Enlightened

by Samantha Britt

  The topic bothered her so much, she even broached the topic with Bella:

  “You still consider yourself Christian?” Darcie asked in disbelief. The pair sat at the table in her temporary bedroom, eating lunch together, when Bella threw her off-guard by revealing herself to be a practicing Catholic.

  “Of course,” Bella replied, looking equally confused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  It took all of Darcie’s self-control to not let her jaw drop. “Wasn’t your faith shaken when you learned about Thane, Des, and Lome?” The girl had said as much during one of their first conversations.

  Bella pursed her lips, thinking back hundreds of years. “At first, yes. I was raised in a very religious home. Learning about the brothers and their abilities when their existence did not appear in holy text was… difficult.”

  Darcie watched Bella close her eyes against the memory.

  “I remember crying to Thane one night,” Bella murmured. “I felt so confused and alone.”

  “What did Thane say?”

  Bella’s expression softened. “Thane, as always, was sweet and understanding. He consoled me and told me while my faith might not know the truth regarding the existence of immortals, that did not mean it was wrong.”

  “After all,” Bella continued, her demeanor instantly lightened as she opened her eyes, “someone created the immortals, and someone created humans. Who is to say it wasn’t God?”

  Blue eyes observed the immortal girl and her complete belief in the possibility of the Christian God creating the world and all those in it, regardless of the reality surrounding her husband’s existence.

  But when Darcie thought about it, the idea made as much sense as anything else. Her own turmoil regarding the change in her beliefs eased as a result.

  “Recognize any of these?”

  Darcie’s thoughts returned to the present. Her eyes roamed to find Bella where she stood in front of a glass case. Interested in seeing something other than a statue, she quickly made her way over and peered into the clear box. Five small portraits were displayed on velvet fabric, each about the size of her hand.

  Darcie looked at the picture Bella pointed to.

  It was Adir. After asking Bella for a refresher course on her husband’s initial instruction, she knew he was the immortal who gained strength from the initiation and acts of war.

  During their conversations, she learned various things about each of the main immortals that Thane managed to leave out.

  For instance, she knew Julisanna was known to be petty and act in her self-interest when the opportunity presented itself. Not a very motherly attribute, if Darcie said so herself.

  Bella also informed her Eros held the reputation of a habitual flirt. Remembering how he spoke to her in the parlor, Darcie didn’t find the information surprising in the slightest.

  The pair managed to avoid speaking much about Evetta. What Bella did manage to say was the vicious beauty had no desire to see the brothers reach their full strength. The overall consensus suspected she was not the only one, but no one could prove it.

  Personality traits, relationship with the brothers, and their perceived interest in Des finding his One were revealed to Darcie for each immortal. Her head whirled with all the information, and she couldn’t help but acknowledge they seemed to be just like any other group of people. She knew plenty of flirtatious and jealous people. Eternal beings were not above human characteristics.

  “Do you trust him?” Darcie asked Bella, speaking of the immortal in the painting. He did not appear to be a warmongering villain.

  “I do,” Bella replied without hesitation. “Adir can seem rough sometimes, but I find it hard to believe he wishes the brothers out of power. After all, his strength shares in the strength of the brothers.”

  Darcie thought over the words. It made sense. War was known to cause pain, destruction, and death. All of the immortal men would benefit from the event. Then again, wouldn’t that be just as much of a reason to resent the brothers?

  Having zero desire to delve into the complicated intricacies at play with the immortals, Darcie moved on. Her eyes traveled to the next painting and froze.

  Des.

  Darcie observed the handsome face–her thoughts conflicted.

  He looked serene in the likeness, yet all she could think of was his anger and distance in real-life. The attractive face might belong to the immortal, but the disposition portrayed was far from accurate.

  Since she mistakenly stumbled into the parlor, Darcie had yet to come face-to-face with the imposing immortal. If she were being completely honest, she was perfectly okay with it. In fact, Darcie would be lying if she didn’t admit Des was part of the reason she had no desire to wander the house by herself. She dreaded running into the volatile immortal. There was no way to tell if she would meet the concerned or irritated Des.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” Bella pulled Darcie out of her mind.

  She shook her head. “Nothing positive.”

  Bella frowned and looked back at Des’ picture. “I know he comes off as abrupt, but Des is a kind soul. I fear you may be judging him too harshly.”

  Darcie quickly revisited her interactions with the immortal in question. She did not believe her opinion of Des to be misguided.

  He could display concern for her wellbeing, but just as easily turn all of his frustration and anger on her.

  “My thoughts about him stem directly from his behavior,” Darcie pointed out, moving away from the glass case.

  Bella bit her lip, revealing her internal struggle with what to say as she followed.

  “Des has not had… the easiest life,” she finally voiced. “There are things you do not know. Things that explain why he is the way he is.”

  Darcie stopped walking and held up her hands. “I don’t need to know his past. It is not my business,” she informed Bella. “But, regardless of what has happened, I don’t think it excuses his behavior.”

  “It does not excuse it,” Bella agreed. “But it could explain it.”

