Chapter Fourteen
We all sat in stunned silence for a moment before we all started laughing hysterically. Wendy leaned back and wiped her face as tears fell. “The fuck Amy.”
“What?” I giggled.
Hanna shook her head. “Today has been the most insane day.”
“What do you mean?” I turned to face her, leaning on the table.
“We woke up and got ready for graduation, your birthday, and we were so happy.” She smiled. “And then the bullshit with your dad, with the king, the attack, Carly and Carl, and then everything with Toya and Micca…” She sighed. “I’m exhausted.”
Micca nodded. “But I also know this will eat at Amy until she figures it out, and we are all about to go home in…” She looked at the clock. “Five hours.” I groaned, but nodded.
“She is right. Two of you are leaving, and we don’t honestly know when we will see each other again.” I sighed as I stood and walked to the kitchen for a cloth. I came back to the table and wiped it off. “We need to know if my thought is correct.”
Toya nodded. “I know that my line stems from Nut, so we worship the Moon Goddess and Nut. Keeping our relationship with both of our goddesses has blessed our line.”
Wendy tucked her foot under her leg. “Blessed how?”
“Stronger wolves in our line, good luck with money,” She ticked the points off with her fingers. “and Amy’s father saving us.” Toya shrugged. “Just overall better blessings.”
Wendy picked at her nail, and I could see she was fighting with her thoughts. “What’s up Wendy? Talk to us.” I reached across the table and grabbed her hand before she could pick so hard to make herself bleed.
She looked at me. “I would really like to know if I came from a Goddess. My line has been…” She looked away.
“I won’t say I have been overlooked, but we haven’t had a ranked wolf in centuries.
And every time a wolf comes of age, the elders look more and more hurt.
” She met my eyes. “I was the last born and my coming of age…my grandfather nearly died of anger.”
Hanna sighed. “Knowing the Goddess you come from doesn’t mean you will be blessed. I mean, my family came from Tsukiyomi, yet she has never blessed us.” She looked around the table. “I sound a little bitter, don’t I?”
Micca gave a tiny nod. “But it’s okay.”
Hanna wiped her face. “It’s not, because we are still here and I don’t want to sound ungrateful. But my family has been the same as Wendy’s, full of disappointing looks anytime we come of age and we aren’t ranked.”
“You both hold a rank now.” I offered.
But both Wendy and Hanna shook their heads. “That’s because you pushed us.” Hanna smiled at me.
“You made us better.”
I opened my mouth but Micca snorted. “I’m all for Amy’s appreciation here. But she isn’t magic.” She paused. “Well, she is magic, and that was a terrible phrase. But you know what I mean.” Both women looked utterly confused. I snorted a laugh.
“What she is trying to say,” Toya looked at them, “is that while Amy made us stronger and better? She can’t manifest capabilities you didn’t already possess.”
I pointed at Toya. “Exactly that.”
Wendy and Hanna looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Wendy tilted her head and sighed. “I know you are just trying to make us feel better, but we both were tested long before we met you.”
I sat back. “Wolves come in two flavours.” Everyone looked confused, but I pushed on.
“Some wolves, higher ranked, or boastful wolves, push all of their strength into their auras. They do this for a few reasons. Stupidity, ego, or to make them seem stronger than they are. Lower rank wolves sometimes do this, and while it never levels them up much higher than they would have ranked naturally, it does give them an edge. Making them appear stronger. But smart wolves, your wolves, and I mean all of your wolves, invested more in physical strength. When they were developing, they made the smart decision to grow their physical attributes. Their speed, strength, size, things like that. And while these wolves initially score lower on the rankings. Once trained, they rank up, and can continue to rank until they are full grown.”
Everyone froze. “What are you saying?” Toya turned to me. “Are you being serious?”
I nodded. “Yes, I’m being serious. And what I’m saying is, you and I are stuck being Alphas.
But Micca, Hanna, and Wendy still have about a year to move up.
Wolves settle around twenty-two to twenty-three.
Once you settle, that is your rank for life, unless you mate up.
But,” I met all of their eyes. “You have the ability to move up.”
Wendy’s mouth dropped open as she stared at me. “Are you serious?” I nodded as I met her gaze. I was planning on telling them this tonight, anyway. After graduation and the celebration, but things changed obviously.
