by Debbie Long
“Why do I have to go? I don’t know what to ask.” She steps back, looking worried. “Can’t I send someone else? Like Morgan, for instance.”
“Why don’t you want to go?” I ask. “You can see your mother and ask her questions. You know as much as we do. You know what to ask.”
“I just don’t want to go, okay.” She folds her arms, looking away from us.
“You can send someone close to you, so Morgan can go. I have to warn you though, don’t break that link to her or she will be lost in the afterlife.” Heracles looks between us.
“Are you sure you okay?” I ask Clarissa. I go to touch her arm, but she pulls away. I drop my hand to my side. I know something isn’t right, but until she tells us, I decide not to push.
“I’m fine, and I won’t break my contact with her.” She turns towards me, and I swear I see a flash of black slither through her eyes. “When shall we do this?”
“Now would be the best time. Once we have all the information, we can start the plan of getting the other kingdoms back into our control and rid the earth of Lucifer once and for all.” The winter king embraces his wife, who leans into him. “We have a chamber you can use and won’t be disturbed. We will have guards wait by the door to make sure of that.” He nods to the guard at the door. “In the meantime, I think you have some catching up to do with your friends.”
We all look toward the door and Violet squeals when Ash and Storm walk through along with Jade and Beth.
“I rescued them from the autumn castle. The others weren’t in the room when I went so, they are still with the other elemental fae in the summer lands.” I nod at the king.
I look towards Clarissa who seems so sad that I want to hug her. Afraid that she will push me away again, I stay where I am. I am concerned about her. She seems so forlorn standing there on her own. For the last few days, she has pulled away from us, and we don’t know why. Every time we asked her if she was okay, she either snapped at us or ignored us. We decided to leave her to it, but even Theon can’t get her to smile. She even seems distant from him, and I can see the look of concern and worry on his face.
I watch Violet hug her mates. I visibly see her aura shift, and her body radiates a lilac hue. I hear the king and queen gasp.
“I have never seen such a thing. She is glowing.” The queen says. “When you walked in with the god and goddess, I saw them glow slightly as the gods do. But this, this is very different.”
“What does it mean, though?” I ask her.
“I don’t know. Only your mothers will be able to tell you.” Her eyes drift back to Violet, and she gasps again when she sees her wings have spread out and flutter happily. “Oh my.”
“We all have wings. Mine are Blue, and Clarissa’s has black like Lucifer.”
“Hers are black?”
“Yes, is that a problem?” I’m nervous now. I knew something was different when my wings appeared. I expected them to be black too like Lucifer. Then I thought that hers were black because she was a dark fae. Now I know it is something else.
“I hope not dear.”
Beth runs over to me and gives me a hug. I hug her back just as hard, but my eyes drift to Clarissa, standing still like a statue next to Theon. He keeps casting her looks of worry. He catches my eye, and all I can do is shrug my shoulders.
I turn my head away as Clarissa looks my way, but not before I see the scowl on her face.
Something is up, and I intend to find out what.
Chapter thirteen
Clarissa
Theon walks beside me in silence, and it’s driving me mad. He keeps casting me these looks, and I have caught the looks he has shared with Morgan and Violet. I know they are all worried about me, but they don’t need to be. I am just missing my mates, and I want to see my mother, but I have nothing to say to her.
Theon looks at me again as we walk around the gardens that I find hard to concentrate on. It is so peaceful here and beautiful, but I can’t seem to focus.
“What are you staring at Theon? Just spit it out.” He jumps like a scolded child. I sigh and lower my tone. “I’m sorry I just have a headache.”
“It’s okay. I am worried about you, though. You have been different since we stepped through that portal back to earth. You have barely spoken to me or acknowledge me for that matter.”
“I’m sorry I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Theon pulls me into a side hug. “Tell me how you are feeling. I may be able to help.”
When I look into his eyes, I see the worry there. I sigh, placing my head on his shoulder and feeling my connection with him. “I can’t explain it. I just feel this dark feeling. It is so intense sometimes that I can’t be around my sisters. I feel as though my heart is torn in two. One half wants to fully embrace this dark side, and the other wants to embrace my sisters. I think being away from the others has affected me somehow.”
“But that makes no sense babe. When we were with the gods, you didn’t feel this way and even when they left you were fine, right?”
“I was. Being here seems to have enhanced something inside me. I felt disconnected from my sisters when we were in that arena, but I ignored it. Now I can’t, and I’m scared Theon.”
“We will figure this out. I promise you.”
“What if I am not who everyone thinks I am? What if I am different from my sisters?”
“We are all different babe, but that doesn’t make you bad. You three were born in three different worlds for a reason, unity. Things are changing already. I can feel it.”
“You can?”
