by Tigris Eden
“Yeah. I’m done.”
“Good. Although the show was beyond panty melting, I really need to get you guys moving.”
“Ryn, what are you doing here?”
The female smirked at Gregor.
“Keep your dress on, choir boy. Arcane sent me to take them to Lady Jorunna.”
“Jo’s safe?” Dietrich asked, relieved. The muscles in his back relaxed and the tendons in his neck slowly began to ease.
“Yeah, no thanks to your guy’s chick over there. You just left her,” Ryn said, dropping her gaze to Jesminda.
“I left her in a safe place.”
“Yeah, okay, princess, you left her in a safe place.” Ryn snorted.
Dietrich had had enough of the blame game at this point. He felt responsible, but was even more pissed at Jes for leaving Jo in a dark corner.
“You were supposed to stay with her.”
“Draven needed me!”
Her mate pulled her into his side, trying to stop the warrior princess from going postal. She was still in Zea’s form.
“I was okay, Petal. Just scratched.”
“You two are super cute, but time is money as you topsiders like to say,” Ryn pointed out.
“You taking us to Jo?” Dietrich wanted to make sure he understood exactly where they were headed.
Ryn slapped him on the chest playfully, and he almost slapped her back, but in a different way. He didn’t care for her over-friendly attitude.
“That’s what I said, big guy. Don’t worry, I got your back. Follow me into the pits of hell.” Ryn laughed maniacally.
“I think we’ve just found Royce’s long lost sister,” Draven mumbled as they followed her.
Chapter 18
Jorunn sat in a big dining hall where food was being passed from person to person. Arcane introduced her to members of the Royal Court, who were apparently her aunt and uncle. The royals consisted of three people. The Majesti, the High Priest or Priestess, and the Sovereign. Her aunt was the Sovereign. In most cases, the three lived together in the royal wing.
She was told by her uncle Ulstair—her aunt’s consort—that her mother and father had passed away sometime after they’d taken her to Solum. Jo didn’t realize how badly her heart would hurt, but it did. There had never been a search for her because her uncle said he’d always known where she was. She’d been bred for the sole purpose of giving her blood to the drinker of the cup. Something he kept referring to as the Danea Trinity. There was no drinker to speak of, and that was because it could be anyone. The chosen person most likely didn’t have a clue that they were the one destined to drink from the cup.
Jorunn looked around at everyone at the table. One thing was clear; everyone welcomed her with open arms. Her aunt Aoleon was tall with light brown skin that looked like there was crushed gold beneath. Her long black hair was kept twisted, but still showed her two black horns that peeked out from the top of her head. Her eyes, the ever-changing color like everyone else’s, were a pale purple at the moment. The High Priest was an older gentleman, with brown hair and wings like Ryn. He didn’t have horns, and neither did her uncle. Ulstair was a burly man, with completely white hair, full lips, and a belly that could rival Santa Claus. Jo chuckled to herself.
“What’s so funny?” Taea asked.
“Your father reminds me of Santa Claus.”
It took Taea awhile to put two and two together before she burst into a fit of giggles.
“Priceless!”
The triplets were very familiar with Solum. They’d been educated in all things “topside” as they called Solum. Including pop culture. Everything in Fion was rich in color. They even had Internet and cell phones. They lacked for nothing. The only difference between Solum and Fion was what separated them. The oceans. Arcane explained that their eyes appeared to change color, but in actuality, they didn’t. It had something to do with light and perception. Once they reached Arouni, she understood exactly what Arcane had meant. The trees in Fion were more vibrant and startling. Through the glass, Fion had looked fierce and beautiful. There were things she’d never seen before. Even among the immortal community. It was a remarkable paradise. When Jo looked into the mirror in the room they’d given her, everything on her was more. Her skin was more caramel in color with a hint of sienna underneath, giving her the bronzed color she favored when she was completely hydrated.
Her eyes almost took on an ever-changing palate of colors that blended into something more. So strange. Someone handed her a tray of meats. The aroma was strong and pleasant. The outer edges looked white like poultry, but the center of the meat was a brownish red. Like a medium rare steak.
