Chapter 196 43: Bloodline

• Edward stood on the ship's deck, staring down at the calm sea. They were three days from shore, and it could be him, but the days had gone by slowly, too slowly for his patience. He couldn’t use his magic without fear of harming himself in the process. The last time was a narrow escape, and taking on too many burdens at once would run him into his grave. He knew this, but the empty and helpless feeling he had whenever he thought about Kailani bore a hole in his chest. He wondered if the Ainsworths were under some sort of curse or if their father’s sin had somehow rubbed off on them. The more they strived for happiness, the harder it became. This wasn’t the Moon Goddess’s doing; this was the doing of Mischief and Chaos, rulers of Inferno. The nemesis that had befallen the Ainsworths had Mischief and chaos written all over it.
• He tried to channel the calmness of the sea and somehow connect with his mate, Kailani. This didn’t require his magic, just his natural werewolf's sense, but he felt nothing, and it grew his rage. He missed her, and going away was not very difficult because he could see her touch her whenever he wander-walked to her, and that left him content. But for so many weeks now, he had lost that, and now he felt a hole in his heart. She wasn’t dead. He knew she wasn’t because what he would feel if she was would be a loss, loneliness, and uncontrollable grief. She was still alive, but away from the capital, which was a good thing.
• Ace stepped outside as well, and though Edward noticed his presence from behind him, he couldn’t tell who he was from his scent. Ace had subdued his power and interrupted the connection he wanted to make with the calm sea.