by Sandra Kaye
He went to find her while the rest of us went inside to wait. Normally, Henry was chatty and would have had a thousand things to update us on, from the town gossip to the latest with the crops, coven, and any number of things. Not today. Today he went about making hot tea and said nothing.
It felt like ages before Xavier and Gran made it to the house. In truth, it was likely very little time. Once she had left the herbs she’d been gathering in her apothecary room, she joined us in the family room giving each of us three girls a hug before sitting in her rocker. She had known Reya since her and Seslie’s army basic training graduation. She cared for her greatly.
“Your young man tells me you have some updates and then some questions.”
I wasn’t sure I cared for her calling him my anything when I wasn’t sure where things were headed with us. Though, it did have a nice ring. For now, I’d leave it, so we didn’t have to get into that conversation. Instead, Seslie and I took turns telling her what had transpired in the last few days. It felt like so much longer than a few days with all that had happened. I stumbled when I described disposing of Jaydon, and she seemed to understand my grief.
It wasn’t as if I had never had to kill. I had in the line of duty. In the heat of the battle, but never as we had done to try to send Kalona back. It was a necessary evil, yet it didn’t sit well with my internal compass. Once story time was over, I looked to Xavier and Reya hoping they’d get the hint. But when they stood to leave, Gran asked Xavier to stay. I was instantly on edge. Gran had never been one to bring outsiders into family affairs. Seslie must have been having the same thought, because she spoke before I did.
“I think it would be best if this was just our family, Gran.”
“I understand that, little one, and if I thought it best that way, I would not have asked him to remain. I believe he may be able to help. Therefore, I asked for him to stay.”
With that, I knew I wasn’t going to like what happened next. I wanted her to say there was nothing to worry about. That Gabe was just trying to save himself.
Anything but this.
I cleared my throat to ask the question I didn’t want to know the answers to, but she started speaking.
“A few months before Seslie was born, Etan and Anna Mae came home with a beautiful blonde wee bit of a thing. They made me swear to never speak a word about what they would tell me that night.
“Etan told me that, while driving home in the snow, a woman had appeared in the center of the road. Once they were able to stop the car, he got out to make sure she was okay. She was bleeding profusely. When Etan tried to get her in the car to take her to help, she refused and handed him a small child bundled in an animal skin. She told him the child was in danger and that she would need to be cloaked to prevent the people after her from finding and killing her. She claimed that she would be able to pass as a witch, but one day she would no longer be able to hide behind that label. When that time came, she gave him a name and number to call. She asked that he tell no one and see that the child was raised in a loving happy environment. He did as she asked and tucked that number away for safe keeping. Etan and Anna Mae agreed that our home was the best place any child of magic could grow up in and claimed her as their own.
“We thought, after all these years, maybe the woman was mistaken or just delirious due to her injuries…until a month ago when your power went haywire and you blacked out. I dug out that name and called.”
With that, she looked at Xavier and he took over the story.
“The woman on the road that night was Brigid. A fire goddess. A Druid goddess. She was your grandmother. Her daughter Briganti died while giving birth to you. Her mother had to choose only one of you to save, because the hunters had found them and were slaughtering their village in hopes of finding the demigod. Your mother made your grandmother escape with you, but she knew she couldn’t return to any of the Druid settlements, because that would be the first place they’d look. Her only other option was to seek out witches willing to take you in. The witches were your father’s people. Still, she had to choose wisely. Not just any witch but an honorable family. It took her a year-and-a-half to find the family of witches she wanted. That night, she bounced from portal to portal on her way here. Twice, the hunters caught up with her. She battled them and escaped both times, but by the time she was able to get you here and portal away, she was too weak to fight when they came for her the last time. She has not been heard from since. When your grandmother called, the high council sent me. They want me to train you and keep you safe until you’re ready to help lead us. If that is what you want. If it isn’t, then I can train you to use your powers. Whatever you decide, you must learn to hold your cloaking spell. The one you’re currently using is failing as your powers grow.”
My head was spinning. Tears were streaming down my face. I couldn’t believe what they said was true. They had no reason to lie, but I didn’t feel like anything but a witch. I had forgotten about the time my magic had gone nuts and caused me to pass out. I just chalked it up to a freak accident. Now, they were trying to tell me I was a demigod. I didn’t even know for sure what that was, but I didn’t want to be one.
“Little one, you have to know this changes nothing. You are and always will be my child. Blood or not, that has not changed. I have loved you from the moment I set eyes on you.”
