Uriah admittedly felt a blush of shame… He didn’t live in the past, but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t be aware of it. Of his own history. There was a famous saying about repeating the mistakes of the past. Was that where they were headed, because they took little stock in the lessons history was willing to teach?
“I’m listening, tell me.”
A smirk played over the aged lips of the middle witch. “Well, part of your history was lost as your father never told you who your mother was.”
Uriah nearly scoffed… She had just berated him for something that he had no control over. He let it go and simply focused on the story that was about to unfold before him.
“Freya was the daughter of Njord. She was a goddess of Norse descent. She was often called upon in matters of love. When the heart ached, men would call to her for help in healing and reconnecting their love. Did you know your father was once loved before your mother?”
Uriah shook his head, but kept silent so she would continue.
“He loved a young siren. She was beautiful and loved him in return… Times were different, and the Light and Dark were at one another’s throats. Her untimely death struck your father to his core. He called for healing from any avenue that could provide him solace. The time of the Norse gods had passed, but Freya could not ignore the heartbreak of the warrior. She found your father and as she attempted to heal what had been shattered, she found love for herself. Time healed and love bloomed. Your mother hid her activities for many years, through a marriage and a whole other life outside of Asgard.”
Uriah smiled at the mention of the Norse version of Mount Olympus.
“Lose the smirk, Uriah. Asgard is more than the setting of the Thor movies.”
Uriah laughed at the scolding… Of course he knew that, but it was where his mind went… mostly because of Izzy and her love of the movies, and her insistence that Bain and Chris Hemsworth had an uncanny resemblance. She wasn’t far off in her assessment, but no one was willing to agree with her in front of Bain.
When he looked back at the women, he realized they weren’t laughing, so he promptly quieted down. “Sorry, continue.”
“Secrets have a way of finding their way to the surface. Your mother’s did. When Njord found out what Freya had been doing, he stripped her of her immortality and placed a curse upon her blood. It was a double-edged sword, this curse. It guaranteed that her offspring would find the love she was once responsible for, and that they would suffer the loss of that pure love.”
Uriah shook his head. “How?”
“Death, of course,” the witch on the right explained.
Uriah shook his head again. “No… no!”
They sat silently as he processed what they were telling him. “Are you telling me that both Holly and Katarina are going to die?”
“You misunderstand.”
“They always misunderstand… you’d think they would understand that death doesn’t mean death.”
Uriah’s eyes flicked over the cloaked faces of the three women. “Explain what death means.”
“Holly and Katarina have already experienced their deaths and found their way back to your brothers… Curses are tricky tricky,” the middle woman said as she shook her finger back and forth.
“Just like the Norse Gods,” the woman on the right said.
“What deaths?” Uriah questioned.
“Holly experienced the death of her beating heart to become a vampire, where Katarina’s death was a part of her soul as Darion’s slave… She found herself again, and the spark has returned as she heals each day with Kale at her side.”
“Are you telling me that Jelena will find her way back to me?” A ray of hope burned dully as Uriah silently prayed their answer would mean that he would see her again.
All three women fell silent, and a sigh of pity rented the air. “I’m afraid not… you are the balance, as is the one you love. Jelena will never come back to the Middle World. She will eventually find her way back to her sisters, where they will all remain in the Underworld until it is time for Acacia to reap a fallen soul.”
Uriah’s lids slid shut as the ache in his heart threatened to do him in. He would never see her again? She wouldn’t even be the one to come for him when his time to move to the next world came. “It isn’t fair,” he whispered.
“It never is… life, death, destiny, and fate are never fair—they simply are.”
“I won’t ever see her again?” he asked once more.
“No, she may reach out somehow, but you will never see her in the physical form. Balance must be restored. If not, the snow will never melt and the Middle World will never wake from the freeze. When Jelena returns to her sisters, the thaw will come.”
Uriah fought the tears that threatened to drown him as he asked, “When will she return to her sisters?”
The middle witch smiled. “Soon, and when that happens, you will move on… There is something special out there for you. You will find love again.”
He shook his head. “No, my heart couldn’t take this again.”
The middle woman stood. She pushed her hood back and revealed an ancient face with eyes full of wisdom, and snow-white hair. “All death is different… did you not just learn that? Your destiny is to love again, and this time it will be different.”
Uriah took a deep breath. “You’ve seen my destiny?”
She smiled wide and Uriah could see she was missing a few teeth, a mischievous twinkle sparkling in her glossy eyes. “I’ve done more than see it.”
“What does that mean?”
The other two women stood on the other side of the fire that separated them from Uriah and the witch.
“I wove it,” she said before waving her hand over his face. Uriah disappeared from the clearing, and the other two witches pushed their hoods back.
“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you, Lachesis?”
“Oh Clotho, he needed to know.”
“You just need to show off,” Atropos sighed.
“Well, I’ve been bored.” Lachesis grinned at her sisters.
“Well, there is plenty for you to meddle with on Moirai.”
Lachesis scoffed. “Fine, but it’s not nearly as fun.”
