And Then There Were Four (Lilith Carrie) novel Chapter 159

Chapter 159: A Losing Battle

Cassie.

A few days of going to the secret library Silas had brought me to hadn't brought me any closer to figuring out how to help Lucas. However, I learned a lot about Anna. Including just how close Silas was to her when he came to Asgard to be- gin with.

"So you were her guard?" I asked, staring at Silas, who walked around the library tossing an old brown ball up in the air before catching it.

"Yep, it was my first job here. It wasn't exactly what I had expected... when I came here she had already been here for a long time. I was young and rebellious. I hated the world be- cause of how I was treated, and she saw something in me oth- ers didn't."

"But... that doesn't make sense. She would have been an- cient by then-"

"Around seven hundred years old to be exact," he hummed as his eyes twinkled with amusement.

I was astounded. From the stories, she was supposed to be human or so I thought, but then lived that long. It didn't make any sense. "How, though?"

"How was she that old?"

Nodding my head, his smile widened, "Anna was one of Odin's creations, Cassie. She was a descendant of one of his wolves."

I had heard many things over the years about Odin, and some of the stuff he did but this... I had never heard before.

Odin's wolves were famous, and the entire reason our species was created. In order to protect the wolves hunted by hu- mans, Odin bestowed his wolves to gift them with the ability to turn into to humans to hide amongst the same men that tried to kill them.

"We are all descendants though," I whispered looking back down to the painting of her I have found in a scroll on one of the many bookshelves. "That still doesn't explain how she lived so long."

"Odin bestowed a gift on her when she lost Bjorn and two more of her children. When she came here, three of her chil- dren had died, and she wanted death as well. Her anger con- sumed her, making her hate the life she was given. However, Odin wouldn't let her give up on life. He knew she had more to offer so he made her immortal until she could see that even through the darkest of days life has beauty even in the dark- est of shadows."

Sila's words were always poetic when he wanted to ex- plain something important. Letting a smirk crest the corner of my lips, I rolled my eyes and went back to trying to read the faded writing on the parchment. However, the words were foreign and far more advanced than anything I knew, and I was left wondering what they were instead of actually know- ing.

"So, he made her immortal until she appreciated life?"

Nodding his head, he picked up another book and made his way toward me, laying it down. "This is Anna's journal from her last year here. When you have time, you should read it."

Picking up the purple fabric-bound book, I ran my fingers over the spine, admiring the intricate designs. It was beautiful, and my mind was curious to know what she had to say but right now, I had more important things to worry about.

"Maybe once things are better, I will. For now, we have more important things to figure out, like how to save Lucas."

The reminder made his lips part as he nodded again. "Of course."

He seemed to hate the fact I kept reminding him, but it was important to figure out if I was ever going to fix what was going on. Every single day Lucas was the way he was, I felt the distance grow between us within the little bit of bond we had.

Perhaps it was a good thing, but I felt an emptiness inside me I didn't like. "So we have been here for days at this. What is actually going to help me?"

Silas sighed, shaking his head, “Inanna was here when Anna was. The two women were friends at one point, but Inanna was strange..."

"So that makes her a villain?" I laughed.

"No," he smiled, "but her acting the way she was set Anna on edge. I worked closely with Anna, and through all of it, she felt Inanna and her were growing distant. That Inanna was up to something dark, and when she began hanging out with the wrong people, Anna became wary of her."

Glancing down at Anna's portrait, I took in her dark hair, celestial blue eyes and pink plump lips. I was shocked. The first time I saw her photo I realized how much she and I looked alike. The only difference was she seemed to smile all the time where I did not. Anna didn't seem like the kind of person whose smile ever fell, but of course, this was reality, or it was her reality once upon a time.

"So did she ever confront her?" I asked without looking up at Silas. My fingers once again brushed over the purple book he had given me.

"Yep," he replied quickly. "It turned into a huge fight, and the next day... Inanna and a few others were gone."

Letting my eyes dart up to Silas, I furrowed my brows. "What do you mean they were gone? Someone doesn't just vanish."

He shrugged his shoulders and took a seat in the chair across from me. "Back then, the vale between realms wasn't as confined as it is now. It was easier to slip out, but that was because Odin didn't worry about things like he does now I suppose. At least, since everything with Loki.”

"Loki?" Hearing the name rang internal bells as I remem- bered the stories I had heard growing up of the battle my par- ents went through with him. How they wanted my brother and me but our parents fought to protect us.

"Yeah, Loki was dangerous, but thankfully, Odin impris- oned him."