Beyond the Veil Mira- The Complete Series

by Trina Bates

  Stopping at what Torunn calls a trinket table, there’s a beautiful silver necklace that will hold the gems perfectly, and is long enough to be hidden under a shirt, or look stylish over any high necked piece of clothing.

  Torunn comes up behind me, looking at the necklace as well. “How do I do this?” I ask her, still a bit baffled and a little uneasy. It’s not like I can just walk up and take something I want. It feels like stealing.

  “Kiron, how would you like to be paid for this particular chain? We have a young woman here that is about to ascend in a few days time,” she says, gesturing to me. “She is not of our world, but she wants to pay you in our ways.” The man, old and wise in his years, with a gentle manner and welcoming face, hands the chain to me with a smile.

  “How about this, young one. In return for this particular chain, name the child growing inside you after someone of our world. Someone strong so they may grow to be as strong and wondrous as the person they were named after.” His voice reminds me of a storyteller, a narrator. Someone that commands an audience but is genuine in his words and wisdom.

  Smiling into his kind face, I lean and whisper my secret. A toothy full grin takes over his face at the name I give, but instead of handing me just the chain, he walks back around his table grabbing a small box from underneath, he hands me another necklace, one that has a bright red stone hanging from it. The stone itself two inches around in a jagged circle. Looking at him surprised, I shake my head at his second gift. I hope it isn’t rude but there’s no way I can take two amazing pieces for just a name. That hardly seems fair, especially after what Torunn had told me on our journey here, about their currency.

  “This is for her. The person with that name?” The old man’s eyes raise, seeming to have a question but his cheeky grin and upturned lips, give me the impression he's one for a little flair of dramatics. “This belonged to her. I have had it in my care for many years waiting for the right person to take it. It has been handed down for many generations through my family. She was gifted this stone after she came home and ascended. It was a momentous and joyous day. The day your little one ascends will be the same. This is for her when she is old enough to wear it.” Smiling brightly, with a newfound feeling blooming in my chest, I accept his answer. Not wanting to offend him after what he just told me, I graciously take both chains from his offered hand. “May I wear it for now?” I ask him.

  “Please do. It will help you, as well, on your journeys.” His ever present smile is there, wide and adorable again.

  Putting it around my neck, I unclasp the other chain and put my gems on one by one after I take them off of the heavy key ring.

  Hugging him, I give my thanks and turn to my little group that all wear looks of surprise, befuddlement, and wonder on their faces. Torunn fingers the red gem with tears in her eyes, she looks at me and beams at me, pulling me into a big hug.

  “Thank you. I know what this means. You decided to name her after my mother. It was only right to give this to Kiron’s family after she passed. They are very wise and I knew this would find the right home someday. I couldn’t be happier. His family were the ones to originally find the stone and spell it. It wasn't meant for my sisters, or my daughters, and I knew it was not meant for me. That is why we returned it to his family,” she whispers into my ear, making tears well in my eyes at the same time.

  Turning back to my to her, I grasp Rhydian and Ebbin's hands in mine and turn away with one last smile thrown over my shoulder to Kiron, and walk down to the next merchant selling more wraps.

  “You gonna let us in on whatever that was back there?” Ebbin asks with one eyebrow raised pursing his lips at me.

  “Nope!” I reply, giving him a wink and squeezing his hand as I turn back to the path ahead of me. I hate secrets, but this is more of a surprise, one that has to be said to everyone, at the same time. I don’t want anyone left out.

  “Such a little shit,” he mumbles under his breath, making me grin.

  “Always, and you wouldn't have it any other way!” I don’t look at him, but I still stick my tongue out at him to the side and I hear his own chuckle.

  “Never.” The hand I’m holding slips away and he throws his heavy arm over my shoulder and kisses me gently on the head. I lay my head on his arm, still holding onto Rhydian and walk happily with both of them at my side, Torunn and Cynide, dutiful and oblivious, ahead of us.

