The Call of War: The Watchers Chronicles: Book One

by Patricia Halladay

  “First it’s just Sophia your highness, and no I did not get that wrong. You are the hidden child of Prince Atten, that is why Poseidon choose you to wield the Atlantean weapons. The Fates had told Atten in the presence of Poseidon what was going to happen to Atlantis, and what was needed to be done to ensure that nothing would happen like that again.” Sophia stopped and looked at me. Marcus pulled me over to his chair and has me sit on his lap to be able to calm me.

  “How is that possible? My daughter would have told me if she was married to a prince!” Helix says getting angry at Sophia.

  “Octavian, your daughter was taken remember. It could have been during that time, and she may not have known who he was. It could have been to keep whoever took her from disgracing and humiliating her. Back then, pregnant women would be enslaved until after the baby was born, it would be then that they would be violated. Just because you and I have always had respect for women doesn’t mean others did.” Marcus says and pulls me in as close as he can. I am trying not to get angry knowing my mom could have been raped after she gave birth to me.

  “I can tell you that no she was not treated badly afterwards. Some of the other women with enfants at the time were and she took on their children to feed and raise. It was what kept her safe until another tribe invaded. She kept all the children safe; Aretha wasn’t the only child that Ares took from the village, he took all of them and made sure they were safe.” Sophia says looking at Ares, he smile at her.

  “Now I know why you look so familiar Artemis, although I would never expect you to come as a Council member.” Ares says going to Sophia and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

  “You’re the goddess Artemis?” Kya says and then drops to one knee. “I am so sorry goddess; I did not mean any disrespect.” She says. Soon Charlotte and Tara follow Kya’s lead, all the hunters in the room do. Kane’s the only asshat that doesn’t.

  “It’s alright, no one was supposed to know until I wanted them too. So please rise, all of you.” Sophia says, then she looks at Kane. “Well dear nephew are you going to be a dick like your father or are you going to feed us? I am sure everyone could use something to eat. Even the vampires could, they need more than just blood to live.” She says causing Kane to snicker.

  “It should be here in a few minutes, I thought that this was going to take less time and the council would be gone sooner. The Fates have paid a few visits and said it was time that Ianna learned her true history. Her claiming the Wave of Poseidon was the first step, and someone was to come fill in the rest. Guess that’s you dear Aunt.” Kane says. Artemis scrunches her nose in distaste, must be at being called Aunt.

  “Thank you. Ianna, I know Ares has told you that this will be your last life and to tread lightly, but that isn’t you and we all know that. He was not giving you false hope, this is to be your last life. This time, you will find the next to carry the title of Atlantean Battle Warrior, he’s close by, and you will know him immediately. It was never intended for you to have to come back so often, but somehow your thread would work itself back into the Fate’s weaving. They were getting really frustrated with it, seems your soul and the weapons knew something the rest of us didn’t.” Sophia says giving me a small smile.

  “What of Thorin? Was he part of my soul’s need too? Why was Alexandrea killed? She was innocent and you took her away from me!” I scream with tears running down my cheeks. Marcus hold me as I cry breaking more as I can still hear her cries while our home burned with her in it.

  “He was not the one you were destine to have that life with, we didn’t want to take them from you. We saw how happy you were and for many of us gods, it broke us to have to send them to the heavens. Aphrodite hurt the most, she saw what she creates happen naturally. It’s a rare gift for her not to have to intertwine souls like that. She didn’t want you to have to live through that again, so she blocked your soul until the person you were meant for came again.” Sophia says with tears of her own falling, even the god of war has tears streaking his cheeks.

  “Aretha, I hope this makes you feel better, Alexandrea walks the plains of Olympus as one of Hera’s guards. She has your attitude and won’t settle until the battle is won. She is her mother’s daughter.” Ares says wiping his cheeks. It amazes me that the gods would bestow an honor like that to a child that was never meant to be. I am thankful that they could see the power that she held from the time she was created. I rest my head on Marcus’s chest and I feel his heartbeat racing through his chest. I look up to his eyes and see even he had shed tears.