“Yes, babe. I can feel the shift happening. Do you think that the winter king and queen would have let me, River and Jade in if they didn’t trust us? For such a long time, things have been strained between the fae races. You three have changed that and set-in motion the new ways, the old ways before Lucifer destroyed it all. He is trying again, but this time you three will stop him once and for all.”
“I hope you are right. I just don’t like how I feel right now, and I know you have all noticed.”
“We have, but we are just worried about you.” Theon turns, taking me by the shoulders to look into my eyes. “Listen, only you can decide who you want to be. One thing I do I know is that you are not evil. You are loving and caring. You love your sisters. I know you do, and you love us as we love you. Keep that love with you. Don’t let anything taint your heart.” He pulls me in for a kiss that sears my soul. I lean into him, deepening the kiss.
I ignore the niggling feeling in the back of my mind. I ignore the voice that is trying to slither through my mind. I ignore the itch in my back. I just kiss my mate and pour all my love into it.
A throat behind us clears their throat. We break apart to see a grinning Kyle. “Everyone is ready for you.” He skips away as I throw a stone at him.
“Let’s do this then.” I stand up, taking Theon’s hand. “Don’t leave me, okay?”
“I won’t, you have my word.”
Morgan
We are in a beautiful chamber. There is a huge bath that has relaxing properties in them. They said I might need it after this little side adventure. I lay on the floor, closing my eyes as instructed.
“Remember to take deep breathes. You need to clear your mind and only think of your mother, or you could end up anywhere in the afterlife.” Daphnae elbows Heracles who makes an ‘oof’ noise. “What? I was just warning her.”
“Well don’t, you’re only scaring her further.” Daphnae hisses. She looks at me with a smile. “Keep those eyes closed. You may feel a little nauseous, but it will fade. We will guide Clarissa. Remember where you enter and leave in the same place, and you will awaken.”
I nod and close my eyes. I feel Clarissa’s shaky hand lay on my chest. I want to open my eyes to reassure her, but I don’t want to put her off. I lay as still as I can while Daphnae whispers words to her that I can’t hear. When I think nothing is happening and I’m about to open my eyes, I feel a tug on my s
oul. I gasp, squeezing my eyes shut when it happens again. Then I feel as though my ass has fallen out, you know the feeling when you’re on a ride at a theme park, and everything gets left behind when you drop. Yeah, that feeling. I scream as I fall and I’m half expecting to hit the ground, but that never comes. Instead, I land softly on my feet.
When I open my eyes, feeling that the air is different, I gasp at my surroundings. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I know I didn’t expect to be stood outside a house with a garden and the sun beaming down on my head. It’s like something out of a storybook, with the little house and a picket fence: the chimney blowing out smoke and the smell of pine in the air.
I walk to the door, feeling like Snow White about to meet the Seven Dwarfs or something. When I knock, knowing time is limited. When my mother opens the door, I cry in relief, flanked by, who I can only guess as Clarissa and Violet’s mothers.
“We have been waiting for one of you.” My mother says with a smile. She open’s her arms, and I throw myself into them. I hug her so hard that she has to tap my shoulder to let go. She laughs and holds me at arm’s length looking me over. “You look beautiful, and your hair has filled in.” She tugs on the strands with a laugh.
“We don’t have time for catch-ups. Clarissa only has a certain amount of power for this, and I can already feel her weakening, so we must hurry.” Clarissa’s mother looks stern as she ushers me in.
“You can feel her from here?” I ask.
“Yes. Now we know why you are here. You want to know who you are and why you are here?”
“Yeah. We know we are higher beings, but we don’t know what that means. We also know we outrank even the gods in power, but again how is that even possible. We are also worried about Clarissa. She has been withdrawn lately, and she won’t talk to us.” I say it all in a hurry, but I see the exchange the mothers make before my mother answers me. “And no secrets. We are fed up with that.” I add.
“Let me start at the beginning.”
“We don’t have time for that Zara.” Marissa looks worriedly at my mother.
“Clarissa is fine, now stop worrying. We need to start at the beginning for them to understand and not trust that man.” She snarls out the last part.
“I agree. I don’t want Violet going into this knowing half the truth.” Violet’s mother, Lily, sits next to mine. “We will tell you this together, but please don’t interrupt because we are on a time crunch.”
I nod, and my mother continues while Marissa starts to pace. “To start, Lucifer was never our mate. We don’t know how he did it, but our DNA recognised him as ours. We tried to resist him, but he kept pulling us back in. Till this day, we still don’t understand, but we know it was for a reason, you three. No one can rid the worlds of Lucifer. No one but you three.” She looks to Lily who nods for her to continue. “You are all angels, Morgan.” She waits for me to say something, but I just blink stupidly. “Lucifer is a fallen angel. You three have that power, but Lucifer lost that part of himself a long time ago. That makes you three the higher beings. You have the power of fae, dragon, angel and now god too.”
“Now the wings make sense. I just thought it was because Lucifer had them.” I look at Marissa, who is still pacing. “What about Clarissa, though? Hers are black, while mine and Violets are the shade of our hair.”
