Losing The Light Of The Moon

The Evil Inside The Past, Part II

Chapter 34: The Evil Inside The Past, Part II

JACE

I could see my aunts struggling. Both of their typically cheery expressions were now distraught, dreading to even begin the story regarding The Chosen...

Aunt Reina worriedly looked over at me as Ronan wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek before she nervously stated, “You know, I was once considered the ringleader of our Power of Three. At least Tati graciously allowed me to think that as truthfully, she is the one who truly centers us. But since our return, as I’ve reflected on everything we have gone through in our lives—especially your mother—knowing that she lost so much time with you and...” Her words trailed off as she distractedly looked down at her lap, unable to keep her gaze on us.

Aunt Persephone tearfully continued for her, “We have both felt quite guilty that we were given the gift of mates, all the while Tati has had to deal with devastation yet again. Fate has been both unfair and unkind to our littlest sister, something neither Reina nor I can understand, especially knowing the beauty that has always been inside her. I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you when I say your mother has been exquisite since the day she was born, which makes it that much harder to accept everything that happened back then.”

A thoughtful smile crossed her face as Aunt Reina affectionately told us, “Perhaps we should start there. As you know, there are ten years between each of the Sassy Sisters. And our Tatiana—well, she was quite the surprise to our mother and father—and she has been full of surprises ever since.”

“The moment I held her, I was completely enamored with Tati,” Aunt Persephone lovingly breathed out, “As Reina and I were both closest to our father, Mother feared I would steal her last chance at being the favorite—a penchant Reina and I both got from her—but it wasn’t long before our baby sister made it clear Mother got her wish—and soon after that, Tati showed us all how special she truly was.”

My aunt revealed how they were all astonished to discover very early on that my mother was a breathtakingly gifted witch.  Her powers first appeared when she was just four months old, disappearing at will all over the house, making it necessary to put a bell around her neck to find her. When they would finally locate her, Mother would greet them with a mischievous grin on her face, giggling at them—apparently even then, she was good at hiding.

Aunt Persephone then breathed out in awe, “Tati was so different—so magnificent—even then, she was in complete control of her magic. Mother always said she was a wise old soul in a child’s body. It all came so naturally to her—Mother began training Tati when she was barely a year old. She mastered everything taught to her almost instantly.”

Aunt Reina adoringly replied, “Our mother and Tati were incredibly close and devoted to one another—so connected and so much alike, it was almost like they were one mind, smiling often at one another out of the blue, like they were sharing private secrets. In fact, that’s where your mother’s fondness for butterflies comes from—it was the first trick Mother taught her and eventually became a playful sign of deep love and adoration they used often with one another.”  

I felt Constance’s fingers gently intertwine with mine, turning to see her and Charlotte smiling tenderly at one another before tilting their heads to the side to smile at Carson and me. All of our gazes then drifted over to Tink, whose mouth was dropped open as she shockingly breathed out, “Wait—W-What? The butterflies—Auntie—she—”

My aunts softly laughed before Aunt Reina nodded, affectionately interrupting, “As soon as you could walk you ran straight to Tati the instant you saw her. She always held that memory with our mother so close to her heart that Persephone and I were stunned when she first performed that spell for you. Your whole face lit up, just as it does now. It’s done both of our hearts good to see her continue to share that with you so often, Tink. It allows us remember our mother’s smile as well.”

Butterflies weren’t required to bring a smile to Tink’s face in that moment. It was obvious to everyone how much that new knowledge meant to her, although it wasn’t a surprise—Mother has always had a special place in her heart for her special girl.

Afterwards, however, Aunt Persephone’s expression changed as the weight of the past seemed to drop heavily on her shoulders as she downheartedly said, “Unfortunately, not long after Tati was born, I met Frieda.”  Pausing for a moment, her tone filled with regret as she breathed out, “I am the one who first brought Frieda into our world—and several years later, our whole world fell apart because Reina and I both refused to see the truth.”

The words spilled out before I could refrain from asking the question that had dumbfounded me since Frieda’s mind game, “All my memories of you both—what I know of you now—how could either of you end up mixed up with Frieda in any way? Were you both really part of The Chosen?”

Her brown eyes darkened as Aunt Persephone dismally began explaining the past by recollecting how at the time, it was a dark period where sorcery was concerned. Many of the large legacy families felt they were being used by wolf packs and controlled by The Council, creating resentment on both sides. That tension and mistrust led to more radical thinking among all witches—something I knew first-hand had carried on long after Frieda’s capture.

But for Aunt Persephone, it built a curiosity within her, leading her to go to various gatherings that were held where the younger generation of witches began debating The Council ‘s centuries-old laws. There were several groups that had formed over the years who would present their case for peaceful change—including The Chosen who appeared kind and amenable in their pursuit of making a difference for their kind—leading to Frieda introducing herself to Aunt Persephone one fateful night. 

