The blood splattered across the ground as a pincher cut my leg. I had enough cuts on me that I was getting numb to the pain. I don’t care what this voice was telling me to do. I know my body was rejecting Sheena, but she would have told me if it was killing her, right? I didn’t have time to really think about anything. All I could do now was react to the incoming attacks.
I didn’t know what their motives were, but it was clear they wanted me alive. These wounds were meant to cause pain, but nothing was going to kill me. The question was why did this voice want me alive? I was told Sheyas are rare creatures that are desired for their skills. I can only assume this is someone wanting to use me as a pawn. I wouldn’t trust the voice.
Unless I hear from Sheena or the Moon Goddess herself, I am not shedding my wolf from me. It didn’t make sense to me at all. Plus, Demetri said I could keep them both. I was going to trust him over this voice.
Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss.
The pinchers clapped by my head narrowly missing me. I jumped back as I panted looking around the room, I was being toyed with and that pissed me off. If this voice expected me to crumble, they were wrong. With every cut I was getting angrier.
I straightened up, staring at the scorpion. The blood trickled down my body dripping to the ground. Did she want to break me? Did she think I would give in if subjected to enough pain? I internally scoffed. I wasn’t about to cut down and surrender to the pain. Go ahead and underestimate me. I won’t bow down to this voice. I am not going to shrivel back into a corner and tremble. I was going to fight until I had nothing left and then I was going to fight more. Until I no longer had a breath in my body.
If she was trying to break me, she wouldn’t succeed. She was going to have to kill me.
The pattering of feet charged towards me. Only this time… I didn’t dodge. I stood there staring it down. Closer. Closer. Closer. Its pinchers clapped in the air, echoing off the walls.
Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss.
I had enough. I kept my focus on the scorpion as I decided on my next move. I didn’t care how cut up I would get. I was going to give this scorpion something to think about.
A black blur crashed into the scorpion sending it smashing into the side of the wall. The ebony water hound curled itself in front of me protectively as it snarled at the scorpion.
“Odell!” I panted looking at her body. She was dripping in water and blood. Her body had wounds that were slowly healing but were still there. But the wounds… they didn’t look like something the hydra caused. I didn’t have time to analyze them right now though. The scorpion was back on its feet and was now focusing on Odell. Sh.it. The monster may not plan to kill me, but Odell was different.
“Odell, get out of here! I’ll be okay.”
Odell snorted not even looking at me.
“It won’t kill me. I can’t explain but—” Odell didn’t let me finish as she charged ahead at the scorpion. Da.mn. The scorpion had a poisonous stinger that if he used on Odell could kill her.
“Now… two verse one isn’t fair… is it?” The woman’s voice echoed in the room with a sinister chuckle. “There… all better now.”
Dear gods what now…
Sisssss. Sisssss. Sissss.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
I frantically searched for the new sound. It was fast and aggressive.
Whoosh.
It landed directly across from me. It had two large obsidian eyes and six smaller eyes all staring at me. Its legs were jagged and hard crystals that held its body above us all. On its back it had numerous skulls all entangled in a web that it wore like a trophy case. Its head… was like nothing I had ever seen. It had two large fangs that protruded from an almost human like crystal skull. Where many more fangs and teeth surrounded the mouth.
Sissssssss.
The monstrous crystal spider spat at me as one of its large crystal legs tapped on the ground. It was focused on me as it spit something at me. It flew past me and hit the crystal rock spewing a sticky web over it.
Its body began to bounce up and down as its head bobbed along with it. It was as if it was taunting me… laughing at me. I thought it was going to spew its web at me again but suddenly its head turned. The web shot from its mouth but not at me… at Odell.
It was almost like it was slow motion. The web connected with Odell, binding her feet together as the scorpion’s stinger pressed into her back. I screamed as I watched her collapse to the ground. My feet moved on their own as I rushed to her body to defend her.
