The idea of Talan getting his hands on the young witch was enough to make me hesitate. Obviously, he had a thing for power, or he wouldn't have tried to take me as he did. I couldn't risk him getting his hooks into her too. I just didn't trust him.
"Pamela, is there somewhere you can go? Somewhere away from here? I think Rylee will need some time to come to grips with what happened."
She hunched her back further. "You don't want me to stay with you?"
I drew a breath and let it out slowly, knowing the prickly footing that came with teenagers all too well. "I want you to be safe. The man with me with the dark hair, did you see him?"
"The one with the violet eyes?" She nodded. "I saw him."
"He's a Spirit Walker, an elemental who can control others through their minds. I don't know what he would do if he got his hands on you. You are very powerful, and witches with great power are feared by some elementals."
She frowned and shook her head. "I can't be controlled by Spirit. It is one of the reasons Raven was willing to teach me."
My turn to frown. "You could keep yourself free from Spirit when Raven tried to manipulate you?"
She nodded. "While he was surprised, I think maybe he wasn't at the same time. It was strange."
The frown did not leave my face. How could a child, a witch who had power in all five elements, be stronger at resisting Spirit's call than me who had power in the true element itself? There was no jealousy on my part, just true confusion.
Peta cleared her throat. "Sometimes, one using Spirit finds it's a struggle to control those within their bloodline."
Pamela stiffened. "Perhaps that is the case." From her arms came a soft purrp from the orange cat.
"Tell her, Pamela."
Peta leaned over. "Tell us what?"
"Oka," Pamela said softly. "I don't know if that is a good idea-"
"Tell her." Oka peered up at her charge with large pale blue eyes, then they widened as she took in me and Peta. She swallowed hard, almost like she was tongue-tied. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, and then again, she swallowed and spoke quietly. "I may not be the familiar that Peta is, but," her words slowly grew in confidence, "Lark is your friend. She is the Destroyer. She needs to know."
Chills swept through my body and my skin tingled with apprehension. "Tell me what?"
Pamela drew a breath. "I … Raven and I are related."
If she'd turned and slapped me, I would not have been more surprised. "Related? How?"
She lifted her head and looked me straight in the eye, and while I could see she was being brave, I could also see the fear.
"He's my father."
It took all my strength not to tell her she was being an idiot, that he was lying to her. But the longer I looked at her, the longer I stared at the shape of her face, the distinct color of her eyes … "Smile," I said softly.
She let her lips curl upward, and the smile didn't touch her eyes. Shit, give her blue-black hair and she was a softer image of him indeed.
"The similarity is there," Peta said. "Enough that I would believe it."
I frowned.
"And he offered to train you because of your connection to him?" I lifted an eyebrow. "Asking nothing in return?"
It was her turn to frown. "He wanted the sword … but he left it behind back there."
That didn't make sense. I knew Raven wanted the sword. He'd tried to get it from me at the Battle of the Veil.
"You believe me about Raven being my father?" Her question caught me off guard.
"I do."
"And you don't hate me for it?"
I laughed softly. "Ah, Pamela. Family is complicated. And you are family. I don't hold your parentage against you. I only worry he will use your obvious care for him against you."
We were silent a moment. I shook my head. "No matter our connection, you still can't come with me to Talan. Raven is strong in Spirit, you're right about that. But Talan has more strength with Spirit than any other elemental I've ever met."
"Even you?" She lifted an eyebrow back at me, and again, I was struck that she really did look like Raven. I'd just never been looking for the similarities before.
I nodded. "Even me. Right now, he is drawing both me and Shazer to him with Spirit. I have no say over it."
To be fair, I wasn't fighting the pull to him either. I wanted to face him head on with my eyes open and my strength intact. And when I was done with him, I would go back to the Rim and protect my family. As was my calling in this life.