“I saw the clan through the death of all their wives, mothers and daughters. Not just our clan, but every clan and coven. I saw the Silverdrakes through the veil. Now I am ready to retire. It’s your turn to step up, Titus. Or should Ajax take your place?” Orion asked.
“How dare you,” Titus said, taking a step towards his brother.
“We all have the chaos of the Dark Sun to contend with, Titus,” Jerith said. “Your clan is strong. You will survive this.”
“I have no doubt I can do what is required. I led the fight against The Surge while my brother made love to his wife.”
“You will have your own wife someday, Titus, and then you will understand.”
“I doubt that,” Titus said, pushing away from the bar.
He walked out into the promenade of the mall, the sunlight streaming through the skylights above.
Jerith took out a clove cigarette and lit it up, holding the brown cylinder between his long, white fingers. Orion stared after his brother as he walked away.
“He’ll be fine,” Jerith said. “I’m more concerned about you now. How will you defend the witches against your own allies?”
“I will find a way with Selene. We will make it work for everyone.”
“Many immortals will kidnap witches and breed them against their will. The old ways are long gone now. All they want now is to survive. There are many who did not fight alongside our alliance or The Surge. They will play by their own rules.”
“I know. The witches will be like a beacon for every immortal within fifty miles.”
“I’m sure it’s already begun.”
“My Lucia is sending out her own beacon. The women will find her. It is my sacred duty to protect them.”
“I know, Orion. And you do your duty well. I commend you,” Jerith said, slapping Orion on the back. “Just let me know when I can find a bride of my own.”
Jerith stepped out of the steakhouse, his smoke curling around him as he walked away. Orion pulled out his glass pad and signaled Lucia. He was coming home.
Chapter 14
Lucia stood on the balcony outside her third story window overlooking the courtyard in Orion’s fortress. She gazed up at the looming dark circle of the sun that hung over the darkened land.
The first sliver of light appeared at the very center of the circle. The pinprick of brightness growing outwards in the same manner as it had darkened. Moment by moment the sunshine grew from a tiny circle at the center of the Earth’s star. Finally, the whole sun was again at its full glory, born again from the ashes of the old world.
The sky above was crystal clear and blue and the most beautiful sight that Lucia had ever seen. The return of the sunlight meant that the Dark Sun Machine had gone cold. Her husband had succeeded and the world had light again.
Bridget walked out on the balcony beside Lucia and the two women looked out on the sunlit courtyard.
"Orion did it," Lucia whispered.
She could feel the incredible relief of every living soul anywhere near the fortress. All their thoughts and feelings and impressions radiated through her and gave her a sense of joy beyond anything she'd ever experienced before. Bridget put her hand around Lucia’s shoulder, and Lucia wrapped her arm around Bridget's waist.
The two women had become fast friends, remembering their work together in the temple of the priestesses of Gama.
"There is still much work to be done," Lucia said.
Since Orion had left the day before, she and Bridget had been studying the databases in his workshop. They had only taken a few hours’ rest the entire time. The two women had learned more about magic and the technology of the past than they had in an entire lifetime before the dark sun.
The overwhelming information had struck them both at the heart of their very beings. But even with the inundation of such knowledge, the two women could redirect themselves and come to a clear understanding of what they needed to do next.
"The other witches will arrive soon," Lucia said.
"Do you think the electricity will come back on?" Bridget asked her.
"I really don't know. Orion told me that the Dark Sun Machine was interfering with all electronic devices. Perhaps now some of them will work again. But I think much of it was fried during the solar flare."
“The most important thing now is that we are able to draw the other witches to the fortress," Bridget said.
"I can feel them coming. With the sun shining again, it will be easier for them to find their way. Orion has sworn to protect the witches. He will not let us down."
"After everything we've learned in the last twenty-four hours, you and I both know that the walls of the fortress will not be enough to keep away the immortals who want to breed with us. They will come for us. And I doubt they will be kind and considerate."
"There are no laws left in the world," Lucia said. "We must learn to function in the new reality."
"We will find a way, sister. No matter what, we will provide a safe place for the priestesses as long as we can."
"That is my one true calling," Lucia said. "I am so glad to have you here to help me build a new temple for our kind."
"And what of the goddess we serve?" Bridget asked. "What has become of Gama?"
"There is no real way of knowing. Some of the information in Orion’s databases said that she has gone to the center of the Earth. There is a Fae kingdom of immortals below the surface of the planet. But those of us on the surface are not welcome there."
"Why would Gama leave us alone after taking our lives?"
"Who can know the mind of the ancients?" Lucia said. "We may be the reincarnations of powerful priestesses, but at the end of the day, we are only modern human women. A goddess like Gama is beyond our understanding. All I know is that she created us just like she created the humans. She is our mother and she is the mother of all immortals on the planet. For that reason, she deserves our deference and even our praise. She is the Great Mother of all. We must respect her for that, no matter where she has gone."
"I agree with you on that, sister."
