Empyrean witch demigodde.., p.20
Empyrean Witch: Demigoddess Chronicles Book 1, page 20
He raised an eyebrow. “Right there.”
I shook my head. “Right there, what?”
“You hesitated. You were going to say something else.”
My first instinct was to deny it, but he wasn’t wrong. “I was going to say witch,” I admitted.
He raised his other eyebrow, both of them arched questioningly. “Why didn’t you?”
Damn, this guy was observant. That quickly, he’d zeroed in on the question that had been plaguing me for weeks. “Well, because I’m not quite sure what I am.”
Kiaran’s brow furrowed. “What about your parents? Surely they must have—”
“I never met them,” I said, cutting him off. I wasn't about to discuss my family with him. “But just because my past is a little sketchy doesn’t mean I’m some sort of demigoddess—if that’s even a real thing—rather than a witch.”
“I should have been more specific,” Kiaran said. “Technically, I think you might be both. What’s known as an empyrean witch.”
I frowned and blinked at him like ten times.
“It’s not a term you hear often,” he conceded.
As in never, I thought. At least, I’d sure as hell never heard of it. “And why’s that?”
“Because our kind aren’t in this realm much anymore. And, well, those who visit are expected to observe certain constraints. One of those being that we’re not supposed to…”
He let his words trail off, but I understood his meaning. “Knock up one of our kind?”
He shrugged. “Or the other way around, but that seems to happen less frequently.”
Meaning what exactly? That human males weren’t up to the task? Or that female Dregerans—or whatever they called themselves—were just less likely to bonk someone outside their own species? Honestly, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to know.
I looked at Kiaran again. “Still not sure why you’d think I’m a demigoddess, or some sort of hybrid. Whatever you called it.”
“Empyrean witch,” Kiaran said.
“Right, that. I mean, just because I connected psychically with you and your pals doesn’t prove anything.”
Kiaran’s eyes met mine, rather pointedly. “I believe it does. A regular witch, even if psychic, wouldn’t be able to lock onto us the way you did. Quite likely, a demigoddess wouldn’t be able to sense our presence either.”
“So you’re saying it takes a special kind of power to be able to psychically detect your kind. Or to potentially read you.”
Kiaran kept his eyes on mine for a long moment, leaving no doubt that he’d felt my psychic intrusion before. “Exactly. Simply put, we’re on a different frequency.”
I cocked my head, trying to make sure I understood right. “And being able to tune into that frequency is the mark of an empyrean witch.”
“One of them, yes. Empyrean witches are consistently very powerful psychics. I’ve heard of some who could maintain a psychic link with another person throughout their entire lifetime. I’ve even heard of a few who could act as a host to another psyche, literally share their own body with another consciousness. Have you ever done anything like that?”
I nearly choked on my sake. After a moment, I managed to swallow. “Um, maybe. It depends.” Before he could dig any deeper, I said, “Let’s say I’m willing to buy any of this. That still doesn’t explain why the dark goddesses think I’d have those talismans.”
Kiaran’s eyes narrowed, his expression growing grim. “Then it's as I thought. They're seeking the Morrígna.”
I drew a blank on that one. “I thought it was called the Triplex Dea.”
He nodded. “Yes, it’s called that too. They fear you'll be able to use it to manifest the triple goddess.”
What the fuck? I stared at him flatly. “I'm not exactly a linguistic expert, but I think you just said I could use the triple goddess to manifest the triple goddess. Isn’t that kind of redundant?”
“Sorry,” Kiaran said. “Here's where it gets complicated again.”
When had it gotten uncomplicated? Thank God there was still some sake left in that bottle. I poured another shot. “I'm ready.”
“What they’re looking for is a set of talismans that, in the hands of the right person, can be used to cast a spell called the Triple Goddess. In Celtic mythology, what’s known as the Morrígna.”
Suddenly, I realized what he was talking about. “Wait, are you talking about the Morrigan? Wasn’t she supposed to be some sort of goddess?”