“That is because she is a dark fae, and she is becoming darker every-day. If she embraces that darker side, she will be lost to you and will join Lucifer on his quest to destroy all.” Marissa looks sad. “I fear that is my fault, though. I had a dark side before I had her, and that part of me seeped into her soul.”
“So, Clarissa can become bad?”
“Yes, and you two need to ground her. Her mates will follow her regardless because of their connection. She is struggling at the moment, and I fear it is Lucifers doing. Only she can decide, but you can help.” She begins to pace again, and I feel a strange tug once more.
“We haven’t been able to connect with our dragons. Has that gone now even though we still bare the mark?” I ask my mother.
“If they think they aren’t needed, they won’t come. If they feel you need their help, they will come to your aid. You will always have that mark, same as we did.” She frowns as I begin to feel myself fade. “You are fading, so we must hurry. “You have to kill him this time. There is no way he will let this go if he doesn’t get his way. He must be killed, or he will just keep going.”
“Combine your strength with your sister Morgan. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. If you need mother earth, call to her. She is in your soul. I can feel her. She will strengthen you, and she will guide you.” Lily says. “Please tell my daughter that everything I did, I did for her.” I see tears in her eyes, so I promise her.
“I will. I will tell them both.”
“Last thing.” My mother says. “Once you have won this war, all of you will rule. Be prepared for that battle because it doesn’t mean that you will rule the fae, it also means you rule the gods.”
“We don’t want to rule the gods.”
“That may be, but you have no choice. Free the titans, and they will put the order back in place. Trust in them to help you.”
“Right, so kill Lucifer, free the titans and try and not get killed in doing so. Sounds easy.” I roll my eyes, and they all laugh.
“Trust us, you will succeed.” I stand to hug my mother, and then I embrace the rest.
“I have to get back. I can feel that same tug.” I walk to the door as it gets stronger. “I love you mother. Violet also says she is sorry for not listening to you and that she loves you. Clarissa says the same. She doesn’t blame you for leaving her.” I turn to leave as I feel the tug again but more potent.
When I walk out the door, the last thing I see is my mother smiling at me. Then all is white as I feel that sinking feeling once again.
Chapter fourteen
Marcus
Watching him sat on my father’s throne infuriates me. He looks so smug knowing he has three of our lands under his control. My parents, like Cole’s and Trey’s, are in the dungeon. Damon, Loki and Lucas stand behind Lucifer, all wearing the same face, hatred for the man who has made them his servants. He has their family but won’t tell them where. To ensure their safety, they agreed to be his servants. They know it isn’t them he truly wants but their mate. That will never happen. None of us is willing to give them up if they come back to our world. That’s what we have told him anyway. Truth is, we knew they were back the moment they stepped out of that portal.
For now, he has me tied up like a puppet. Trey is beside me, and Cole is in a cage by Lucifers feet. When he gets bored, he has our dark friends wail on us. He knows when they are being soft, and he takes over.
Trey slumps forward after another beating. My anger rises. The burning coal deep inside ignites, and my binds catch fire once more. Lucifer laughs, knowing that my fire won’t work, but this time it does. The flames lick at the black chains, melting them. I fall to the ground, landing hard on my knees. I grunt, but spring to my feet.
I use the same fire before Lucifer can stop me from freeing Trey. He crashes to the ground. I help him to his feet as Cole shouts at me to leave. I shove Trey towards the exit, telling him to go ahead.
“No, we are in this together.” We look back at Lucifer, who is fighting with Damon and Loki. Lucas is using a spell to hold him, but we know it won’t be for long. “We need to free your parents first. I will try and open the back wall. It might not work.”
“It’s worth a try but do it outside.” I race to Cole, place my hands on the cage to see it melt like my chains. Cole scrambles free as Loki is thrown into the wall.
“Go!” Damon screams.
I half drag Cole with me as Lucifer lets out a roar that shakes the castle. The floor shakes, and we are thrown to the ground.
“Shit. He is mad.” Cole says.
“He isn’t mad, he is fucking livid.” I race through the doors to
see the summer land fae fighting the demons to allow the king and queen through. “We need to hurry. They won’t be able to hold him for much longer.” Another roar rattles my bones. “Shit, how do we get to the winter lands? We have no horses and won’t make it there on foot.”
“Leave that to me.” Trey closes his eyes and raises his hands. The ground shakes for a different reason when it responds to Trey.
We gather together when the earth lifts under us. Cole helps him lift us higher, and the two of them use all their energy to move us away from my home. I look down to see Lucifer, red-faced and staring angrily up at us.
Lucifer roars again. He raises his hands, and black tendrils form from his fingers. I don’t duck in time as he throws it towards me, and it hits me square in the chest. The last thing I see is his smirking face, but eyes as dark and soulless as coal.