Immediately mesmerized by Frieda’s intellect and immense sorcery, Aunt Persephone was excited when she offered to mentor her, seeming to thrive under Frieda’s tutelage, eventually leaving home to live at the Forest of the Vines despite their mother’s brokenhearted pleas to stay. Aunt Reina was invited by Frieda to follow her six years later. Much like we experienced with Roman and the Blood Horizons, however, it wasn’t until much later when true agendas were revealed...

Her head falling back slightly, my aunt’s entire body tensed as she began telling us about The Chosen—Frieda, Nimue, and the triplets, Desmona, Medea, and Oratia—were masters of disguise and deception who quickly gained notoriety for their ‘good work’, enabling them to build their ‘family’ to include an incredible array of talent and strength. 

“The day I met her, Frieda singled me out, immediately offering to help me reach my full potential and working diligently until we became the closest of confidants. As she was an orphan, Frieda seemed to appreciate our close-knit family, inquiring about them often—especially our ‘beautiful little fairy’,” Aunt Persephone solemnly stated, “I hate myself for ever telling her the meaning of your mother’s name—Fairy Queen—it infuriates me every time she refers to Tati that way...more importantly, I hate that I was so blind—I never saw how obsessed Frieda was with our sister.”

Bringing her grasped hand up, tears formed in the corners of Aunt Persephone’s eyes as she slowly allowed her fingers to open, gazing down at my grandparents’ necklaces as she brokenly breathed out, “If only I had known how dearly I would pay for my choices back then. Our parents, Mago and Vesta, both sensed Frieda’s darkness immediately, but I was young and naïve, rebelling against any of their arguments as I felt they were stuck in the past and holding me back. I allowed Frieda to begin driving the wedge between us that led our family to ruin. I was always willing to do her bidding, including having Reina join The Chosen the day after she turned sixteen. But as we were closest to him, our father never gave up trying to save his girls, especially as we were foolishly refusing to save ourselves.”

Aunt Persephone then explained that every time she came home over the years, she and Frieda would have tea upon her return so they could talk about her visit and Mother’s astounding progression. My grandparents, however, were fiercely protective of her, fearing for Mother’s safety and wanting to keep her hidden from the outside world until she was older, pleading with my aunts to keep quiet about Mother’s rapid growth of unimaginable powers. As such, Aunt Persephone kept them unaware that she was confiding in Frieda, who always supported their protectiveness of her—for her own vile reasons.

“Frieda made sure I was so ingrained in The Chosen that I would never doubt their loyalty to me and in turn, my loyalty to them was impenetrable. I so firmly believed in what we were doing and trusted them all with my life. They had me where they wanted me and eventually had Reina firmly in their clutches as well. All the while, they were methodically tearing apart our family—and Reina and I allowed it to happen.”

Falling silent for a moment, she sadly stated, “But again, Tati is much like our mother—including having the same tremendous talent for visions...which leads us to when The Chosen showed their true colors...but unfortunately, only one of them was able to change a devastating outcome.”

A harrowed breath passing through her lips, Aunt Persephone timidly told us how it all started—there were small attacks on various patrols, primarily attacking the Howling Winds, appearing at the time to be planned by rogues. Their father Mago was a respected warlock who worked regularly with Lorenzo and Soren’s fathers, Soloman and Nigel. 

As the instances of strikes grew, Nigel asked Mago to assist them in their search for answers. From the beginning, Mago nor The Council ever believed it was rogues, everyone working tirelessly to find evidence of who they believed was the real culprit—The Chosen—but they were meticulous in covering their tracks. 

Fearing their association with them, Mago pressed harder for my aunts to leave The Chosen, making every attempt to convince them that Frieda was behind it all, but because there was no proof and my aunts had grown fiercely loyal and dedicated to The Chosen and their cause, every effort was met with failure and only caused more tension between them. It eventually led to my aunts ceasing contact with them—and Aunt Persephone confiding what she thought at the time were ridiculous accusations to Frieda.

Once she learned Mago and The Council suspected her, Frieda began telling her following and her allies that The Chosen were being targeted as a scapegoat because they were the largest coven of witches, making them a threat to The Council, warning everyone that they needed to be prepared to protect and defend themselves from inevitable persecution—a persecution that Frieda herself would deceitfully put into play as the next step in her plan...

Tears welled in her eyes as Aunt Persephone’s tone thickened with deep despair, “After several more attacks, The Council had ordered the leaders of The Chosen to be brought in for questioning. Father unexpectedly accompanied Nigel to the Forest of the Vines with a large group of Howling Wind warriors. As they entered the clearing, Frieda assured us they had nothing to hide and were going willingly so they could prove their innocence.”

Aunt Reina devastatingly broke in, “We watched as The Chosen five walked towards Nigel, Father, and the army of wolves...and then mayhem broke out. Nigel’s army charged towards them with no warning whatsoever, causing our father to panic, screaming out at Persephone and me to leave the forest—a choice he was killed for seconds later.”

