by Jamie King
I follow Willow into the main room where I’m met with the scent of food and the sight of Luka still without a shirt. His muscles are on full display as his wings tower behind him like an angel. His golden-brown hair rests over his shoulders and his bright green eyes glow brightly in the dimly lit room as he strokes Ronor’s large head resting on his thigh. Bel sleeps comfortably beside Ronor at Luka’s feet. A twinge of jealousy creeps in at her ability to be close to Luka without question.
Luka glances up from his lap. His body tenses as he swallows, and his fingers dig into Ronor’s fur before he quickly looks away. Ronor continues to watch me intently as I move closer. Aurora makes a disgusted face and then slides closer to Luka and whispers in his ear.
“You look ravishing.” Lillian says as she pushes herself out of the armchair.
My cheeks flush. “Thank you.” I stare at my feet. “How will I pay for this?”
“Nonsense.” Lillian waves her hand as if swatting my words away. “A gift.”
Aurora Barks in laughter. “From who?”
“What does it matter to you human?” Lillian’s tone turns acidic and her eyes glow brighter. Electricity tingles over my skin. Is this Lillian’s energy? “You find this girl so horrific now that you have seen her truth? Yet you seem to be the one here touched by the darkness.” She steps forward. “While a Daesidh is rare to see uncorrupted by the darkness, this child has not been and yet you continue to treat her as such.”
Aurora scoffs before leaning back in her chair. I feel Luka watching me as I move to grab a snack from the platter on the small table. I grab a small ball of what looks like meat and take a bite. The fried exterior breaks open releasing the soft meat. “Oh my god, what is this?”
Luka releases a deep chuckle. “Fried drake bites.”
“Drake?”
He nods. “A type of dragon.”
I look down at the platter of items. “Oh.” I grab three more. “Dragon tastes delicious.” “Wonderful, now that everyone is ready, we can make our way to the dock.” Lillian announces as I shove another drake bite in my mouth.
“The dock?” I ask once I swallow my last bite.
“Yes, we must travel by boat to the Auroran Citadel. That is the island of the oracles.” She smiles gently. “It will be about a three-hour journey to the island and then a fifteen minute walk to the citadel itself.”
“Don’t you guys have a way to fly there?”
“We do not fly due to the islands heavy warding. It can confuse the beasts, and many have fallen to their deaths attempting to reach the island by air.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
12
The mellow lapping of water breaks the silence of the group as we approach a large wooden ship. People shout at each other over the sounds of the marina. My footsteps falter as we make our way over the wooden planks. What if I get sea sick? I’ve never been on a boat before. Bel brushes against my hand and grumbles.
“Are you trying to comfort me?” I whisper down to her as I stroke her head.
The hull is the size of two school buses and large white sails shoot into the sky. A golden bird is embroidered at the center of each sail. Is that the crest of the queen?
Lillian halts at a thin wooden ramp connected to the ship. A thick weather worn rope sways back and forth on each side of the ramp. “This is our destination.” She smiles and motions for Aurora to pass first, before following behind her.
“Sneaky elf.” I squint my eyes at her in hopes that she can feel my imaginary daggers.
“You go first.” Luka mumbles and shifts his gaze.
“Thanks.” I step onto the wooden ramp. It creaks and sways under my body weight. I grasp the rope railing as I lose my balance. Luka presses his hand against my back and the warmth of his touch radiates down my spine. Something is different here in Fae. The hum of energy that I normally feel is now a strong constant tingle that pulses beneath my skin. Like it’s itching to be released.
“Steady.” He says and releases me from his touch.
I step onto the flat surface of the shit and release a breath that I had been holding. The spot on my back where Luka had touched still tingles as if my body is begging for him to come back. “Well, I already hate boats.”
“Don’t worry. You won’t hate them for long.” Luka chuckles as he comes up behind me.
