by Audra Hart
Nora blushes and looks around to see if anyone else understands what they are talking about. No one seems to, or if they do they have the good grace not to show it. Nora smiles and hugs her big sister and fellow seer.
Breena looks around the room and says, “It’s 2:30, Morna and Luca should be getting up soon. I am going to check on them.”
Cirona laughs and says, “You think it’s safe yet?”
Breena nods and says, “Luca will make sure they are here by 3:00. I just want to check on Morna without all these other emotions in the room.”
“Don’t worry Breena, once Ma assimilated the knowledge of us, all of our plans are firmly in her mind. She has a strong grip on what’s going on and knows what Rebecca has seen. She’s well on top of everything,” Cirona assures her Aunt. She can’t help it, she reaches out and draws Breena into her arms and hugs her. “Ma has told us so much about you. I have been so eager to get to know you. Ma said you would probably be willing to be my lore mother.”
Breena hugs the young woman back and says, “Of course I would Cirona.” She smiles as she lovingly rubs the back of her new found niece.
Cirona steps back, “Sorry Aunt. I am the most emotional, except for the twins. I have longed for our family. I am so excited to be here with everyone.”
Breena smiles at her niece and says, “I can only imagine. But let me assure you, we are all just as happy to be united with you and your siblings. Today is truly a joy filled day.”
CHAPTER NINE - PATERNAL BOND HEARING AND THE ENEMY EXPOSED
“What is going on?” Everyone turns at the sound of Elias’ voice. He and Samantha are standing in the doorway, arm in arm. They look very surprised to see everyone.
Breena steps forward intending to explain, when Elias stops her; “Breena, I know who these folks are. Morna included me in the plan before Rebecca was born. I have been to the Neophasic Dimension many, many times over the years. Taranis has kept me informed all these years. I just had to keep quiet until Morna could reconcile the two existences. The timing had to be exact. I just didn’t realize that Morna would be rescuing Val so soon.”
“What’s going on Elias?” Samantha asks. Elias leans in and kisses her gently and strokes her face lovingly and then he puts his forehead to Samantha’s and is silent for many minutes. When he finally moves away Sammy opens her eyes and smiles. She stands up on tiptoes and kisses Elias again. “Thank you Love. Now I understand why I saw all those redheads standing with Morna on the Assylian Plain. I had no idea who they all could be until now.” Elias and Sammy go around greeting all the newcomers. The room is just humming with excitement.
Rinda walks up to Breena, “Did you see that?” she gushes excitedly. “They are so blessed!”
Breena smiles and nods, “They have a very powerful connection. They are true mates, just as Luca and Morna are, just like Damian and I are.”
“Why do you say that?” Damian ask curiously.
“Elias mind shared all he knew about the Highland children and the plans they have been making for the past sixty years. Only Spell Weavers who are bound tightly to their one true mate can mind share like that. Like I can do with you.” Breena says with a smile.
Damian nods and smiles, “I gotta go congratulate Elias. He’s a lucky man to find a woman to bond with as I have been able to bond with you.” He kisses Breena happily and walks away to greet his friend Elias.
Thor joins Valliant, and says, “You are a very lucky god! To gain all these beautiful grandchildren in one day!” Thor suddenly gets very serious and says, “Brother, I must apologize. I have spent a great deal of time being angry at your oldest daughter. I believed that she had stolen Morna’s chance to be a mother to all the children that she was destined to have, but it seems she had a hand in making it possible. Forgive me?”
“Certainly Brother!” Valliant booms. “I thought my daughter guilty of the same things. I am just glad that we were both wrong.” Gullveig looks up at her beloved and Valliant takes her into his arms, “We are blessed, woman!” She agrees heartily and Valliant leans down to kiss her passionately.
This is the scene that greets Morna when she calls everyone into the great dining hall to eat lunch. She and Luca had been up and in the kitchen for about twenty minutes helping Auggie, Tena, Skjarr, and Surt get the meal ready. She greets everyone as they walk by. She hugs her friends and family alike. Exchanging greetings and family jokes alike with each one. When Aideen comes through, she is near the end of the line of people entering the dining hall. She is gushing about how nice it is to have so many siblings.