  The guys buy, what we come to find out, are actually called togas here, just like in Ancient Greece. Ebbin’s more than excited at knowing they aren't really called skirts like I had been teasing him with previously. One for each of them, even picking one up for Merrick and Rhett. They promise to bring the merchants back flowers to turn into dye the next day and do the same when I pick out four wraps for myself. They got me a pair of leather sandals that twist up my legs and tie at the top, and in return my guys went to the back of the meat markets. They slaughtered an animal as payment, so the shopkeeper wouldn’t have to do it himself since he purchased his own goods from that merchant earlier that day. Torunn doesn’t purchase or trade anything, she seems all too happy for our company and even gets in on our playful banter a few times. Even making fun of Rhydian's tight pants and Ebbin's pierced ears.

  All in all, it’s a really good day, filled with laughter, the pleasure of getting to know an entire race of new people and making a new lifelong friend.

  Merrick's voice cuts through my head as we’re about to walk back to the cottage, we aren’t far and I pick up my pace at his words.

  -He’s waking up. Called out your name a few times, love.-

  -I’m hurrying back. We were already headed that way.- Yelling the good news back to the rest of our little clan, I race ahead with Cynide hot on my heels, she has a piece of meat Rhydian got for her hanging out of her mouth and looks absolutely feral. I love it.

  I laugh at how strange she looks, like she’s a wild animal, not a somewhat, ‘tame’ Agathion. She received a few strange stares at the market and a few small children were brave enough to come up and ask to touch her. She was as amazing as I fully knew she would be, letting anyone who passed by, touch her. She, at one point, even climbed into the lap of a little girl that couldn’t walk. It made the little girl’s day brighter and the genuine smile she had, melted my heart.

  Pumping my long legs harder and listening to Cynide as she gives me the directions, the little cottage is soon in sight. I rush through the door and down the hall, swinging open the door with a little too much force. I throw myself down on the extra pad that’s placed by Rhett's, laying my head on his chest. His eyes are still closed, but his heart rate is steady and his breathing is much stronger than it was last night.

  Taking his hand in mine, I call out his name gently into his chest. He squeezes my hand and turns his head into my hair. Inhaling deeply, he moans and twists into me. Looking down into my eyes, I smile warmly up at him and kiss his nose, making it wrinkle and causing a small laugh to rise from his chest.

  “I want to wake up like this every morning,” he groans out, stretching his long limbs and kissing my forehead.

  “I think after what you went through, I might just make that happen. And it's technically just after noon right now, but I’ll let that one slide, too.” Looking at him with worry crossing my face, I need to know, now. “What did you go through Rhett? What happened?”

  Closing his eyes, he runs a hand down his face, then places his arm over his eyes shielding himself from the world. I don’t want to push, so I lay there with him, letting him decide if and when he wants to tell me.

  With everyone crowded into the small room, even a shy Torunn, he peeks through his arms and retells his story.

  “When I portaled home, I didn’t get the cabin like I wanted for some reason, I ended up at the Dragonstone. I was a little out of breath and leaned against it. I was thinking about how I just wanted to get the keychain and get back to you,” he says peering his gorgeous eyes down to me. “The stone took it as a request. I was
thrust into hell, where you found me.” He squeezes my hand. Instead of him being able to finish, all hell breaks loose. I haven’t had a chance to tell them where I found him, or what had happened. I was too worried about getting him safe, and healed, then I fell asleep. No one asked! We were all too worried about Rhett to think of anything else. Even I didn’t think about it. I feel like an asshole. Now I knew how the guys felt when something important like this never had the chance to be told. Then I would get pissed at them for it.

  With everyone yelling, I can’t make sense of anyone’s words. A piercing whistle sounds in the air, everyone turns toward the red faced Valkyrie that looks like a child who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She might command thousands, but with friends, I think she is a little out of her element trying to get the attention of people for someone else.

  “Nothing will get solved with you all acting like this. Let him finish,” she gestures to Rhett and then to me, “and then you can ASK her your questions.”

  Hiding my face in Rhett's chest, to cover my smug smile and not wanting to embarrass her, Rhett continues on with his story.

