Chapter Twenty-Five
Ava
I was overwhelmed. Too much had changed in a short amount of time and I wasn’t sure how to handle it. My memories were returned and I had my mate back. Though my heart knew him as Alaunus, my mind saw him as Macgrath as well. He had changed a great deal since our time together so many years ago.
Neither of us were the same.
Yet my love for him was still there. No matter how different he was from my memories, it didn’t affect the depth of my feelings for him.
And I could sense that he felt the same toward me. Now that our memories and our bond were restored, I could feel him inside of me. His thoughts, his emotions, they were all there, right beside my own. I knew it was the same for him.
Knowing what I now did, I wondered if he resented me for what I’d done to him before Rhiannon cursed us. I’d created him using ancient magic and a blessing from the Goddess herself. I’d been desperate to save him and I hadn’t once thought about how it would affect him.
A soft meow caught my attention and I looked down. Satchel sat on the floor, peering up at me with her shimmering eyes. Without waiting for an invitation, she hopped up onto the bed and butted her head against my arm.
I stroked her soft ears and head, murmuring nonsense to her. She lifted up, placed her paws on my shoulders, and tilted her head down. I understood what she wanted and bent my neck so my forehead rested against the top of her head.
As soon as my skin met her fur, magic swelled around us and the room went black.
I clutched the cat to my chest, protecting her. I couldn’t let anything happen to Satchel. It would break Savannah’s heart, and mine.
“Be at ease, daughter.” A warm feminine voice whispered out of the darkness.
Even before I saw her, I recognized that voice. The Goddess had come to me once again.
Light returned, a soft, blue glow at first that eventually brightened into the golden sunlight of late afternoon. As I looked around, I recognized the forest where I once begged for her help.
The same stream flowed beside me, the sound of the running water almost musical. I could see the faint sparks of light I remembered still in their depths. The grass beneath me was verdant and fragrant, so velvety that it resembled fine cloth rather than vegetation. The trees were thick and lush with ripe fruits dangling from the limbs. I could smell lavender, rosemary, and the sun.
I was home.
Satchel wiggled out of my arms and wandered over to the Goddess, sniffing at her long dress. The Goddess crouched and stroked the cat. Satchel’s eyes drifted shut and her low, rumbling purr echoed in the clearing.
“Mother,” I whispered. While I felt no fear of her, I did feel a twinge of worry. This may have once been my home, but it wasn’t any longer. I didn’t want to leave the people I loved. Any of them. “Why have you brought me here?”
I knew she heard my concern because she looked up at me and her face grew softer. “Worry not, my child. I do not intend to keep you. Only to speak with you and ask that you grant me a boon.”
Confusion filled me. Why would the Goddess require a favor from me?
She straightened, leaving the cat on the ground. Satchel’s eyes opened and I could see the disappointment glittering within them. Then she sighed and followed the Goddess as she walked over to where I sat and settled on the ground next to me. The luminous skirts of her dress spread around her, glittering and shimmering with the light of a thousand stars.
I bowed my head to her. “Anything you ask of me, I will do everything in my power to grant you.”
A sad smile tugged at her lips and she tilted her head in a way that was…familiar somehow. “Wait until I explain what I ask of you before you say that, child. It will not be—” She stopped and swallowed. Her already dark eyes grew even more shadowed. “Easy.”
The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck lifted. Somehow, I sensed what she would say next.
“I would ask you to spare Rhiannon’s life, daughter,” she said. And though it was not worded as a question, I could still hear the entreaty in her voice.
And she was right. This would not be easy because my first instinct was to leap to my feet and rail at her.
Instead, I took a deep breath and folded my hands over my lap. The last two thousand years had taught me patience.
When she saw that I was willing to listen, her smile became genuine. “You have grown wise in your lengthened years.” The curve of her lips faded as she regarded me. “I know what Rhiannon has done and I know the pain she has caused not only you, but the world. And she will face the consequences for those actions. But I beg you to spare her,” she said.
“What if I can’t?” I asked hesitantly, fear finally taking hold of me as I realized the Goddess had the power to take away everything I had finally found once more. “What if she gives me no choice?”
Will you take Macgrath away from me? The question was on the tip of my tongue but I swallowed it. The Goddess might be firm and mete out punishment, but she was not often vengeful. At least not from the stories I now remembered.