I looked to Seslie for the first time since this crazy train left the station. Her face was a reflection of my own. Tears slid down her face and dripped from her chin.
“Ditto,” she said at my look.
I knew I shouldn’t be angry that I had been lied to my entire life. I couldn’t I blame them for trying to keep me safe from blood-crazed hunters who’d had it out for me from birth, for no other reason than who I was born to.
Just when I was thinking I might be able to live with all I’d heard, something Xavier said finally registered. He came here because of me. When we met, he said he moved here for work.
Was I that work? If so, then all that happened between us was what?
Turning to him, I could not believe the sweet man I thought I was getting to know had been a lie.
“We need to talk. Outside now.”
“Of course,” was all he said before following me out.
I spun on him as soon as we reached the drive. “You lied to me.”
“Not because I wanted to. I was called here to train someone. That’s all I knew until after I met you.”
“So, the night at the bar. You didn’t know what I was?”
“At first, no.”
“You didn’t know I was the reason you were called here?”
“Not for sure, no.”
“Wait, what do you mean ‘not for sure’?”
“Well, that night I just wanted to get out and have a drink. When I spotted you across the room, I had no idea you were anything but supernatural. That was apparent from the energy your group exuded. Once I followed you out and you did your little light show, I was pretty sure you were Druid and very powerful. Since I had never heard of any other Druid in Illinois, the chances were good you were why I was called.”
“Yet you led me on? We did…things. Why?” I couldn’t put what we did into words. Not with the betrayal I felt. What was his end goal? To get a little action while he taught me what I needed to know?
“I never planned to lead you on. When I gave you the card, I wanted you to call. I wanted to get to know the spitfire behind the attitude. The rest just happened. I’m not sorry about that. I like you. I enjoy spending time with you. A lot.”
“I don’t believe you. How can I? From where I’m standing, everything I thought I knew is a falsehood.”
With that, I jumped in my car and sped away. I could not deal with any more. It hurt too much. I may have been able to understand, but I needed space to think.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I don’t know how long I drove before remembering I was the one who drove us to Gran’s. I had left everyone with no way home. Plus, my
purse and phone were there, too.
Resigned, I turned to head back. It took a while to get my bearings and figure out where exactly I had driven. I was near the natural spring that was just a few miles outside of town. I must not have truly wanted to go far if that’s where I had ended up. On the way back, I decided I’d check in on Leon. After all, that was part of the plan when we came. That seemed like a lifetime ago. Another me.
Pulling into the quarry, I didn’t notice either of Leon’s guards. They were likely staying out of sight until they knew it was safe. Though, I was sure they all knew my car by now. It did stand out a little. I parked and climbed out. Still, no one came to greet me. They weren’t doing a very good job if I could drive up and exit my car without them checking who was there. I’d need to have a few words with them on what was expected. After all we had been through, losing Leon again wouldn’t help our cause.
I entered the main cave and could make out the torches burning near the back but still couldn’t see or hear anything or anyone. The sun was up, so Leon couldn’t be outside. I was getting a bad feeling. I prepped a fireball and held it in my palm behind my back as I inched along the rough rock wall. I was near the edge of the torchlight before I heard voices. Leon’s was one, but I didn’t recognize the other. I moved forward slowly and as quietly as I could. A moment later, the unknown voice spoke again, this time louder and to me.
“Analese, how nice of you to join us. Now I needn’t waste time attempting to sway these creatures into divulging your whereabouts.”
When I heard his words, I froze. I knew who it was, and my fireball wasn’t likely to have much if any effect. Before I could consider further options, he spoke again.
“Please, do come into the light. I have been waiting eagerly to meet you. Besides, we both know you won’t run and leave your friends helpless.”
I wasn’t sure how he knew that, but it was true. I couldn’t leave them alone when, clearly, he was after me. I had no idea why, but if it saved them, I’d give myself over. Even to this monster.
I slowly stepped into the light cast by the torches that had been set up to give Leon an area of light. Someone had brought in a kitchen table and four mismatched chairs. Leon, Mark, and Berry were in the chairs, tied in place by a glowing silver rope. The rope had large thorn-like barbs that dug into their skin with every movement they made. Mark had obviously been struggling more than the other two from the looks of the blood dripping off the chair and onto the rock floor. It was beginning to form small pools. Even with shifter healing, he could die from blood loss.