  “I’m so sorry Orion, I never stopped loving you. I just wanted what was taken from us when we were together but thought I could never have.” I say dropping my head. Marcus cups my face and brings my eyes back to his.

  “My love I am not hurt because you had this life with someone else, I am hurt that they took it away from you. You are deserving of that life and so much more, I understand now why you pulled away from me this morning. We will work through it together, and we will have that life when you are ready to have it again.” He says kissing me. He deepens the kiss and I cave. I want to have the life of a mother and wife. Fuck the gods, I will have it with Marcus, and I will level Olympus if I have to, to have it. A throat is cleared, and I break the kiss then rest my forehead on Marcus’s chin.

  “I am glad that you are willing to take the time to help Ianna heal. It’s a true gift of love to have the understanding and want to be the rock that grounds her, but I guess that was what you wanted in your first life, when the two of you met.” Sophia says looking at Marcus. He pulls me in again and wraps his arms around me as tight as I can take.

  “She was always my soul’s happiness. I know she was given many lives, but why take so long to bring me back to her. I had so much hate while resting in the heavens not being able to be with her and hold her when she would pass through after each death.” Marcus says with a look of pure hate and anger towards the two gods in the room.

  “From my understanding, she needed to build her tribe that would help her win the war that threatened to end everything. Most of you were not created yet, when your soul was created and placed, that’s when her life thread would work its way back into the Fates weaving. There were many lives in between though that her soul seem to think there was a use for. The Fates wouldn’t even know it was there until she reclaimed her weapons.” Sophia said taking a second to look me in the eyes. “Then when she came back as twins in one life, that just throw us all for a huge loop. When the weapons went from Zoe to Diana though, it carried the rest of her soul with them. What we weren’t aware of was the reason why until after Diana died in battle. Zoe was pregnant and the weapons chose to protect the child.” I almost jumped off Marcus’s lap. My memory for Zoe is short, I thought she had died when I became Diana fully in that life, now I know why.

  “Yes that was not a good idea on the weapons part for sure.” I say shaking my head.

  “Why is that Ianna?” Kane asks looking at me like he already knows the outcome of my confession that I am about to make.

  “Diana was a Rogue for hirer, her gaining the weapons was just a mess waiting to happen. Although, she behaved better than I expected her too.” Tara says laughing.

  “What?” Helix’s eyes are bugged out of his head.

  “Ianna, bad girl!” Meena says giggling. I shrug like it wasn’t that big of a deal, I would hate to tell him what Charis did.

  “What are the other expertise of the memories that have been awoke?” Vlad asks with a raised eyebrow and giving me a look that says, “spill or I’ll beat it out of you.”

  “Oh boy. Well Charis was a mercenary and thief, Zoe was a gladiator, Diana was a Rogue and Elizabeth was a Royal guard in King Arthur’s personal legion.” I say twiddling my thumbs still being held by Marcus, who is trying to hide his snickering from Helix. Helix looks like he want to ground me for the rest of my life or lock me in my room, whichever comes first. Just as he was going to give me the lecture of my life, the door to
the board room opens and food is brought in.

  Chapter 8

  Dinner was loud and fun, it was like having a huge family gathering. Rabbit and a few other demons that I knew came back to eat with us and tell stories from when we spent time together. Thank the gods most of my time with them was spent much later in my lives. Poor Helix just about had a heart attack when he learned of the many things I did as Diana and Charis. Really those where the two lives I would have liked for him not to hear about. Tanner and Eli came and gave us the heads up about the Ogre that was hired to grab me. He was sticking around the coven’s territory and asking questions about me. That is just going to be fun having to deal with that when I get home.

  Speaking of home, we were set to leave after dinner. Marcus wanted to get home and start putting protections in place to keep as many as we could safe. Matthias actually left this morning after talking to the council, he was told what was going to happen and the rulings for Maxum, Franny and Uncle Stephan. So he headed back to start getting the coven ready for its new leader. It will be just Helix, Marcus and I heading back, maybe Kane will give us a ride back instead of taking a car.