Her sad smile returned. “Oh, my daughter. I know what you fear and I would not do that. I know that what Rhiannon did to you will be difficult, if not impossible to forgive, but I will not punish you for feeling as you do.”
“Then why?” I asked, my voice tight and high as strong emotion nearly choked me. “Why ask this of me?”
I blinked. Shocked as tears lined her eyes and a single one fell to the ground. Where it struck the grass, a winding vine appeared from the earth, growing within seconds. In less than a minute, it bloomed with teardrop shaped flowers in purple, silver, and blue.
Goddess Tears were rare in this realm and highly prized. They contained a great deal of magic. I realized why as I watched more of the flowers open on the vine. They were literally from the Goddess herself.
“She is my daughter,” she explained. “Centuries before you were even born, she begged me to give her physical form. To allow her to live among the humans that I cherished. She said she wanted to learn, to grow, to understand them better. So I gave her one mortal life to live. A long life, filled with beauty and peace. I told her that she would have to serve the humans around her in order to truly understand them. That they were not as she was.” More tears fell and I watched as more vines appeared and flowers bloomed around her. “But she never understood, not truly. The longer she remained in her mortal body, the more twisted her mind and her magic became. She insisted that mortals didn’t deserve our mercy or our help. That they were weak. We argued. Then, when she killed the villagers where she lived, I knew I had to bring her back. I came for her and she fought me. She said I didn’t deserve to have dominion over humans. That I was as weak as they were. Then she cursed you and Macgrath and disappeared. I have searched for her for two millennia, fearing the worst. And now that I have found her, I know it has come to pass.”
As I stared at her, I shook my head. “I don’t understand, Mother. If she is your daughter, how would I have the power to destroy her? How is it she did not destroy…” I trailed off, understanding flaring in my mind. “That is why you helped me and granted me power,” I murmured. “To keep her from killing me. But why would it matter? I’m only a human witch,” I muttered.
The Goddess smiled then. “You still do not understand,” she replied, her eyes soft. “I call you daughter, but it was your mother who was my blood daughter and Rhiannon’s sister.”
The world seemed to tilt on its axis as I stared at her. Rhiannon was my aunt. And my mother. If she was a child of a Goddess, why had she died as a mortal?
The Goddess smiled softly at me. “Your mother, she chose a different path. She wanted to live out her life as a mortal. She lived for millennia and felt it was time to return to the earth. To the magic.”
“Just how many children do you have?” I asked.
She only smiled that same sad, serene smile. “Even the deities aren’t perfect. All my years of existence have brought me wisdom, but not perfection.” One last tear fell. “I’m asking a great deal from you, Aveta. I know this. I will beg if I must. Please have mercy on my child.”
“Even though she had no mercy on mine?” I choked out, remembering the horrifying silence after my daughter slipped from my body.
The Goddess’ face crumpled but there were no more tears. “I cannot replace your child, but I can give you a reassurance. The woman who took her from your hut, she managed to revive her. Then she took her.” The Goddess sighed. “The woman tried for many, many years to have a child and then her husband died and her flux stopped. She was not in her right mind when she stole your child. But she lived. She lived a long, beautiful life. The woman who stole her never told her, but she raised her with love and kindness. She cared for her more than anything else in that realm. And I am sorry that I could not stop it.”
“Why?” I asked, my voice cracking. I could feel something dark stirring within me, something that craved destruction and pain.
“I could not see. Not then. It is only now that I see the whole of our time apart clearly,” she gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “Rhiannon took you too far from me, through many realms and many centuries. We exist in more than one world, Aveta. There are thousands. Until you broke Rhiannon’s curse, you were lost to me. If I had been able to find you—” her voice broke and I heard the raw pain inside it.
She was in agony over what had been done to me, what her daughter had done, yet she could not stop loving Rhiannon. Just as I would love my daughter to the end of time. I would have done anything to protect her, even ask the impossible of someone else I loved. It seemed I was not so different from her as I thought.
“I will do everything in my power to spare her, Mother,” I relented. “But you must promise me that she will never again have access to the human realms. She must be punished for what she has done.”
The Goddess nodded, her hand reaching out and grasping mine. I gasped at the influx of power that jolted my entire body. “You have my vow. In magic and in blood.”