“Why haven’t you told us?” Hanna stood from the table. She seemed hurt, but I had my reasons.
I winced at her tone, but I turned and met her glare head on.
“To be honest, this was honestly just a working theory until about a month ago.” I looked at Wendy and Hanna.
“When you both settled into your new rank, I wanted to see if this was an anomaly and that you weren’t going to revert back to being unranked.
I was also thinking that I was reading you too deeply because we are connected.
So I talked it out with Toya, and we decided to wait to tell you. ” I looked at Toya and she jumped in.
Toya nodded. “We discussed it, the possibility of it. Amy asked me if I had noticed anything about you two first. But since we were together every day, I had to take a minute to figure out the change. Once I noticed the jump, we talked about what we should do. We didn’t want to give you hope only to have it taken away. ”
Hanna slumped into her chair. “Are you sure that we won’t?” She looked between the two of us and I could see the hope, and also the acceptance that this was all just a huge mistake.
I reached out my hand and grabbed hers, giving it a squeeze before dropping it. “After you both stayed Gammas for over a month, I went looking.”
Micca traced the table with her finger absently. “Looking for what?”
“I went looking for more records. I spent nights in the stacks looking for any references for this ever happening before.” I yawned so wide I cracked my jaw.
“What did you find?” Wendy leaned in.
I wiped my eyes before I answered. “Nothing.” I watched her deflate. “So I started in my father’s old records, and when that didn’t pan out, I went to the source.”
“The goddess?” Hanna snapped her head in my direction.
I laughed. “No, sadly, she wasn’t interested in giving me a direct answer, but I asked.
I asked my grandmother. She had been around for a very long time.
Her family was close to the pack before that as well.
” I leaned against the table. “She explained to me what I just did to you. That the Goddess gives out wolves the ability to get stronger. Obviously, there is a limit. I don’t know what it is.
But there is always a limit on how much one person can do. ”
Toya snorted. “Coming from you, that is funny.”
“What?” I reared back, but everyone else laughed.
“Anyway. Let’s figure this out.” I looked around and waited for everyone else to agree.
One by one they all nodded. I jumped up and clapped.
“Once we do this, we can catch a few hours of sleep. I’ll figure out what comes tomorrow after we’ve rested.
” My brain was pretty much mush at this point, and I knew I needed sleep. But this had to happen first.
I ran to the kitchen and grabbed five bowls. Might as well join them. I placed one in front of everyone and then I pulled the rest of the stuff from the bag. I gave everyone a tea light and then used the twine to create small bundles of herbs.
“What is this stuff?” Micca leaned over and sniffed the bundle I placed in front of her.
I picked up each herb one by one. “Yarrow, mugwort, rose, rosemary, and ginkgo. Alone and they aren’t much but together, with a little sacrifice and the right words, and we have a spell.
” I handed the last bundle to Wendy. “I’ll go first.” I placed the candle in the center of the bowl and lit it.
“Fuck.” I got up and went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife and came back.
“A knife?” Hanna paled, but I just chuckled.
“You fought rogues tonight, and you’re afraid of a knife?
” I sat back down and used the knife to prick my finger.
I counted the drops. “Three drops.” I grabbed the bundle of herbs and twirled them over the flame until they caught.
The smoke billowed, and I called out. “Ano septa clu dine.” The smoke darkened.
And then, in the dark smoke, the Moon Goddess stood proudly.
“Holy shit.” Toya murmured. But it wasn’t until the Moon Goddess turned to look at us and murmured.
“I, Selene, claim you.” Then she disappeared.
The triple faced Goddess appeared next. Her words were stronger. “I, Hekate, claim you.” Then the smoke cleared and everyone was speechless.
“Holy shit, it worked.” Hanna whispered, and we all laughed.
“Did you doubt me?”
“No.” Hanna shook her head, but then went back to the bowl. “But I didn’t expect that.” She waved her hand in the air, causing all of us to laugh.
“That was…” Micca she trailed off as she stared at my bowl.
Wendy chuckled again. “Intense.”
I nodded. “Magic can be.”
Toya grabbed her bundle of herbs. “My turn.” She turned to me, wiggling her eyes brows.
