Chapter 549: News from Nirvana

A Day Before

Victoria’s gaze snapped toward the door. The knock had been soft, deliberate, and somehow impatient.

"What is it?" she asked, voice clipped.

A low voice responded, distant but clear. "There’s someone here for you, my lady."

Victoria’s eyes narrowed. Her fingers flexed slightly at her sides. "I do not wish to see anyone. Especially not someone who brings me anything other than good news—news that the cliff has been destroyed, that the Silver Creek pack has been finished."

The guard hesitated. "I... I am sorry, my lady. It’s none of that. This... this person is one of the warriors you sent to Nirvana."

Victoria’s head tilted. Her eyes found Selith’s across the room. If this person was part of those she had sent into Nirvana, then it is very likely they came with the body of the first priest she sent them to get.

Without another word, she moved. Her steps were even, deliberate, heels clicking softly against the stone floor. She reached the door and pulled it open.

"Where is he?" she asked the guard, voice steady.

"He’s... back at the castle, my lady," the guard replied.

Victoria did not pause. She turned, walking alongside the guard, her gown brushing the cracked floor of the building. The torches along the corridor flickered weakly, shadows trembling across the stone, but she did not notice.

Outside, the sounds of the battle carried to her ears. Screams, the clash of metal, the howl of wolves, the shouts of dying men—chaos rolled over the hills, but to Victoria, it was background music. She did not flinch at the blood in the air. She did not flinch at the smoke. Her mind was elsewhere.

But she stopped to take a look at what was happening over the cliff. She could not see it clearly from where she was, but she could see enough. Flames licked the edges of the trees, and one thing still stood amidst the chaos—the cliff.

She spat to the ground. "Fucking imbeciles, all they have to do is take down the cliff and destroy all of them there."

She shook her head with disgust, then turned, making her way to the castle. She had more serious matters than the Silver Creek pack members, who would sooner meet their deaths than she would.

As they reached the entrance of the castle, movement caught her eyes. A man rushed toward her. He stumbled slightly, then righted himself and knelt sharply before her.

Victoria’s eyes swept around. "I was expecting Darius," she said, voice low but carrying. "Who are you?"

The man swallowed. He hesitated, head bowed. "My lady... I am Theron."

Victoria’s lips twitched, just the faintest edge of curiosity. "Theron. I do not remember you. Did you go with Darius into Nirvana?" she asked him.

Theron nodded. "Yes, I did, my lady."

She tilted her head. The fact that she did not remember him meant he was unimportant. "Speak. Where is Darius? He should be the one reporting, not some no-name I don’t know."

Theron’s hands tightened into fists at his sides. "My lady... Darius is dead."

Her eyes twitched. A sharp movement, almost imperceptible. Then she straightened fully, gaze hardening. "What do you mean Darius is dead? You killed him?"

Theron’s throat worked as he swallowed again. "I would never lay a hand on the commander. We... we were ambushed, my lady. Ambushed by forces I suspect belong to the pack in the North. Darius—he... he fought with someone. I’m certain he knew who the man was, but I am at a loss for who he is."

Victoria’s eyes narrowed. Her jaw tightened. She glanced at the guard standing just behind her, but her attention returned immediately to Theron. Darius had been killed... just like that? She could hardly fathom it.

Theron hesitated, glancing briefly at the guard. He swallowed once more, nodding. "My lady... I have returned because I have news. News... delicate in nature. For you."

"So?" she asked. "Speak."

Theron glanced at the guard. "It’s delicate news."

Victoria’s lips curved, a slow, controlled smile. "The guard remains. Speak, Theron."

Theron’s hands shook slightly. He lowered his head, swallowing hard. "We found her... my lady."

Victoria frowned. "The beast I sent you to find is a male, if I remember correctly. What do you mean by ’you found her’?"

"We found your daughter. She is alive."

"Where did you find her?" Victoria asked softly.

"In Nirvana. She was with members of the pack from there. She was atop a massive wolf, and I watched in awe as she took down beasts twice her size," Theron said.

Victoria laughed at that. Her daughter was weak. She couldn’t do anything against the beasts in Nirvana. She was only useful when it came to books and her visions, Victoria had made it that way. And now this man claims to have seen that weak girl fighting beasts?

"Let’s say I believe you. What does she look like?" Victoria asked him.

"She has only black hair, which doesn’t really suit her. Blue eyes that remind one of the moon. She’s about five feet four inches, but I didn’t take a very good look at her, that’s all I remember," he told her.

And that short description was accurate. Victoria kept Sophia hidden from the world, so if this man hadn’t seen Sophia, he wouldn’t have been able to describe her.

The black hair was one thing Victoria had done herself. She had made sure to dye Sophia’s hair so it looked more like hers. So Sophia didn’t stand out. She had also hidden Sophia from the rest of the world, hidden the fact that Sophia could see visions too because if she let Sophia out, all attention would be on her.

Victoria had to admit that Sophia was a beautiful girl. She had birthed her after all. But the fact that her daughter would get all the attention meant for her—she couldn’t stand it. Sophia already had the gift that should have been hers. She couldn’t let her still have all the men.

"You saw her," Victoria said softly. "She’s alive."

She laughed again, sudden, and both the guard and Theron were taken aback. Then she gave Theron a look.

"Rise," she told him.

Theron obeyed.

"Tell me, what happened in Nirvana? Are you the only one who survived?" she asked him.

Theron shook his head. "I don’t know. The others went into the cave for the beast you sent us for. I was sent to inform you of the news regarding your daughter."

"Do you think the others will survive?" Victoria asked him.

"I’m not certain, my lady," Theron said truthfully.

He had not entered the cave with Morven and the others, but there was something ominous about the cave; he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Victoria nodded. "You did a good job getting me this information." She said it simply.

Theron grinned at that.

Meanwhile, Victoria thought of ways she could turn this information into something better. Her daughter was alive.

She couldn’t help but chuckle again. It seemed even the goddess was on her side. She wondered what Selith would do with this information and if perhaps they could speed up the process of the ritual.

She turned to the guard.

"This fight with the Silver Creek pack has taken too long. Gather some other warriors—perhaps even those desperate for money. Give their families a few gold coins, strap a bomb to them, kill everyone on the scene of that fight. They are all incapable since it’s taking so long. And take down that cliff. Make it so no one would ever be able to use it again," she said to the guard.

He bowed. "As you wish, my lady."

Victoria was certain of one thing now: the cliff was a quick way to get to the North, but she had no use for it because she was going to destroy that pack in the North herself. She didn’t need shortcuts; she was going to use the enclave to start a war on them. The pack in the North would regret the day they existed.

Victoria turned back to the castle, humming as she did so, her hands moving to the tune. The goddess really was on her side.

---

Meanwhile, Tobias and the others had just started moving when they heard another boom from the top of the cliff, and rocks fell down with the sound.

"Move faster!" Annabeth said loudly as she helped her pack members move.

"Are they destroying the cliff?" someone asked. It was a child.

"I think so," another replied as he gazed up. "My father is up there."

Annabeth felt a sharp pang in her chest.

"Tommy, we have to go now," she said to the boy.

"But my father..."

"Now, Tommy!" his mother said sternly. "The goddess will watch over your father, but we must go now."

Tommy wiped his eyes with his hands and then rushed to his mother joining the others as they began moving just as the cliff collapsed.