She looked down at the hand that held mine. I watched as a small cut appeared on the inside of her wrist and three blood droplets slid over her skin to the ground below. Immediately, another plant appeared, a thorny bush covered in deep green and burgundy foliage and ruffled crimson flowers that seemed to pulse with light. I had never seen anything like it before.
The Goddess reached out and plucked a flower from its vine. She held it out to me. “This is my vow and my magic. The flower will never wilt or fade. It cannot be destroyed and it will help you find and capture Rhiannon. Use it wisely,” she murmured as I took it from her fingers.
A thorn pricked my finger as I handled the stem. I watched as it glittered on my skin before dropping to the earth. To my utter shock, another vine appeared. This one smaller and greener than the Goddess’. Dark pink flowers opened, their petals unfurling to reveal a shimmering red center. They smelled warm and nearly sweet, reminding me of honey, sunshine, and summer.
I gaped at the small plant. The Goddess smiled. “You are of my blood, Aveta. Magic lives within you just as it lives within me. We are born of it and when we die, so shall we return to it.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to my forehead. “Be at peace, daughter of my daughter. Love and be loved.”
“Will I see you again?” I asked.
Her smile grew. “If you wish.”
“I-I think I do.” She was the last of my blood. I wouldn’t be alone.
As though she plucked the thoughts from my head, she shook her head. “You are not alone at all. You have a descendent waiting for you with your mate.”
I frowned at her, then it hit me. Finn. I’d marveled at the similarities of our eyes and our coloring.
“Who is he?” My throat felt tight with emotion.
“Your great-grandson. He is a credit to your bloodline. Powerful yet gentle and kind.”
The Goddess stopped speaking, her eyes shifting over my shoulder, unfocused and unblinking. Then she sighed. “You must go,” she stated. She gestured to Satchel and the cat came forward.
I’d completely forgotten about Satchel. I stared down at her as her tail twitched. Her eyes never left mine.
“Who is she?” I asked. “And what is she?”
The Goddess smiled. “She is made of magic, just as you are, though her talents are different from yours. There are many who choose to serve me and they answered the call when you were lost. They have searched the realms for you. She happened to find you, but Rhiannon’s curse prevented her from reaching me. So she found a way to be close to you.”
I laughed. Considering the cat barely tolerated me, that statement was hilarious. I never would have taken in a cat anyway. Then I stopped laughing. That was why Satchel approached Savannah. She had understood the only way to remain close to me was through her. It all made sense.
The Goddess nodded to me then her eyes dropped to Satchel. “You have served me well, daughter. It is time to release you from your vow.”
The cat mewed and the sound was sad.
“It is time for you to rebuild your life, daughter,” the Goddess declared, her voice soft but firm. “You have hidden long enough.”
The cat growled just a little and the Goddess surprised me by laughing.
“You are my business,” she said to Satchel. “You have done well, even without my guidance. I have no doubt that you will be fine.”
The cat meowed again and hopped up into my lap. I jumped, but instinctively put a hand on her side to keep her from falling from my leg. She leaned into me, still making sounds.
The Goddess studied us both for a few moments. “She wishes to remain in your realm with you, Aveta,” she stated. “Would you be willing to take her in and help her until she is ready to begin her life?”
The cat looked up at me and I stared down at her for a long moment. I could see the hope and intelligence in those feline eyes and wondered how in the hell I’d ever believed Satchel was just a cat.
“Of course,” I murmured softly. I knew what it was to be cast adrift with no one to point to safety or even cared where you washed ashore.
“I cared,” the Goddess whispered. “And I never stopped looking for you.”
I lifted my head. As our gazes met, I knew that I would spare Rhiannon. I would protect her from Macgrath’s revenge and bind her before sending her back to the Goddess.
I only hoped my mate would understand.
We returned to chaos. There was a roar that I recognized.
It was Macgrath. His back was to me as he tore the dresser apart, clothing flying everywhere.
I looked around in shock. The bedroom had been destroyed. There was no other word for it. Every piece of furniture was in splinters and the sheets had been shredded into confetti.
“What happened?” I cried out, rushing toward him. I leaned over to drop Satchel onto her feet a few steps away from him.
He froze in his frenzy and turned to face me. His eyes were pools of emerald and gold fire, burning with rage and desolation.
“Ava?” he asked, his voice gruff and so low it was nearly inhuman.
I approached him and put a light hand on his chest. “Ewan, what happened? Are you hurt? Is Savannah all right?”