  “Hey kid, you ok?” Kya asks causing me to come out of my thoughts and blank stare.

  “Yea was just thinking of what could happen in the next few months. Something Uncle Stephan said has put me on overload. I have been going through everything and anyone I have talked to in the last couple of years. I can’t think of anyone who would betray us like that.” I tell her scrunching my eyebrows when a thought goes through my mind. I grab my phone and look through the messages from the unknown number.

  Unknown: Well its finally nice to meet the famous Atlantean Battle Warrior. You look quite different from our first lives together. If I didn’t know better I would laugh and not have any fear of you, but I do know better and underestimating you would be a deadly move. I hope our visit goes well, maybe we can take a cruise around the city and talk about the old days.

  Unknown: I can’t believe you ran right to Kane Kristoff for help! Wow you never learned from the first time you trusted a demi-god. You are the biggest sucker there is out there. I hope the heart break from his betrayal will work in ending you.

  Unknown: Very disappointing that you would not come as requested to see me, but my friend will be there to bring you whether you like it or not. Sooner or later you will lose.

  Unknown: Do you feel better now Aretha? Killing the man that hurt your precious Hyda? And to think you aren’t even going to see the one who is going to hurt you most until it’s too late. See you soon Battle Warrior.

  “FUCK!” I yell and slam my phone on the table killing the lively conversation in the room.

  “What’s wrong Ianna?” Marcus asks, he’s by my side in seconds.

  “Theron, he has my number. So that means he has been tracking me. He has also hinted at Kane’s betrayal both past and present. So Demi-god, let’s get this out of the way first! What the fuck did you do and what is he talking about now?” I say moving from Marcus and both my blades are in my hands ready to draw blood. Kane looks like his heart is breaking over and over.

  “Ianna, I was the one who let the Picts in during the invasion at Hadrian’s wall. I could have saved Alexandrea but didn’t, I was told not to by the Fates. I tried to go against their will, but Apollo and Athena kept me away from your home. I am so sorry Ianna, I should have tried harder.” Kane says, and I back up into Marcus as my memories start playing like a movie in my head.

  “If you were being kept from saving my little girl, I can’t blame you for that, but what betrayal is he talking about now?” I say looking at him as if this is the first time I have ever truly seen him as a person.

  “That I don’t know, other than helping you get the last of your weapons the Fates said I was to stay out of it. This is your battle, and you have the strength to win.” He says not understanding what else he could be blamed for.

  “I know what he is talking about, but what Theron doesn’t know is Kane never did as he asked. The dart gun in the museum, he was one of ours and was ordered there by Kane. He was supposed to take you out, but Kane switched places with him. So when the darts were fired, they were fired with intentions of you being able to get out of the way and someone else took the hit.” Kya says looking like she was the one to betray me.

  “You’re working with Theron? Why Kane? I have known you for at least 5 past lives! I trusted you!” I say trying not to let this break me. I hold anyone in my lives at the highest respect and this feels like pure hell.

  “NO Ianna. Remember what I did to get Athena’s owl, when she challenged me?” Kane says looking pale for a demi-god.

  “You spent time with her, taking measurements and studying the fine detail of her mechanical owl.” I say trying to break through my pain.

  “That’s right and what did I do with that information?” He asks trying to help me see where this is going.

  “You made one that was almost exactly the same. It just didn’t have a voice, but it still moved and flew. When it came time for the end of the challenge, you had somehow switched them.” I say looking at him realizing it is how he got the Wave of Poseidon replica to look exactly like the sword in the museum. He was playing Theron the whole time.

  “Smart move nephew, you used you wits to make Theron help you, but the end goal was to unite Ianna with her sword. I am impressed! I would have never thought of that.” Sophia says with a smile and nod.

