Arin's POV
I flew across the clearing as Queen Althara's hand slammed into my chest. I struck a tree so forcefully that the bark burst all around me. My ribs hurt, but that wasn't the worst of it. The worst part was sensing Queen Althara's magic trying to infiltrate my thoughts like deadly snakes.
"Avoid her!" With a roar, Kael transformed into a wolf. However, he and Rowan were tied by invisible ropes as Queen Althara simply waved her hand. Unable to move, they fell to the ground.
Queen Althara said sweetly, "My dear granddaughter," as she approached me. "You don't realize how long I've been looking for you."
"Granddaughter?" Breathing became difficult for me as I gasped. "That isn't feasible. When I was young, my grandmother passed away."
It wasn't a pleasant sound when Queen Althara laughed. "Your mother told you a lot of lies. I am the mother of your father. The man who left you was born to the Luna."
