by Audra Hart
Morna closes her eyes and visualizes her thoughts as waves and compresses the waves into a cone shape and directs it at Collingwood.
“Exactly like that Morna! Amazing! I thought it would take a few tries, but you were successful on the first try. Now ask Luca to join us.” Collingwood says.
“That might not be a true test, he can hear us talking right now, if he so chooses.” Morna says thoughtfully.
“That’s true, but he won’t eavesdrop, so he isn’t listening. Send him a message to join us.” He urges again.
Morna closes her eyes and visualizes the waves again, and directs them towards where she senses Luca. Morna chuckles when she hears his voice in her head saying, “I will be right there, love.”
Thirty seconds later he joins them. “Morna, how did you do that so fast? I could clearly hear your voice in my head. I knew I wasn’t just hearing it, rather you were sending it telepathically. It took me several tries to send a thought when first Aiden tried to teach me.”
Morna laughs. “I just visualized my thoughts as waves and compressed them into a cone shape and directed them at you.”
“Nice technique. That’s how you expand your offensive spells too, isn’t it?” Luca asks.
Morna nods and smiles. She looks at Collingwood and says, “So when I want to keep my thoughts to myself, could I visualize a barrier around them? Would that do the trick?”
“I don’t see why not. Try it.” Collingwood says approvingly.
After a minute or two, Collingwood says, “Excellent Morna. I don’t hear a thing from you. There are few other things I can teach you later, but right now I need to confess my role in a few things in your life, and introduce Luca to someone who has come to help us. I was planning on finding the two of you when you came in search of me.”
Morna and Luca look at each other in surprise. Morna turns to Collingwood and asks, “Who?”
“Morna, you knew him as Lou.” When Morna doesn’t seem to recognize the name, he chuckles. “Your young man from El Paso.”
Morna sputters, “I hardly think that’s a good idea…”
Luca puts his arm around his mate to calm her down. “Easy love, let’s hear him out.”
“Lou’s real name is Looveig. As you may have already guessed, he is the son of the giant Lootz and Valgullveig.” Morna gasps, and suddenly feels very ill and full of shame. And when Luca starts to speak, Collingwood holds up his hand to stop him. “Lou is not your enemy. He never has been. He separated from his mother when he was a child. He has been living among the humans since Morna was a young child. He knew nothing of Morna nor his mother’s vendetta against her. He met Deidra purely by chance. He could sense the magic in her and was simply intrigued by her. After they became lovers, I contacted him and told him that his mother was Morna’s enemy, and that you didn‘t realize who and what you were. Lou only proposed to you Morna as a way to protect you. I must admit you confused both of us when you fled in the middle of the night. Lou followed you to north Texas and later to Oklahoma.”
“He acted as your guardian angel until the day of the crash. He would check on you regularly as you lived your life in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. He didn’t recognize Kyera as a threat because he did not know about her. I never explained your history to Lou. He thought Kyera was just another Spell Weaver checking on you. He had encountered Magdrid several times when she would come to Midgard to monitor you.”
“The day of the crash he had gone to Utgard because Valgullveig had been sighted there. Heimdall and I have been trying to keep an eye on you, but we weren’t very good at it I am afraid. By the time I realized Kyera was in Oklahoma, it was too late. She had already caused the semi driver to crash into your family’s vehicle. I am sorry for that Morna. I am afraid that I let you down, again. After what happened in Germany, I swore to never leave you unprotected again, but I did. I failed you miserably. I should have told the High Council to go hang ages ago.”
“So, you are going against the wishes of the High Council by telling us this?” Luca asks thoughtfully.
“Yes, actually I am going against the High Council by even being here. It took a lot of arguing from your mate and myself to get them to release the children to allow you to be reunited with them. They believe Morna should handle her own difficulties without any assistance from me. I think that is nonsense. It’s foolishness that we gave her all that power when she was twelve years old and then didn’t teach her how to use it.” Collingwood says with intense feeling.
“Is this Lou in love with my mate?” Luca asks calmly.
