My heart fluttered and my stomach did flips. I couldn’t think about Uncle Timothy right now. It was too painful. I’d lost my parents twelve years ago, but it’d only been a matter of weeks since— Stop. Focus. I’d come home to get my locket. I hadn’t expected to discover my parents knew my true identity the whole time.
Wait a second.
“Mom, Dad…” I pushed my black hair back. “I need you to start talking. I need to know how this all connects, how you came to have me, how any of this happened.”
Hunter scratched the back of his neck. “Did you know this whole time?”
Devon frowned and pointed at my mother. “I know you… You went to Edenburg, didn’t you?”
My mom gave her a small smile then nodded.
I gasped. “Wait, you’re a witch? Mom? You told me you weren’t!”
“I wasn’t. I am now.” My mom turned to me and smiled. “Thanks to Jackson.”
She held her right hand out and pulled her sleeve up…and my jaw dropped. Right there on her pointer finger was a tattoo of a red rose that looked identical to my soulmate’s. I knew this tattoo—she’d always had it. My whole life.
“My real name is Catherine Lancaster.”
“WHAT?” we all shouted at the same time.
My dad winked at me. “We both landed Lancasters. Go us!”
“MOM.”
“I don’t understand.” Jackson frowned and shook his head. He held his tattooed thumb next to her finger. “You’re a Lancaster? Like me? Like from the same line that used to have magic—”
“Until you,” my mom said with a huge grin.
“I don’t understand.”
Cooper leaned down between us and inspected her tattoo. “Hold up, so had Lancaster not stolen Michael’s sword six centuries ago, you would’ve been born with magic?”
“It’s not much, but I never thought I’d see it.” She held her tattooed finger up, and little sparks left her skin. “And you’ve got it a tad wrong. Henry never stole Michael’s sword.”
Jackson frowned. “Yes, he did. I just went on the quest to find it. I saw Henry’s spirit—”
“Henry Lancaster did not betray Michael and steal his sword. They hid it together.”
Jackson swayed. “What? No. No, that can’t— How can— How do you know?”
“It was definitely painted as if he’d stolen it. That was part of Henry’s plan. A necessary evil, if you will.” My mom wiggled her fingers a little to see flashes of magic. “But it is not the truth.”
We all exchanged glances. This was not what we came here for, but there was nothing I could do to stop myself from asking, “What’s the truth?”
She took a deep breath. “Angels have strict rules. Michael was only allowed to give his sword to Earth ONCE. Which he did at the end of the One Hundred Years’ War to destroy Lilith. But when she fell, they knew she wasn’t dead. That she’d come back once she regained strength. They knew if Earth didn’t have Michael’s sword, they’d never defeat her. So Henry and Michael hid it, using Michael’s angel magic to hide it. But it also required every ounce of magic in the Lancaster bloodline. Which Henry gave because he had to. Michael made an oath that before Lilith returned, he would give one Lancaster their magic and make them find the sword.”
Jackson sank down onto the couch.
Cooper frowned. “If that’s true, then why didn’t Michael just hand Jackson the sword?”
“Because Michael couldn’t just hand it over. In fact, he couldn’t even touch it.” She looked down at her hands. “The next time Michael touches his own sword, he must take it back to Heaven. Forever.”
My jaw dropped.
Tegan shook her head. “And they knew it would be a long while before Lilith returned, so Henry used an entire founding bloodline worth of magic to hide it. Brilliant.”
“But I couldn’t touch it,” Jackson said softly, staring into space. “Why not? Bettina can, Tenn can…all of the Bishops can. But not me.”
“The Lancasters have always been the keepers of the light. We have never been the ones meant to wield such weapons.” Mom smiled. “Is it as pretty as it sounds? I would love to see it.”
Haven touched the golden bands on his forearm, and his golden wings popped out. Michael’s sword appeared in his open hand, glowing like a supernova.
My mother’s cheeks flushed pink. Her eyes widened as she stared at it without blinking.