“What’s this?”
“Tala. It’s like a mix between a chicken and a duck. It’s a favorite among our people. Eat up.”
Jorunn took a bite and the meat melted in her mouth like nothing else. It had a smoky flavor to it along with a buttery taste, with notes of something sweet.
“It’s good right?” Taea asked.
Jo nodded her head. It was good. Really good. As was the wine she was drinking. There was a commotion at the front of the hall, and Ryn burst in with Dietrich and the others.
“Nothing to see here folks. Go back to eating. We’re just walking here. Walking,” Ryn yelled as she made her way to the head of the table. She bowed at the Majesti. To the Sovereign, she touched her palm to her forehead, and she kissed the High Priest’s robes.
“Sonali,” Ryn said in greeting. It was what everyone had said before they were seated earlier. Arcane and Taea had explained it was like a blessing or a greeting. The word had two meanings. When you greeted someone and said Sonali, it was the same as saying, “long life and blessings,” but if yelled, it was the same as “safe travels.”
“Somail,” her uncle returned in answer. “Who have you brought us?”
“These are Lady Jorunna’s traveling companions. Dietrich, Jesminda, Draven, Jacobi, and NuNu. Their other companion, Tavarious, did not fare so well.” She gestured to the group as they stood at the head of the table.
“What happened to their companion?”
Ryn bowed her head. “It was Usela.”
Her uncle raised a brow.
“The Seether?”
Ryn nodded. Her uncle looked to everyone in the group, and Jo couldn’t hold her tears. She hadn’t known Mouth very long, but despite the short amount of time she’d known him, she thought of him as a friend.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, wiping tears from her face. She didn’t know Mouth well, but what she did know, was that he was funny, and brave. Everyone knew there was a chance things didn’t always go smooth. It was the world they lived in, the world they were all born into.
“Thank you, Jo, Tavarious will not be forgotten,” NuNu promised.
“No, he won’t be.” Dietrich snarled.
Her uncle interrupted them then.
“Please join us for mid-meal. Any friends of my niece, are friends to me.”
“Niece?” Dietrich asked.
“Yes, Jorunna is my niece.”
“It’s Jorunn. Or Jo,” Dietrich corrected.
“Yes, well, here it is Jorunna. Her birth name.”
“Whatever.” Dietrich turned in her direction. “Peaches, you like Jorunna?”
Everyone at the table stopped eating to look her way. Uncomfortable now, thanks to D and his posturing, Jo didn’t want to cause a scene, so she tried to remain polite. He didn’t want her, yet he wanted to act as if he had the inside track on her likes and dislikes.
“Jorunn or Jo is fine, but if my uncle wishes to use Jorunna, I’m not going to stop him.”
“Well, dear, if you like Jorunn or Jo better than Jorunna, that is what you shall be called.”
Dietrich didn’t say anything further; he took a chair across from her. He made sure to focus his shades on her. Jo didn’t want to upset the balance. This was where her family was, and Dietrich needed to respect that. Her uncle said something to his wife, Aole
on, and she smiled and stood, leaving the room.
Ulstair cleared his throat. Jo thought it was because he didn’t want them discussing death at the table.
“We have a guest who is very eager to meet you, Draven, and Jesminda. Gregor was going to do the honors, as we had not expected any guests in Fion. We’re ecstatic to have you visit, and because you are here, there is no better time than now to make the formal introductions. He came to us by way of the Gates and has been waiting quite impatiently for your arrival.”
“A guest?” Jes asked.
“Yes, he’s been quite a handful. But a joy nonetheless. The triplets have been seeing to his care, along with Aoleon. He’s very selective in who he will let near him. He doesn’t seem partial to other males.”
“No, Dad, he just doesn’t like you.” Ryn chuckled.
Jo wondered whom it was waiting to see Jesminda and Draven. She knew Gregor had specifically requested them to come on the trip because he had something for them, but she hadn’t thought it was a person.
