Chapter 13
1465 Words
Gia
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“What the hell do you mean spelled?” Davin growled, his eyebrows furrowed, and his neck bulged. He looked like he was going to burst a blood vessel.
“Calm down.” I went over to him and put a hand on his arm.
I’d since learned that it helped keep him calm and relaxed in stressful times.
“It obviously didn’t work. We just need to find whoever is trying to hurt me, but we need to be subtle about it,” I said. “It won’t help to go crazy right now; we’ll only tip them off, and they’ll be on guard.”
Davin’s body relaxed as soon as I touched him, and he took a deep breath.
“They’ll be on alert since whatever they were trying didn’t work,” he said. At least he was thinking straight and did have a point.
“But they don’t know why it didn’t work. Anything could have derailed the plan, even something as simple as me forgetting to drink the tea.”
“I guess so,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “Who would want to harm you, though?” he asked, his forehead creased with worry.
Did he really want me to answer that?
“I could think of a few people,” I said, giving him a pointed look.
He grimaced as he thought about it. It didn’t help that a number of his family members were on that list.
“Look, I noticed it because I looked at it while my power was active. I’ll be sure to check everything I eat or drink from now on. That gives us some time to investigate quietly and form a plan,” I said.
He nodded and pulled me to his chest, holding me tightly.
“I can’t lose you,” he whispered. “Just the thought of it…”
“It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere,” I said as I put my arms around his waist, running my hand up and down his back. I felt a sense of panic through the bond. He was truly afraid for me. “We’ll be careful, and we’ll deal with whoever it is. We’ve been through worse.”
He tightened his hold on me and rubbed his nose in my hair.
“True,” he said. “Still, please don’t take any chances. Maybe I should assign some guards to you as well.”
“If it makes you feel better, then go ahead, but you know I really don’t need it.”
I didn’t like it, but it wasn’t a bad idea and would do no harm. And if it set his mind at ease, then all the better.
“For now, can we get some rest?” I asked.
Someone knocked, and Davin opened the door, allowing a young omega to bring the dessert and tea. It was a different girl this time; she walked in with her eyes downcast, not risking a glance in her alpha’s presence.
She set the tray on the coffee table by the sofa and made a quick exit. I checked it- no spells, and poured us each a cup of tea. Davin sat next to me and absently stroked my leg as he sipped the hot drink.
The dessert was made up of bite-sized mini-masterpieces of a few popular cakes. I spotted a lemon meringue pie between a red velvet and carrot cake, and my mouth watered; the sweet, tart flavor had always been my favorite. I grabbed one, and it was everything I had imagined.
“Are you going to have some?” I asked.
Davin’s eyes focused on me; where had his mind just been? He smiled and shook his head.
“I have something else in mind for my dessert.” His eyes showed the nature of his thoughts. He was downright greedy.
“I may need a little rest before you have your dessert then.” I laughed.
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I woke abruptly, an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Had I been dreaming? My leg was flung over Davin’s, and my head was on his chest. Ever since he and I started sleeping in the same bed, I didn’t have any dreams; instead, I had the best and most restful sleep ever.
I lifted myself off him gently and sat up. The feeling hadn’t left. What was that about?
I sighed as I looked at the clock; three in the morning, it was still dark out, and I was unlikely to fall asleep again. It would be a couple of hours before training started; I might as well be productive.
I made my way to the desk carefully and switched on the lamp. Davin didn’t stir; I was thankful that he slept like a log so I could work or read at crazy hours if I wanted. I grabbed the diary and flicked through the post-its sticking out at the top, found the last page I’d been working on, and settled down to the painstaking translation.
A few years had passed for Eithne and Cathal, prosperous years. They’d had four children, three of which were girls. The girls would inherit the power and carry on the bloodline. Eithne taught them everything she knew and cautioned them never to reveal their abilities except to their husbands, and only if they were treated well and loved.
One night Eithne woke to find her three girls standing at her bedside. They’d all had the same dream. They were visited by a Raven who had shapeshifted before their eyes. The bird became a stunning young woman. She looked down her sharp nose at them, her gleaming red hair and cloak billowing in the breeze, her stark emerald eyes boring into them.
The Morrigan.
The Morrigan had come to foretell of a devastating war many years in the future. A war of gods and mortals alike which, without intervention, would surely be the end of all existence. She also told of the Scions, those who would not be born for many generations, but would carry the genes of Eithne’s line and would be the salvation of all life. Eithne and her daughters had been tasked to procreate and survive to ensure the coming of the Scions.
I looked up, and day had broken. Had I translated that correctly? Scions… Plural. I checked my notes again and reread the passage. No, I was right. It said Scions. I sat back in my chair and exhaled loudly. Was there more than one Scion?
My mind whirled, struggling to grasp what I had just read.
The war didn’t surprise me. Deep down, I knew it was coming, but now that it was corroborated, we had to start preparing. A war of gods and mortals… we needed more information before we could think of a strategy. My heart panged. I missed my grandfather; he was a brilliant strategist and his insights would have been valuable now.
At least I wasn’t alone anymore; I had Davin, Scarlett, and Noah. I hadn’t seen Rat since the battle with Fenrir. Would he return to help this time? I was sure that Trent would help too. He and my mother were still seeing each other.
Uncle Ted was still at RAD, although they had yet to appoint a new leader. The decision would probably be announced soon. In the meantime, Uncle Ted and Sophia would surely help. The two were still going strong, too.
I read the passage again.
The Morrigan.
I didn’t know that much about Irish folklore and Gods, having grown up on Norse fare. I opened my laptop and did a quick search.
The name is Mór-Ríoghain in Modern Irish, and it has been translated as "great queen" or "phantom queen".
The Morrígan is mainly associated with war and fate, especially with foretelling doom, death, or victory in battle. In this role, she often appears as a crow, the badb, or a raven. She incites warriors to battle and can help bring about victory over their enemies. The Morrígan encourages warriors to do brave deeds,
So the Morrigan had already been pulling strings for this war centuries ago?
She featured in quite a few mythological stories, but most interestingly, she was listed among the Tuatha De Dannan - A pantheon of Irish Gods. I really needed to brush up on my Irish mythology.
I looked out of the window, processing everything I’d just learned. All I could think of was the other Scion. What was she like? Had she had a rough life? Or was she a spoiled, pampered person? Was she safe?
My stomach clenched; the uneasy feeling had returned with a vengeance. Was it the other Scion? Was she in danger?
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