Talia and Meg were in Talia's room, both looking at each other in silence and waiting for a sign they can move.
"Talia?", Meg called in a whisper, like she was afraid that someone will overhear her. "I didn't thank you for your help back there. Kai told me what you did when we left the Dark Howlers pack."
"Don't mention it.", Talia responded, tense nerves made her voice choppy. Thinking that Damon was in danger, yet they were just sitting there was driving her nuts. "Do you know how long until we can move?"
Meg shrugged. "Axel needs to distract his mother and make it look natural."
Talia nodded in understanding. The silence was pressing on her ears, and she needed a distraction. "Are all buildings here underground?"
"Most of them.", Meg said. "At first, I thought it was strange, werewolves love free outdoors. But then Kai told me how that's their way of not disturbing nature. We can go out anytime so it's not a big deal."
"Tell me about this place. Talk to me about your training. Just talk…", Talia demanded, and Meg obeyed.
They both knew that the longer they delay, the further Cassandra was with whatever she was doing, but rushing recklessly will only get them caught and not help Damon.
Cassandra finalized the last rune on the floor with black chalk, completing the mysterious circle that she had drawn around the stone platform where Damon was surrounded by unlit candles.
She raised her arms up looking at the ceiling that had a skylight revealing dark purple sky above. The Moon was getting into the position to be fully visible through that long, narrow opening.
"Bless me, oh, Moon Goddess…", Cassandra spoke with a fervent expression of worshiping and pain. "One shouldn't have too much power. I am doing your bidding to save your children who turn to darkness when they have too much power, preventing a big disaster from happening…"
With one sway of her hand, numerous candles that were around Damon lit up and the stone platform hummed. In the next moment, the silvery light started flowing toward black runes much faster than compared to when it went straight into the ground.
Damon's head tilted backward, and veins popped on his neck as suppressed growl formed in his throat.
Cassandra swayed her arms up in the air and hummed unintelligible chants, her eyes rolled at the back of her head as she fell into a trance.
Meg opened the door and after a quick glance, she confirmed that Cassandra was not in the small hallway.
"Crap!", Meg exclaimed angrily when she saw that Cassandra was doing the ritual. "I hope we are not too late…"
Meg was surprised when she saw Talia moving faster than she could follow with her eyes.
Cassandra was chanting and her mouth opened in shock when someone gripped her neck.
"Stop this!", Talia hissed while lifting Cassandra off the ground with one hand.
Cassandra wiggled her legs and tried to break free from Talia's hold. She didn't understand how can such a skinny girl be so strong.
"You can't stop this.", Cassandra struggled to talk. "This is the will of the Moon Goddess. He stepped on the path of darkness and needs to be purified."
Talia turned to see Meg sheepishly observe the stone platform where Damon was lying.
"I read about these.", Meg said while gesturing toward black runes drawn on the ground. "Whoever gets into the circle will be impacted. This is the first time I see such a complex pattern. Normally, they are used to suppress powers, but I think that this is much stronger than that."
Talia's heart clenched when she realized that some of those runes were flickering over Damon's body and he was frowning. Was he in pain?
Talia looked at Cassandra whose face was turning purple now. She flicked her hand and Cassandra plopped on the ground, gasping for air.
"Stop this!", Talia demanded.
"I can't. No one can until it's done. It's the Moon Goddess…"
"LIES!", Talia screamed and her whole body glowed in silver, making Cassandra and Meg squint.
Cassandra groaned under the pressure that Talia released, feeling like her insides were being squeezed to the point of nearly bursting.
Talia looked up at the skylight that was now showing the Moon fully, the moonlight giving her a power boost. "Do you think that the Moon Goddess will allow for something like this to happen?"
Cassandra stared at Talia like she was growing a second head.
Talia's whole body was illuminated, and even her hair sparkled silvery while flowing behind her without any wind. She looked like a Goddess that descended to Earth.
Talia turned to Damon and started walking while Liseli urged her to hurry. With one thought, all candles around Damon were extinguished. As Talia stepped on a black rune, it disappeared from there with a sizzle.
"Be careful…", Meg said pleadingly. If Talia ended up sucked up in that cruel ritual, they would be doomed. With Talia breaking the circle of black runes, the light stopped flowing toward the black runes and was steadily pulsating toward the ground, but one can't be too careful.
Meg released the breath she was holding when she confirmed that Talia was not affected.
"Come, Damon. It's time to go home…", Talia said while putting her hands under his armpits and lifting him into a seated position.
She remembered how much she struggled to put those shorts on him, yet how she lifted him with ease like he was a child. She wondered if this was the effect of his mark on her. It was invisible, but Talia could feel that it was there.
Talia beckoned Meg to come and give her a hand. Damon was big for her but then... Meg was only slightly taller than Talia. This obviously required team effort.
Meg gingerly approached and took Damon's arm to wrap around her shoulders and they pulled him away from that platform.
Talia held half of Damon's weight on her shoulder, and she turned to Cassandra.
"You speak of the Moon Goddess, yet you don't know her."
Cassandra's chin trembled. Silver strands of light danced around Talia's form, like electricity that could discharge with deadly sparks at any moment.
"The Moon Goddess loves when her children grow strong. Who are you to take that away?"
Cassandra scrambled backward until her back hit the wall. "It was an order from the Alpha."
"Keep telling that to yourself."
"Talia? We should go. Inject her with that stuff.", Meg reminded Talia that they were in a hurry.
"No. I want her to remember.", Talia said sternly and leaned to stare into Cassandra's petrified eyes. "Remember that even when one turns to darkness, there will always be light to lead him to the right path. But if you give in to the darkness and refuse to see the light, no one will save you. No one."
Talia extended her hand and pointed her index finger at Cassandra's forehead.
Cassandra's body flashed in silver for a moment, and then the woman slumped on the ground.
"What did you do?", Cassandra asked Talia shakily.
"I took away your power."
"What? No!" She was waving frantically, but nothing happened. She groaned in frustration and desperation. "Please. I need my power."
Talia smirked. "It will come back if the Moon Goddess finds you worthy. If you tell anyone what you saw here, your powers will never come back." She pointed at the skylight. "The Moon Goddess is watching. Start praying."
Cassandra pushed herself to sit and she prostrated herself while mumbling prayers that only she understood. And maybe the Moon Goddess.
She didn't react when Talia and Meg left the room with Damon in hurry.
"Can you turn off the glowing?", Meg asked Talia in a hushed voice. "Someone will see us from a mile away..."
Talia smiled and rubbed her cheek on Damon's shoulder. She had no idea what awaits them at the end of that hallway, but she was glad that Damon was with her. Talia made a silent vow to never let go of him, no matter what.
