283
Peter
I groaned as I slowly opened my eyes, my vision blurry as I tried to focus on my surroundings. I remembered going to sleep and planning for a nap to ease the headache I'd gotten earlier, but I felt terrible. I shifted, but I felt nothing around me.
Nothing under me.
My heart raced as I realized I was no longer in my bed, but rather hovering above it. Panic set in as I tried to regain control of my body, but it was no use. I flailed around, twisting in the air, trying to grab something, to move, to do anything but hover a solid three feet above my bed.
Was this part of the curse? I had to get down. I had to get— Suddenly, I plummeted to the bed. I cried out as I slammed into it and bounced off it onto the floor, landing with a loud thud.
"Peter!" Vasil exclaimed, rushing over to me. "Are you alright?"
I groaned again, rubbing the back of my head where it had hit the floor. "I think so," I muttered, trying to sit up. "What happened?"
Vasil looked at me with concern in his eyes. he looked back at the bed and then smiled.
"You were auditioning for the Flying Cabarets and fell so hard you bounced… Twice."
I blinked a few times, trying to process what had just happened. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. His expression was almost manic with glee, excitement that made no sense.
"You see…. happy."
"It was mildly entertaining. Did you break a hip?"
I snorted and let him help me up. "I am not old."
Contrary to what most people believed, I was younger than the twins, not even thirty yet. My hair was just graying faster every year, and I never bothered to dye it since looking older seemed to help others sit down and shut the fuck up when I needed them to. My brothers had all aged quickly, as had my father. It was normal, and we used it as best we could until we died.
"Though, now that you say that, in light of everything. Is it possible that the virus has been making me age faster?"
"Maybe. Are we ignoring the fact that you were floating?"
I shook my head. "No. Thoughts?"
I winced, rubbing the sore spot on my back. I stretched and frowned. The ache was fading quickly. The twinge that was usually in my back was gone.
He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment before speaking again. "Maybe it's a side effect of the medication you're taking."
"It is unlikely that it would kill the virus and give me the prerequisite for flight."
Still, there was no other explanation for it. Nothing else in my life had changed drastically.
"Next thing you know, you'll be sprouting wings…" Vasil chuckled as I sank down onto my bed. "Turning into a pegasus…"
"Shut up."
He cackled. My phone rang. I glanced at the screen and saw that it was Dr. Mountainheart. I answered the call, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Tell me there's good news in my future," I said, trying to sound calm.
There was a pause on the other end of the line before he spoke. "I can't make that promise."
"Of course, it was just… a turn of phrase, I guess. You called for a reason…"
"Your lineage test results."
My heart skipped a beat.
"And?" I prompted, my voice steady.
"Well, your results are… interesting, to say the least. Have you heard the term aesir before?"
I frowned. "Like the human myth?"
"Yes. Though, they got a few things wrong. Aesir are a species of human we thought had long died out, honestly, but you are one."
"What makes these… aesir so special?"
Vasil sucked in a breath beside me. I glanced at him as Dr. Mountainheart continued.
"Well, the closest species still alive are witches, though they were known to access their magic in a different way. We thought they had died out in the Moon Wars."
I set my jaw. "These aesir have any relationship with the human myth?"
"Some," he said. "Though it would be easier to say that they were often considered gods among humanity. I can send you some references, of course."
I took a deep breath, trying to process this information. I thought back to that dream I had about the wolf trying to devour me, the version of Lucy in the dream with her haunting eyes. It was as good of a confirmation as I would get about my connection to the Spear. But it also raised more questions. How had my lineage been infected with the werewolf virus? And what did this mean for me and my pack? My family?
"Thank you, Dr. Mountainheart," I said finally. "I'll be in touch, and I'll get registered as soon as possible. Would you advise me to send the rest of my family?"
"For the test, at least."
I thanked Dr. Mountainheart again, ended the call, and looked at Vasil, who was still staring at me.
"What do you know about the aesir?" I asked.
Vasil sank onto the bed beside me, his expression thoughtful. "Should I start at the beginning or the end?" he asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"The beginning," I said. "All of the beginning."
He nodded and pat my shoulder. "Let's get some food in you, then we'll start the history lesson."
"They said they were extending their trip," I said, my voice sounding so distant, stunned. "What if..."
"I already told them to get themselves checked out at a witch's hospital," he said, turning back to me. "Liam was a little brat about it, as usual, but Kay and Soren assured me that they'd haul him in with them if necessary."
My lips twitched and reassurance settled on me. "Thank you."
Vasil nodded. "I'll get them on Dr. Mitchell's docket sooner rather than later. For now, I'll get a copy of your prescription sent over and have extra amulets made."
I looked at him. "Do you think... Is it possible that they're in danger too? That all this time, maybe we just hadn't known?"
He met my gaze. "Sometimes... I forget how young you actually are."
My lips twitch. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"It's better to be safe in either case. As the Festival gets nearer, I don't want any of us caught off guard."
I nodded. "Me either."
I ate whatever Vasil suggested based on Dr. Mitchell's notes. My beta seemed stunned to see me as I passed him.
"What's wrong?"
"Your hair..." he said, blinking at my head. "It's... Well... More grey."
I frowned and stepped back a few steps until I saw myself in the mirror. I winced and ran my hand through it. It wasn't thinning, so I guessed I'd just have to deal.
"Going to reconsider that no dye rule?" Vasil asked.
"No," I said. "I just wonder if it's a good or a bad thing."
Vasil grinned. "I think Michelle likes it."
I chuckled. "Well, I certainly hope so."
I followed Vasil to his office. Vasil's office was a treasure trove of magical knowledge. It was nestled in the Black Moon Estate's library by his preference. It also made it easier to keep an eye on the magical tomes that needed attention in his spare time. A collection of strange artifacts adorned the shelves behind the desk, each one a testament to the power of magic. The walls were lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes, their leather-bound covers worn and frayed from years of use. The air was thick with the scent of magic and old parchment.
In the center of the room stood a large wooden desk, its surface cluttered with books, scrolls, pens and a single magical laptop. A crystal ball sat in one corner, its surface shimmering with an otherworldly glow. I chuckled seeing it.
"You still have that?"
"Of course," Vasil said. "I'm almost certain it'll come in handy one of these days."
As I stepped into the room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. The room was a reflection of Vasil's vast knowledge and expertise, a testament to his dedication to the craft. It was a place I had always felt more at ease, more assured that there was an answer to whatever issue had arisen. As my eyes wandered over the countless books and artifacts that filled the space, I hoped that was true now too.
I sank into the seat across from Vasil's chair as he started pulling books from the sheles.
"Olympians," he said. "The egyptian gods all the way down to Merlin are generally all considered the same species."
"Merlin's not a witch?"
He scowled at me. "No. He's not, contrary to all that bullshit about angels and demons going around in the human world."
I chuckled. Het the books on the table and sighed.
"If I had to guess, your aesir line is related to whoever Woten actually is."
"Odin?" I gawked. "The one-eyed All-Father?"
He set a book down. "The very same. But, let's try to keep both eyes in your skull, hm?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
