The Delta's Daughter Chapter 186

Ashe paused, her gaze looked towards the fire, lost in a faraway thought "Let me tell you the story of Inanna and Conri" She said and began to recite a tale as ancient as she. I listened intently until she had finished. A greater understanding of our wolves and what we meant Lamia and I meant to each other.

“How do I get back” It was a stupid question, I knew it as soon as I asked it but my haste to save my mate from whatever fate the gods had bestowed upon her was my priority, the rest of Ashe’s words going in one ear and out the other.

She chuckled. “Open your eyes silly.”

*****

My eyes shot open, my chest heaved and I gasped for air, gulping it into my starving lungs. The first thing I noticed was the rotten stench of flesh and dried crusted blood. I gagged and rolled to the side, blinking my eyes at the brightness. I could taste death, the smell so strong I began to puke.

Next, I noticed the pain in my back as the heat of the air hit it. I groaned still trying to focus my eyes.

“Took you long enough, been waiting two days for you to wake up.” I heard the condescending voice of a female speak, but my sight was still hazy, trying to look for the source while still emptying my guts all over… what

My hands were grabbing something squishy, a few hard edges, and… whatever it was, was making my stomach turn over. I shook my head still trying to get myself up, “For fucks sake, what is that smell” I cried out when the stench was too much to bear.

The female cackled in amusement at me. Finally, my eyes began to focus and I was able to see what it was I was trying to grab in my efforts to climb out of the goddess's awful smell, “Oh my fucking Moons!” I yelled in absolute disgust, heaving at the sight before me.

I turned my head from the very, very aged bodies, but it was a wasted effort. I seemed to be in a shallow pit of bodies, some skeletons, some still fleshy, and others dried out. It was the rot on the flesh and the squishy ones that were giving off the nastiest thing I had ever smelled in my whole life. “It's not fucking funny! Help me out of here.” I was annoyed that she was sitting there perched at the top of this grave site, having herself a good old time at my expense.

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” She said between giggles.

“Give me your fucking hand,” I ordered reaching my hand towards her. “I just came back from the dead, if I’m in here for another second the smell might kill me off.”

At first, the young girl looked pissed that I gave her an order, but then her face fell and her attitude changed when I mentioned dying.

“Well we can’t have that; Ashe has put a lot of faith in you young King.” She stood up straight with her hands on her hips and her eyes trained on me, looking very serious suddenly. “I am Andie, and I give you your third gift: Fate. By accepting this gift you pledge to answer when you are called upon by fate. Your fate lies with your Queen. Are you ready to accept your gift Gladiator, Wolf King”

Ashe said I had to accept my fate whenever that may be. Hadn’t that been exactly what I have been doing my whole life I nodded my head. “Yes I accept my fate. Now give me your hand.”

“Oh right, OK.” She giggled and offered down her dainty hand. I grabbed onto it and used her and my legs to climb out of the pit, cringing every time my foot met part of a juicy corpse.

Once I was up, Andie let go of my hand and gave herself a full body shake and making a face of revulsion.

It was almost dark. “How long have I been here for” I asked Andie.

“Two days,” I must have made a repulsed face “Yeah two days in that.” She added pointing to the shallow pit I had just climbed out of.

I took in Andie, she was much younger looking than her sisters, but their eyes were the same and the shape of their faces hadn’t changed just the ages they decided to display. I looked to the sky, breathing in as much fresh air as possible. I felt… different.

‘That’s because we are,’ Conri awoke from the back of my mind.

“Well have fun, it’s time for me to leave. I wish you luck young King.” Andie giggled and before I could say a word she transformed into a black raven, spread her wings, and flew off into the distance. Leaving me there not only stunned and alone but also feeling slightly helpless.

I looked around, having no idea where I was, I saw the great wall that surrounded the palace compound, comprehending that I was outside the walls. How ironic. I would have done anything to get out of there and now I find myself thinking about how to get back in there.

I felt a slight buzzing sensation in my head along with a scratching sensation. I tried to ignore it thinking it was a side effect of being dead for two days and my body laying amongst the corpses.

‘I feel free’ I heard Conri again.

I agreed, something definitely felt more… I felt lighter like a weight had been lifted from me, I breathed in and began to try and alleviate some of the building tension in my head, which had now turned to a low thumping.

‘Conri, can you feel that’ I questioned my wolf

‘Yes, block is up in our mind’ He replied carelessly.

Our block I now questioned myself. I focused, removing the block from my mind, taking slightly more effort since I hadn’t been able to use that ability for the last three months.

Suddenly my head began to fill with voices and all their sentiments. I shut it down quickly before it was too much and concentrated on the first voice I heard. They were mumbling to me through a mind link No it couldn’t be, could it I reached behind my head and felt for the chip. I could still feel it, right there under the skin, but if I was receiving someone else’s thoughts… That must mean The chip was inactive

I focused on my Beta’s face and opened up a link to him, praying my wolf was no longer suppressed *Mike* I said and waited a few moments. When I got no reply I tried again *Mike, for fucks sake if you are there…*

*Holy shit! Kellen* The relief that filled me was like nothing else as my best friend's voice filled my head.