Morna smiles indulgently and hugs her back and urges her to join her mate at the table. When Kyle and Kylor bring up the rear Kyle is scowling. Morna takes his hand and leads him away for a private chat. She sends Kylor along to tell their Father to get everyone started eating lunch that she and Kyle will be along in a minute.
Morna leads her son back to a settee and sits beside him. “Son, Aideen has seen me do things that you have not. She has seen your father in hell because of those things.”
Morna stares off into nothingness or perhaps back into time. After many long moments she shakes her head and looks at her son. “Aideen knows how badly those things hurt your father. She also knows that if I conceived those children during my limbo years, I fully remembered Luca. I only stayed away from him because I had to let the curse run its full course, to reach the end and allow me to mature into my full power. It is reasonable to assume I slept with a man to get pregnant. Aideen didn’t know I had come up with a way to magically use the seed of a man to artificially inseminate myself. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that she thought I was knowingly screwing around on Luca. It just hurt that she jumped to that conclusion. But go easy on her. She and I are learning to trust each other. It takes time sometimes to build that kind of trust between women.”
“But she is your daughter. How can she not trust you?” Kyle demands. “I think she acts like a stupid bitch a lot of the time.”
Agnar laughs from the doorway, “Perhaps you are right Kyle. But I think you are focusing on Aideen as an outlet to vent your anger.”
Morna looks up at Agnar angrily. “What are you doing poking your nose in this, Ag?”
“Morna, I have made it a point to keep my empathic abilities focused on Kyle since the Jumper attack. Killing a man is a hard thing. I have been trying to help him deal with it,” Agnar says.
Morna looks at Kyle who nods and says, “Yeah Mom, he has. Agnar is why I am dealing so well.”
“Kyle, you are doing well, but you have a lot of anger still that you have to deal with. And focusing that anger on Aideen is not the best way to do it. It will only hurt both of you, and your mother. She loves you both,” Agnar says reasonably.
“I know Ag. Thanks. I will watch out for it. What else can I do?” Kyle ask softly.
“Be honest son, Morna says quietly. “Be honest with me, Dad, Ag, whoever can help. Would you consider letting Rinda and Breena talk with you?”
Ag raises an eyebrow at that suggestion and Morna tells him telepathically, “No Ag, I am not planning to have them wipe his memories. They are both excellent therapists. Rinda can help him relax as a hypnotist and Breena can help him recognize and deal with his feelings.” Agnar nods and returns his attention to Kyle.
“Maybe Mom. Maybe after Madigan is born. Nora and Rebecca told us that you get hurt really badly when you rescue Valgullveig. I am scared, Mama. Isn‘t there another way?” Kyle asks softly.
“I do honey, but this is the best plan we could come up with. But I will heal, and your brother will be fine.” Morna says gently as she pulls him into her arms. At that moment Luca comes into the room and takes them both into his arms. When Kyle finally pulls out of their embrace he looks at Luca and says, “Dad, tell her she can’t go!”
Luca looks at Morna over the top of his son’s head and says, “I can’t stop her son. She has to do this. It’s her sister.”
“Yeah her sister w
ho has been trying to kill her for hundreds of years,” Kyle spits out in frustration. “She doesn’t owe her a damned thing.”
“Maybe not Kyle, but I think Mom is doing this because it’s the right thing to do and because her Father’s heart is broken over Valgullveig,” Luca says gently. “This really sucks kid, but people in our positions have to make painful sacrifices for the good of others. Being blessed with long life, strength, power and magic carries a lot of responsibility with it. Do you understand?”
Kyle nods and wipes his eyes. He looks at Agnar and says, “Sorry I called Aideen a stupid bitch.”
“You didn’t call her a stupid bitch, you said she sometimes acts like a stupid bitch. There’s a difference. We all act in ways we hate sometimes. Just like your mother explained. We just strive to do better. Aideen is striving to do and be better.” Agnar says wisely.