Chapter 19
Jesminda sat, wondering what kind of a fairytale land she had walked into. It was a mix of under the sea with pixies and the enchanted forest, plus a whole lot more. Creatures her imagination couldn’t begin to comprehend moved about. Whether it was outside the walls of the castle or inside. Some of them even talked. It shouldn’t be a surprise really. Her mate turned into a two-ton wolf, larger than a damn SUV, and she could turn into anything she came into contact with. When they’d entered Fion, she hadn’t known what to expect. The glimpse they’d had from their side of the mirror back in the crypt didn’t hold true to all they saw now. There was a lake that surrounded the castle with blue fire. Huge geodes that were different colors, made large mountains that came complete with waterfalls. They passed a dense copse of silver trees with blue crystal leaves bearing fruit. It was a little girl’s paradise. Faith would have loved this place if she had traveled with them. The dirt was black onyx crushed into fine sand and it glittered as they walked. Everything was more in Fion. Vibrant lush colors and structures that could dazzle anyone.
Best of all, Ryn had wings. They fluttered like a dragonfly’s wings. She’d made it a point to show their functionality as she flew ahead to ensure that the gates were open. She was overly friendly towards the men in the group, though. To the point it was inappropriate. Jes looked across the table as Ryn leaned closer to Dietrich to grab some sort of fruit from a platter. The girl was crushing on Dietrich big time, and by the looks of it, Jorunn wasn’t too happy about that.
Aoleon, Jo’s aunt, came into the room, cradling something in her arms too small to be a person. The Sovereign was tall and elegant with thick black locks that were styled so that some of it was pinned to the top of her head while the rest flowed to her waist. As she got closer, Jes could see that the woman was holding a small furry creature. It peeked its fluffy black head up, and its beautiful brown eyes locked on Jes. It whimpered. The pup scratched and scrambled until Aoleon let it down. It was more fur than animal, and it made a dash for Jes, howling and baying until it was able to make it to her feet, where he scratched and pawed until she picked it up.
“And just who do we have here?” Jes cooed, cradling the pup in her arms.
Her heart melted as the tiny furball licked her face and nuzzled her neck. Draven bent forward and scratched the little wolf behind the ears. The little fur baby loved all the attention he was receiving.
“As I was saying, he’s been waiting for you two. He came to us by way of your ancestor, Odessa.”
Jes froze.
Draven stiffened at her side, and the pup in her arms whined.
“What. Are. You. Saying? By way of Odessa? She’s dead.”
Jes had made sure of it. Removed the bitch’s head and all. There wasn’t the slightest bit of remorse coursing through her veins. Not even a tepid drip. She’d been justified in her actions. It was the only thing that would let her sleep at night, and she still had others on her hit slash shit list to deal with.
Aoleon cleared her throat.
“Yes, dear, she is. But every soul crosses a bridge. Immortals, like your ancestor, who are truly old, have ways of reaching out to those who are perceptive enough to receive their messages. As it happens, Fionians are. Your ancestor made contact on behalf of the little one. Have you ever heard of the Faery Folk?” Her voice took on a different accent and tone as she said Faery.
“Everyone knows about the Fae. You’re not pixie-like or small at all.” But there were some creatures here that were.
“No, we’re not small. At least not all of us. We offer safe passage to pure souls who wish to be reborn. A long time ago, humans who knew about the Gates would leave their ailing children at the doors, in hopes that we’d bring them back healed. In some cases we could. In other cases, the children choose to move on for whatever reason, and we give them free pass to dwell here.”
Jes held her breath because Aoleon couldn’t possibly be saying what Jes thought she was saying. What she hoped she was saying. She couldn’t fathom that possibility, and refused to entertain any notions whatsoever in case it wasn’t possible. Aoleon smiled as if she could read the thoughts going through Jesminda’s head.
“Darling, my sweet precious girl. He had a choice. He chose you. All souls have a conscience that is pure. Especially new souls. They don’t remember when they come, covered in their new skin. But in utero, the secrets they have access to are limitless. When your son’s soul was taken, he was given a choice.”
“Stop talking,” Draven growled. “Don’t say another word. You think you can convince my mate that the pup is ours. I would know. I would know if this were my son!” he roared, slamming his fists down on the table, knocking over the goblets filled with wine. The pup in Jes’s arms jumped.