She was already unconscious, panting heavily. I moved in front of her body and took up a defensive position as the spider raced over. The two arachnids were looking at her as if she was their meal. I noticed the drool dripping off their fangs as their jaws wiggled back and forth.
Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss.
Sissss. Sissss. Sisssss. Sissss.
Like hell I was going to let them touch her. I clenched my fists together and stared between the two monsters. In a voice that almost didn’t feel like my own I shouted, “BACK AWAY FROM HER!”
The two creatures froze. For a moment, they didn’t move. Then slowly, one leg at a time, they began to retreat. As if they were being forced but didn’t want to. When they reached the wall, the spider began to bounce again in frustration.
“So, you can do it.” The woman’s voice said. Behind the creatures the crystal wall began to slowly drip onto the ground, reveling an opening behind it. A woman with blue hair sat upon a frozen throne with her chin resting on her hand. Her gaze was resting on me as if she was in deep thought. The two creatures slowly vanished from my sight. I knew that this was a higher demoness or a goddess because what else would have this power?
I stepped back keeping my eye on the woman for a moment before I knelt beside Odell. Her breathing was labored and the lacerations on her body were no longer healing.
“Odell…” I pursed my lips together and then snapped my head back to the woman. “She was just protecting me! How could you?!”
The woman began to laugh as she looked at me with amusement. “How could I? You are upset over just that little sting?” The woman leaned forward, now using both her hands to rest her chin on as she smiled at me.
“She’s been poisoned—” I started to say as the woman clicked her tongue.
“As if I would allow dangerous venom in something like this. You could have taken a hit too. And I couldn’t have you dying.”
I looked at the woman confused and then back to Odell. “So, she isn’t going to die?”
“She is just asleep. Honestly, it is quite funny. Look how upset you are over that little sting. But look at her body. Are you just as upset with your lycan?” My eyes widened as my lips parted. I quickly snapped my head to assess the wounds on Odell. She was right… these wounds did look like something a lycan was capable of. Was she saying… Sion attacked her?
“Your mate did quite a number on them.” The blue haired woman finally stood up. I could hear her feet as they clicked upon the crystal surface.
“Sion… did this?” I whispered out.
“Oh, and not just to her. Honestly... he is quite terrifying…but that’s another problem. Anyways… I don’t care to waste my time talking about your lycan. I am here to talk about you.”
“What do you want with me?” I asked as I stood up to face the woman who stood in front of me. I had so many questions on my mind, but I kept drifting to Sion.
“I collect rare creatures… I love them. I’d love to keep you…” The woman nodded her head slowly as she stared into my eyes. “Of course, you aren’t interested but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you. After all, I need you to exist so you can create babies. Oh, I am getting ahead of myself.”
“I am not the only sheya.” I couldn’t understand if she wanted to collect a sheya why not find another one. Why me? I watched as she tilted her head to look at me.
“Goodness child… you don’t know anything about yourself… do you?”
“Know what?! Who are you? What happened with Sion? Why did you tell me to get rid of my wolf?!”
“Slow down child!” The woman clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. “I am the goddess, Shiva. It would be easier to use your powers without your wolf. Honestly… using your powers while having a wolf… would be impossible… but not for you. I wonder…”
I watched as the woman flicked her wrist out producing a small ice cage with some strange creature in it. It was all brown and looked like an old man.
“Look at him and tell me what you see.” Shiva ordered. I looked at her with confusion and then back to the creature. It was a brown creature with brown eyes. The creature placed his hands on the cage and stared at me. I furrowed my brows as I looked at it closer. What was that?
“What is that? And is that a green light coming off of its body?” I looked up at Shiva who continued to look at me. She then stepped closer and reached out for me. She held my face and gazed into my eyes. What was this woman doing?
“So… you do have it… crafty… crafty… gosh she is such a clever bitch.” I listened to Shiva mutter as she released my face. “Yes, and her children will have it. Will it last through the generations? It must… she can already see that.” She continued to talk to herself as she tapped her fingers on her chin. “She needs a lot of work though… a lot of work. It’s taking too long. But I’m not supposed to intervene… but she knows balance gets destroyed anyways. Ugh… infuriating.”