“Not in love. But he does love her. They both had feelings for each other as friends, and friends only. When Morna got her memories back, she blocked him out of her mind, but when she sees him again, she will remember that friendship. Bear in mind, there was a sexual component to the relationship, but that was because you had not found her yet. I would wager that Morna cannot even recall her husband Rolan‘s face at this moment.” Collingwood informs the couple.
Morna looks deep in thought and says, “No, I don’t remember his face or Lou’s, but why didn’t you lead Luca to me? You knew where I was.” Morna asks bitterly.
“The High Council threatened to banish me when I set out to find him and tell him. Unfortunately, I caved in to their wishes. I could have saved you a lot of grief if I had been stronger,” Collingwood confesses. “I knew you were strong enough in this incarnation to fulfill your destiny and despite that knowledge I still gave into pressure from the High Council.”
“What was meant to be, was,” Luca says quietly. He turns to Morna, “Darling, if that had happened, we wouldn’t have Kyle, Aiden and Nora. Find peace in that my love. I know I do.” Luca kisses her lips gently and strokes her cheek. Their gazes lock and after a few moments she nods.
Collingwood laughs heartily. “I love it! You two don’t need telepathy. You two understand each other so well. Your mate‘s bond is surprising.” Morna and Luca join him in his amusement and then Collingwood speaks again. “May I call Lou to join us? Heimdall won’t let him through the gate of the Bi-frost until he hears from us.”
“May I try? Is Heimdall at the gate?” Morna asks.
“Yes to both questions.” Collingwood says with a chuckle.
Morna closes her eyes and sees her thoughts as waves and compresses them into a cone and gives them a hard push toward Heimdall. A second later she hears Heimdall in her head, “You don’t have to shout, Baby Girl. I will bring him myself. I always liked this kid, and his twin. I had always wondered where he had gotten off to.” Morna laughs at her newfound ability and opens her eyes. “Heimdall is bringing him to us.”
Morna meets her mate’s eyes and mouths, “Sorry.”
Luca looks surprised and asks telepathically, “Why?”
“Because you are having to meet another of my former lovers. I feel like a real slut right now,” Morna admits to her mate.
Luca takes her into his arms and replies, “Nonsense love. When you are aware of me, no one else exists for you in that way, and I know it.”
Morna chuckles and says, “Apparently I was more aware of who you are to me in various incarnations than I had realized. I remembered my nighttime adventures with you today.”
“Did you now? How did that come about?” Luca asks with a smile.
“Rinda let something slip today and it all came flooding back. How come you didn’t tell me before now?”
“Because I didn’t want you to feel bad for coming to me when you were married to Myles and Erik.” Luca admits. “If you had remembered me consciously while married to them, it would have been a real moral dilemma for you. It was better to let you think that your nights with me were just dreams. Even that caused you a lot of guilt.”
“You gave up too much for me.” Morna says firmly. “I am relieved that there is no reason for it to ever happen again.”
“Me too,” Admits Luca and kisses his mate passionately. “I don’t like sharing you.”
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��I am sorry my darling. Truly I am.” Morna says.
“I know. Let it go, baby. I have, long ago.” Luca assures her. Morna snuggles into her mate and thanks God for him. She also breathes a silent prayer that she will turn out to be good enough to deserve a mate such as Lucian Michaels.
Collingwood clears his throat, “Morna, your telepathy was a little unfocused a few times. I couldn’t hear what you said, but I could detect that you were communicating with Luca. Just mind your focus and you will do fine.”
Morna blushes and nods at Collingwood. She is grateful he couldn’t understand what they were saying to each other. She hears Ingrid leading a group of people to their quarters and stands nervously. Her heart is racing madly and she wants to run away and hide.
“Morna, please sit down my love. It is fine.” Luca assures his wife. “I am eager to meet someone who was protecting you when I could not.”
Just then Ingrid’s knock sounds on the door. Morna takes a deep breath and goes to open the door. She can’t help it, she smiles brightly as soon as she sees Lou and he says, “Hi Mo.”
