Everyone stared in awe at the two new lovebirds, as they stared admirably at each other. It was a moment they do not want to interrupt. Jamal was the first to break the eye contact.
"I'm sorry, hope you are not hurt?" He asked and she nodded not saying a word. "Your hands are bleeding," he said and made to touch her but she moved backward. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want to see if the hand is fine" he said and moved closer to her. She let him touch her hand and he sighed. "It's just a minor scratch. Are you sure you'll be ok?" He asked and she nodded.
She dragged her hand away from him and ran away. He stood rooted to his spot, wondering why she had to run away. He wondered if he had said something to her that she doesn't like.
Jasmine moved closer to him. "I think she is shy," she said.
"Do you think I will meet her again?" He asked.
"I am sure you will"
"I couldn't even get her name"
"Do you think she can speak?" Andrea asked from behind.
"She said no word to him. I doubt if she can" Jabal said.
"Maybe she did not speak to him because he is a stranger," Kelvin said.
"I think so too," Ryan said.
"Why don't we go check the village out. We might end up meeting with her again and if we don't, we can think of a way to get to her" Jasmine says and Jabal scoffed.
"Do you think that will be easy like you said?. We can't even remember much of her face. Or is there anyone who does?"
Ryan raised his hand. "I think I do," he said and Jasmine glared at him but he ignored her. "I think I can remember her face if we do see her again"
Ariana smiled. "That has saved us a lot of stress then"
Jasmine sighed. "We should get going. There is a lot to see here and we need to return before lunch" she said and everyone nodded in agreement.
**
They moved around the village admiring its beauty. There were so many things to look at, like the snake waterfall, having water come out of the mouth of a snake. At first, they had thought it was a made-up snake but when they got closer to it and Jamal tried touching it, they realized it was real and had run for their sear lives.
After running for a while they laughed at themselves for being so fearful.
"I can't believe that snake is real," Ryan said, breathing so fast.
"Gosh, it almost scared me to death," Jabal said and every other person nodded, except Jasmine who seems to enjoy it.
"I thought it was going to bite me," Jamal said.
"I think I like it," Jasmine said and everyone frowned at her. She seems to be the only one who likes it. They decided to be careful with every other thing they come in contact with.
The villagers were friendly to them and were willing to answer every one of their questions. They wondered if their kindness was because they knew Rachel or it was because they were naturally kind.
After a while, they all decided it was time to return to Rachel and Stella. It was a few minutes into noon, and they have not come in contact with the mysterious girl who happens to be Jamal's mate. They decided to return and tell Rachel and Stella about it. They knew they were the only ones who would help them to find the girl.
As they returned home, they chatted about random things. Jamal withdraw from them as he had so many things to think about. Soon, they were all standing in front of Rachel's house. Ariana rang the bell and Gabrielle was at the door to open it.
"Thank goodness you are here. Rachel has someone he will like to introduce to you" she said, opening the door widely for them to come in.
They met Rachel and Stella seated with another woman in her early forties. Beside her was a young girl of about Jamal's age.
"Rachel?" Jasmine cooed, walking closer to her.
"You came back at the right time. Come sit. I have some people to introduce you all"
Jasmine sat down and the rest followed suit. Jamal's eyes landed on the young girl seated beside the woman whom he had predicted might be her mother. She must be the same girl he had bumped into some hours ago, he thought. He stared at her. She wasn't the same timid girl he met. She had a straight face on, and he wondered if something was wrong.
He stared at Ryan who nodded as a confirmation. He couldn't feel his wolf jumping up. He was certain something was wrong but he just couldn't place his hand on it.
"Kid, meet Maria and Lilly, her daughter" Rachel introduced.
"Lilly?" They muttered one after another. They had finally known the name of Jamal's mate.
"They are the custodians of the valley of prophecy. They will take you there and tell you what your future holds" Rachel said and they furrowed their brows.
Are they not here to ask about the great book of the witches?. Why is Rachel talking about some valley of prophecy? And why do they need to know about what their future holds?
"What does that mean?" Jasmine spoke up.
"I already told Rachel about the prophecy saying the book might appear in the demon realm, or the vampire realm. But the prophecy is not realm like I have predicted. And the one which came in today is saying a different thing. And Maria here wants you to come to see for yourself what lies ahead of you" Stella answered.
"And the location of the book?" Ariana asked.
"The blood moon will surface soon. Then there will be a prophecy of the location of the book" Lilly answered and Jamal batted his lashes. She can speak?. He thought she can't.
"So we have to go with them?" Jabal asked.
"It's a day's journey. You will be back by next tomorrow" Rachel said.
"And don't worry, I will be going with you," Stella said.
"Lilly, go call your sister, Pearl and meet us by the mountain," Maria said and Lilly left the house. Jamal stared at her as she leaves. There was something not right about Lilly. He wasn't feeling the mate stuff, which means Lilly is not his mate. And if Maria did have another daughter called Pearl, she has to be his mate and seems not to have a voice, and the one he met with in the waterfall, can talk.
"You should go get a few things ready," Rachel said and they stood up. Jamal stopped walking.
"Sorry, Maria. Can I ask if your other daughter, Pearl can talk?" He asked and Maria batted her lashes.
"You met Pearl?"
"Yes, I did" Jamal answered.
"We all met her in the market" Jasmine answered and Maria sighed.
"She talks. But she doesn't talk to strangers. You must be her mate, Jamal" Maria said and the kids batted their lashes. She knew too?. No wonder there was no introduction.
