by Ciara Lake
“No.” Genevieve briefly closed her eyes. “If only. If I’m from dirt, you’re also a product of dirt. Again, you don’t seem to think things through.”
“Well, none of that matters anymore.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “I’m going to take your place and wait for the goddesses’ further orders. They have something wicked planned for the Enforcer and his family. I guess you’ve invited his sister Faelan and her husband Lykoan to your Beltane event. The goddesses absolutely hate them and want revenge. I’m going to help them with that.” She laughed.
“Take my place? What do you mean?”
“Yes, stupid bitch. Like I said, I’m going to look like you, but look better, for sure. I’m going to trap you into this garden gazing globe.” Aife pointed toward the globe. “You’ve always loved birds. You’ll get to see them all the time now and watch what transpires at your little party too.” She walked over to the shiny globe. “Amuliana suggested beheading you, but I decided not to do that. After all, you are my mother.” She caressed the globe’s slick surface.
“Thanks, I’m glad you remember.” Genevieve gritted her teeth.
“The garden gazing globe will allow you to watch what happens to your beloved granddaughter and the esteemed Enforcer. I will have my revenge against that arrogant Fey too.” Aife rubbed her hands together in glee. “That’ll be the most fun. I’m sick of his handsome face. I’d like to smash it.” She spat on the ground in her mother’s direction. Aife touched the globe’s purple glass. “By the way, if this globe breaks, you’ll die. I hope everyone’s careful around it.”
“Don’t do this, please.” Genevieve looked up at her.
“Begging, Mother? I love it.” She grinned.
“All evil beings love begging. You fit the mold.”
“Again with the shit you say.” She shook her head. “Now, into the globe with your body and soul, to be captured and fractured. Gone from the real world, forever more.” Aife snapped her fingers, and Genevieve disappeared in a puff of silver smoke.
Aife’s appearance transformed into that of her mother’s.
“I guess it’s time to meet my lovely daughter. Oh, I mean granddaughter.” Aife started toward the house.
“Stop.” Genevieve materialized in front of Aife.
“What...” Aife was startled.
“My dear, there’s a lot you don’t know.” Without touching her, Genevieve knocked Aife to the ground. She let out a screech.
“How did you get free?” Aife jumped up like a spring. Her expression was fearful mixed with fury.
“I’m tired of dealing with you and your bad behavior. You’ve ruined all my plans from the moment you were born. I’m going to put an end to this chaos once and for all.”
“That’s nice.” Aife frowned. “I knew you hated me.”
“Shut up. If I hated you, you’d been long dead. Aife, you’re over one hundred and fifty years old, and you’re still acting like a dumb teenager. I’m just done with it.”
“Very funny.”
“I don’t see anything funny here. I managed to be undisturbed by most things until you came along. I made a mistake in having relations with Heyerdel. But mostly, I regret allowing myself to get pregnant with his child.” Genevieve shook her head.
“How did you get free of my spell?” Aife pointed toward the gazing globe. “Amuliana and Hecate gave me strength to weld the powers my father restored. I don’t understand how it could have failed.” Aife’s appearance returned to her own.
“Because I’m more powerful than those two minor goddesses and certainly more powerful than you.”
Several hawks flew over, diving close to Aife. One bird landed on her head, and it pecked at her.
“Stop.” Aife waved her arms around to fight off the predatory birds. “Stop them. How can you defeat the goddesses’ power? You’re a mere witch. A nobody.” She waved her hands again. All she could move were her arms.
Genevieve felt Aife’s attempt to use her powers. She was not going to allow Aife to weld her power again. “I see I need to keep you restrained.” Genevieve pointed toward Aife. Her hands were pulled down to her sides.
“What have you done?” Aife struggled to get free of the invisible restraints. The bird still assaulted her. Her face was becoming marked with the bird’s attack.
“Shut up, foolish girl. I’ve had enough of you.” Genevieve shook her head. “I’m Princess Aseelietania, the Princess of the Dark Fey. My mother is the Queen of Dread and Death. She is feared so much that her true name is never spoken aloud. You’ve messed with the wrong person.”