Lucia felt the glass pad Orion had given her buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out and flicked her finger across the screen, bringing up a video image of her husband's face.
"Orion, my darling. You have succeeded. I am so very proud of you," Lucia said.
"We have brought down the Dark Sun Machine, my love. And I will be home very soon. I have news for you that we must discuss. And I fear that it will be hard for you to take," he said.
"What is it?" Lucia asked.
"At the meeting of the council of the allied clans and covens, the council members made it clear that they expect witches to offer themselves to immortals for mating. Refusal will not be an option," Orion said, his voice tense.
"We can discuss this further when you return."
"I will be there very soon," Orion said before his face disappeared from her screen.
Just as she was about to put the glass pad back in her pocket, there was a notification from the security system. She pressed the app on the glass pad and brought up the video feed from the front gate. To her surprise, a dozen women were standing outside the gate, looking confused.
"They're here," Lucia said. "Let's go bring them in."
Bridget and Lucia went out to the ground floor garage and hopped into an SUV with eight seats in it. Lucia hoped that they could squeeze all the ladies in one vehicle as she drove to the entrance and parked outside the gate.
"Do you think this is a good idea?" Bridget asked.
"I can feel that these women are our own kind. Their desires are only to be safe. They came to my signal."
Lucia climbed out of the SUV and flicked her finger over the screen of her glass pad, bringing up the controls for the gates to the fortress. The heavy metal gate slowly slid open, revealing the dozen women beyond. They were dirty and cold and carried what few belongings they still had. Some seemed injured, others seemed completely bewildered. Lucia knew how they felt.
"Welcome, ladies, to the new temple of the goddess. You may be wondering why you are here and what brought you to this place. You may be experiencing strange things, such as feeling or hearing people's thoughts and emotions, or able to direct powerful energy through your hands. These things and more will be explained to you. Here you will be safe, and I invite you to come inside."
The group of confused women began filtering through the gate. Once everyone was inside, the gate slid shut. Lucia and Bridget helped the women climb into the SUV. With all their belongings inside it was a tight squeeze, but everyone eventually fit.
She drove to the front of the mansion and parked in front of the stairs, leading up to the second-floor entrance. The women climbed out of the SUV and grabbed their belongings, still as worried and confused as ever. It would take a great deal of dedicated explanation to bring the new witches up to speed. Most of them seemed utterly terrified.
The new arrivals climbed the stairs to the front entrance and were greeted by Benny the Goudy butler. Several of the women screamed and ran down the stairs while others simply took several steps back. They started stammering to each other, their fear showing.
"Ladies, this is Benny, the Butler. Along with all things magical, he has been revealed to human eyes. Come inside. We have plenty of room and food for everyone. Later we can have a meeting to discuss what the future holds for all of us."
After Lucia and Bridget served a hearty lunch the new arrivals retired to their private quarters to rest, recuperate, and wash up from the terrors of the road. Bridget and Lucia went back upstairs to the workshop. A moment later, Orion arrived.
He crossed the room, closing the space between him and Lucia in a few steps. She stood with open arms and fell into his embrace. Having him here, with the sun shining, caused her emotions to overflow inside her and a tear to slide down her cheek.
She melted into his arms and let out a deep sigh. She felt as if she could finally breathe for the first time since the sun went dark. Even with all the tragedy in the world, she had found this man who loved her so deeply, across time and space, loss and heartache.
She rested her head against his chest, feeling his heart beating under her cheek. This was home, here with Orion. All her life she had felt out of place and out of touch. She had always been a strange duck. But now she knew who she really was. Under mortal disguise, she was a powerful priestess of the Goddess who had created every human and immortal on Earth.
"It is so good to have you back," Lucia said.
"It is good to be back, my love," he said.
Lucia, Orion, and Bridget sat in a corner seating area of the workshop and Lucia served them tea.
“We must discuss how we will run the temple, moving forward," Orion said. "This is a very touchy time for everyone. Xander is still on the loose. The Surge has lost some of its strength, but it is still a threat to us all. Don't believe for a second that he will leave the priestesses unmolested."
"Xander is a problem for all of us, but he is a problem for the witches more than anything," Lucia said.
"He will kidnap any witch he finds," Orion said. "I have no doubt of that."
"What exactly was said at the council meeting?" Lucia asked.
Orion set his porcelain teacup on a table next to him. "The council members made it clear that they expect the witches to offer themselves as breeders for the next generation of immortals. I reminded these men that the protection of the witches was the primary driving force behind the immortal war in the first place."
"Then why are they insisting we offer ourselves as breeders?" Bridget asked tensely.
"I cannot control the immortals outside of the alliance or inside of it for that matter. Every male immortal alive on the planet today will want a witch for himself to replenish his own clan or coven. It is unfair. But it is reality. Even the allies are more concerned about stopping Xander than they are about protecting the virtue of the reawakening priestesses."
"But we are talking about many of these men's former wives, lovers, daughters, and mothers," Lucia countered.