Dietrich stood and walked to where they sat.
“Hand him to me. I’ll know the truth.”
There were tears in Jes’s eyes. How would Dietrich know? If anything, Draven was right. They should know their child. Especially Jes’s mate. She’d give anything to have her son. A thousand times over and more if need be. Whatever the price, if there were even the slightest chance, she’d take it. Frightened at the possibility that she was holding her son in her arms, Jes had no choice but to see this small sliver of hope through. There was no way an act of ugly maliciousness could be so easily fixed by something as simple as a choice. She’d try just this once to see if it were somehow possible.
“It is and it was.” Aoleon looked at Jes as if she’d said the words out loud.
“The look on your face says it all. You don’t understand how, but it’s what he wanted. It was the only way Odessa and Cyrian could get in the good graces of their own ancestors. What was done to you was tragic and despicable. No one, not even the Elder Council or the Elite, have the power to dictate one’s life. Not even the Fates. Everyone can change their thread. Start a new story and be given another chance. Your child deserves a chance to make a clear path for himself. Destruction, or possible carnage, is not his only choice. But let the Primori confirm what we already know to be true.”
Dietrich took the pup from Jes’s arms and she looked into his eyes. She hoped he could see how badly she needed the truth.
“Dietrich?” Jes whispered. Her voice barely coming out of her throat as she tried to express how important this was without breaking down.
“I know. I won’t hold anything back.”
With the pup in his arms, Dietrich sat on the floor a few feet away, still cradling the bundle of fur. He closed his eyes after a moment, his shoulders slumping until his breathing became slow and steady.
Even though Jesminda couldn’t reconcile what was happening, she reached for Draven’s hands and squeezed. Trying to infuse, what she hoped, was patience into both of them as they waited for Dietrich’s verdict. Was it or was it not their son? Neither of them took their eyes off the pair as they watched and waited.
~ ~ ~
Jorunn watched,
amazed at how gentle Dietrich was being with the small pup. He’d whispered something right before everything became eerily silent. The moment was intimate and awkward all at the same time. Jo didn’t know if she should ask everyone to leave, or stay and watch.
His body swayed, and instinctively, she rose from her spot at the table and sat down behind him. He was huge, and if he did topple over, he’d crush her. Her arms went around his waist to hold him steady. His back muscles tensed before they relaxed. He wasn’t used to anyone helping. Ever. The pup in his arms wasn’t moving but breathed deeply as if in sleep.
“Are we allowed to talk?” Ryn whispered, forking a bite of food into her mouth.
Everyone at the table shushed the female. Jorunn herself may have even hissed. The pup chuffed and slowly began moving. Dietrich’s head lolled a bit, and Jo pushed her chin into his left shoulder to keep him steady.
“I got you.”
Regardless of how he’d treated her in the past and how he’d for sure treat her in the future, she would always have his back. Love didn’t discriminate. It forgave, moved forward, and kept a vigil for its loved ones. Always left the door open for their return. Any other female would have kicked his ass to the curb. Given him his walking papers, but not her dumb ass. Nope. She was right there, still wanting to give freely of herself. No matter the backlash. He had his sister now; there was no reason for him to be anything with her, for her. The stolen moment they’d had back at the base was probably a distant thought in his mind. He’d allowed her to see tiny slivers of the real him, and those tiny slivers had been more than enough. He cared for everyone around him, even if he tried not to show it.
A saying she’d heard from Phineas all the time, was that if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t say anything to her at all. Well, Dietrich said something to her all the time. Whether it was telling her what to do, or how to be, or to ignore what others said. He’d said something, which told her, he had to care. There was no other explanation. You’re reaching for nonexistent straws. Hell, there are no straws, Jo. Jorunn blacked out the negativity. He didn’t leave her be, didn’t let her fall, and made sure she didn’t crash into anything he perceived as remotely life-threatening. He’d been adamant about her not leaving with Enri. She’d been the one to compel him and the others. If Dietrich had had it his way, he probably would have fought until there was no fight left.
