"So what did you say to the deal?" Arya asked Rodriguez.
"What could I say! Yes!" He said.
"Wait... you said I wanted to kill Alfa as well! Correct?" Arya asked, her heart pounding.
"Yeah," Rodriguez confirmed.
Arya sat there deep in thought. Would she willingly kill Alfa? For Kane, the answer was, is, and always will be yes! But Alfa?
Some part of her still respected Alfa not because he was her mate but because he was a good person.
She needed to know more about the witch that possesses her. But how? She herself had told Rodriguez that she could not form a bond with her other side, meaning the witch could not bond with the human, so how can she know more about her?
There has to be a way!
"The cave," Arya whispered, forgetting that the man in front of her had super hearing.
"Yeah, Elora's cave. You asked about that!"
"Did I visit it during my stay?"
"You tried once but got lost. Then the witch part said that without you, her powers are weak. Since you don't know about her, she can't go. But you can!"
Arya looked at Rodriguez with a confused expression. "What?"
"The witch you can't go. The human you can."
"And what of the sacrifice? I mean, who do I sacrifice?" Arya asked.
"Three virgin girls. One every full moon."
Arya's jaw nearly hit the floor, and her eyes were as wide as saucers. She was supposed to kill humans in the name of staying young and beautiful? Was her great grandmother crazy?
Just as these thoughts came into her head, so did her great-grandmother's face. That young, gorgeous, glowing skin. She looked younger than Arya, even though she was hundreds of years old.
Arya could get that. No surgery, no expensive cosmetic products, no spa treatments, just like that. One sacrifice for her eternal beauty.
But sacrificing someone for her own benefit? Is that even right?
"Arya, you with me?" Rodriguez asked, pulling her back from her internal turmoil.
"Yeah? What happened?" Arya asked.
"You had told me that you would return during the night of the full moon. That's why I had said you're early when I saw you."
"I'm confused. It seems like the witch, and I don't agree on certain things. Removing Kane is great, but Alfa.... I'm not sure," Arya said, concerned.
"I'll advise you to think it through. Stay, if you like, or go back, and maybe you can be around Alfa and see what you want. Listen to your gut," Rodriguez said.
"I think I'll visit the cave first!"
"Good idea. I'll take you there."
Soon, Arya stood at the same path as in her dream. Tall trees in a straight line and leaves littered a faint trail leading to the cave.
In her dreams, it was a dark night, but the path was clear. Now, it was light, but the path was covered, but it was a good thing she knew where to go.
Leaves crunched beneath her bare feet, and she felt like nature itself was protecting her.
Arya felt an unknown power pulling her toward itself, and she picked up her pace, moving; almost running towards the source.
Soon enough, Arya reached the mouth of the cave. Her heart beated with anticipation, and her eyes wandered around.
"This is amazing! Just like in my dream!" She said.
"This has been here all this while, and none of my men could find it!" Alpha Rodriguez said, the same surprise in his voice.
Rodriguez and some of his men had accompanied Arya to the cave, and in case she couldn't find it and got lost, they would have helped her get out.
Arya stepped into the cave and immediately felt a surge of power. She felt tingling all over her body from head to toe.
Something was here, and she felt it calling out to her, and she made her way between the stone walls.
Her hands brushed against the wall, and she felt the same electrical charge she felt in her dream.
She heard whispers, like the wall was talking to her. She reached the center and saw the alter, the same one made of stone as in her dream.
Instinctively, she turned to the corner where she saw her great-grandmother. She smiled when she didn't see anyone since dreams and reality differ.
She remembered the book. It was at the back of the cave. She walked to the back and saw the book in the same position she had dreamt of.
Before she picked it up, she saw a paper neatly folded on top of the book. It looked old and worn out, with yellowing edges.
Arya picked it up slowly, not wanting it to tear, and unfolded it. She sighed deeply, as the writing was in some language she didn't understand.
Either she had to learn that language or find a dark witch to translate it. Both options were impossible, as without some help, she couldn't learn a totally different language, and finding a dark witch would be as hard as looking for a needle in a haystack.
She knew taking the book with her would prove useless since it was written in the same language as the long letter, so she did what she knew would be right; ask questions.
Getting back to the main room, as she decided to call it, she saw Rodriguez staring at the alter and the cave. Arya noticed he was alone and confused.
"Hey, where are the others?" She asked.
Rodriguez looked at her, then answered, "They couldn't get in! They tried and tried, but some invisible force kept pushing them back."
"But, how could you enter?"
"That's what confuses me. How could I walk in without any problem, while my men couldn't?"
There was silence, then Arya asked, "Hey, do you, by any chance, know someone who could read dark witch language?"
"No. Why?"
"I found this letter on the book I was looking for. Before I open the book, I need to know what this letter says," Arya said, handing the letter to him.
Opening the letter, Rodriguez smiled. "You know, I can read this. Micheal, your grandfather taught me this language when I was young. I have my notes back in my room. I'll give you my book, and you can read it."
"If you can read it, tell me what it says now!" Arya said eagerly.
"Well, I haven't read it for a long time, so I can't read it right now... I mean, it'll take some time..." Rodriguez admitted, cheeks red with embarrassment.
Arya felt amused, watching an Alpha feel vulnerable. She wanted to dig a little, tease him, but left that thought, since he was still an Alpha and she was in his territory right now.
Had her baby brother been alive, he'd be around his age right now. Why did the moon Goddess do this? No, why did Alfa do this? Alfa is the reason he died before being born!
"You alright?" Rodriguez asked.
"Yeah, just tired. We should go."