"This may matter a little. But at the end of the day, everyone's primary concern is stopping Xander. If he gathers strength by kidnapping and breeding witches, thereby growing The Surge even stronger, we are all doomed. The allies refuse to allow Xander to take over the world. It isn't just the humans and the witches he seeks to rule. He wants to rule us all. Not even the men of the Blackrose coven or the dragons of the Ironclaw, who have been our allies for millennia, will stand by and allow Xander to kidnap and breed every witch he can find while we stand back being gentlemen and allowing the world to be stolen from under our feet."
"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Bridget said.
"Bridget, you and I both know that there was a similar expectation at the original temple,” Lucia said.
"Yes there was an expectation, but women were never forced into becoming breeding stock," Bridget objected.
"This is a new and desperate era. Our numbers have been severely limited. Over the last two thousand years, thousands of immortals have died from accidents or in battles. There are few of us left,” Orion said.
"And what do you suggest we tell these women? They trusted us," Bridget said.
“I believe we should create some kind of arrangement that will be acceptable to the allies and the non-allied forces who are not part of Xander's Surge. We could use many of the old rules from the original temple. I believe we must be more forceful than we were before,” Orion said.
"At the original temple, we only provided our protection and training with the expectation that a witch would accept a partner eventually,” Lucia said. "That stipulation has always been part of the agreement.”
"In the past there was no set time limit for how long a priestess could remain with the temple before taking a mate. But now, to get the buy-in from the allied forces, we're going to have to put some kind of hard limit on how long a witch can remain under our protection before choosing a mate," Orion said. “This is my suggestion. We offer protection and training to any witch who arrives at our door. On a random rotating basis, half a dozen witches will be selected each month to meet with suitors. A witch can refuse all suitors for one rotation. But on her second rotation, she must accept a suitor or she will lose the protection of the fortress."
"Are you saying that the twelve terrified women who just arrived today must be told that they are expected to marry someone whether they like it or not?" Bridget asked indignantly. "And I suppose that includes me?"
"It would have to include all unmated priestesses," Lucia said. "I don't see how we have any other option."
"If we create agreeable terms, the allied forces will help protect the temple. If not, none of us will have any protection outside these walls. There will be nowhere to turn for help if The Surge comes here. My wards and my walls can only withstand so much. It cannot withstand the full force of The Surge. We must have the agreement of the allied immortals or we are all in danger," Orion said.
Bridget sat back in her chair, crossing her arms. She let out an irritated huff and looked out the window.
“We might as well be auctioned off to The Surge if we’re going to be auctioned off to anyone," Bridget said.
"It is not the same thing,” Orion said. “There is every possibility that you will find the man that you were once mated with two thousand years ago. A man who loves you more than anything."
"And there is just as good a chance that I will end up with some dominating douchebag who only wants me as a walking baby box," she sneered, standing from her chair.
"Bridget, please don’t be angry. I need you,” Lucia said. “We all need your help. What other choice do we have in this?"
A tear ran down Bridget's cheek and she brushed it away. Bridget was a tough woman who was used to taking care of herself, and Lucia knew that this mating arrangement was a lot for her to accept.
"If I leave, I'm vulnerable to The Surge or anyone else. If I stay, I'm breedi
ng stock," Bridget said.
"Don't you want to find love?" Orion asked.
"Honestly, since the end of the world, that's been the last thing on my mind.”
Chapter 15
Over the next several days, Orion, Bridget, and Lucia helped the new arrivals settle into life at the fortress. More women arrived every day, sometimes just one, sometimes half a dozen. Orion's fortress was massive and could house many hundreds of people. Lucia sometimes wondered if he hadn't planned it that way from the beginning.
Bridget had been angry at first, but she understood why it had to be done, and she started to come around. They could not afford to be at odds with the allied immortals. It wasn't like the world before the dark sun.
Lucia assured Bridget that she would find someone good for her. They would use their spells and their magic to draw the man most suited for Bridget. Lucia wouldn’t let her friend or any other woman end up with a bad man. They planned to use their considerable strength to assure that that did not happen.
Lucia and Bridget begin organizing the witches into a coven to do the work of the priestesses of the temple. Witches were not simply breeding stock for other immortals. They had an important role in the world as wielders of powerful magic and immortals themselves.
Now that they had reawakened to their own identities, their long life was possible for them again. The magic that Gama had blessed them with ran through their veins. They would take up the old ways, carry out the old rituals, and praise the Goddess in the way that they had for thousands of years before the veil.
The coven used magic to carry stones from a quarry in the mountain to build a ritual space much like the monoliths of old. On the day of the first ritual, two dozen new priestesses gathered in a grove behind the fortress at high noon. Giant quartz rocks stood in a circle around the perimeter.
“I call upon the Goddess Gama, our Mother. Creator of all. Wielder of the magic web. Queen of the Earth and inner realms.”
Lucia called on the light of the sun and the blessing of the Goddess to oversee the temple and protect them all with her love. No matter where the Goddess had gone, Lucia knew that their prayers would reach her and that she would always wish to protect her children.
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