“Don’t be too sure about that.” I offer him a half smile and watch as Bel and Ronor climb the wooden bridge. Bel looks unsteady on her feet and Ronor glides smoothly behind her. I giggle at the thought that they are the cat version of Luka and I just now. My breath catches. Oh, they are our familiars after all. I guess it would make sense that they are like us in some ways.
Luka laughs. “Looks like Bel doesn’t like them either.” He pets her on the head and the sensation of someone stroking my hair overpowers me.
I stumble back. “What the hell?”
Luka’s eyes widen and his face pales. “I’m sorry. I-I shouldn’t have touched her. I’m sorry.”
“What the hell was that, Luka?” I feel Aurora and Lillian staring at us from a few feet away. I glance over and find Aurora shooting daggers at Luka.
“Familiars are connected to our souls. They’re an extension of ourselves.” He stares at his feet. “I should’ve been more diligent to remember that. I’m really sorry.”
“Are you telling me that we can feel what happens to each other as if we are the same body?”
He nods. “If you ask them, you can even see through their eyes.”
“What?” I breathe and stare down at Bel. The sensation of his touch still lingers on my skin. The remaining blood in my body goes cold. I’ve touched Ronor multiple time. Did Luka feel when I touched his familiar and choose not to say anything to me? Oh, god. How many times have I rubbed his belly? Oh, Jesus. Help me. I want to disappear.
Lillian clears her throat. “I have resting quarters for each of you if you would to follow me, I can show you to your rooms.” Lillian glides across the large deck gracefully maneuvering around barrels and ropes.
We follow her through a narrow door that leads down wooden steps lit by small round stones that produce a gentle white light. I stare at one of the wooden baskets filled with them. How do they do it?
“Moon stones.” Luka grabs one from the hanging basket and places it in my hand. “They’re enchanted to always glow.” I stare at the small stone resting in my hand. It’s cool to the touch and emits a white light from its center.
“It’s enchanting.” I whisper unable to hide my smile. He releases a quiet laugh and gently plucks it from my hand. His finger brushes my palm and the tingling electricity under my skin swirls and tingles. He places the stone back in its appropriate basket and we rejoin the others.
I sit on the plush fur covered bed listening to the lap of the waves and groans of the ship as we sail through the ocean. Bel snores quietly sprawled out beside me. Her ears twitch and eyes dart beneath the lids as she dreams. A light knock at the door pulls me from my tranquil daydream. Bel opens her eyes briefly, but shows no concern.
“Come in.” I expect Lillian, but Luka steps into the room followed by Ronor. He’s still shirtless and his snow-white wings are folded close to his body. His golden-brown hair is down and messily falls around his face and shoulders.
“Sorry to bother you, Ri.” He closes the door. Ronor jumps onto the bed and flops heavily down beside Bel who rolls over displaying her belly to him.
Luka sits at the foot of the bed and faces me. His caramel brown skin is smooth and inviting and the small trail of hair just below the belly button disappears beneath his pants. Focus Ri. He has a fiancée and he kind of hates you right now.
“I didn’t believe you at first.”
“What?” My eyebrows threaten to climb down over my eyes. “Believe me about what?” I rub my forehead to push the worry away.
“When you told me that you saw a white lion with green eyes. I didn’t believe you.” He slumps his shoulders. “He hasn’t ever
shown himself to anyone except me.” His eyes shift around the room. “Then today you turn into,” he motions at me and I drop my eyes in shame, “and then the familiars show up together without being summoned.” He sighs and rakes his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t know what to think or how to act. A Daesidh is very rare and under the white coven law, forbidden.”
“Forbidden? What does that mean, Luka?”
“If they find out about you, they will kill you.”
“I-.” I lean back and allow my body to press into my wings. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Nothing. I just wanted to apologize.” He glances at Ronor and Bel sleeping soundly on the bed.
“What’s a Daeolc?” Aurora kept spewing that word at me like it’s some terrible insult. I groan inwardly at the thought of seeing her again.