I groaned and tugged on my hair. “Mom. Can we just focus for a hot second on how this connects to me? How you came to have me? And how are you a Lancaster here in the States? I thought they were all in London. I need answers.”
My mom sighed. “That’s one long answer, but I’ll tell you.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Bettina
“Why don’t we all sit down for this?” my mother asked as she lowered onto the couch.
Once we were all seated, she licked her lips and took a deep breath.
My heart was already racing.
“One hundred years ago, my great grandfather was convinced he was the chosen Lancaster, the one to save us. So he tried to use some dark Fae magic to pull his magic out.”
“He did what?” Jackson’s face looked almost green.
“I know. He failed, obviously.” She shook her head. “The family was terrified that his actions would piss off Michael, make him think we shouldn’t be trusted. So the head of the Lancaster house shipped him off to The Coven in the states. Just so happened that one of their female Cards was in London at the time and agreed to escort him back. Now in those days, there were no planes, so they had to take a ship back. Over that journey, the two fell in love. She resigned from The Coven, but they sent them here to Charleston to serve as Majors. The Hierophant said he was important but wouldn’t explain how.”
Jackson looked to Bentley. “That sounds horridly out of character.”
Bentley shrugged. “Necessary evil.”
“Over the next few decades, they would try and fail to bring out his magic, then they tried on their children, and then grandchildren. My mother had tried but then got pregnant with me and stopped.” She looked down at her hands. “Fast forward to me being middle school-aged when I discovered that although I didn’t have magic and I couldn’t use it in any way…I could see it, feel it. My mother called The Coven, and I was shipped off to Edenburg.”
I blinked and shook my head. “So you actually went to school there, too?”
Her face fell. “I touched that crystal ball, but it turned blue. They wanted to send me home, but the Emperor at the time, Julian, thought I deserved a shot. His girlfriend, Ruth, convinced The Coven that maybe my magic needed some time to fully develop. So I was allowed to attend school.”
Devon gasped and snapped her fingers. “You dated Timothy! That’s how I know you!”
Mom blushed. “I did. My best friend’s big brother. I adored him…but by the end of that school year, my magic had not come out. I was sent home, which I actually wanted. Because it was miserable being the only non-witch in a school of witches. Timothy and I kept dating. I wasn’t that far away…but…he was a Card. He was important and had a role to play. And I could never be a part of that. So…we broke up. But Ruth and I remained close. Then Micah came into the picture. They used to run here to get away, to give Julian space to heal. Over the next few years, they would come here constantly…”
“Here?” Haven frowned. “My parents came here? Why?”
My mom got up, walked over to the wall, and opened up the drawer under all the shelves. She dug around then pulled out a big photo album I’d never seen. She walked back over and opened it on the table. The picture on top was of a pregnant woman with a little black-haired boy.
She pointed to it. “This was the day everything changed.”
I leaned over to look, and my heart fluttered. That’s my mom.
Haven leaned over it. “Is that me?”
“Yes, Haven. That’s you.” Mom smiled. “Ruth was obviously pregnant wit
h you, Hope, at the time. They were here because Julian was having a particularly rough time. He never did get over her.”
The room fell into tense silence. I didn’t know what to say.
Mom flipped the page and pointed to a different picture. “See here, Timothy was with them that day.”
I swallowed through the lump in my throat. “You said— You said this is the day everything changed? Why? What happened?”
“While they were here, a man and his pregnant wife showed up…Gregory and Pippa Lancaster.”
Jackson let out a strangled groan. “My parents? They were here? Why?”
She smiled and flipped the page, then pointed to a photo with Jackson’s parents. “They were here. Actually, you were here. Your mother was pregnant with you— Hey, wait. You both were here, in your mother’s bellies, and you’re soulmates now! You really were meant to be together.”
My face warmed, and heat filled my veins. I looked up at Jackson and smiled.