*Yah, it’s me.* I sighed thankfully through the link not even sure what to say. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness.

*Mother of the moons dude! I thought you had died, we all felt the loss, Where the fuck are you* Sounding just as relieved as I was, he shot question after question. I could not only hear the desperation in his voice, but I also felt his relief and the strain my disappearance had put on him, lifted.

*I’m in a place called Bhakhil, Jack and Oliver fucking sold me!* I growled out back to him, recalling the whole ordeal on the boat.

*We just landed at the port, we are two to three days away. Hang tight, we are coming to get you.* He said and then added *It is so good to hear your voice, fuck man you have had us worried.*

*Me too, brother. I will explain more later, Keep the link open. Right now I have to figure out how to get back into the palace compound.*

*What, why If you are out start heading our way…* I cut him off, he didn’t know what was at stake. It wasn’t just me.

*My mate is in there. Your future Queen.* Oh, was all he said, but I didn’t miss the shock in that ‘oh’, Mike realized I couldn’t just walk away, not from my mate, his future queen.

I was fucking elated, over the moon. Now the inhibitor chip seemed to be disabled and I could mind-link again, shit was about to get real. Now I just needed to figure out how I was going to get back on the other side of this wall and get my fucking girl.

I stood there looking up at the gigantic wall, the barrier between me and Tala, going over my options.

‘Maybe go knock on the front door’ Conri said, and it wasn’t that bad of an idea. At least it was an option. ‘Or wait three days’ he countered.

Bonus free chapter –

The story of: INANNA & CONRI

In the last chapter, you read where Ashe began to Kellen the story of Inanna and Conri, I did not want to make that chapter too long for readers and decided to put it separately as a free chapter. I did want to give you a little insight into the history of those two, and I hope all your memories are good, from reading the first and second books and the fairytale Tawny told them all while sitting in the gym.

*****

Told to Kellen by Ashe/Odeia

Many moons ago, when the realm was still young and the gods still walked amongst the humans, In a land called Heartme, which you know as the Sea dogs Island, by chance, the goddess Inanna was wondering about the mortal realm of shifters and humans, met a mortal king called Conrad (Conri)

Their love was forbidden, as Inanna’s father had already promised her to a war god. Yet Inanna could not deny her obsession with the handsome, fierce king. Likewise, the King, Conrad was enthralled with her beauty Falling in love with her at first sight. Her black hair and green eyes were the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on.

The gods were angry that she had abandoned her position, choosing to stay in the mortal realm in the arms of a mere human. Anu, Inanna’s father stripped her of her immortality when he found out she bore the child of a human and banished her from the heavens.

When Anu cursed King Conrad the same way Zeus cursed my father, His soul would return in the form of a wolf, to be reborn over and over until the end of time. For many moons Inanna and Conrad lived happily, the king’s trusted red knights protecting his goddess queen, and their son. Eventually, Inanna gave birth to another, a daughter who possessed immense power. It is said the child held the power of life and death within her blood and could shift into a wolf as silver as the moon.

When Anu found this out he killed Conrad so he and Inanna would never be reunited again, forgetting the curse he had put place and that the king's soul would be reborn into another.

At this time Anu and Zeus went to war, Anu had killed one of Zeus' most precious humans and he wanted an eye for an eye and set his sights on taking the demigod child. With Conrad dead, Inanna fled far away with her children and only King Conrad’s most trusted knight Cuchulinn Mac-Tire.

Inanna’s mother took pity on her and granted her one wish. ‘I wish for Conri’ is what she told her mother, devastated by the loss of her love. Her mother granted her wish, giving Inanna her immortality back.

The moon goddess, named Nana, at this time, took Conri under her wing and upon his rebirth granted him a soul mate. That soul mate was Inanna.

One night on a full moon, when Conrad was in his wolf form he was hunted by the humans and killed, yet again leaving Inanna alone, Inanna begged her mother the moon goddess to gift her with the spirit of a wolf so she could be reborn with Conrad for eternity.

The moon goddess granted her wish but it was up to Conrad and Innana to find each other over time. So for centuries, this is what they had done, each rebirth becoming further and further apart until eventually they both descended to the heavens and stayed in a prolonged sleep that would last until your's and Lamia’s birth.

It is said the great-granddaughter of the firstborn werewolf and the son of King Conrad repeated history and fell in love, little did the gods know, that the son Inanna and Conrad had, was also born a shifter, a gift granted by the moon goddess to her grandson. They were fated to be mated.

That is how the story of Riocht became. It was my great-grandchild that was mated to the son of the great King Conri, and that is how you and Lamia are related. That, no matter when your spirit animals are reborn; you are bound to find each other, your wolves' spirits bonded through an endless time. They will always need each other, their love runs so deep, yet this time it seems the moon goddess had a different plan for my descendant and her daughter (Inanna's) spirit wolf. She paired her with a Demi-god, and you to the daughter of Conri’s most trusted Red Knight.

Your Queen of Shifters has already risen. Now, young King, it is your turn to rise. To protect what the Queen holds within her. Your Fate.