* * *
“And you rode right to me that night, just like Rhiannon promised,” Remus said ending their nostalgia. His arms tightly wrapped around her like a protective wall against harm. No matter how strong he was physically, he could not protect her from the pain inside her heart. It was an inescapable suffering.
“Three weeks later, we were married and you were forced to jump the walls at Palatine Hill.” Alina frowned at the memory.
Remus spun her around and lifted her chin. “I do not regret anything after the day we met. Don’t you dare feel sorry for me and don’t you dare regret what we have done. It will diminish our legacy.”
Alina smiled weakly. “I miss you, Remus.”
“And I you, Alina.” Remus bent down and respectfully kissed her hand.
“Alina,” a woman called out behind Remus.
Remus closed his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t frighten her, Völva.”
“You should have told her, Remus. Do not blame me for your faults,” warned Völva.
“Völva? The Norse shaman goddess?” Alina sidestepped Remus to face the goddess.
The goddess dressed in a purple cloak covering most of her body. She wore a hood that came to the crown of her head with a long silver chain connected at the sides and draped over her forehead. Her eyes glowed an eerie purple.
Völva nodded, “I must be quick because your party is not far behind. I leave you with this warning: The Queen will rise again and half will be stolen. A cultures pantheon will fall and death will solidify a still fluid future. I regret to say what you love is not long lived, but true love will reunite. Your daughter alone, despite her power, cannot stop the fire. Upon royal death, they will fail.”
With her final warning, Völva’s eyes glowed brighter until she disappeared. Alina stood there with her mouth open, staring at Remus.
“Did you know of this prophecy?” Alina demanded.
“You will know more when it is time. Völva took fate into her own hands because she is afraid. You will discover why. That is all I can say for now.”
Alina wanted to interrupt him but he passionately kissed her lips before she could. His kiss left Alina breathless, unable to speak. He then bent down and whispered, “I love you.”
“Alina!” voices in the background called. “Alina, where are you?”
“You have Lysandros and our sons to help. They need your guidance, just like you will need theirs.”
“Please take me with you,” Alina begged.
“Shhhh, shh, shh, shh, it is not your time. I will meet you at the end. I will be the one to take your hand. That, I can promise. No matter which lord of the underworld protests it.” He gave her a defiant smile that made her breathe a small laugh.
The thumping of horse hooves drew closer and the voices of her sons grew louder.
Remus kissed her intensely again and slid his fingers through her silky hair. He pressed her closer to him to feel as much of her as he could. When they released each other, tears of goodbye ran down their faces, neither sure whose tears belonged to who.
Remus faded in the moonlight before their sons reached them.
“Mother!” Cole arrived first and jumped off his horse before it came to a stop. “Where’s Remus? Are you ok? What happened?”
“Et er alk, tummy.” Leo arrived next with a mouthful of turkey, trying to say ‘let her talk, dummy.’ Alina laughed at the sight of him with his crooked Viking hat. He was such a child at heart.
“Oh my boys.” She said as she wiped her eyes and embraced them both. “Your father had to go. He is with your great, great uncle now.”
Cole and Leo’s mouths dropped at the news of their father’s death.
“Alina, are you ok?” Lysandros arrived with Nikolaos trailing him.
“I will be. But I do know where we need to go from here.” She realized Remus brought up the memory for a reason. He revealed their destination was Cymru, where Arawn would help them.
Alina explained they needed to get Bre to Cymru in order to develop her powers. She continued to explain that she was born with a great power in her soul and that she needed to pass on to Breanna. “She will die without the power I safeguard.”
“What are you talking about? What type of power can be transferred to another person? And how did Father die? He is a demigod, son of War. None of this makes any sense,” Nik said frantically.
“It was your uncle Romulus who killed him; you have heard tale of how Pluto made them invincible except by the hand of the other a hundred times from your father. As for the rest of our problems, you will understand in time. All you need to know now is Breanna is more powerful than a demigod after Remus’ power transferred into her. And at my end, so will mine,” Alina said sweetly. She smiled and stood up on her toes to kiss Nik’s cheek.
Nik wanted to ask more questions but Cole grabbed his arm to silence him. Alina mounted White Lightning. She reached into her boot and withdrew her dagger, slicing her palm open. She dripped three drops of blood on the ground and said, “Lorg Prophetia De’ Breanna Regina.” Suddenly the blood formed a ball that floated in the air ahead of Alina and soared off down the coastline. Alina whipped her horse and sped after her tracking spell.
The Phoinix: Age of Demigods Page 46