Jamal brushed his hair backward. "I think I will go get my things ready," he said and went upstairs. One after the other, they began to leave too.
**
They had all gotten their things and were ready to leave. Rachel kissed them goodbye, one after the other. "I am already missing you, kids. Make sure you get the answer you seek and return as soon as you can because we have a lot to talk about. Especially you Kelvin" she said, waving at them.
They walked through a narrow path and soon, they were at the mountain top waiting for Lilly and Pearl. Maria asked that they sit on the stones available to wait.
Jasmine was the first to see Lilly running up the mountain with Pearl. "I think they are coming already"
Maria stood up and walked towards them. Jamal stood up too, moving closer to her. The rest stared at them.
"Pearl, what did I tell you about wandering around yourself?. You know how dangerous it is to the villagers" Maria said
"I am sorry, mother" Pearl cooed and Jamal batted his lashes. She can talk. She is the one. Pearl is his mate.
"You have to promise me you won't wander on your own again, or I might have to lock you up in the valley of prophecy"
"You can't, mother. It'll be dangerous for me"
"Then you can't wander around"
"I promise..." She saw Jamal staring at her and she stopped talking. Maria knew she must have seen someone. She turned to see Jamal and Jasmine standing beside her.
"Let's get going," Maria said and walked past them. Lilly walked past them too while Pearl stared at Jamal for a while before walking past him.
"Do you think we will ever bond?" Jamal asked.
"I think you will" Jasmine answered.
"Jamal, Jasmine, let's go," Stella said.
They followed behind the rest. Their journey was to take a day and they had to stay in a cave to spend the night. During their walk, Pearl withdrew herself from the rest. She sometimes dashes into the woods and returns some minutes later. When they were in the cave, they needed some wood. Jamal and Kelvin offered to get some wood for them. But pearl was out of the cave before they knew it.
"You don't have to worry, we will get some wood soon," Maria said.
"Where is Pearl?" Jamal asked after a while.
"You don't have to worry, she will be back soon" Lilly whispered to him and he sighed. What sort of a girl is she?
"Lilly" he called and she stared at him. "Can you tell me a few things about Pearl?" He asked and she chuckled.
"You mean your mate?" Lilly asked and he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, my mate"
"She can't speak when there are strangers around and that is the reason she didn't speak to any one of you. She is a werewolf just like you but also a witch like the twins"
"Are you a werewolf too?"
"Nah, I am just a witch. Pearl is a special child. She is born with a wolf spirit. It hasn't been awakening yet and that's the reason she can't be among other people. She also can't leave this place yet or else she will die"
Jamal batted his lashes. His mate is a witch with the spirit of a wolf in her?. She's a threat to people for as long as her wolf hasn't woken up. And she can't speak when there are strangers?.
"What else?"
"She is back," Lilly said, pointing at the door to the cave. Pearl walked into the cave with a bundle of wood and a hunted rabbit. She dropped it on the floor and retired to a corner. There was silence and everyone stared at Pearl. Lilly poked Jamal. "I think you should go talk to her"
"No, I can't"
"You have to. This is the only time you can get closer to her. Mom won't let her come to the village again" Lilly said and Jamal stood up. He stared at Maria who must have been listening to their conversation. She nodded. Stella nodded too and so did every other person.
He moved closer to her. She had her head buried in between her laps. "Pearl" he called and she raised her head. "Can I sit?. I mean besides you". She stared at him for a while and finally moved to create a space for him. "How is your hand?. Can I see it?" He said, trying to hold her hand but she moved it away quickly. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want to see if your hand is fine"
She stretched her hand to him and he sighed. "It's swell. I'll go get some ointment in my bag so I can apply some on it" Jamal said and stood up. He returned with an ointment and applied some on her hand. She whined a little. "Sorry" he muttered, blowing it.
"You don't hate me?" She spoke up and Jamal batted his lashes.
"Did you just speak?" He asked and she looked away. "You don't have to worry. You can talk to me. I don't hate you. I've no reason to"
"You don't hate me knowing that I am a witch with a wolf spirit in me?"
Jamal smiled. "I know a witch who is also a werewolf. I also know a wizard who is also a werewolf. I know an earth witch who is now a red-haired witch. So why should I hate you?"
She sighed. "You are the first stranger I am speaking to. I couldn't meet with Rachel because I won't be able to speak to her no matter how much I try"
Jamal held her hand. "Maybe you should stop trying and let them love you for who you are, ok?"
She smiled. "You're kind and I like you"
**
As they journey to the valley of prophecy the following day, Pearl walked beside Jamal. Somehow, they were able to bond well and her mom watched in awe how Pearl speaks to him. She even offered to help him carry his bag.
Pearl has always tried to stay away from people. She was naturally shy and had to learn to be on her own when she found out how disastrous she is to others. Seeing her get along with Jamal brought tears to her eyes. She knew a time will come when Jamal will have to make a difficult choice of choosing between Pearl and his quest. She knew Jamal won't choose to stay back and might decide to reject pearl which will be detrimental to her.
"Pearl" Jamal called and she stared at him. "Did your mom tell you about having a mate?"
She shrugged. "Mom once told me that all werewolves have a mate given to them by the moon goodness. And that I might have one too. Do you have a mate too?" She asked and he nodded. "Who?"
"You" he replied and she stopped walking.
"Me?"
He nodded. "Yes"
She batted her lashes. "You're my mate?. Is that the reason why I can speak to you?"
He nodded. "Yes"