“Your father said he was convinced his child was going to be the one. He’d seen dreams of angelic runes and all this stuff. Your mother was born a witch, but she’d lost it when she married Gregory, but she said she felt magic inside her. She’d had dreams of Lilith and monsters.” Mom cleared her throat and shrugged. “So…Ruth told them to summon Michael and ask.”
Jackson jumped. He shook his head, frowning. “I don’t… What does… How…”
Everyone else in the room fired off question after question.
My mom took a deep breath then let it out. “Okay, so, I better back up a bit here… What do y’all know about angels having children with mortals?”
“WHAT?!”
“HOW?”
“WAIT, WHAT?”
“Right. Naturally, this isn’t discussed much. It’s been legend among Lancasters, but I didn’t know it was true until Ruth told me.” She sighed and rubbed her hands together. “So angels are only allowed to procreate with mortals once. They’re only allowed one bloodline, it’s a long story of why they’re allowed to at all and I don’t believe I’m the best person to explain that. However, the original Lancaster had a son with the angel Jophiel. She is, as far as we know, the only female angel who has ever come to Earth. That line makes up the Lancaster bloodline and why we have always been the keepers of the light, because we were the first line Heaven selected. Anyways, there have been a couple other lines but they were unfortunately killed out. And then Angel Uriel created his line near the end of the war with Lilith. After almost a century of battle, Uriel’s son was the reason Lilith was beaten. His name was Edward Proctor. That line continued, and eventually moved with the rest of Eden here to the States. Myrtle is a direct descendant of Edward Proctor, and so are you.”
I groaned and rubbed my temples. “Are you telling me that Haven and I are descendants of the angel Uriel?”
She smiled. “I am…and I’m not done yet.”
I frowned. “What does that mean?”
Haven narrowed his eyes at her.
“Your mother, Ruth, is the daughter of archangel Michael.”
My heart stopped. What.
Haven shook his head. “Are you saying…”
“Yes. Haven Proctor, you are both the descendent of Uriel and the grandson of Michael.” She cupped my cheek and smiled. “As are you, Hope. Bettina, my love.”
Silence.
Archangel Michael is my grandfather.
Cooper clapped. “Holy shit, dude. You’re not human. I thought Royce was joking. Royce thought Royce was joking.”
“Wait, hold on.” Haven scrubbed his face. “Are you telling me that Archangel Michael is my grandfather? My mother’s father?”
Mom nodded and grinned. “Your grandmother’s husband had just been killed by demons in battle. She’d been angry and wanted a way to help avenge him and save Earth. So when Michael came to her, she happily agreed. You see, your mother was special. She was the daughter of the archangel Michael. That was why she had a gift with spells, and also why she was never Marked for The Coven. But she thought it was her job to save everyone. It was the angel blood running through her veins calling out to her.”
Tegan leaned back against the couch. “That’s why she thought she could save the spirits from The Gathering. It all makes so much sense now. I’ve been there, I’ve seen them, and I can’t stop thinking about what we did to them. A daughter of an angel wouldn’t be able to live with that guilt.”
“Timothy tried to warn her. He knew who her father was.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, when Gregory and Pippa Lancaster came here insisting their unborn child was the chosen Lancaster, Ruth simply summoned her father. It was something only an angel’s child could do. And he came to her. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. In the blink of an eye, Michael stood right here in this living room.”
“What happened next?”
“Jackson’s parents pleaded their case. I was there. I witnessed it. Timothy witnessed it. The day Jackson got his magic, and he was still in the womb.”
“Bloody hell.” Jackson hung his head.
“It was…unnerving to be around him. I’ll never forget.” She shivered then turned to Haven with a smirk. “Michael strolled into the room, looking more menacing than anything you’d ever see. The adults were all nervous and tense. But you, Haven, squealed and hopped off your father’s lap. You ran right up to him, the archangel of war, like he was a puppy. He smiled and picked you up off the floor, and your big golden wings popped out. You were all giggly and looking for affection. He absolutely beamed down at you, so proud.”
Haven’s eyes glistened. He swallowed and stared off into the distance. “I think I remember that, a little.”