“Hi Lou. It’s been a while.” Morna says softly. “You look well.” Then she laughs almost uncontrollably. “Come in.” She says in between spurts of giggles. “I finally realize why you called me Mo. It wasn’t because Tracy, Cindy and me reminded you of the three stooges, it was because you knew who I really was.”
Lou laughs and says, “That’s right. But you three girls did remind me of the three stooges when you were drinking.” He laughs heartily.
Morna goes to stand by Luca and puts her arm possessively around his waist. “Lou, this is my mate, Lucian Invictus Bellona Michaels.”
Luca extends his hand to shake the hand of the half Norse god and half giant. “Looveig of Utgard, welcome.”
Lou takes the offered hand and shakes it as he watches the other man carefully. “You really cool with me being here? I only came to help when I heard Mom invaded Asgard today. But I don’t want to get into your business. I know I am not a match for a demigod turned vampire. So if you have a problem with me being here, just let me know and I will split.”
Luca quickly sizes the man up before him. He‘s taller than Luca and probably has fifty pounds on him. He is very powerfully built and handsome. He has long, wavy, golden hair and a neatly trimmed beard and mustache. He has an intelligent face with bright emerald eyes, so like Morna’s and Valliant’s. “Nonsense Lou. You have done me a great service that I was not aware of. You protected my Morna when I wasn’t able to.” Luca says sincerely.
“You cool with the other part? I wouldn’t have taken Deidra for lover if I had known she had a mate who was searching for her. Collingwood didn‘t tell me that part until after the crash.” Lou admits uncomfortably.
Luca chuckles, “Yes, I am cool with that. May I ask who the lovely young lady with you might be?”
“Sorry man. This is my sister, Anveig. She goes by Ann.” He turns to take his sister’s hand and lead her to stand in front of Luca and Morna. “Annie, this is Morna Glynn Michaels. True leader of the Spell Weavers of Airendell, daughter of Valliant, First Warrior of Airendell, Ireland, Wales and the New World. First Protector of the 52 gateways for Ari’s and Almeda’s offspring. When I met her, she was just Deidra. College student and barmaid in a biker joint I liked to hang out at in El Paso, Texas. Eeehh, and our Aunt.” Lou covers his mouth for a moment, and then says, “Wow, I just realized that. How weird is that Mo?” Lou looks very uncomfortable with that realization.
“Yeah Lou. I figured that out before you got here. Let’s not dwell on it, okay?” Morna says with a crimson face.
Annie steps forward and hugs Morna. “You guys didn’t know at the time. No real harm done. But I am not surprised genius boy here didn’t think of it until now. He works very hard to separate himself from our mother. He prefers Middle-world. But I am very happy to meet you. Anyone that pisses our mom off by just existing must be pretty amazing. Everything I have heard about you over the years confirms that.”
Morna is instantly drawn to Annie. The young woman is undeniably beautiful. She is the same height as Morna, and has a very similar build. She has her mother’s and brother’s coloring. She has the bearing of a warrior and her emerald green eyes are warmly lit with humor and good grace. “I am glad to meet you too Annie. May I ask who handled your warrior training?”
“My father, Lootz. As well as others at Utgard.” Annie says with a chuckle. “Daddy raised us. He ran Mom off when dumb ass and I were young. We are twins.”
“I know your father. We fought side by side a few times when I was defending the gateways. Some of his people tried to break into Middle-world a few times. I also helped his garrison repel an attack of Trolls one time. He’s a good warrior and a good man. He spoke proudly of his twins. I am pleased to meet you.” Morna says sincerely.
Lou has been shuffling his feet and finally speaks up; “Morna don’t take this the wrong way, but can we keep our history in this room? I feel like an idiot over it. I wish there was some way I could just forget about that part of all this.” Lou admits uncomfortably.