“I know. I really love her. She’s an awesome sister. Especially to Aiden. It’s really cool how close those two are,” Kyle says quietly. Agnar nods and smiles at his future brother in law.
“Agnar, please go with Kyle to the dining room. You two should eat. Morna and I will be along in a moment,” Luca says softly. Agnar looks at Luca for a long moment, and then tells him telepathically, “She won’t back out of the rescue. You know that.” Luca just nods and keeps his eyes on his mate’s face.
When Agnar and Kyle leave the room Luca kisses Morna and says, “How bad will it be?”
Morna looks away, “Bad.”
“What are you going up against Morna?” He demands quietly. When she doesn’t immediately answer, he gently tilts her face back to his and says, “I have a right to know. You are my mate, my life.”
“I know. The Dark One collects dangerous things. She has collected a couple of Amaterasu’s sun breathers.” Morna says quietly.
Luca gasps, and jumps up and starts pacing. “NO WAY IN HELL MORNA!!!! You cannot go up against that!” Luca knows that Amaterasu is the Japanese sun goddess who has a fondness for creating dangerous creatures. Her sun breathers are ancient dragons that breathe fire. But not just normal fire, it is hotter than true fire. Luca knows it would cause a typical vampire’s body to combust in seconds.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Everyone in the dining hall fall silent. Valliant looks around and says, “What could make Luca lose his temper like that?”
Rinda chuckles and says, “Morna.” But Rinda gets very serious when Nora, Sammy and Rebecca get up from the table and Auggie joins them as they walk toward the other room. “What the hell is going on?” she demands. She knows it must be serious if all four seers are going to talk to Luca.
Cirona who has been sitting between Rinda and Breena sighs and looks at Michael and Robert, who both nod. “Ma is going to face Japanese sun breathers. The Dark One has two of them guarding Valgullveig. She knows Ma will come to free her and she can’t keep Ma out so she will extract her vengeance in a great deal of physical pain. She has had Val staked out for two weeks now, she has been harassing you all with a shadow image of Val.”
Cirona looks sick as she continues, “Aunt Val hasn’t had any food or water in all that time. She is very weak. Actually, she is dying. That’s why she must go very soon. I worry that tomorrow will be too late. The sun breathers were created eons ago by Amaterasu, the Japanese Sun goddess. She will also be physically attacked. They breathe fire so hot that it is like the sun. Ma will be burned very, very badly. Rebecca worries that Luca will interfere, trying to help. He’s very frightened for Ma. He really loves her.”
Damian gets up and starts walking into the other room. “Where are you going?” Breena asks.
“I have to talk sense into Luca. He could get her killed. Besides, if she gets burned that badly she will need a lot of our venom to recover. Luca and I will have to milk a great deal of it in advance.” Damian says quietly. Breena nods and looks away, she and every other empathic at the table knows how scared and angry Damian is. He wants to protect Morna, it’s his duty. And keeping Luca out of the way and preparing to treat her when she returns is all he can do. They understand the deep sense of uselessness and frustration the young vampire is feeling. But they also admire his strength.
Everyone can hear Luca yelling at his mate and the seers. He is irrational in his rage over the idea of not being able to protect his mate. When Damian walks in he says, “Dammit Luca, stop it! If you make her second guess herself she could get killed and not just hurt badly. Leave her the hell alone! Her plan will work and you know it!”
Luca stops dead in his tracks and looks at Damian. He starts to argue, but he can’t argue with the logic. He knows Morna won’t, no can’t change her mind about rescuing her sister. She had already told him that if she doesn’t go tonight, Valgullveig will be dead before midnight. Her intuition has convinced her today while she slept that she cannot wait until tomorrow.
Luca is silent for couple of minutes and then he nods and offers his hand to Morna. She takes it and rises to stand before him. “I am sorry, darling, I would not put you through this if there was another way.” Morna whispers so quietly that Damian who is standing a few feet away can barely hear the words.
Luca nods and kisses her gently. “I know, Love. I know. I truly do. And I am trusting you to come back to me.” Morna strokes his face and then kisses him passionately. When she breaks the kiss off, Luca again says, “I trust you,” He nods and then leads her into the dining room to eat.