“That’s not true.” Aife stepped back from her mother. “What you’re telling me can’t be true. You’re out of your mind.”
“It is true.” Genevieve nodded. “My father is God Cernunnos.”
“The horned god? You are a liar.”
“Afraid I’m not. My father’s the god of all the forest, of lust and fertility, vegetation, the trees, and of the great hunt. He hunted down my mother. When he caught her, they created me.”
“Why would you keep this from me? From everyone?” Aife asked.
“I have my reasons for keeping this information from everyone, especially you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“No, you wouldn’t. Both my parents are powerful and can bring Amuliana and Hecate to their knees. You could as well, if I allowed you to have the power you were born with. But I bound most of your powers when you turned eight. I sensed the evil in you.”
“You sensed evil in me at age eight?”
“Yes.” Genevieve nodded. “It’s a shame, but you’ve never been good. I realized you were the embodiment of the worse parts of both sides of your lineage. And worse, you were uncontrollable, and you lacked intelligence.”
“You really think I’m dumb?”
“Actually, yes.”
“Why have you lived like this?” Aife spit on the ground. “You’re royalty, and a daughter of a great god. Why have you lived like a worthless mortal or a weak witch?”
“It’s the life I prefer.”
“You’re the idiot.”
“I don’t care what you think, Aife. There’s nothing wrong with the life I live. I have a nice house and beautiful property. That’s all I need.” She looked around. “I love the land and the animals. I seek to live in harmony with the earth. You continue to disrupt all the harmony around me. I can’t tolerate it anymore.” Genevieve glared at her. “Also, I wanted to be free of any association with my mother. I don’t wish to be a princess of the Fey. I hated her evil ways, and then you replaced her. As far as being princess, I plan to give my position to my granddaughter. She can deal with the Unseelie and Seelie Courts.”
“Why have you feared or bargained with the Enforcer? You didn’t have to.”
“Sure I did. My life has been an illusion. I must behave in a certain way to continue it. I can’t go around flaunting power and position. I must act like a modestly powered witch. Plus, Aetius is extremely powerful, and I wanted no battle with him. The gods don’t mess with him. Also, he has the backing of Zeus’s Council. I resented you bringing him into our lives with your bad behavior. It threatened exposing my secret. It still may.” She shrugged. “But now, it seems he’s to be Terra’s mate. He’s a worthy mate for her, and he’s a Fey.” She smiled. “A perfect match for many reasons.”
“Damn you, Mother. You’ve never cared for me.”
“I wanted to.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “My father has helped me, to keep me hidden from my mother. We’ve managed to for over a millennium. I’ve hidden here on the mortal realm and lived like a witch. Then you came along, a mistake I made due to lust for a handsome man. Your father was a manipulative man.” She gazed off into the distance. “Nevertheless, I was lonely, and I thought I wanted a child to keep me company. But you’ve continued to challenge me to this very day. I’ve taken it for too long, and now I want to live in peace without worrying about you.”
Genevieve’s brown hair started to
turn black and lengthen down past her waist. She knew her hazel eyes turned fully blood-black. As her appearance changed, she could see the fear in Aife’s eyes.
“Sometimes enough is enough,” Genevieve said.
“Everything you’re telling me is the truth?” Aife bit her lip, and her body shook with fear.
“Of course it is.” Genevieve scoffed. “See, in truth, I resemble my mother’s inhuman appearance. Under this façade, I’m very frightening. I was happy you didn’t look like me or my mother or that you weren’t born with my father’s horns. My mother was born different from most Fey. She is truly a dark one. Fortunately, I just got her looks. Trust me, it’s a pain to have to mask one’s appearance all the time.”
“What are you going to do with me?” Aife whined.
“I’m going to be happy to stop worrying about you.” Genevieve lifted her hand, and Aife rose off the ground. She dangled Aife in the air. “I guess you can’t help yourself, you’re my daughter and Amuliana’s grandchild. I imagine genetics has made you who you are, and you’ve not been able to resist the temptation of the darkness. It’s hard. I know myself that the darkness knocks on your heart daily. I don’t think Terra has the same problem with evil. She has gotten the better parts of her lineage. Praise be to the gods.”
