Chapter 71
A/N: Sorry for not uploading so long! The High King’s Bride is uploaded and free to read for a little while. I love you guys and it is a struggle to maintain work, school, writing, editing, and all the while doing it alone. Is it an excuse…? Yea…. It is. But Am I being honest? Also Yes. I really am. If you’re reading this thank you for hanging in there with me. I focused so much energy into getting that book ready to go, that I neglected allot of the others… so I’m publishing what I have because you guys waited too long and deserve too much to wait like this.
Heidi
Rahrraam was still asleep, and placed in my pocket… I hated that I was the reason he was like this, but if I would have let go, anything could have happened. My mate felt full strength, and then some, but he was alert. He wouldn’t let me out of his sight, even though it was morning now. I was already changed and ready to go, and so was he, but he didn’t want to leave.
“Let’s go.” He said gruffly, turning the knob first, getting claps. There were a few witches already waiting at the door to thank us, and I waved shyly.
“This coven is forever indebted to you… and since Lady Tiffany gave you her blood oath, we will honor it. If you ever have need of us, we will actually be able to help you in a few weeks.” Smiled a witch that I had not met yet. I only knew the names of the three ruling members, but she looked kind of like them. This teenage girl had to be related to them somehow, but before I asked, she put her hand to her mouth. “Oh forgive my rudeness, I am Victoria, Hellinia’s daughter. I was born with the affliction… but now I have hope.” She smiled.
“I’m sure you’ll get your powers.” I beamed.
“Look.” She said holding out her hand, and a little red glow surrounded it faintly. “I already have some access to my magic, though most of it is still locked away.”
“That’s really good. I was just headed to her office to ask her some things.” I smiled, and she grabbed my hand.
“I’ll show you. It’s the least we can do. You saved us from not only our patron’s wrath, but also my grandmother’s enemy.”
“How old are you?” Asked John. “Sorry to just blurt it out, but your scent doesn’t match your appearance.”
“About twenty-five hundred. I’m the new High Maiden… as now that I have access to some of my powers, I’m stronger than Lady Ghelly.” She beamed. “Oh you don’t know who that is… she’s downstairs.”
“Don’t worry we’ll figure it out.” Chuckled John.
We followed her upstairs, and Hellinia was looking kind of stressed, sorting through allot of things. “Ah there you are. Here… as promised.” She floated a large thick spellbook to me. It felt… strange. I didn’t feel like I should open it… so I didn’t. “My mother’s spellbook. Unaltered…. With all the secrets of our family, your cheated birthright.”
“Thank you, do you have any suggestions?” I asked, and she nodded.
“Actually, while you’re here I mean to teach you what I know First. Then when you get home, read and study this. Add to it as well. This book was grandfathers… please take care of it. It will only open for a soul of the BlackBlood line, and you are of that as well.” She smiled. “John since mother offered you to train with her demon, you may use Nag’gahraam to test your skills…. But be warned. He has the least patience of all the sons of the first demon, High General Zeh’Kahrraam, though his lover, the Second Demon Nanemous is my grandfather’s familiar.”
“If you think this boy can test his mettle, come and prove your worth.” Said Nag’gahraam. He looked like my demon only his horns were bigger. He bowed to his witch, and walked out with John.
“Now that they’re gone, I’m locking up.” She got a large spool of keys from her dresser, and after she closed the door we went outside. She sat cross legged on the snow, and pointed in front of her. I sat, cold, but ready.
“Good. Part of this isn’t going to be comfortable, because now you won’t be running on fumes and passion.” She smiled. “You summoned the Horns. Something extremely rare… only a very gifted few in Red and Black Diamond can do this, and all of them are my cousins.”
“Is that what you’re trying to teach me?” I asked, and she looked at me with compassion.
“It isn’t something I can teach, only prod to see if you can do it again. If you can, try thinking of what that motivation was and harness it.” She smiled.
I closed my eyes. The smell of hag still lingered in the air faintly, and I could hear the snow rabbit at the edge of the forest. It was eating. It was also very distracting, but I tried to look inside myself. I held worry for my mate…. I held hatred for the hags. They willingly killed innocent witches and ate their own people for power…. Something one can earn through hard work… but they took the easy route.
I could hear him fighting with the demon. He complemented his form, and I could hear a heavy smack along with my mate complaining that he was cheating.
When I grew the horns, I only thought of my mate…. I didn’t want him to die. I also was willingly forcing myself to not pass out from the sheer strain of summoning more magic than I actually was meant to wield.