The Fates flashed out of the springtime clearing surrounded by the snow-covered earth of the Middle World. Lachesis smiled, knowing the fate of the Fae would soon be unveiled.
Chapter Four
Uriah took in the surroundings of his room, the dark polished walls and the large, velvet-covered bed. He took a deep breath. The journey back to his room felt a bit like flashing with the vampires. His stomach dropped, and it took him a second to catch his breath.
Slumping down on his bed, he lowered his head and rested his elbows on his knees. There was so much information flowing through his mind. How had he never known about his mother? Why didn’t his father come clean about the curse? Did he even know about it? And what about the witches… What did she mean when she said that she had woven his destiny? He needed out of his room. Hell, he needed out of the Middle World for a short while at least. Pushing off his bed, Uriah headed out of his room and toward Cree’s office. He slowed as he passed Rowan’s study and found Bain sitting at her desk.
“You okay?” he asked as he stalled in the entrance.
Bain’s violet eyes lifted to meet Uriah’s gaze. There was an unmistakable sheen to them. Uriah stepped inside the door and closed it behind him. He took a seat across from Bain and gave him a sympathetic smile.
Bain shook his head and grimaced. “I don’t know how to do this… I don’t know what will come of our world. I don’t know what will come of my mother… if she is even still alive at this point. And most of all I don’t know what to feel about her.”
Uriah nodded. “I wish I had answers for you. Regardless of what Esperanza has done, it doesn’t change what she is to you.”
Bain’s brow furrowed. “The woman who caused the death of one of my sisters? After having run the other s
ister off?”
Uriah shook his head. “Your mother.”
Bain sighed and nodded. “So, what about you?”
Uriah shrugged. “I have more questions than answers now, and I have to come to grips with the fact that Jelena isn’t coming back.”
Bain smiled softly. “You held hope that an Immortal Sister couldn’t really die… I’d hoped she couldn’t either.”
“I met with the Foreshadowers.”
Bain nodded. “Izzy told me about the conversation you two had.”
“Well, from what they told me… my mother was a banished Norse goddess. She passed a lovely curse onto Kale, Lothar and me. The Immortal Sisters won’t be coming back to the Middle World other than for Acacia to reap the souls of the lost. The freeze won’t end until Jelena makes her way back to the Light side of the Underworld.”
Bain arched a brow. “Well, that’s all… interesting.”
Uriah scoffed. “Interesting is an understatement.”
Bain nodded. “Tell me about the curse and what you need from us.”
Uriah settled back into the plush seat and laid out all the details of his visit to the southern forest to Bain.
Bain nodded his head as he listened to Uriah. When he finally revealed the parting words the Foreshadower left him with, Bain’s brow shot up. “She wove your Destiny… sounds more like a Fate than a witch.”
Uriah nodded. “That’s what I was thinking. And that means that the Fates have always been around.”
“Not necessarily, when was the last time you remember someone having seen the Foreshadowers?”
“They are really more of a myth than reality,” Uriah admitted.
“And you just happened to find them in an area of the Middle World that isn’t covered in snow?”
Uriah’s head tilted. “I wasn’t in the Middle World anymore, was I?”
Bain shrugged. “My guess is they led you to a bridge between our two worlds.”
“Wonder what Lothar would think of all of this.”
“He and Holly may be the ones who opened the bridge. Having the Fates back isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
Uriah scoffed. “Isn’t it? They are part of a different time in history… If they are back, what did they bring with them?”
Bain grimaced. “True… so forgetting the fact that the Fates may be back, which we have no control over, what do you need now?”
Uriah shook his head. “I don’t know. What I took from the conversation is that there is nothing to be done about what’s happening here and I need… time.”
Bain nodded. “Then take it. Cree already told us that you were off duty for a while, and Lothar is taking Holly with him on his sweeps. She’s ready to join the team.”
Izzy entered the study then, a soft smile playing on her lips. She held a keychain out to him.
Uriah arched a brow. “What is this?” he asked as he took the keys from her.
“It’s your escape,” Izzy said softly. “I can feel it. You need out of here, and I just happen to know of a good escape in the Human World.”
Uriah stood and smiled down at her. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “It’s all yours for however long you need it, on one condition.”
“No parties?” he joked.
She laughed. “You’ll keep in touch with us.”
Uriah pulled her to him and grinned at Bain over her head. “I will,” he said softly before letting her go. “Can you cover me with the others?” he asked.
Bain nodded. “I will fill them in on what you just told me. Are you sure Lothar and Kale wouldn’t rather talk to you?”
Uriah shook his head. “Nothing I learned changes their future.”
Bain arched a brow. “The curse doesn’t end with you and them… it will affect the next generation.”
Uriah nodded. “True, but for now there is nothing to be done about it.”
“All right, be safe and call if you need anything.”
“Thank you, both of you.” He dipped his chin at them, and then left the room.
“You want me to fill in the details, Iz?” Bain asked.
Izzy nodded her head as she turned back to Bain. “I think everyone would like some details. All I know is he was ready to run… I figured giving him a safe place to go was a good idea.”