“Lucky bitch.”
“She’s your child. How can you be so callous?”
“I learned from you.”
“Oh, Aife... Anyway, to be clear, your stupidity comes only from your father and Amuliana. That’s the part that truly ruins you. Intelligence can make up for a lot of other things, and you have very little.”
“Your sweet granddaughter will disappoint you too eventually. She’s from the same bloodline, and her father’s Crexan. That’s even more evil, isn’t it?” Aife grinned as she continued to struggle against the force holding her.
“No, I don’t think so.” Genevieve shook her head.
“Well, you don’t know Crexan’s evil. He’s a monster.”
“And you love him?”
“Yes, I do.”
“The earth has purified Terra. The bad parts have been muted or strained out of her genetics.”
“You dream.”
“No, I speak the truth.”
“How’s that?” Aife chuckled. “Crexan’s her father. That can’t be undone.”
“No, he’s not. She’s the daughter of Goddess Gaia.”
“What are you talking about? You’re crazy. I know who I fucked, and I didn’t fuck her.”
“Your child with Crexan died in your womb, when you were stealing energy from the earth. The goddess of the earth replaced the dead fetus with our Terra.”
“I can’t believe that,” Aife said.
“I really don’t care what you believe. Now, I’m going to put you in the earth, in a much worse way than the Enforcer had imprisoned you. He had you in luxury accommodations. I’m not as nice as Aetius.”
Aife’s body slammed onto the ground. The grass, the marigolds Aife had stomped on, and the roots of a nearby tree crept toward her. They moved over her horizontal body, holding her down. The more she struggled, the more they restrained her.
“You’re going to be buried here so I can keep an eye on you. I’m sorry you’ll have to endure this. I even worked to free you from the Enforcer’s prison.” Genevieve shook her head. “You’ve left me no other option. What you attempted today was the final straw. My love for you has finally extinguished.”
“Please, Mother, don’t do this. If you really loved me, you can’t just stop,” Aife cried. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re not sorry. Why should I love you? It’s obvious you hate me.” Genevieve kneeled and touched Aife’s forehead. She brushed her hair back. “Daughter, you were going to imprison me without any remorse. Why should I treat you any differently? I can’t allow you to remain free. You’re a danger to me and those I care for.”
“No…please.” Aife pushed against the restraints.
“You’ve given me another daughter to love. I thank you for that.”
“Mother, I’m your daughter.”
“Not anymore. It’s a shame that I had to give Terra away as a baby to protect her from you and Crexan. But now, she’s returned to me. In fact, she’s the only decent thing that has ever come from you.”
The earth opened, and Aife sank into the moist soil. It slowly began to cover her, like it was savoring her as it swallowed her.
“No, no, no…Mother.” Aife squirmed, trying to free herself from the vegetation. She screamed until the dirt muffled her cries. The ground swallowed her whole. The grass and flowers returned to cover her grave. She was gone and silenced.
“Goodbye, Aife.” Genevieve stood up and brushed off her jeans. “Your body shall rest here, alive but dead all the same. You’ll not pass to the other life because your body is dormant, not dead. You’ll be able to hear all that happens around you, but you’ll not have any interaction.” She stared down at the plot where Aife was buried. “You’re suffering a fate like many immortals who crossed my mother have befallen. This method of eliminating pest does come in handy.”
Genevieve wiped her hands together and started back to the house.
Chapter 9
Genevieve slowly made her way to the deck. She noticed that the wood on the deck needed a coat of paint. With a wave of her hand, fresh paint covered the deck.
She glanced back at the yard and wiped the wetness off her face. I’m not going to shed another tear for Aife.
Genevieve stood at the deck’s railing as she gazed around. Tables and chairs materialized in the yard. Out past the lights, near the woods, there was a large clearing where a Maypole had been erected, decorated with colorful, streaming fabrics.