What in the world was she mumbling on about? “Will my children have what exactly?” The woman looked at me as if she just realized she wasn’t alone. She sighed loudly and then rubbed her temples.
“You have true sight. You can see things that most can’t. It looks like it is just waking up though just like the rest of your powers. The green light you saw is nembrant energy. That light will let you know when someone is being controlled by the nembrant glass or its potion… or the injections. It will get easier for you to see in time. The problem is your powers…” I listened as she sighed loudly as she stared at me. “You realize that was you who commanded the arachnids to back away. You have the power to control with just your words. Which is why you are invaluable and terrifying. If you were power hungry you could wage war using other armies at your disposal. But this isn’t all sheya. Most can only have the power of suggestion and for one person. You are different. Your mother was already special but you… you are in a class of your own.”
“Your mother gave birth to you in the blessings pool where the Moon Goddess told her to. It was under a pink moon. The goddess Eos and Selene both blessed you giving you powers that will be necessary for the future….” She paused for a moment then continued. “One of the gifts you have is true sight. Unlike your mother, you will never be able to be controlled by the nembrant glass. You are strong Clover… but you need to trust yourself. I provoked you, threatened your life and you still didn’t use your power. It wasn’t until your pally was injured that you summoned your strength. So what do I do? Do I keep you and train you? Or do I trust you will find a way on your own?” She shook her head. “That damn mate of yours though… he’s a problem. I’d almost have to keep him too…”
“What do you mean he is a problem?”
“Well look what he did to your protector? And you should see the others...” I stood there shocked as Shiva continued on like nothing. “I can’t pop in and out because that will be too much interfering. Either I take you now or—”
“I’m not going with you. I’m not leaving Sion and I have things to do.”
I watched as she smirked looking at me. “But can you do them?” She raised her brows at me almost mockingly.
I don’t know when, but Odell shifted and was now standing in front of me. “She can…”
“Odell! Are you okay?!” I asked as I placed my hand on her shoulder. “Did Sion really…” I didn’t have to finish as I saw her eyes. She gave me a small smile and then patted my hand.
“I’m fine.”
“I don’t understand… what happened?”
Odell bowed her head to Shiva and place her fist upon her chest. “I will help her be ready.”
“Very well… but I’ll be sending one of Gaia’s people to help watch over her. You know how important she is. This isn’t about right now either… this is long term. I don’t even understand it all… but Selene can see what we cannot. Take the pathway behind me. I’ve done my part…”
“Wait… what is that thing?” I asked noticing the brown person thing still there.
“Oh yes him…” I watched as the cage vanished and she snapped her fingers. The green light left him suddenly and he stared up at the goddess angrily.
“Quit putting that thing in my eye!”
“Oh, Stilts. I needed someone that can absorb the glass. A gnome hybrid is perfect for that.”
“A gnome…hybrid.” I muttered as I stared at him. It was true he was bigger than a normal gnome. But I couldn’t figure out what else he was mixed with.
“You know what Stilts, I want you to stay with her. I think you can help. I think a lot of her blockage is a self-issue and you know a lot about that.” Shiva looked down at the little man who maybe came to just above my knee. Usually, a gnome can fit in the palm of your hand.
“I’m not a babysitter.” Stilts instantly cleared his throat as Shiva glared at him. “But of course, I am happy to help.”
“Good.” Shiva then turned to face me. “He will be staying with you. Now… I need to find Gaia. I have a good bit to talk to her about… especially that bear…” She trailed off.
With those final words the goddess vanished. I looked over at the gnome. I had a lot I wanted to ask him, but I couldn’t focus on anything right now but Sion. Was Sion, okay? Why did he attack Odell? What happened after I was taken? I needed answers. What if Sion was under the nembrant control?! I felt my heart racing as I turned to Odell.
“Odell… what happened?”