  “So, I was in some crazy fucked up realm I later found out was Hell, I couldn’t portal out. Scared out of my mind, not knowing where I was, I found this cave and went to hide inside. Before I could even get to the entrance, some douche all decked out in a black pinstripe suit grabs me, knocks me out, and I woke up tied to a fucking pole in the middle of a field. Seeing that I was awake, he asked me every question under the sun. Where I was from, how I got there, what I was and if I fucking liked pain. When I refused to answer any of his questions, he started cutting me up and kicking the shit out of me. When I finally passed out from the pain, he left. I have no idea how long I was there, but the next thing I knew, Mira was there, setting me free. I don’t really remember much, guess that's where you take over, babe,” he says into my hair, kissing me once and squeezing my side, trying to give me the courage I need to speak.

  With everyone waiting to hear my side, I take a deep, calming breath and recount everything to them. I get some laughs when I tell them what I said to Alastor. They think I’m kidding. When they realize it wasn’t a joke, revulsion and fury permeates the air. It’s so thick, I end up leaving the room while everyone still yells their questions at my retreating form. I can’t handle all of that. I need calm right now.

  Sitting down in one of the chairs in the living room, I grab some dried meat off the platter in front of me, and take slow bites, waiting for everyone to follow me out, sit down and shut the hell up.

  Once everyone is seated, including a weak looking Rhett and a very angry Torunn, I cock an eyebrow at them in question, wondering if they’re going to calm the hell down or continue yelling. “Yours first. I will do this one by one. No fucking yelling,” I gesture to Ebbin, but I say the last part to them all.

  “I think I speak for us all when I say, something that big? That is fucking huge. I’m sorry, I’m not on your side right now.” His eyes squeeze shut and my heart breaks a little at his confession “No, none of us asked either, that makes it worse. Something as big as your long lost Death Demon daddy being the one to hold Rhett captive and cut him up like that? And he now has your blood? That should have been said immediately! What do you think would happen if he popped in here right now and took you? He can fucking teleport just like you. We wouldn't be able to do a damn thing.” His anguish is evident in his tone, and his hands are white from how tightly he’s fisting them. Trying not to lash out at something, he’s barely holding on.

  Feeling bad enough, he’s right, there is no excuse. I didn’t keep it from them on purpose. There was just so much going on.

  I’m not about to say that. I know it will sound like an excuse no matter how true it is.

  “All I can say is, I'm sorry. There aren't any excuses I will give you. I can only apologize, and hope we can get past this,” I say, my head hung low in shame.

  Exasperated, Ebbin rubs his eyes, and pinches the bridge of his nose. I feel terrible. “Of course we can. That’s not what has us so worried; so fucking utterly freaked out! You went to Hell without us. I get that it was a fluke. We weren't holding onto you like we should’ve been, but you should have fucking come back here and taken us with you! You had no idea where you were being led, or if the damn stone would have even taken you to the right place! Look what happened to Rhett!” He booms, making me wince with each new word he throws at me.

  Cynide is by my side, growling at them. I can’t help but feed off of her outrage, passion and my own. I’m getting pissed now, instead of feeling bad, I find I like this feeling much better.

  Standing from the chair, I get right into his face and let out all the frustrations I have been holding in. “I would have done the same thing for every single one of you! I didn't have time to think about getting you, Rhett was gone for hours. Who knew where he was? If he was even fucking alive! I was there, at the stone, and I followed my instincts. News fucking flash! You won't all be there with me all the time! I’m not a fucking child, I’m a grown woman, who can take care of herself and this child growing inside of me!” I say exasperated, letting the fury fuel me further. “I’m more powerful than you can fucking imagine!”