“If I have anything to say about things, this is going to be a grand celebration.” Genevieve appreciated her handiwork as she rested, leaning against the porch’s banister.
Terra opened the back door and rushed out onto the porch. “Genevieve, my boss called me. Four more people I know have been killed. They’ve closed the school until after spring break, and they want all non-essential people to leave campus. Everyone’s afraid.” Her eyes were red from crying.
“It’s good they’re leaving.”
“I know, but the Empusa must be stopped.” Terra fisted her hands and gritted her teeth.
“She will be.”
“I’m not going to allow this bitch to kill any more. I will personally stop her.”
Terra’s eyes glowed silver. Genevieve could see and feel the power emanating from her. She had been right, Terra was immensely powerful, far beyond Aife or even herself. She would make an excellent princess of the Fey.
Genevieve touched her arm. “I’m so sorry, Terra.” She hugged her. “You can’t go alone. The Empusa is unpredictable and dangerous. You’ll need Aetius to help you.”
* * * *
A gust of wind blew onto the deck, and Terra watched as it twirled around in a small, glittering tornado. Aetius materialized in front of them. He was as handsome as ever, dressed in black leather trousers and a black silk shirt. He wore a short, silver sword at his hip.
“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.” Genevieve smiled.
He bowed his head to both of them. “Ladies, I heard my name.” His dark eyes settled on Terra. “Did you miss me, my love?” He stepped toward her. His dark hair hung down onto his forehead, making him look like a handsome ruffian.
As soon as she saw him her anger dissipated. “Aetius.” Terra rushed into his arms. “He’s no devil, he’s Prince Charming.” She hugged him tightly. “I’m so glad you’re back.” She kissed and clung to him. Then she stopped and stood back to look at him. “The Empusa is killing more people. More people I know.”
“I’m going to stop her.” He leaned toward her and kissed her. “Zeus and the other gods want to meet the daughter of Goddess Gaia. We’re going to go to Mount Olympus.”
“If it wasn’t for the Empusa, I’d be excited.”
/> “You should be anyway. It’s exciting to go to Mount Olympus and mingle among the gods. We’re going to visit the gods’ guest lodge. You’ll meet many exciting individuals.”
“They have a lodge?”
“Yes, it’s a social club for the gods.” He kissed her forehead. “We’re going to spend some time together tonight.”
“I’m happy to hear that.”
“Me too. Our meeting with the council is sometime tomorrow. At least that’s what they’re telling me.”
“Good, because we can’t delay any longer. The Empusa is murdering people at the college. If you can’t obtain the council’s blessing, then I’m going to have to go take her out myself. And I want to punish Lucy too. She’s the one who started all of this by summoning the Empusa.”
“We’ll take care of Lucy too. I have free rein when it comes to an insignificant human.”
“Aetius, humans aren’t insignificant.”
“Lucy is, especially since she’s pretending to be a witch and calling on the dark powers. We’ll deal with her soon. The Empusa will be harder to find. I looked for her while I was scheduling with the council. She’s good at hiding, and her mother and Amuliana are helping her.”
Terra stepped back from him. “We don’t have a lot of time. Too many people have died already. By the way, you’re taller and bigger than I remembered.”
“I’m a growing boy.” He chuckled. “Not really, we just need to spend more time together. Obviously, you’ve missed me.”
“Yes, I have. Let me go get my stuff. I only have a few things.”
“There are clothes there. The lodge provides all we need.” Aetius took hold of Terra’s hand. “Are you ready to go?”
“I guess so.” She squeezed his hand lightly. “We’ll be back, Genevieve. I’m excited for this grand party you have planned. I hope to be back to help you more.”
“No worries. Just concentrate on your current mission.” Genevieve stepped closer to Terra and leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
Terra closed her eyes. She felt the world spin around her, making her slightly dizzy. Mount Olympus was even further away than Peru had been. Flash travel at these long distances wasn’t easy for Terra. She held tight to Aetius’s hand and hoped she wouldn’t get sick this time.