The Delta's Daughter Chapter 84

Lamia

The voice was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. When the figure stood from the chair, my eyes widened in shock. Her white flowing hair and dark as night skin was so familiar. It couldn’t be? She turned with a small but genuine smile on her face. Her eyes, an unnatural hue of violet, just like Finnegan’s.

“You!” I cried out, gasping and pointing an accusing finger at her. “Ashe?”  

She was real, I mean like in the flesh real! Not in my dreams.

It was too much, the overwhelming feeling, everything she had told me in my dream, the library, Zane… just everything.

Everything came crashing down on me at once.

I stifled the sob that wracked through my body and felt the tears brim and trickle down my cheeks. My legs gave way and I felt myself crashing to the floor, but I never hit it. The jolts of electricity through my body told me Mathias had caught me.

My emotions were overloaded and all consuming. Mathias took me to the couch and sat me down with him, placing me in his lap. I couldn’t stop crying. I didn’t know why, but my body was thrown into turmoil and it was like I had no control over my own sentiments.

“What, what’s wrong with me?” I cried into Mathias’ shirt.

“Baby I don’t know. How can I help you?” He cooed in an attempt to sooth me while placing soft kisses on my head and his one hand rubbing my back like a child. It helped and soon I was able to calm myself, or at least stop the tears.

Odeia, or Ashe, I was so confused, brought me a glass of water and felt my head. “Her body is preparing for heat. Her emotions will be all over the place, and seeing me, in the flesh, may have caused the process to speed up. You two have gone through a lot in the past few days.” Still feeling my forehead, she told us.

“Why did she call you Ashe?” Mathias asked, holding me tighter. I could feel his muscles tense when she mentioned heat.

“I am known by many names. Ashe is my given name. Odeia is a name I took over the centuries.” She held her arm out in a gesture, “We have much to discuss. And I know you are full of questions and I will answer you both as best as I can. I will say it is a good thing you came to Avalon now and her heat is in good timing”

Heat? I had never experienced heat before. I was already pregnant when I should have gone into heat with Zane. And because I hadn’t mated in the past two years, I didn’t have a heat. A high sex drive around the full moon, but that was it.

Shifters experienced heat only when or after they had found their mate. A female’s heat was a way of guaranteeing to finish the mating process and procreate. Unmated females, or females who have not found their mate, went through a type of menstrual cycle, like humans, but only every three months and it wasn’t anything like going into a heat. Then, once their mate had been identified, their heat would shift to a cycle of every 5-6 months.

“I am sure Lamia has told you about me visiting her while she was in an unconscious state?”

“No, we haven’t found the time to talk about everything. What, with everything else that has come to fruition?” Mathias hummed.

“Hmm, I understand you met Orion last night?” Odeia asked him. Again Mathias stiffened at the mere mention of the man and I could feel the anger boiling up inside him.

“He did. He said he was my father. They were twins. Told me a story about how he tricked my mother.” He tensed further and I could hear his teeth grinding. I was sure if I looked up his jaw would be ticking, the vein in his forehead pulsing.

“I am afraid it is true. I would urge you to talk to your mother about the particulars. I was never quite sure who your father was. They were both born with the same gifts as you. Both are descendants of Arcas, a hunter and the first bear shifter. Condemned to live as a bear when he accidently tried to kill his mother, but the moon goddess took pity on him and allowed him to walk as a man every full moon until he was cast into the sky with his mother and became what you know as Ursa Minor, his mother Ursa Major. Which is why we can see Ursa Major all year round, but Ursa Minor secretly disappears every now and then. Your spirit animal is Arcas, is he not?”

“Yes, Orion asked what his name was. I lied, giving him another.” He puzzled over his own question.

“Mmmm. Mathias, you have no idea what you are, do you?” she shook her head at him and gave a small smile. “I didn’t think so. Then let me tell you.”

*****

Odeia/Ashe

The God’s are complicated creatures, known to put their sons and daughters through complicated trials. Historically, their lives have never been easy. They always seemed to watch from afar, doing nothing during those difficult times. A test? Not so much, more of a game. These trials became more about entertainment and revenge among the gods themselves, than anything else. Then there were the gods and demigods (who had ascended) that wanted to help but were forbidden, but always managed to find a loop hole.

I smiled at the young couple who sat before me. They had no idea who they were, or what they were. That they would become legends, stories would be told of them for centuries to come.

 I had watched Mathias from the moment he was born, even though he was not my descendant. His role in this life, however, was essential to one of my heirs, Lamia.

The dormant gene Lamia carried came to life the day she was born. Destined to become the Queen of shifters, but fate has a funny way of turning events and throwing in a random twist.

Lamia became the unknown. Her father, a man I met once, and saw his future child, is part Lycan, a descendant from the goddess Morrigan’s blood line.

 Morrigan was a goddess of hunters and animals and ruled during the ancient Celtic times. She was a shape shifter, who coupled with a wolf and thus the Lycan's were born. A different type of werewolf. They call her the mother of shifters. Throughout time, she had many names like the rest of us. Some call her Selene or some would know her by the name Diana.

Fate had aligned the stars perfectly, and when these two ancient bloodlines came together, they created something powerful, something unknown.

Lamia Langley.

I regarded the two shifters, both so beautiful and powerful, and yet they hadn’t even scratched the surface of who they were. It is forbidden to interfere with your children. But neither of these two were directly my children.