“I realize it's confusing,” Kiaran said. “But, technically, the Morrígna wasn't a goddess. Nor was she one entity. Not truly. The Morrígna was comprised of three individuals, witches who fused their powers to create one being. Or, more accurately, to allow three beings to act as one, each possessing the powers of all three. In effect, tripling them three times over. Together, they possessed the powers of a god. Or goddess, in this case.”
My mind flashed back to that moment when it seemed is if my magic had combined with Autumn’s and Cassie’s. Did that have anything to do with what Kiaran was describing? No way. That was just a fluke of some sort. Besides, Cassie must have made that happen. We all knew she was the most powerful witch among us.
“Sounds like a neat trick,” I said. “But I'm still not sure what that has to do with me.”
”The talismans were created by an empyrean witch,” Kiaran said. “And only an empyrean witch can use them to create the spell.”
I let that sink in for a moment. He couldn’t possibly think I possessed that kind of power. Still, there was no doubt as to his meaning, just as there was no doubt that Baphomet and Andastra were seeking those same talismans.
“What about the dark goddesses?” I said. “Would they be able to use them?”
He shrugged. “They seem to think so. However, so far they’ve never had the chance. Of course, if they did manage to fuse their powers that way, they’d become virtually unstoppable.”
“Great.” As it stood, there didn’t seem to be a whole lot stopping them now.
“There’s one more aspect,” Kiaran said. “My understanding is that the full potential of the talismans can only be used once. When the time comes, there’ll be a choice involved.”
“What kind of a choice?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know. Presumably, how to best focus that power once it’s unleashed.”
Okay, great. Let’s make this even more mysterious. But speaking of power, hadn’t we sort of overlooked something? “Wait a minute. Couldn’t a veil witch just eject these chicks?”
Kiaran shook his head. “Not the way you’d think. Remember, we're originally from here. While we severed our connection long ago, a vestige of that heritage remains. So, in a sense, we're not entirely supernatural intruders. That alone makes us more difficult to force through the veil. Then there's the sheer amount of magical power required. Much more, I'm afraid, than that normally possessed by a veil witch. So, to answer your question, conceivably a veil witch could eject us, provided she could get close enough and increase her power substantially. And by substantially I mean triple at least. As you can imagine, that's not going to happen easily.”
So much for an easy way out. I sighed, then tossed back some more sake. “Let me guess. No one knows where these talismans are.”
“That’s correct.”
“Perfect!” I exclaimed. “Do we happen to know who hid them?”
Kiaran surprised me by saying, “That, we do know. Well, at least roughly. Originally, they were created in Ireland, by a woman named Rionach McCailen. This was approximately two hundred years following the war with the fae. Rionach suspected that the veil between this world and others remains in flux, and that periodically it becomes compromised. She was correct in her assumption. These are the very conditions, by the way, that our friends from Sylmachia keep watch for. In Rionach's time, they managed to slip through one of these cracks, and it was only the power of the Morrígna which allowed for the witches to prevail.”
Damn, Cassie and Autumn weren't going to be happy to hear about this. They had enough on their hands as it was. “And then?”
“Then the talismans were passed on to Rionach’s descendants. At one point, they were brought to the New World. They ended up with a coven here in Virginia, back when this land was first being colonized. They were used during the time of the Salem Witch Trials and then later just after the Civil War. It's worth pointing out that, at this point in history, there appears to be a shift in patterns, in that the dark goddesses keep appearing where they think they can acquire the talismans. Presumably, because the talismans create the only weapon that can stop them in their plan. Namely, to open the veil fully to the rest of their kind.”
I blew out an exasperated breath. “What’s the freaking deal? If it’s not the fae, then it’s the demons. If it’s not the demons, then it’s the freaky chicks from Sylmachia. Why does everyone want this place so badly? I mean, it's okay, but it sure as hell isn't perfect.”
Kiaran took a sip of his sake, then shuddered and set his glass down. Fine. More for me.