Collingwood clears his throat and says, “I am sorry about that Lou. Elves don’t pay as much attention to those matters as other races. It never occurred to me that Morna being Valgullveig’s half-sister or her having a mate would be a barrier to you…”
“Okay Collingwood, thank you, we get the idea. No need to say any more on the subject.” Morna says quietly and then turns her attention to her former lover, “Lou, I would be heartily relieved if our history didn’t leave this room.” Morna looks around at the room’s occupants, “Everyone okay with that? Please?” Everyone nods. Morna and Lou look greatly reassured. “Now, let’s sit down and find out what brings Lou and Annie to Asgard.”
Annie sits beside Morna and says, “Well, we heard Mom had led a force into Asgard, targeting you, so we came to help. Dad says a confrontation is being planned for the Assylian Plain but it might take a few months or even years to set it up. But I don’t think that will work. She has surely gotten word of the plan, she won’t go anywhere near it. But I don’t believe she will leave you alone either. I see that you are having another child, this one by your true mate?” When Morna nods and rubs her belly lovingly. “Mother won’t stand for that. Her attacks will get more vicious. I suspect that she is jealous because Valliant is proud of you, but mostly she can’t stand the fact that Lucian chose you.”
“Why would my choosing Morna as my mate make any difference to Valgullveig? I have never met the woman?” Luca ask incredulously.
“Mom went to Italy almost eight hundred years ago and became very cozy with Mars. She wanted an alliance with other magical beings. All the other light magical orders shunned her advances but Mars finally agreed to a betrothal between our mom and Lucian. But Lucian left the orphanage before he reached adulthood and found you. I believe that Mom feels like you have stolen everything from her. It’s ridiculous, but I think that is why she hates you so badly.”
“I had no knowledge of any betrothal!” asserts Luca angrily. “How dare she go after my mate for something she has no fault in?”
“Lord Lucian, my mother is mad as a loon. Nothing she does makes any sense. She needs no valid reasons to be angry with anyone.” Lou says quietly. “Sorry bro, it’s not reasonable, it just is.”
“Okay, okay! Forget about that stuff. Why is Valgullveig seeking an alliance with other magical orders? What does she have planned?” Morna says.
“I don’t know Morna, but I know it’s not good, whatever it is.” Annie says quietly. “There is a prophesy about a mother and daughter team destroying a wicked witch and seeking her master to destroy her dark magic at the root. I think that prophesy is about you Morna and your daughter, Aideen. There‘s more to the prophesy and it ties into another prophesy about the confrontation on the Assylian Plain. Father has his scribes working to decipher all the related prophesies but it will take time. Right now, we need to get your magic up to p
ar and train your daughter to go into battle with you. We also need to heal your son, the one with cerebral palsy. The prophesies speak of him too. A former cripple who is a mental giant, will join forces with his brothers and deliver the final blow to stop the dark master. Morna, to me it is obvious these prophesies refer to your sons, that is why Mom had Magdrid send Kyera to attack them.”
“What of our daughter Nora?” Luca asks.
“Is she a seer?” Annie asks.
“She is.” Says Morna fearfully. “Why?”
“I think my mom will try to kidnap her then. The prophesy speaks of a golden haired seer that warns the demigoddess when her destruction is imminent and saves the day. I think that is why Kyera kidnapped Ganessa. They thought she was the seer the prophesy mentioned, but I suspect it is actually your own daughter.”
Morna groans and buries her face in her mate’s chest. He strokes her back gently as he absorbs this new information. Suddenly Morna raises up to face Annie again and asks, “Please tell me the prophesy doesn’t talk about our son that I am carrying now.”
“It does Morna. I believe that he will unite all of the light magical orders and races for the benefit of humanity. Mother or whoever she is working with won’t like that, at all. I am afraid he is a target too.” Annie says quietly.
“Well, this doesn’t change our plans much love. We still need to see about healing Aiden tomorrow, settle the Guild leadership business, train Aideen to become a Warrior of Airendell, prepare you for a second ascension, and deliver a healthy baby. Easy as cake.” Luca says lightly.