I leaned over. “Why are you so excited?”
Toya bounced in her chair. “I know who I come from. But I have never seen her as you have, and that…” She sighed. “That was amazing. Seeing the Moon Goddess claim you was amazing.” She looked at the other girls. “I want that feeling for myself.”
I nodded. “This will be interesting.” I scooted closer to her and held the knife to her. “Light your candle. Give your sacrifice.” I looked over at everyone. “When you light the herbs, I’ll grab your hand and together we will recite the words.”
Wendy paled. “I don’t remember the words.”
I waved her off. “It’s okay. The words are easy. Ano septa clu dine.”
“Wait.” Wendy stood to grab a pen.
I laughed. “Sit down Wendy.” She plopped back into the chair. “Listen and repeat.” I looked around and they nodded. “Ano.”
“Anu.” Hanna called, but I shook my head.
“Ah-no.” They nodded and repeated the word. “Septa. Clu. Di-neh.” I waited for each to repeat the word until they had it. “Ano septa clu dine.” Once they were sure of their pronunciation, they settled. “Now.” I turned to Toya. “Are you ready?”
She nodded. “I am.” She grabbed the knife and pricked her finger.
“The candle.” I laughed.
“Shit.” She scrambled to get her tea light lit and placed into the bowl. Then she had to prick herself again because her wolf had already healed the prick. “Okay.” She looked at me and I smiled as I nodded to her finger.
“Three drops.” She nodded as she sprinkled the three drops into the bowl, then grabbed her herbs.
I slid my hand into hers. “Now ignite the herbs and say the words.” I pushed power into her and watched as she twirled the bundle over the tea light.
She looked at me and together we said the words. “Ano septa clu dine.”
The smoke billowed, but Toya’s smoke was a soft grey.
Sand blew in the distance as a Goddess appeared.
Her black hair was in braids that wrapped around her head, her skin was the dark blue-black of the night sky.
Stars scattered her entire body, but it was the galaxies that twirled, the comments that shot, the nebulas that decorated her skin that caught my breath.
She was beautiful. Her eyes briefly met mine, and she nodded once.
Acknowledging me when she didn’t have to.
“We acknowledge Selene’s most beloved creation as homage to Selene.” Her words were soft, but they vibrated the room. The Goddess turned to Toya. “I, Nut, claim you.” Her eyes glowed softly as Toya connected with her Goddess, and then she disappeared.
“Holy shit.” Micca looked at Wendy. “Did you see her sky? That was amazing.”
Toya stayed looking in that smoke for a few more moments, and then she turned to me with tears in her eyes. “Thank you.”
I smiled and leaned in to hug her. “You are most welcome.” I pulled back from her and turned to the others. “I think today should mark a change. Once I have more time, I will dig more into each of your goddesses.”
“Why?” Wendy, ever questioning, leaned back into her chair.
“Because I feel like we have all been lacking.” I watched her face fall. “I haven’t done a thing either, but after tonight, we really have no excuse.”
“Lacking in what?”
“Honoring our ancestors and worshipping our goddesses.” I stood, walking around the table to Hanna. “You’re next Hanna.”
She sighed and then nodded. “I obviously want to see Tsukiyomi. I just don’t think it’s going to make a difference.” Toya stood and moved to my old chair, giving up hers so I could sit next to Hanna.
“And it might not. But this will bring you closer to her and hopefully, we can bring more opportunities to your family.” She looked thoughtful for a moment before she grabbed the lighter.
She did the first few steps and then slid her hand into mine.
I pushed power through her as she lit her herbs and then we whispered the words together.
The smoke billowed into glowing white smoke.
A woman in long, flowy ornamental robes appeared.
Hanna’s brow furrowed as the Goddess smiled down at her.
Her long black hair was free, falling straight down her back.
Her pale skin was almost glowing, and she flicked a fan open as she turned to me.
She gave a deep bow before straightening back up and focusing on Hanna.
“You are surprised to see me, child?” Her voice was heavily accented, but soft.
Hanna froze, but then nodded. “You are not Tsukiyomi.” Hanna said it softly.
The Goddess smiled and then leaned closer. “And you…are not from Japan.” Hanna reeled back. “I, Chang'e, claim you.”