  The rage that has completely overtaken me is seeping out and I can feel it leaking into them giving them a taste of my power. The look in their eyes, gives me pause, but I’m not finished. They need to hear this and accept it or get out of my life. No matter how much just thinking about that hurt. “Do not try to cage me. Don't EVER, try and tell me what to do. I protect what is mine. I know my strengths and my weaknesses. YOU!” I say pointedly to each of them. “You, are my weakness. I will destroy anyone who crosses my path to get you back or keep you safe! I didn't tell you. I'm sorry, I know how that feels! I hate it! But I will not let anyone continue making me feel like shit. I do a good enough job of that on my own! Accept it or get out! Ask your questions, that's it. Don't berate me like a child, I did it, me! I brought him back, not you! I am taking your words to heart but don’t you dare try and bring me down for doing what I had to!”

  Their eyes are still wide, worry, surprise and fear fall off of them in waves. They’re all standing around me, but with their hands up in what looks like defense. Trying to calm a raging beast before it really goes off the rails.

  -What the hell?-

  “Your eyes, Mira, and your hair,” Rhett's words are filled with wonder.

  “What are you going on about?” I ask in confusion and annoyance.

  “Here,” Ebbin says, rushing down the hall and returning a few moments later with one of my compact mirrors.

  Opening it, I’m shocked by what I see. I drop the little mirror, hoping it didn't break, and hold my hand to my mouth gasping, unable to breathe.

  I lift a strand of my once blond hair, it’s now tipped the deepest of reds about six inches from the end, all over! When I peek at my eyes once more as I pick up the little mirror, that thankfully isn’t broken, I gasp again. They’re the same fucking color, red irises and my pupils are now silver, almost white.

  “I think you fully embraced your Demon side, love. Ebbin told us what you said to Enbarr when you were…” Merrick pauses, trying to find the right word.

  “Fucking psycho?” I finish for him. “It’s alright Merrick. I remember, but what's really weird is I already accepted my Demon half, why is this happening now? Do you think I will stay this way?” I stare at the new version of myself in the little mirror once more. “The eyes are just a different color,” I shrug. “The hair is pretty, I could get used to it,” I say as I twirl one long strand around one of my fingers.

  Rhydian walks up to me slowly, both of his brows are high on his head, he dips his head once in question. I nod back to him. He slides his hand to my cheek in a gentle caress, and runs his large hands through my hair a moment later, looking at the ‘new’ me.

  “You're just as beautiful as ever. Never doubt that. This is a good thing. You will ha
ve even more control now that you have accepted the good, with the bad,” he whispers into my ear, causing me to shiver at the feel of his breath fanning over my skin. Shyly smiling up at him, I nod once, and take my seat again.

  “Besides the new look, which I find hot as hell, I think it happened now since you finally understand just how powerful you truly are. Not only did you accept what you are, but you accepted yourself. About the rest, what we were talking about before this,” Ebbin pauses, picking up a strand of my hair and looks deep into my new, strange eyes, “it threw me off. What you kept from us, I'm not saying you did it on purpose.” He says softly, putting his hands up to halt the words I’m about to say. “What I’m trying to say is, I don't want to make you feel bad. I do want you to know that I want to be there for everything, we all do. We don’t doubt that you can take care of yourself, we know you can. That does not mean we want to, or are going to, accept it when you rush off and do things on your own. We’re here to help and protect you where we can. You made us a unit, told us we‘re a team, that we have to be equals and work together. That's what we are trying to do. We worry for you, that will never stop. You’re our world...all of ours,” he says gesturing to the rest, even Torunn was nodding her head. “Nothing is perfect. We will fight...we will disagree. That's how we fix things and we will try harder so things like this don’t happen again, okay?” he asks softly, his eyes filled with love.

  His declarations hold so much meaning. I still feel bad. It isn't going to go away any time soon, but his words hit me hard and I take them all to heart. I acknowledge it all, every word. It’s the truth which is what I asked for.

  Getting up from my seat, I hug each and every one of them including my little lynx and Torunn as well. “This is the last time I will say it, but I do mean it... I am, truly sorry.”

  Rhett pulls my arm as I’m passing him, and crushes me to his chest in another giant hug. “I love you, too by the way. Those words stayed with me through it all last night and this morning. I fucking love you so much,” he whispers so only I can hear his words.