I took another step forward, bringing me further into the light and closer to the last person I’d ever want to be near. The smile on his face when I met his eyes chilled me to my very core. With as beautiful as he was, there was no warmth or kindness in his smile. His beauty made him look eviler than the last time I’d seen him. He still had the chiseled features of an angel, but at that proximity, I could see his eyes were as black as his wings, with no visible whites to be seen. His raven hair was tied back, making his pale skin more evident.
“Oh, yes, yes. You are as lovely as I knew you’d be,” he cooed. Somehow, I didn’t think him finding me appealing was a good thing. It made my skin crawl. Even his voice felt slimy from this distance.
I still held the fireball behind my back. I took another step forward, placing myself between him and the table. I was sure I’d only get one shot at this. I wanted to make it count. I had a plan. Admittedly, it was a half-ass plan.
In an attempt to keep him talking while I conjured the second fireball and made sure the potions I wanted were reachable, I made my voice unsteady, hoping he’d think I was afraid. Which I wasn’t. I was more resigned that I might die than afraid.
“What do you want with me?”
“Oh, many things, my beautiful demigod. Many things.”
“I don’t know how to use my power if that’s your plan. I didn’t even know until today what I was.”
He made a sound I believed was meant to be a laugh. It sent goosebumps down my spine. It was just inhuman.
“I have all the power I need without worrying about yours. No. I have much better plans for you, precious.”
Oh, that didn’t sound like something I wanted any part of. The second fireball was almost to the size I wanted, and the potions I kept in the pouch under my shirt were tucked in my waistband. “Look I don’t know what you think I can do for you, but I think I’m gonna pass. So, if we could just call this a no-go, I’d greatly appreciate it.”
He made that sound again. Before I could hear his next words, I threw both fireballs at his chest and grabbed my potions.
Just before the fireballs would have hit him, Gabe stepped in front of him. I had already thrown my acceleration potion, hoping it would increase my fire enough to keep him occupied until my freeze potion hit him, allowing us a second or two to run.
Instead, the first fireball and potion hit Gabe. He was incinerated in seconds. The second hit Kalona but not in the chest as I had planned. It made contact with his left wing, doing little more than leaving a scorch mark. But the sound he made was unlike any I’d heard before. Had I hurt him?
Before I could possibly hope, it became apparent he was fading. His form was blurring around the edges. Killing Gabe was doing something to him.
I ran to release Leon and his guards. I reached his chair and made short work of his bindings with the athame I carried. I moved to release Mark next, since he was in such bad shape. I cut him loose, then turned when I felt someone behind me.
Kalona wrapped his arms and both wings around me. One minute we were in the cave, the next we weren’t.
He let me go and stumbled back, dropping to his knees. I had the athame still clutched in my hand. I moved to stab it into his neck, so I could run like hell, but I never made it. Two hands attached to black leathery wings gripped my hand while another injected something into my arm. The last thing I heard was Kalona’s voice.
“Very good, my sons. Very good.”
Epilogue
We’d been over it fifty times or more by now. Analese had jumped in her car and sped off after talking to Xavier. According to him, she was angry and felt like he betrayed her by not telling her who she was. He wanted to go after her. I kept trying, very unsuccessfully, to explain that she could be anywhere. We grew up in these backwoods and she was better than any of us at navigating them. If she didn’t want to see us, we weren’t going to find her. I knew if she just had time to think, she would come back to us. She was the most logical person I knew.
She would never be happy about being deceived, but she would come to accept it and forgive us. All of us. I saw the way she looked at Xavier. She cared for him deeply. She’d come around after she had time to cool off.
I had given up trying to dissuade him and was sitting on the loveseat when I felt it. A soul-crushing pain swept through my chest. It felt like fire and ice at the same time. It was gone as quickly as it came. In its place was now a void. A void that used to be my sister. Now, all I felt was a loss. Soul-sucking, devouring, life-crippling loss. All eyes were on my tear-filled ones as I answered their unasked question.
“Analese! She’s gone. Something just happened. I felt her being ripped away.”
Acknowledgements
First, I must thank my wonderful Fiancé and children for all the support and love while writing this. It’s been a long journey and without your love and support it would not be possible. Thank you so very much. Jaymin Eve and Heather Renee you both have been so kind and supportive. Answering my million and one questions. Thanks again. To all the Oak Terrace staff for rooting me on. To Jamie at Holmes Edits for doing such an amazing job, Tracie from Darkwater Premades for the wonderful cover, and last but not least, to you the reader for taking a chance by reading this. Thank you so very much. I do hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are always welcome. If you enjoyed this, please let others know.
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Sandra Kaye, Origins