  Darcie could see the girl was trying her best to draw her interest. “I don’t think it is my business,” she repeated, but she did not discourage her by moving away a second time.

  Again, Bella chewed on her lip. “You know Lome was the first to bond with his One. Eshe was the first mortal woman to join the brothers.”

  Darcie nodded.

  “Well,” the immortal fidgeted, rolling her hands together. “In the beginning, the brothers did not even know they needed to find a human woman to reach their full strength. Des was actually the first of the three to feel a deep connection with a mortal woman.”

  Darcie’s eyes widened. “Des found his soulmate?”

  “Yes. Her name was Ambrosia. She lived in the city-state of Sparta.”

  “But he didn’t know who she was?” she questioned. “Or how important she was?”

  “No,” Bella contradicted. “He knew. He knew it the moment he laid eyes on her.

  Seeing the girl’s confusion, the immortal elaborated, “He might not have known the details, but it was clear to him they shared a connection. After meeting Ambrosia, Des went back and spoke with his brothers and the other Nine. Charmian is actually the immortal who predicted the significance of the mortal woman. She is a clairvoyant.”

  “Clairvoyant? You mean… she can see the future?”

  “Yes,” Bella replied. “Charmian is able to see certain future events. They are often random in both subject and timing. Many of her mortal offspring have the ability as well. Though, not as strong as an immortal clairvoyant.”

  “Mortal offspring?” Darcie’s brows furrowed. “Charmian has human kids?”

  Bella blushed. “In the past, it was not uncommon for immortals to… mingle with humans. But that was years ago. The act is frowned upon by The Council now.”

  The information did not shock Darcie as much as she would think. Professor Abernathy did enjoy Greek Myths, after all.

  “So Charmian knew
the girl was Des’ soulmate?” Darcie brought them back to the main subject.

  “Sort of,” Bella said. “Charmian was the first to hypothesize the brothers’ powers would grow after taking a mortal as their wife.”

  “So, what happened?” Darcie asked, unable to not pry. “Why didn’t he marry her?”

  The immortal released a sigh. “Des waited to tell Ambrosia the truth for a long time. He did not completely believe an immortal would be destined to take a mortal wife. All the while, he fell more and more in love with her.”

  “But by the time he finally decided to ask her to be his, her father already agreed to a betrothal contract with another man,” Bella said. “It broke both Ambrosia’s and Des’ heart.” As Bella stopped talking, her expression conveyed deep sadness on behalf of her brother-in-law.

  While the story was unhappy, Darcie couldn’t find it in herself to feel too bad for Des. After all, she already knew he would get another chance to find his soulmate; he was an immortal. She felt greater sympathy for Ambrosia.

  “I’m sorry he was sad,” she allowed for Bella’s benefit. “But I don’t see how it explains his rudeness towards me.”

  Bella held up a finger. “Des wandered around for centuries, finally believing he had another chance at finding Ambrosia and taking her as his wife. He kept searching until, one day, he found her.”

  “He found Ambrosia?”

  “She called herself by a different name,” Bella provided. “But yes. He found Ambrosia’s soul again.”

  “I’m guessing something terrible happened.” Darcie made the statement without knowing how crass it would soon sound.

  Bella’s brown eyes gazed into Darcie’s. “Yes. Something terrible happened. The same terrible thing which happened each of the four times Des found his One.”

  Time seemed to slow. Her breath felt heavy. “What happened?”

  “Over the entirety of Des’ immortal life, he has encountered his One five times. The first was Ambrosia, and their paths did not align. Des was lucky enough to find her again, but each time he did, the young woman would not survive long enough to seal her life with Des.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked, heart pounding. “The girl would get sick or something?”

  Bella shook her head. “The first time, we all believed it to be a tragic accident. But after the death of two more girls, Thane and Lome started to wonder if someone was not striving to keep Des away from his One.”

  Darcie’s blood ran cold. She thought of the attack in the parking lot. “Why would anyone do that?”

  Bella shrugged. “We aren’t sure. I would say it was about power, but no one attempted to harm me when Thane and I met. Not to put it lightly, but I used to believe Des simply had horrible luck.”

  “How did he handle it?” Darcie couldn’t imagine seeing a person you love die over and over again.

  “After the first death, Des mourned the loss. But, once he grieved, he continued searching the world for Ambrosia. When he encountered the third Ambrosia, he rejoiced in finding her only to receive swift heart break when she was the victim of a carriage accident. He did not search for his soulmate after that.”

  Darcie did mental math. “It happened again?”

  “Yes,” Bella’s eyes had lost their brightness. “Twice in two centuries.”

  “That’s terrible.”

  “I’ve only witnessed the aftermath of Des losing the two most recent women. I see how he loses a piece of himself each time. I can only imagine how he might be if he was not dealt this hand. How much happiness he would exude if his existence wasn’t marred by the death of four different women, all of whom he felt a deep connection with.”

  Darcie couldn’t stop imaging the deaths of the innocent women, or the grief Des must have felt following the demise of each one. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “There is nothing to say,” Bella placed a small hand on her arm. “I don’t mean to burden you by telling you this. I thought it could be beneficial for you to know Des has reasons for certain behaviors.”