Bain smiled at her. God, he loved the fiery little woman in front of him; she was something special. “It was a good plan, sweetheart.” He reached for her hand and laced their fingers. “Let’s go find the others. Uriah just told me a very interesting story.”
****
Makyle sat with his brothers, his mind wandering as they argued.
“The child stays here; he was born of the Underworld.”
“That doesn’t mean he belongs with the dead. He is something altogether different than anything we have ever seen.”
“He shouldn’t exist,” Zarek nearly growled.
Makyle stopped his daydreaming and focused back on his brothers. “He does exist. He is but a child, and he is part of us as much as he is Fae.”
Alistair shook his head. “What was she thinking?”
Makyle smiled. “She fell in love and saw her own death approaching. She acted on the emotion.”
“An emotion we aren’t meant to have,” Zarek added.
Makyle dipped his chin. He was right; emotions were never part of their design. They weren’t created to care, hurt, or love. They were meant for a single purpose and yet, the time with the Fae had softened them… well, he and his sisters at least. His brothers barely interacted with those outside of this room.
“That matters little at this point,” Makyle stated flatly.
Josiah sighed. “Jelena would fall in love with the son of a fertility deity, and wouldn’t you know it, he would be the one creature in all the worlds who could impregnate an Immortal.”
“The fact the child breathes isn’t the issue. The issue is that she must return to our sisters, but the child must remain.” Zarek’s eyes flicked over his brothers, as silence fell after his statement.
Makyle nearly growled as Zarek’s cool gaze landed and stuck on him. Zarek knew he would be the one to fight for Jelena and her child. The baby was barely three weeks old, and she had yet to let anyone but him near the child. The boy was beautiful, born with a thick head of black hair and one jade-colored eye and one silver. He was lively, even at such a young age. Makyle was going to have to buy some time, before the ruling on Jelena and the child was finalized.
“This is a conversation that we can pick up in a few weeks. The child needs its mother to survive. For right now, she and the child will remain where they are. Together.” Makyle didn’t wait for more arguments to arise. He left the room and sought out his sister and the baby.
He unlocked Jelena’s door and entered quietly. She lifted her gaze from the sleeping baby to him, a sad smile playing over her lips.
He sat next to her and gently ran his fingers over the baby’s soft hair. “Why do you look so sad, Jelena?”
“I know my time with him is short. He can’t go to my part of the Underworld with me.”
Makyle shook his head. “I’m not sure he can.”
“Will he ever? He was born of your world; this is where they will want him to remain when they send me back.”
“You’re not supposed to be here, Jelena.”
“He wasn’t meant to be born here. Why are they doing this?”
Makyle dipped his chin as he studied the sleeping baby. His tiny, alabaster fingers were wrapped around his little thumb and his breathing was soft and even. Makyle drew in a deep breath. His world wasn’t all bad, but the lower levels held the worst of the Fae. No child deserved to start its life in this place. “I wish I had answers for you, but I promise I will protect him.”
She turned to look back at her brother. Her beautiful and fierce black-haired and diamond-eyed brother. “That should be his father’s job. If I can’t keep and raise him, then Uriah should have that right.”
Makyle nodded. “We’ll figure it out. Now, did you decide on a name for him?”
She sniffled and nodded. “Makiah, son of Uriah, born of Ragnar’s line.”
“Strong name… he will live up to it.”
Jelena looked over at Makyle. “I think, if given the opportunity, he will prove to be as strong and good a man as the men he is named after.”
“He will be given the opportunity.”
She nodded and smiled before turning her attention back to her son. “How much longer do I have with him?”
“A few weeks.”
“It isn’t long enough… Won’t you help me, Makyle? We can sneak him out of here and into my side of our world.”
Makyle sighed. His brothers may not realize it, but even for them, emotions lay under the surface and influenced their actions. Fear was what guided them to keep the child under their control. Makiah wasn’t supposed to exist, but here he lay in their sister’s arms, a demi-god by his own rights. There was no telling what he would become, what strength he would hold, or what powers he would wield. Still, the fear of the unknown was a crippling and unnecessary emotion in this situation.
Makyle leaned over and kissed Jelena’s cheek. “It’s all going to work out.”
Chapter Five
Izzy’s home was very Izzy. It was comforting and cozy with warm tones and plush furniture. Uriah dropped his bag at the base of the stairs and moved into the living room. Grabbing the remote, he flipped on the television just for a little background noise as he headed for the kitchen. He wasn’t at all surprised when he saw two shadows land in the backyard, or when he heard the security pad click and the alarm shut off. He reached for the bottle of Patrón that sat in the cupboard above the microwave. Pulling three shot glasses from the other cabinet, he poured the shots as Lothar and Kale entered the kitchen.
“I had a feeling I’d be seeing the two of you.”
“Well, after talking with Bain, we wanted to check on you.” Kale crossed his tatted arms over his broad chest and eyed his brother carefully.
Immortal Rapture: Immortal Heart Page 3