“I hate that word.” His brow furrows and he rubs his chin roughly. “It means evil demon. The white coven uses it to help spread the hate of demon halflings.”
“I see.” Aurora thinks I’m evil because I’m half demon?
“Please don’t take it to heart. The people that use the term Daeolc just don’t understand.”
“People use words, Luka. Even if they don’t understand, the intention is still that of hate and prejudice.” I stroke Bel’s face. “Aurora feels hate toward me even though I’ve done nothing to show her that I am this evil thing and it’s apparent that her mind is set. So, just don’t try to defend her.”
“I’m sorry.” He whispers. “What can you tell me about your mom?”
Smooth change of subject, but I think for a moment. “Well, the mom I know is Grace Hayes a normal woman. She lived in Virginia with her daughter whose father left before she was born.” I take a deep breath. Should I talk about my dream? I really should tell someone. Luka seems to be the one person that I can trust. I bite my lip and drag my teeth over the soft skin as I stare into his eyes. “There is something I need to tell you.” I stare down at my lap. “I’ve had two dreams about my mom since her death. One was of her sister Ceri being offered to a demon in some ritual. I watched as Ceri committed suicide to avoid her fate. She ignited herself in flames from the inside out.” His eyes widen, but he doesn’t interrupt me. “I was a girl named Endellion. A woman, I assume was her mother, called me Ellie. The second dream I had, I was the same girl, this Ellie. I woke up in a room and was later taken to a ritual circle where Agnes summoned the demon Baal and he-,” my throat tightens and my eyes sting from the tears welling up, “I was conceived by magic and-.” Tears threaten to flow over and my throat tightens even more making it hard to speak. “I didn’t think the dreams were true until today.” I choke out the words and the tears I was struggling to hold back finally break through. I lean forward and press my hands to my face as my body shakes and my lungs feel as if I’m breathing in flames.
Luka leans forward and rests a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, you're okay. Your mother obviously loved you very much.” His hand gently cups my cheek as he strokes another trail of tears away. “She tried to keep you safe and protect you from this world.” He leans back onto his elbow propping himself up on the bed. “You said her name in the dream was Endellion?”
I nod. “Yeah.” I whisper through choked breaths.
He strokes Ronor. “Ri, if I have this right.” He smiles. “When I was a boy there was an uproar in the magical community. Rumors of a powerful witch carrying the child of a demon spread throughout the realms. We knew the black coven was the coven in search of her. She was said to be the only living heir of the Maher bloodline. The most powerful witch bloodline to exist on earth. Her name was Endellion.” I lock my fingers together. “She went missing only a few months after her eighteenth birthday.” He twirls his fingers in Ronor’s long mane. “Ri, If Endellion Maher was your mother, you are essentially royalty.” He laughs. “Exceedingly powerful royalty that could possibly be the most powerful on earth.”
“H-how could that be? What do you mean? What would a bloodline matter and how could it be royalty?” What would that mean for me? Would I be safer, or would they want me dead even more?
“When a powerful human bloodline combines with a Fae or Demon they have the magical capability of the supernatural more than the human. Humans are limited, not only by earthly limitations, but also by their own personal power. The Maher family being the most powerful known to earth combined with Baal, the Commander of the demon army. His power is infinitely unknown, but he has lived for thousands of years as Lucifer's military leader. It’s even rumored that he was once a god within the celestial realm with Lucifer prior to the rebellion against Anu.”
“Wait, what? What rebellion?” I huff. “And who is Anu?”
“Right, I sometimes forget that you don’t know these things.” He takes a deep breath. “Anu is the king of the gods. Lucifer was once a god that resided in the celestial realm. It’s unclear his exact position, but he had been very close to Anu. When Anu decided to create the three realms and the creatures to reside in each, Lucifer felt it was unfair to the other beings that only humans were granted life after death. He asked that Anu grant all beings a soul and the ability to experience reincarnation. Anu chided Lucifer for questioning his design and eventually Lucifer raised enough support to rebel against Anu. Anu's celestial army was too powerful. After Anu crushed the rebellion he cursed Lucifer and his followers to live the rest of eternity in the demon realm. If they attempt to leave the demon realm, they will meet certain death.”