  Darcie swallowed thickly. She felt guilty for her harsh view of the immortal. She couldn’t imagine who she would be, or how she would act, if she experienced such tragedy.

  Bella sensed her distress. She finished her speech, “The knowledge might not make his actions reasonable, but perhaps it helps you better understand the man behind the mask fate has forced him to don.”

  16

  Sunlight peeked through the cloudy sky as Darcie walked through the lush grass. She shaded her eyes and followed the winding path past the immense hedges blocking her from view.

  A week had passed with still no word on when she would be able to go home. Thane must have grown tired of Darcie’s daily questions and pleas. His agreement to allow her to explore the gardens and courtyards had appeasement written all over it.

  Both Lome and Bella offered to give her a tour of the immense space outside of the large home, but Darcie graciously declined. Despite the freedom to roam the house on her own, she rarely found herself without a companion of some sort. She enjoyed the conversation and the new information she would receive about their lives and experiences, but there was something to be said about having time to herself. She’d gotten over her aversion to wandering around alone.

  Lome pointed her in the direction of the back courtyard entrance, and Darcie found herself distracted by finally being outside again. She barely noticed the artwork arranged throughout the space. She inhaled the air, reveling in the odor emanating from the flowers and plants. It was a relief to be among nature, again.

  As she continued to wander, her mind began doing the same. She thought about her father and hoped he was doing alright without her. While she still disliked the immortals’ ability to manipulate her dad’s thoughts, she was glad he wasn’t worried. In fact, John Abernathy seemed unbothered by her absence when they last spoke on the phone.

  If only they manipulated his mind to go shopping and complete the household chores Darcie typically did, the young woman might not worry as much.

  Maybe I’ll ask Lome for the favor. He seemed to be the more laid-back brother.

  Darcie turned the corner of a tall hedge and observed a pond a bit off in the distance. It looked like the perfect place to sit and absorb the sun. She moved through the less-maintained grass until she stood at the edge of the water.

  As she stared at the surface, she could see fish of varying sizes swimming beneath the dark blue water. Her eyes followed a bright orange fish before it faded into the murky depths. She folded her feet beneath her, not caring the grass could stain the light blue dress Bella had loaned her.

  Darcie shook her head, remembering the odd conversation she had with Thane regarding her wardrobe:

  “I don’t understand why you can’t just go get my clothes for me?” Darcie asked, exasperated with Thane for requesting she wear the clothes Bella offered.

  Bella was much smaller than Darcie, and the teenager highly suspected the offered clothes were made specifically for her. It made her uncomfortable to think the immortals were choosing her clothes.

  “Even if I could get your clothes, you must realize you stand out in them.” Thane replied, unaffected by her irritation. It wasn’t the first time they had the argument. Bella sat in the corner of the room, trying to hide her amused smile.

  “Why does that matter?” She threw her hands in the air. “No one else sees me.”

  Thinking back, Darcie could see the slight twinkle of amusement in his eye.

  “For now,” Thane said. “But if you want more freedom, you must not draw more attention to yourself.”

  Darcie wanted to roll her eyes and tell him that was impossible. No matter what she wore, everyone would know she was the poor mortal girl trapped with the brothers for her own protection, but she resisted the urge to be snarky.

  It didn’t take long for Darcie to realize she didn’t mind what they tried to put her in, as long as it meant more freedom. More freedom meant more
opportunity to try and find a way back home.

  Totally worth it.

  Hence, she sat on the grass in a fancy blue dress made of the softest fabric she ever felt. Darcie wasn’t a tomboy in any sense of the word, but neither would she consider herself a princess. She didn’t feel comfortable in the feminine clothing, but it no longer irritated her as it once did.

  As Darcie sat there, listening to the sounds of nature around her, she felt a calm wash over her. For a moment, her body and soul were able to relax for the first time in what felt like forever.

  If she were being honest, she hadn’t felt so at peace since her father moved them from Maine. Not even the mythological reality she found herself in was able to diminish her mood. It was amazing.

  Growing sleepy, Darcie leaned back and laid down on the soft ground. The sound of wind moving through the trees lulled her into a peaceful doze.

  * * *

  Cold moisture pressed against her cheek, rousing her from sleep. Dazed, she swiped her hand across her face and tried to shoo away whatever created the uncomfortable sensation.

  The sensation returned, this time, accompanied by the sound of sniffs.

  Darcie opened her eyes and was greeted by a large, brown nose as it pressed against her once again.

  “Whoa,” she gently sat up and leaned away. She took in the sight of the large dog in front of her. She guessed his size to be like that of a Great Dane, but his face and fur resembled a German Shepherd.

  The large animal let her create distance between them. He sat on his hind legs, tail wagging as he stared at her, waiting for her to call him back. Despite his immense size and sudden appearance, he looked harmless.

  Darcie held out a hand for him to sniff. “Well, hello there,” she greeted.

  The dog pressed his head into her hand, urging her to pet him. Darcie laughed and obliged. She leaned forward to get better access to the back of his large ears.

  “Argos, here boy!”