  “So how did he get my number? The only people who would have it would be here in this room …” I say as my eyes go huge.

  “What is it Ianna?” Kane asks. He looks like he thinks he is getting blamed for this one too.

  “He said I wouldn’t see the one who is going to hurt me most until it’s too late. He gave it away, it’s Dede!” I say looking to Marcus.

  “What? Why would your best friend do that?” Helix asks. I dial Matthias, I know he has been keeping track of her. He told me a long time ago not to trust her, she use to be best friends with Franny and then one day she wasn’t anymore. No one ever knew why; it wasn’t until a year later that she and I became friends.

  “Hey Ianna, I was just going to call you. You aren’t going to be happy, but you were right and so was I.” Matthias says. I have him on speaker, so we all know the players in the game.

  “Hey yes and I owe you $20 too. What has Miss Dede been up to? Theron just gave it away that she is an inside plant.” I say looking at Vlad when he snickers.

  “Well she isn’t the only one we needed to worry about. But her first, she was with the new teacher for your history class, a Dr. Soren Thaddeus and when I say with I mean you couldn’t tell where her pussy started, and his dick ended. Also the High Witch Elianna told me, that Dede had asked about how to reverse a memory awakening. So she is looking to block your memories.” Matthias says and Ika looks confused.

  “She can’t, only the one who awoke the memories can do that, and there is no way in fuck I am going to do that to Ianna or Elizabeth. She fought for my life, just before I was executed by the King’s guards. I could have never asked for a better friend and family. I was honored to have her in my life.” Ika says looking angry.

  “That may be, but she awoke Aretha, and if she gets the information then she can take Aretha away too.” He answers before continuing, “The other person that we didn’t suspect was Isabelle.”

  “What the hell are you talking about, she died three years ago from cancer! I know I was there.” Helix says getting angry at Matthias.

  “I know Helix but believe me. I saw her with my own eyes, and I took a picture because I couldn’t believe it. I am sending it to you now. I went back to the hospital and the morgue to get information just in case. They have no recorder of Isabelle Granton even being there for chemotherapy treatments, let alone her death. I also checked the city recorders, the M.E. that signed off on her death certificate, was charged with misconduct and falsifying recorders. He got caught trying to help someone e
vade the government for income taxes. All documents bearing his name are being looked into and Isabelle is one they have already determined as being forged.” Matthias says just as Marcus’s phone pings, and he opens the email. His eyes go blood red and his fangs out as he hands the phone over to Helix, and he goes the same way.

  “I am so sorry Helix. I never meant to cause you to hurt like this.” I say looking to the vampire. He looks at me and smiles. It scares me because if he is smiling while blood thirsty, it is not good for the person he has set his sights on.

  “This has nothing to do with you my child. She knew from the first day she held you, who you are. This is on her; she too was reborn but from before you. She is a protector; her job was to protect the Royal Atlantean family. She has betrayed her post and her commitment to them, she pays with her life for her actions.” He says to me and is still smiling. Well damn that is not good.

  “Ok, I got to go and get the coven security in place. The program is up and running, thank you Tanner for that. See you all soon, be careful Ianna. They plan on attacking you during your travel home.” Matthias adds.

  “And how do you know that?” Kane asks laughing like he already knows.

  “Your hacker boy got into their communication, and I have everything that they have planned for the last five years. Oh Ianna, keep your phone, yes they have it traced but if you leave it or get rid of it that will alert them. Anyways see you all soon.” He says and then hangs up.

  “Ok, well we know what is going on now and who the major players are. What are we going to do?” I ask looking at everyone in the room.

  “I need to do a re-awakening on Aretha. If I do that, then even if she reverses it, you don’t lose anything. It’s almost like backing up a computer just in case of a system crash.” Ika says. “Plus, Medea wasn’t a strong witch. She was an enchantress, that’s why Jason lost interest and fell in love with someone else. Her spell didn’t stay in place.” She finishes. Damn I am impress with Ika’s knowledge of Medea.