“The deal is this,” he said. “Despite the many problems this realm faces, it’s still the center of the hub. The source, the jewel. To the fae, it offered the conditions for immortality. To the demons, an endless source of psychic feeding. To those who were banished to Sylmachia, limitless worship. Yours is, by far, the most populated of all the surrounding realms.”
Well, there you go. More compelling reasons why we should do something about overpopulation. Or maybe we should start trying to snag other realms for ourselves. Wait, scratch that. Definitely the sake talking.
To steer things back on track, I said, “I think we’d reached the time of the Civil War.”
Kiaran thought for a moment. “Yes. There were three witches who used them that last time. One was a veil witch, one a necromancer, and the third an empyrean witch named Claire Spencer. She was another one of Rionach’s descendants.”
Finally, I realized what he was saying. “Hang on. You think I’m descended from Rionach, don’t you?”
Kiaran hesitated for just a moment. “Quite possibly. More than likely, in fact. As I said before, it isn’t very often anymore that our kind and your kind, well, interbreed. Relationships between us are strictly forbidden. The penalty is steep.”
I couldn’t help but be curious, but I supposed this wasn’t the time. It was hard enough keeping up with everything else. On top of that, I was starting to fade. “So, what happened after the last time the talismans were used?”
“After that, they were separated and hidden to secure them for future generations. Not to mention keep them from falling into the wrong hands. This had been the practice all along. Presumably, their locations were passed down or recorded somehow. However, from there we’re not sure. That’s where the historical accounts end.”
Despite being exhausted, my head snapped up at that one. “Hang on. All of this is based on historical accounts?” For some reason, I’d just assumed that Kiaran, or at least someone he knew, had been tracking this deal firsthand.
“Well, yes,” he admitted. “But Clio is a very meticulous historian.”
Where had I heard that name before? Suddenly, I remembered. In my second year as an undergrad, I’d taken a mythology course. Clio. Zeus’s daughter. Also known as the Muse of History.
I couldn’t quite manage to fight off the grin spreading across my face. A laugh bubbled up inside me. “Are we talking about that Clio?”
Kiaran smiled too, killing me again with those dimples. “I gather that you’ve heard of her. But, yes, the very same Clio.”
I took a peek at my phone. Great, it was pushing three. No wonder the room was starting to spin. Well, I supposed the sake might factor in too.
I stretched and yawned. “So, we should probably try to find these talismans.”
“I’m not sure we have a choice.”
Yeah, definitely a good point. I’d managed to escape Baphomet and Andastra twice now—well, three times if you included Sarah Wellingford’s attempt earlier. How many more times could I pull that off?
I yawned again, sinking back into the sofa. “All of this requires kind of a leap of faith. You know that, right?”
Kiaran watched me, his gaze showing his understanding. “I’m sure this has been a lot to take in. Get some rest. We can talk more in the morning.”
Huh? Was he planning to stay here? I was about to object, but then stopped myself. Did I want him to leave? Not really. In fact, right now I very much liked the idea of having my own personal guardian god-ish type guy. So, I went into the hall and got the extra blanket and pillow from the linen closet. I brought those back out to the living room.
“Sofa okay?” Not that I was putting other options on the table.
He nodded. “This will be fine. Thank you.”
“Then I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
I yawned once more and trudged back toward my bedroom, wondering if gods needed to brush their teeth or use the bathroom. If so, did they leave the seat up? Did they wear pajamas? Sleep in their boxers? I chuckled softly as I closed my bedroom door. Then I climbed into bed, for some reason feeling sure that, at least for tonight, I wouldn’t have any bad dreams.
Chapter 25 - Julia
I rolled over in bed, shifting from one side to the other as a feeling rose within me. A sense of certainty.
Cassie’s back. She’s no longer in Faerie.
I sighed, a smile spreading across my lips at knowing that my friend was safe. I tucked my blanket up to my chin and started to drift off again. But then the feeling rose within me again, stronger this time. Cassie wasn’t just back, she was close by. Very close by.
