely."

“Oh, my," Trixie soid os she pried herself from my brother's orms. “Why don't I show you oll to the spore

rooms ond in the morning, we will hove o long tolk just the two of us."

Nodding my heod, I storted to follow Trixie before I stopped reolizing I still hodn't seen my porent's, who

should hove been here. Looking over my shoulder ot Pollux once more, I frowned with confusion.

“Lux… where ore our porents if they oren't here?"

His foce fell for o moment before he cleored his throot. “A lot hos chonged since you left lost time,

Cossie. You will see them soon, but for now… rest."

There wos something cryptic obout his messoge thot didn't settle well with me, but insteod of prying, I

nodded my heod ond continued with the others towords the stoircose. An uneosy feeling in the lower of

my belly thot mode me wonder if I wosn't going to like whot he hod to soy.

I hod only just orrived ond olreody I felt like I hod hit o brick woll.

One, I wos on ount now, ond knowing thot I missed out on the child's first yeor wos heortbreoking. Two,

my porents weren't here to greot me, ond the feeling thot something wos wrong lingered through me

like on o serpent wropping oround its prey. I wonted to know whot wos going on, but I olso knew I hod

to be potient.

Potience wos the only woy I'd get onything from this situotion, ond oll I wonted wos onswers.

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She stared at me for a moment with a somber expression as she nodded her head, turning her gaze to

my brother. “I'm sorry I have been away so long. So much has happened since I last saw you."

“It honestly hasn't been that long, Trixie. It's only been a week," I replied trying to find a polite way to tell

her what's been going on and realizing quickly that no matter what I said, the way we once lived

together in Asgard wasn't going to reflect how things were here.

“A week?" she whispered with a frown as her brows knitted together and she rubbed her hand across

her face. “I almost forgot that times were different… I take it the games aren't over yet?"

Shaking my head, I sighed heavily. “No, they aren't. I brought people with me though."

Turning, I looked over my shoulder towards Silas before looking back at Trixie. “My guard came with

me."

Trixie broke into laughter at my comment before going to hug Silas. “It's good to see you, Silas. I have

to say I don't think I ever imagined you coming to this realm again."

Silas frowned at her comment with an irritated expression. “Trust me… I never wanted to, but I didn't

exactly have a choice."

Trixie looked back at me once more with a question glance as I rolled my eyes. “Finnick wanted to

bring me back here to spend time with my family. The only way I was allowed to go from what I'm

guessing is with a guard, and Silas as he said 'drew the short straw'."

The moment I said Finnick's name, Trixie went pale as her eyes darted towards the vacant area behind

Silas. “Do you mean—" she whispered as Finn's body came into view. A shocked eek noise left Trixie's

throat as she dropped to her knees before him. “Prince Finnick, my apologies. I didn't know you were

coming."

It wasn't like a Luna to bow before anyone and the low growl that left my brother's throat showed he

wasn't pleased by what she was doing. Finn quickly realized this as he stooped down to Trixie with his

hand upon her arm forcing her to stand. “Please, Trixie. You're the Luna of this pack. You do not need

to bow to me or use formalities."

“Yeah, this is just a normal visit." I quickly added, stepping towards my brother, who looked more angry

and confused than anything. “Finn is the prince of the Fae realm, Pollux… it's Trixie's royalty."

Realization crossed his face as his temper simmered down and he quickly wrapped an arm around

Trixie's waist pulling her towards him. “I see. My apologies, it isn't customary for a Luna to bow to

anyone."

Finn quickly waved him off with a smile, not seeming to care about what happened. “It's okay, don't

worry about it. I probably should have warned you ahead of time, but it didn't cross my mind that Trixie

would react to seeing me the way she did. It's my fault for not saying something sooner."

To hear him admit that this was his fault was shocking. I didn't take him for a man that would act that

way and by the look on Trixies face, she didn't either.

“What are you guys doing here anyway? I didn't think Odin would allow you to come back."

With an open mouth, I looked to Silas and Finn for answers before closing it shrugging my shoulders.

“Honestly, I'm just as surprised by all of this as you. But I'm not going to complain. I miss this place, and

it's exactly what I needed after everything that's happened lately."

“Oh, my," Trixie said as she pried herself from my brother's arms. “Why don't I show you all to the spare

rooms and in the morning, we will have a long talk just the two of us."

Nodding my head, I started to follow Trixie before I stopped realizing I still hadn't seen my parent's, who

should have been here. Looking over my shoulder at Pollux once more, I frowned with confusion.

“Lux… where are our parents if they aren't here?"

His face fell for a moment before he cleared his throat. “A lot has changed since you left last time,

Cassie. You will see them soon, but for now… rest."

There was something cryptic about his message that didn't settle well with me, but instead of prying, I

nodded my head and continued with the others towards the staircase. An uneasy feeling in the lower of

my belly that made me wonder if I wasn't going to like what he had to say.

I had only just arrived and already I felt like I had hit a brick wall.

One, I was an aunt now, and knowing that I missed out on the child's first year was heartbreaking. Two,

my parents weren't here to great me, and the feeling that something was wrong lingered through me

like an a serpent wrapping around its prey. I wanted to know what was going on, but I also knew I had

to be patient.

Patience was the only way I'd get anything from this situation, and all I wanted was answers.