When they enter the dining room everyone is trying to act like they had not been straining to hear what was going on in the other room after Luca’s outburst. Octavius had arrived when Luca screamed at Morna and quickly figured out what was going on. After several minutes when Luca and Morna are trying to eat and behave normally the ancient vampire chuckles and says, “Lady Morna, I can’t believe you made him understand you had to do it. He loves you so much I was certain he would interfere.”
Morna looks at him sharply and demands, “What do you think you know about this matter?”
“I know the prophesy Madam. I also have several seers in my employ. I have had them watching you for a while now. I know you go to rescue your sister. I know she will die if you do not go. I also know that she is suicidal and will try to break away between dimensions.”
Every one of the Highland offspring and Tarvish gasp at that news. Morna swallows hard. If she successfully breaks away between dimensions she will be lost. “What does that mean?” Luca asks.
Tarvish quickly explains and then Morna says, “If she is truly suicidal, she won’t use her magic to get back to us. Someone like Val or even me Luca could find our way back if we lost contact with Robert… but if she chooses not to come back…”
“You might be risking your life for nothing,” Luca says bitterly.
“I won’t let go of her or Robert. I promise. I promise all of you. I will come back and I will bring Val back with me.” Morna says quietly. Once she has eaten all she can stand to, she turns to face everyone assembled; “We have to go to Airendell. The Paternal Bond hearing is in fifteen minutes.” Morna looks at Octavius suddenly and says, “What information did you need to tell me before the hearing?”
“Mars is on the fence. He could go either way. He tends to make impulsive decisions, at the very last possible second. He should be replaced with either Silvanus, the Roman god of the woodlands and forests or with Xelas, the Stone Breaker’s god of change, transformation and improvement. Either one of them would make a judgment based on evidence. Not on how they think the outcome will affect him.” Octavius says. “I know Mars pretty well. You can’t rely on him.”
Morna nods and admits, “I have been worried about him too.” She looks at Rebecca and Nora. Rebecca nods and says, “Silvanus will do it and he will be fair.”
Morna looks up and finds Ingrid in front of her with a glass of blood. “Morna, I have been staying away because this is family business, but now I have to protect you, so drink up and let’s go.”
Morna chuckles and says, “I bet you
know everything that has been going on.”
“Not everything, but I know enough. Drink!” Ingrid says stonily. Annie joins them and hands Morna her armament. Morna straps the shoulder straps with the sheath and her sword on her back and weaves a spell. The armament disappears. Luca reaches out to touch her back and says, “What did you do love? The sword and harness are gone.”
“It’s there, just on the Neophasical dimension. I can access it in a split second. I had Annie fashion the shoulder strap sheath, I just didn’t understand why until today.” Morna smiles and says, “Let’s go.” Her family moves toward the entrance. Morna stops to hug and kiss each of her children on her way out the door.
The lengthy procession makes its way to Heimdall’s gate and he opens the Bi-frost for her. “God speed, Baby Girl.” Just as Morna walks by him he whispers, “Nyx is there, just as you suspected.” Morna nods at that information and keeps walking.
“Morna, what would Nyx have to gain from all this? Why is she after you and our family?” Luca asks.
“I am changing her creation Luca, just by existing, and by what I have done with you, Rodrigo and Breena. I have met her, she enjoys the carnage her creations leave in their wake. If anything, she is angry that they hide in shadows. I am sure she has seers too, or is one. She had to have seen me coming a long time ago. I think she sent the Traveler to steal our Guild’s talismans. I suspect she has been behind everything that has happened to us,” Morna replies stonily.
By now they are stepping off of the Bi-frost in front of the Spell Weaver’s Guild hall. There is no more time to discuss it. Morna is greeted by the lead Elder, Shamus as well as Athena and Arete. Morna smiles. She is greatly relieved that wisdom and virtue will preside over this hearing. She quietly requests that Mars be replaced by Silvanus and Athena nods her understanding, and smiles because she thinks that it is a wise move.