Page 23 of Birthright

Manus came through the door in his cat form, jumped on the bed and curled up at Tynan’s feet. I wondered if Tynan was aware that we were all gathered around him. Manus’s shoulders bore my mark even on his fur, two small auburn half suns stained into his gray. I rubbed his head out of habit.

“Long before Christianity, there were great kings in Ireland and on the continent. The Kith coexisted with humans with little conflict, except an occasional tiff between men and the Slaugh or some of the Gremlins. The kings had the loyalty of all in their clans. Each human king kept an Oracle as council and a Witch as a mistress. The arrangement created a political balance, leaving no reason for the supernatural to overthrow or undermine humanity.”

She stood, walked to the table and poured a glass of water. “Then, as Christianity started to spread, fear and prejudice started to erode that peaceful coexistence.

“A young king who loathed the Kith for reasons that have been lost to time came to the throne. He feared our power but couldn’t resist the lure of magic or the touch of his Witch mistress. The Witch he chose, Agnus, served her role dutifully. She loved the king deeply. He took her affection and gave little more than lies in return. Since his queen bore no children to serve as heirs, he asked Agnus to carry his child. He told her the baby would be a child of love and not a political pawn. Agnus gave him twins, a girl and a boy.”

She took another sip. “After their birth, he took the children from Agnus and exiled her to Thule, the island of the Slaugh, and deceived his followers into believing his human queen had borne the children. In his lustful need for power, he mistakenly believed that the magic his children possessed would be overlooked by the very people he was trying to turn against the Kith.

“The king’s plan backfired. In her anger, the queen threatened the king, telling him that she would expose him and his Kith children. He panicked at the thought of being seen as a sympathizer to the Kith. The queen convinced him that the children must be destroyed.

“With his plans to destroy the Kith in jeopardy, he staged an ‘accident.’ The girl survived, but the boy child was killed.” Doran paused, and Keena could see the memories caused her pain just as fresh as if the events had unfolded yesterday.

Taking a deep breath, Doran continued, “Agnus had been betrayed. The king had used her body, he’d used her magic to gain power, he’d used her mind to gain information to use against the Kith, and all the while, he had plotted behind her back to destroy them all.

“In her anger, she escaped the Slaugh.” Her brows rose. “One of the very few ever to do so when they were at their peak. Agnus returned to avenge her son and saved her daughter before any further ‘accidents’ befell the girl. She tried to stop the king’s betrayal of the Kith, but he had already set into motion things so grievous that we still bear the scars today. He went to the elders of the new churches and persuaded them that all Kith were evil, and that all species of magical power had derived their magic from the devil himself. Well, you know the rest.”

I did. The burning times. “So what was the prophecy and how do I fit in?” I reached for Manus and snuggled him in my lap, watching Doran drain her glass as though her throat was suddenly parched.

“Agnus the Betrayed, as she’d become known to our kind, swore a curse on the king as she was burned at the stake. Her daughter was there in disguise to witness her mother’s death. Agnus swore that the twenty-first Witch born to her blood would give birth to twins and that one of them would have the power and wisdom to reunite the Kith and humanity. Those twins would be born on Bloody Friday under the full moon. They would be very powerful—and would have to battle for birthright. One of them would be the salvation of the Kith.”

Doran moved to refill her glass. Trevina knew that her children would bear this burden, as did the rest of the Kith. Many had plotted to prevent her from bearing her children at all. The Slaugh and others have wanted to destroy or dominate humans since we were relegated to the world of fairy tales and legends.

“Feldema spent a good deal of her time fighting off attackers and carefully choosing consorts. She couldn’t trust anyone. Hers was not a happy life. That’s why she devised the most remarkable spell to birth two very different Witches. Two dissimilar women who would possess very different magics and very different personalities. In that way, Trevina knew her fulfillment of the prophecy would produce the strongest Witches possible to carry the burden of leadership.

“Then she hid the two of you away until your powers could help you protect yourselves. Few knew your locations or your identities. She lost her life being tortured by the Slaugh as they tried to find you both.” Doran’s expression grew pained once more at the thought of her sister. “But the brilliance of her plan kept you both safe.”

I pondered a life knowing that my child would always be hunted. What would I have done to protect that child? “I wish I could have met her. She died for me.” Tears were running down my face.

“I feel, my dear, that the human blood you carry not only caused your powers to come to you late, but living as a human will also provide the wisdom that will help you unite us all again.”

“There’s so much to learn.” The joy of the morning had faded. “I have another question.” Doran nodded, waiting. “Why the binding spell for my first lover?” I was running my fingers up Tynan’s arm, but he didn’t move.

“It is also born of the Betrayal. You and Lord Tynan now share some magic. You may have his night vision or maybe some of his speed. You’ll soon find out. And in return, he will share some of your magic. This is dangerous for us, as we are more vulnerable to our own magic than to that of others. The binding spell prevents those with the wrong motives from using the magic they’ve gained for betrayal or harm. You can choose whether or not to share your magic with other consorts, but with la graine, your magic is shared freely and instinctively. Thus, the need for the spell.”

I didn’t like it any better, but I understood the need for protection. I ran my hand through my still-damp hair. “What about his feelings, his ego?”

“Sharing yourself with others won’t hurt him. It is part of who you are. You will have others for procreation, some for political reasons, and maybe one or two just for pleasure. Tynan will expect it. His ego is well protected, my niece, since you chose him as your first and share your magic with him freely. You’ll always have your thunder. Joining is different with all the Kith men… or women. They each have their own…special characteristics.”

I lifted an eyebrow to her in question.

She let a little smile cross her lips. “The Vamps are powerful in bed”—she touched his tattoo again— “but others have their own gifts. I would recommend that if you meet up with a Troll, you have something to hold on to.”

Manus lifted his head from the velvet. “My lady, don’t frighten her.”

She studied my face and then smiled. “She’s not frightened. And I will warn that the Weres, with their animal nature mixed with your wild side…well, I would have some pain amulets available for afterward.” She laughed at my open mouth and stood. I thought of Simon James. He was ruggedly attractive. But the pull was not there.

“But no one will ever bring the thunder for you as he will.” She gently cupped my chin and raised my face. “That is why his ego will never suffer. No matter how different and how wonderful the others will be, Lord Tynan will be your favored and everyone will know that.”

I knew that without being told.

“He has made a great sacrifice for you. I have no doubt that you will handle that and everything you face with grace and courage, Keena. And yes, there is much more for you to learn. But not today.” Her thin lips curled into a knowing smile. “Today, you will go out and discover yourself. I will not ruin your first joining with all this.” She turned to the door and said Hogan’s name. He was there in less than a second. That never happened for me. “Please furnish Keena with appropriate attire for her romp in the woods.” She turned back to me. “Go play with your magic. Let it go.”

CHAPTER 11

Less than ten minutes later, I burst through the woods with a speed that amazed even me. I felt as if I could breathe through my skin. I had run and run and was not tired, had barely broken a sweat.

Hogan had dressed me in hiking boots, shorts, a green tank top, and a blade on my side to appease Manus. It all moved with me as I flew through the trees and brush. The trees didn’t exactly move for me, but I was able to bend and weave around them without really thinking about it. Even at high speed, I was completely aware of everything. From the smallest to the largest living thing in the forest, I felt them all. I was part of the land, and it warmed me. I understood why Feldema hadn’t wanted to leave the ocean for days. If the water felt as good to her as the wild did to me, I understood well.