Then something poked me in the arm. I opened my eyes to see Cassie staring back at me. I jerked back, nearly tumbling out of bed. Cassie held a finger to her lips, then whispered, “What’s up with the guy in your living room?”
I whispered too. “What are you doing here?”
“You weren’t answering my texts. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
I pulled myself up into a sitting position. “I'm fine.”
“I can see that now. Who's the guy on your sofa?”
Right. How to explain that without sounding insane? I decided to start simple. “His name is Kiaran.”
Cassie nodded. “Cool name,” she whispered. “Just wanted to make sure you knew he was there. Does he always sleep sitting up?”
“I have no idea how he usually sleeps. I don't really know him.”
Cassie’s eyebrow shot up. “Now I'm super curious. Plus, there's also the part about him smelling like that weird magic we keep running into.”
I perched forward. “Wait, you smelled him?”
“No, I didn't smell him, silly. You know what I mean. He has the same magical signature that was at the gem shop. And the monastery.”
I frowned and whispered, “What are you even talking about? What monastery?”
“Never mind. Did you guys do it? I thought you must have, but I didn’t really pick up on it.”
“You know when I have sex?”
“Yeah, kind of,” Cassie said. “Sometimes anyway. Don’t you know when I do? I assumed you did.”
The weird part was that, most of the time, I did know when Cassie had sex. I just sensed it. At least if it had happened recently. One of the unexpected pitfalls of sharing a body for fifteen years. Sometimes images crept into my mind too, but I made a point of blocking them out to avoid being creepy.
“No, we didn't have sex,” I said. “I just met the guy.”
“But you let him sleep in your living room. You get that that’s weird, right? Anyway, have you seen this yet?”
Cassie fiddled with her phone for a moment, then held it out to for me to see. “People are talking about this being some sort of terrorist attack again.”
My eyes widened as the grainy YouTube footage started to play. It showed the parking lot outside the Altria Theater, where brilliant white light streamed from the outstretched hands of a thin figure captured in silhouette. Three shadowy figures knelt before her, blocking their faces as smoke billowed up from a nearby car. Then the first figure ran toward a taller one. A moment later, both vanished as darkness wrapped around them. A woman’s voice cried out, “Two of them just disappeared! Did you see that?”
That was where the video cut off, but it looked to have had thousands of views already.
“Shit,” I said. “That’s not good.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” Cassie said. “I saw it in my feed this morning. Maybe I should bail on the supernatural Facebook groups. You know, because Facebook. Manipulative or what? But in this case, I have to admit the relevance. Anyway, that’s you, right?”
I threw off my blanket and swung my legs off the bed. “Yeah, that’s me. I got nabbed by vampires. They did the whole mind control thing on me.”
“Fuck,” Cassie said. “How? You’re a mutant psychic.”
I sighed. “Because I screwed up. I let my guard down while pretending none of this was happening. Like I could just snap my fingers and go back in time. Denial is the mind killer. Anyway, Kiaran saved me. He says he’s a god.”
“Dump him now.”
“I’m not talking about his dating profile. I mean literally. I think he might be telling the truth.”
At that same moment, footsteps sounded in the hall, then stopped on the other side of the door. “Julia? Is everything okay? I saw that the front door was open.”
Cassie smirked and whispered, “He wants you.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I whispered back. Did Cassie really leave the front door open? Of course she did. She was much better at magic than she was at being responsible. I raised my voice and said, “I’m fine, Kiaran. I’ll be right out.”
“I thought I heard you talking to someone.”
Cassie spread her fingers at her chest. She batted her eyelids and whispered, “I’m fine, honey.” Then she switched modes and said, “See? He’s jealous already. Dump him.”
I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh, then said, “Everything’s fine, Kiaran. It’s just me and Cassie. Remember when we were talking about psychic links? Sometimes they fester. That’s what it’s like with her. Anyway, we’ll be right out.”