“Mmmm. Mathias, you have no idea what you are, do you?” He shook his head at me, deep lines creased his forehead, I could see the confusion in his eyes and it was written across his features. “I didn’t think so. Then let me tell you.”

So I began my story.

“I have lived thousands of lives, and I have foreseen many futures. I wasn’t just the first born werewolf, but an oracle, a gift bestowed upon me by my mother, Fortuna. When I was young, I transformed while in heat and coupled with a wolf under the full moon. My children became the first wolf shifters, and the first Dire Wolf shifters were born. Many moons later, the Goddess Morrigan, a shape shifter, coupled with a wolf one night when she took their form and thus the creation of Lycan’s.

Lamia, you are a descendant from both of these blood lines, genes that have lain dormant for centuries. Waiting until the planets aligned. Your prince is also a descendant of Morrigan, a distant cousin if you wish. On their own, these two species are powerful, but mix the blood lines and something godly and pure is created. You.

You draw your power from the gods and their gifts. I had told you before, it was written in the stars.

Two ancient bloodlines shall mate and bare a daughter that would become queen. More powerful and stronger than any other shifter, the Dire and the Lycan, born of first blood, will sit on the throne and give birth to the next line of Demigods."

I turned to Mathias, King of bears. He was the spitting image of his twin fathers, and the reincarnation of something much more.

“You are already a Demigod, my dear boy. The blood that runs through your veins is a direct line to the Demigod Arcas himself.

Your spirit animal is his reincarnation. Arcas, son of Zeus and king of Arcadia, was condemned to live as a bear until the moon goddess took pity on him, and granted him the ability to transform.

I was never sure who your father was, but as you grew, I suspected it was Orion and NOT Argus.

Two brothers: one born of light, the other, born of darkness. It was hard to tell which way you would go, and for a while I saw you taking the road that led to the shadows. Until a few days ago when you met your second chance mate, when you both met your second chance, did I see a change and a softer side to you.

History has a habit of repeating itself. Whether you call it: Kane and Able; Baldr and Hoor; or Arius and Orius. They come from the same stories, two brothers at war, over control and/or a female, which is what happened between your parents. Your fathers also have the blood of Arcas running through their veins. It is always a battle of good versus evil, light versus dark.

It’s a way for the gods to weed out the weaker offspring.

Jealousy, pride and vengeance are strong emotions and many a god and demigod have fallen because they cannot control them. Or get out of the way of themselves. My father is a prime example of that.

I once had a child who brought peace to this realm, until two brothers fought for a throne and her. One brother killed the other, the king, in jealousy and rage, wanting his queen for himself. So the queen, my daughter, fled carrying a child. Upon her death, she cursed the Throne of Riocht. That there would be no ruler to ascend until another of first blood came to claim it.”

I sat in silence when I had finished, waiting and watching them. I expected their stunned silence. It was a lot to swallow, so now I will wait for the questions.

I watched the puzzled look come across Lamia’s face. Her features scrunching and her green eyes narrowing as she shifted positions in Mathias' lap. I poured them some tea I had already prepared and it was sitting on the table. I pushed the two cups towards them. “Drink, please.” I encouraged.

I smiled at the sight. Stories would be told about these two and they would become legends.

“Something I don’t understand, actually two things. Where do my Knights come into all of this” she says, waving her hand in the air in a big gesture. “The second is, if you have the gift of foresight, can you tell us what is coming and the outcome?”

I sighed; this was always the difficult part. “No my dear, I do not see everything. What I can say is that a war is coming, and as strong as you both are, there are others who hold power too. I cannot see the final outcome because it has not been determined. And my limits of help do not stretch far, unfortunately. Your knights are your protectors; the king, the commander, the councilor and the savior. They will play a key role in your battle against Orion. You have already found your four Knights.

Before the third moon after the spring equinox, you must take your places on the thrones of Riocht. Failure to do so will be the demise of shifters and mankind alike. Save the people before they fall into darkness. He must not succeed. Your blood is the key, Dire Wolf.”

Lamia picked up a cup and handed it to Mathias, then took her own and sipped it. A satisfied hmm slipped through her lips in appreciation of a warm drink on a cold winter’s night. The fireplace crackled, filling the void of silence.

I looked at Mathias; his silver eyes a dead giveaway to his bloodline. Such a strong, beautiful man, with an even stronger animal spirit. His only weakness was his mate. She was the only person who would bring him to his knees.

“I noticed,” I said, pointing at them, “You have not completed the mating ritual. It is a good job. Tomorrow is the full moon. You will complete it here in Avalon. There is nothing more sacred than the joining of two souls. I should like to conduct the ceremony.” I smiled.

I had neglected to tell them I had foreseen this, their bonding under the full moon in the sacred baths, a ritual that would give them the strength and power to face the demons that would wreak havoc throughout the realm.

A ritual blessed by the gods, binding them in this life and the next, for eternity.

“Where is Riocht, Odeia?” Mathias stiffened with his question. I had a feeling he already knew the answer.

“Where they dare not go, through the forest of the dead, you will find the city once lost. Upon the throne, the chosen will sit and when their blood is spilled, a queen will rise and a new era will be born.”

“The forest of the damned,” he whispered. A troubled look flashed across his face. His free hand rubbed the scruff on his chin, seemingly in thought.