I felt something inside me grow, and I could almost reach it, but it felt like it was too far away.
“Oh that’s very good progress. Keep Trying.” She encouraged without me actually saying anything.
I tried harder, but it wasn’t working. “I can’t.” I mumbled, squeezing my eyes shut.
“Because you Try. Do. There is only will, and control. You reach for your birthright. What you have inside is yours and you must bend it to your will. You, your mate, and your peoples, both witches and wolves, need you Both. The goddess does not make mistakes.” She said with conviction.
I clenched my hands tightly, but the only thing I got out of trying any harder was a headache. I gasped, opening my eyes to see I was in Tartaron….. but it wasn’t the Horned One this time. This time the one who stood in front of me held blue hair…. It was one of his sons.
“Who are you?” I asked, and he smiled.
“Oh I think you know.” His grin showed fangs like a vampire’s, and when I blinked, he was already towering over me, though not as tall as his father.
“Um.” I said backing away, but he stood in place.
“You will stop that. I will not tolerate groveling from my father’s favorite mortal.” He sat cross legged, pointing to a spot in front of him.
“Of course your highness.’ I said with a polite bow, but he crossed his arms, after pointing to a spot to sit down in front of him… it seemed he had no patience for fear. I sat, and so did he.
“Good. Why did you come to this wonderful plane of punishment?” He said casually. He made me nervous. I knew this son of the Horned One from the stories told to be by dad…. Asanguis. Steed of the young Master… and harvester of souls.
“I wish to summon the horns at will.” I said with a bow. I had no idea what to make of him.
“Sounds like you want my father’s power but I am not my father. I will not freely give something so precious.” He summoned a pair of horns in his hand. “But I’m not below making a deal every now and again… he did task me with handing these out.”
I looked down in my hands. He seemed so calm and casual… there was a catch to this. “What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“Usually I’d test someone’s conviction, but in you I see you don’t want them for selfish reasons…. But just giving them to you for free wouldn’t be fair.” He said scratching between his horns. They were much smaller than the Horned One’s. They only curved like a goat but didn’t spiral like an old alpha ram. He floated what I wanted right in front of me, and I made no attempt to take them. “We can make a deal at a later time.” He grinned.
“I cannot accept this.” I said firmly. It was too easy…. Something so rare and coveted couldn’t be this simple.
“They’re right there.” He said dismissively getting up and vanishing.
I didn’t know what to do…. but I knew taking them would make an open deal with the Demigod of Harvests…. He then could command me to do anything, and I would have no choice but to obey since I already accepted them. “I refuse them without terms my lord…. It isn’t that I don’t trust you… it’s just that I’m not to take open ended deals.” I said as respectfully as I could. I closed my eyes, feeling his hostile presence as I kneeled as low as I could. At least it felt that way.
He chuckled, putting a stray hand on the top of my head. “My father would be proud. Here. The condition would have been to slay the one you hold most dear, since you would have failed. But since you pass, your task is much simpler. I do not care of your blood purity, nor does father. However know once you show these among your kind they will be jealous. You will make many enemies simply because of your power. Slay them. Do not summon these unless you intend to kill. When you do, paint some of that blood on them, and they will grow… is that fair?” He asked with a small hiss.
“Yes my lord.” I said looking up at him. He didn’t feel as threatening as the Horned One…. but he was more than capable of killing me.
“I see why father likes you so much. In another time, I would have kept you as a pet to shield you from my brother’s wrath.” He said waving his hand, and I gasped.
I was back in the snow, holding goat horns. Hellinia looked at me with shock, and shook my shoulders. “Lord Below are you ok?! I begged him to give you back after you vanished; I thought he was mad at you or something!”
“I’m fine… apparently…. The demigod Asanguis holds the horns and tests those to see if they’re worthy.” I said putting them on my head, but they wouldn’t stick on.
“You’re supposed to bind them with blood…. At least that’s what Ghellin told me.” She said sheepishly. I assumed that was one of her cousins.
I used my claws to poke my finger, and rim around the edges with my blood. They fit perfectly, disappearing as soon as they were placed.
“Thank you.” I said hugging her, but she squished me, hugging me back.
“Don’t. After I’m done with you little sister, you will want to turn me into a frog.” She giggled.
There was a roar from my pockets, and my demon became his true form. “You will only push her within her limits.” He said with crossed arms.
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