When both of my aunts tearfully fell silent, Soren suddenly spoke up, his gruff voice angry relaying, “The Chosen five executed their plan perfectly that day. They placed a spell on my father and our army, murmuring the words ‘I believe in our stand’ as they reached them, giving the leaders of The Chosen complete control of the attack—all of it against our will and helpless to stop it. They instantly became heroes to their many followers who witnessed it, creating an impenetrable shield as they drove our wolves out of the forest, sealing the entire area afterwards to protect themselves.”

Aunt Persephone spitefully broke in, “Frieda was masterful in both her magic and her strategic planning. She has always controlled everything that happens in the Forest of the Vines. Her every move was so well thought out that none of us suspected anything! We all believed every single one of her lies. Frieda’s powers are so strong that even our father—a gifted warlock—never detected that spell!”

Aunt Reina quietly sobbed out, “Father never would have been there that day if it weren’t for Persephone and me—he lost his life because we chose to believe in The Chosen, instead of choosing to believe in our own family.” 

Letting out a long sigh, Soren dejectedly continued, “A lot of damage was caused that day. The Chosen made it appear as though The Council had ordered their execution even though there was no evidence against them. Mago was made out to be an innocent victim used by The Council who lost his life trying to protect his daughters. Mago was a dear friend to my father and his vicious death at our hands always haunted him.” 

After the spell wore off, The Council was notified immediately and believed Nigel’s version of events, but the sorcery community was not convinced thanks to Frieda’s close ties with them all. Many believed after that event that wolves were turning against them out of fear as well. It enabled The Chosen to draw a line between the two groups that with some, continued to this day. 

Aunt Reina solemnly told us after, “As it turns out, Frieda was also talented with visions—she saw father would eventually lead to their downfall, sealing his fate...but what we didn’t know at the time was both our parents’ deaths were already planned. Unfortunately, the rebellion against the Council wasn’t the only thing The Chosen were patiently working on—our littlest sister had been Frieda’s most sought-after prize from the day she was born.”

Aunt Persephone exhaled out heavily, “Frieda had a vision about Tati and her powers the day she fluttered into our world—conjuring them up often—watching her grow. Every move she made with both Reina and I was for one purpose—to get to Tati. She saw the closeness Tati shared with our mother and how she would thrive under Mother’s guidance, methodically waiting for just the right moment to kill our parents and bring her to live with us. Not long after she killed our father, Frieda decided it was time take our mother’s life as well—so she could finally claim our sister.”

Her jaw ticked before she shamefully admitted, “Reina and I fell into a very dark place after watching our father die, just as Frieda had seen—just as she hoped we would—everything that had played out in her visions was falling perfectly into place.”

Aunt Reina tearfully stated, “Frieda had us take Father home not long after the short-lived battle and that was when a line was drawn within our family—the day we abandoned both Mother and Tati when they needed us most.”

Aunt Persephone despairingly continued with their story—Frieda pleaded with my aunts to convince their mother to come to live at the Forest of the Vines so that she and their little sister could be protected from harm. As Frieda expected, their mother refused, telling her two oldest daughters that Nigel would never attack Mago, and she believed his death was at the hands of The Chosen. 

Aunt Persephone and Aunt Reina were stunned that their mother didn’t believe what they had seen with their own eyes, adamantly telling her that she was wrong, leading to emotional pleas from both sides to listen to reason, each insisting they were right—until their conversation ended with my grandmother giving them an ultimatum—my aunts had to choose—The Chosen or their family. The darkness of vengeance that consumed my aunts won out that day, as they furiously made their choice—a choice that, according to my grandmother, made them no longer welcome in their home as they chose to abandon their own family.

“We had no idea when we left that day that it would be the last time that we would ever see Mother alive. All these years later, our last conversation with her still pains us both,” Aunt Reina dishearteningly admitted, “Mother had sent Tati outside. She was devastated when we said goodbye, begging us to stay with them—with her. But we believed Frieda’s version of the truth and felt Mother was putting Tati at risk and betraying our father, who we were determined to avenge. We told Tati that we hoped one day, she could forgive us for leaving her, but we had no choice. The Council killed our father, nothing would make us believe any differently—and nothing was going to stop us from working with The Chosen to avenge him.”

“Little did we know, our Tati would take every word we said to heart,” Aunt Reina sighed out, “Forcing her to make a heartbreaking decision.”

After arriving back to the forest, The Chosen five comforted my aunts, advising them to give their mother time to process everything and promising to help them in their quest, drawing them closer to their side. All the while, they were planning to make the final move to bring my mother into their fold. What none of them expected was for my grandmother, Vesta, to have a vision showing what was forthcoming—her imminent death and The Chosen’s treacherous plans for my mother.