I reached over Jackson and squeezed Haven’s arm. Then I looked to my mom. “What happened next?”
She shivered. “Your fate was sealed that very next moment. All three of you. Haven, Hope, and Jackson. Well, it was already set, but this was the day we all knew what was coming.”
“But how?”
“I’ll never forget it…” She closed her eyes and frowned, and I knew she was seeing the memory fresh in her mind. “Michael turned to Ruth and said, ‘I love you, daughter, but your son will be the best of what Heaven can create.’ Then he put his hand on her pregnant belly and said, ‘And she will create things you could only dream of.’”
A cold chill slid down my spine. Goose bumps spread across my body.
“Then he put Haven down and looked at the Lancasters…” She opened her eyes and looked to Jackson. “Michael said, ‘You have five years with your son, but he WILL be in Eden by six. There is a war coming, and he must be ready. My grandchildren cannot do it without him.’”
Jackson groaned and put his hands to his head.
“Michael then turned back to Ruth and said, ‘I will not be back until it is time for Lancasters to reclaim their magic. But I warn you now, you must make sure my grandchildren are safe at all costs. Even if it costs you your life. This war will be theirs, not yours. And you will not be around to see them through it. You have your gifts. If for any reason their safety is threatened, you must keep them safe and their bloodline a secret.’”
Hunter cursed.
“Holy hell,” Devon whispered.
Kessler shook his head, his amber eyes wide. “He told her that? And Timothy was here for it? So he knew?”
My mom nodded. “And then Ruth said, ‘When can I tell them?’”
“Tell us that we’re grandchildren of Michael?”
“Yes.” She looked to my brother and held his gaze. “Michael then pointed to you, Haven, and said, ‘When my sword is his.’”
Haven’s face paled.
Silence.
More silence.
Tegan ran her fingers over his golden bands and smiled. “So his sword was always meant for you. That’s why you have it. And that’s why Bettina is the only other person who could pick it up, because you’re his grandchildren.”
Kessler cleared his throat. “So t
hat night…the night…when they died…”
Mom sighed. “Right after Michael left, Ruth sat in my kitchen here and made the spells she wound up using on Haven and Hope. Gregory, Pippa, Timothy, Micah, and us—we all sat there and watched. Ruth told us the plan. If you two were ever in danger, she would erase your memories and place a glamour so that no one would recognize the faces they knew. I was to take her unborn daughter. We vowed to raise you as our own.”
I held my hand up. “Hold on. Raise me? She didn’t know—"
“Oh, she did. Her father had warned her. Her instincts told her it would be sooner rather than later. She knew and she wanted to be ready. The two of you were to be separated, because together would be too dangerous. She named you Hope in that moment, because she wanted you to be a reminder that hope was never lost.”
Haven groaned.
“The plan was supposed to be that Timothy would take Haven, but he said no. He said he would not be able to look him in the eye, to raise him as his own, and not tell him the truth. It would break him. Ruth said someone had to be set up to take him…and in that moment…Kessler called.” She chuckled. “Was a random phone call, Kessler even said, ‘I have no idea why I called you just now—’”
“Holy shit.” Kessler looked to Haven. “I remember that.”
She chuckled. “Timothy laughed and then hung up the call, then said, ‘Sorry, that was Kessler.’ And you, Haven, you got so excited. You squealed and giggled and clapped your hands. Because you loved Kessler. It was a running joke between Timothy and your father that you liked Kessler more than both of them…so they picked Kessler.”
Kessler scrubbed his face. “How did this all work though? How did she know?”
She shrugged. “I asked her how it was going to work, and she just said, ‘You’ll have to trust me.’ So I did. After all, she was the daughter of an archangel. Over the next four years, Ruth made sure that Kessler was around you as much as possible. You all would come visit me all the time. By then, The Coven had forgotten all about me. Most of The Coven was in diapers anyway.”
The Coven - Academy Magic Complete Series Page 125