What is he even saying? That isn’t how god cast out the fallen angels. Lucifer wasn’t even a god. “But isn’t Lucifer the one that went against god because he wanted a soul? I thought Lucifer was the bad guy.”
Luka chuckles and his eyes glisten in the dim light. “Anu branded Lucifer as evil and mad. He told others that he was merely jealous that the humans have a soul and wanted one for himself.”
“Why are the stories I know of so different from this one?”
He smiles and leans forward. “The more humans shared the tale the more skewed their understanding of the story became. Lucifer became known as Satan, the entity that is the epitome of evil.” His mouth turns down and his brow furrows. “Humans are such ignorant creatures to think one being can be wholly good or evil.” He shakes his head.
“So, then how does Baal fit into this?”
“It’s been theorized that Baal was one of the rebels that followed Lucifer.” He thumbs his lower lip gently brushing over his facial hair.
“Well, okay. But what are witches?”
He looks up at me in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I guess I’m asking the history of where witches came from.” I bite my lip. “Like why are some humans normal and others have magic?”
His eyes sparkle. “I’m glad you asked.” He sits up and crosses his legs. “Human witches come from a group of Fairies that lived on Earth for about six thousand years. They heavily followed Anu and taught the young humans advanced writing and mathematics. Many of these Fairies mated with the humans granting their children the ability to use magic. Depending on the bloodline witches can vary in power and ability.” He trails a finger over my hand gingerly. My heart skips a beat at the contact. “The Maher family is one of the purest bloodlines to date.”
“So, you’re saying that I’m demon, but possibly not a demon. In fact, a former god, a human, and some type of fairy descendant?”
He chuckles and tilts his head back falling onto the bed. His bright green eyes look up at the ceiling and his smile widens. “Yes.”
“This is crazy.” I groan and lay on my side facing him.
“This is why the black coven worked so hard to create you.” He laughs again. “You hold the bloodline to all realms and you have a soul!” His eyes sparkle as his eyes meet mine. “You are everything Anu didn’t want in his creations.” The excitement disappears from his face and he stills. “If anyone finds out what you are, you will be a target from all sides. There is something odd, t
hough.” He tugs gently on his beard. “Lillian mentioned to Aurora not to question the gods, but no god following Anu would dare meddle in something like this.” He bites his lip and I stare as his perfect white teeth rake over his soft lips.
“How would she know if the gods had anything to do with me?”
“First of all, you exist. Then there is the unicorn.”
“Okay, and what about the unicorn?”
“Unicorns usually shy away from those they don’t know. For a unicorn to openly initiate contact like it did. That’s far from rare, it’s unheard of.” He looks at the familiars sleeping soundly on the bed beside us. “To top it off you’ve seen Ronor in the astral realm without me present and you were somehow able to summon him subconsciously here in Fae.”
A bell rings through the cabin and heavy footsteps thunder overhead. “What’s going on?”
“We must be arriving at the Auroran Citadel.” Luka sits up. “We should go.”
My heart thuds in my chest. “The oracles.” I whisper as my body goes cold. “I’m so nervous.”
“You’ll do fine.” He opens the door and disappears into the hallway with Ronor on his heels.
I follow after them to the main cabin where Lillian is resting on a small sofa. Her face buried in a book. The cabin holds three sofas and a large round table set on the floor surrounded by large pillows and blankets.
“Oh good, you heard the bell.” She says as she closes her book and sets it on the table.
Luka looks around. “Have you seen Aurora?”
Lillian takes a moment to answer and tilts her head up at him. Her long purple hair elegantly falls like silk over her shoulder. “No. Should I have?”