He groaned, the sound ripped from his chest, and he snatched me up in his arms. As he cradled me, his body trembled violently. I felt dampness on my shoulder and realized that he was crying against my skin.
“Ewan.” I cupped the back of his head, my nails gently scraping his scalp. When he didn’t respond, I tried again. “Alaunus, what happened?”
After a long silence, he finally replied, “I thought I lost you again. We returned to the house and you were gone. We searched for you everywhere. Kerry cast spell after spell but you had vanished off the face of the earth. I thought Rhiannon had taken you. I…I snapped.”
His arms tightened around me and I whimpered. It hurt. He relaxed a bit but didn’t release me. He didn’t lift his head either.
I stroked his scalp and pressed a kiss to the side of his head. “I’m here and I’m sorry.”
“Where were you?” His voice was marginally calmer, but his body was still shuddering.
“The Goddess called for me,” I answered. I lifted my other hand, which still held the flower she had given me. Her vow. “She gave me this. It will help us find and capture Rhiannon.”
The crimson flower pulsed with magic, tiny red sparks dancing along the edges of its petals. I felt Macgrath turn his head and look at it.
“What is that?” he breathed in awe, his arms loosening a bit more.
“The Goddess created it with her blood and magic.”
Macgrath whirled and growled viciously as the bedroom door was thrown open.
“Oh, thank the Goddess you’re back!” Savannah cried. She rushed into the room, throwing her arms around me. She didn’t seem to care that Macgrath still held me off the floor. “Don’t you ever scare us like that again, Ava Amaris, or I will not be responsible for my actions!” Her words were muffled because her face was buried against my back.
I glanced over at Satchel and raised an eyebrow. The cat had the sense to look ashamed. Or at least as ashamed as a feline could.
“Where were you?” Kerry asked from the doorway.
I twisted so I could see her. “With the Goddess.” My eyes moved to Finn. My expression must have changed because he nodded. He knew what he was to me then. I felt the tears gather in my eyes but blinked them back. There was too much to be done and very little time.
“I have a lot to share with you and it needs to be fast,” I stated, looking at everyone in the room. “But first, there’s someone you should meet.” I turned back to Satchel and lifted an eyebrow.
Once again, I wondered how I’d ever thought that Satchel was just a cat. Her facial expression was downright human and it was not happy. I thought I heard her sigh before magic gathered around her.
Everyone in the room stiffened. Kerry lifted a hand, but I stopped her.
“Wait! Just wait,” I commanded.
She studied me then lowered her arm.
Satchel shimmered until suddenly she was gone and in her place stood a tall, slender woman with black hair and the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen. They were a mixture of every color. Blue, grey, brown, and green. They were nothing like the eyes she wore as a feline. She was also naked.
“Holy fucking shit!” Savannah yelped, stumbling back from us. “Who are you and what have you done with my cat?”
I had to bite back a laugh because I knew Savannah wasn’t finding this situation one bit funny, but she so very rarely cursed that it was shocking to hear two fly from her lips. “She is your cat. She always has been.”
The woman stepped forward and cleared her throat. When she spoke, her voice was rough, as though she weren’t used to using it. “I am Arien. I was sent to protect you.”
“Fuck. Me.”
I had to close my eyes and sink my teeth into my bottom lip to keep from laughing. Savannah dropping the f-bomb was a rare enough occurrence, but twice in less than a minute had to be a record.
I felt Macgrath’s body shake against mine and tilted my head so I could see his face.
Without thinking, I reached out through our connection. Do. Not. Laugh.
At my command, the corners of his mouth tilted up further. I’m not.
I can hear you.
A low growl from the doorway caught all our attention. Harrison stood a few feet from us, but his gaze was fixed on Arien.
She stared back at him and actually hissed, just as she would have as a cat. I was surprised that her back didn’t arch.
“Did you just hiss?” Savannah asked, approaching Arien.
The woman blinked at her then down at her bare body. “My apologies. I’ve spent a very long time as the cat. It will take me some time to adjust.” She lifted her gaze to Savannah. “Might I have some clothes to cover this form? As Aveta stated, we have much to discuss and very little time.”
“Why?” Macgrath asked. “Why do we need to hurry?”
I wriggled until he set me on my feet and I turned, looking at everyone in the room. “Because this,” I lifted the flower, “Will call Rhiannon right to our doorstep.”