Chapter Fifteen
Silence. I looked around the room, and everyone was staring at Hanna, who was frozen in her chair.
We waited another minute before I squeezed her hair.
“Are you okay?” Hanna blinked a few times before she sat back in her chair.
She turned to me and her mouth opened, but still, nothing came out.
I wiggled her hand and then she seemed to almost deflate. “Talk to us.”
“My family is from Japan, though.” Hanna finally collected her thoughts.
“And they might have been for a few generations, but they could have moved to Japan from another country, right?”
Hanna considered it. “I mean it’s possible.” She looked at me. “I don’t know where from, though.”
“That’s easy.” I closed my eyes.
“Wait!” I opened my eyes and turned to Wendy.
“What’s wrong?”
She blushed. “Before you figure out where Chang’e comes from, I think you should do Micca and I first.” She started to pick at her nails again.
“Why?” Toya reached across to stop her picking.
She looked up. “I’m not familiar with gods.
” I wanted to laugh, but I just nodded. She sighed.
“I am thinking that if neither Micca nor I know our goddesses either, you can find out all three at the same time. I don’t really know what you were going to do, but just in case, maybe you should wait.
” She smiled, and it was full of confusion and regret.
I laughed this time. “I was going to call my grandmother, so you are right. The only other thought I had was to google.” I lifted a shoulder when Micca threw her head back and laughed. “What? Wendy is right…I am about as familiar with the gods as I am with their origins.”
Hanna looked between us and then nodded. “She is right. We should wait. That way we can find out everything we need to in one visit.” She stood and held the chair back. She looked at Micca. “You’re next.”
Micca looked terrified. But then she shook herself.
“I don’t know why I’m worried. There won’t be any Goddess that claims me.
” She laughed and pulled the lighter to her, getting her bowl ready as I slipped into the chair.
Hanna sat in the chair I just left. As I turned to her, she was already dripping her blood into the bowl.
I slipped my fingers through hers and in moments, dark blue smoke filled the air in front of her.
“No way.” Her whisper was soft, but the Goddess in front of her chuckled.
“That’s no way to greet your sire, child.” The goddess’ lilting accent was kind. Her eyes held a soft silver glow to them as she smirked. “I was wondering when you would remember your roots. Welcome home, lass. I, Arianrhod, claim you.” Then she was gone.
Micca turned to me and I gave her a soft smile. “You were right.” She whispered.
“I think so, but we won’t be sure until after Wendy.
” Everyone turned to face our friend, who was almost vibrating as she grabbed the lighter.
I laughed as Micca stood and we swapped places.
I had barely settled when Wendy was dripping the blood into the bowl in front of her.
I grabbed her hands as she recited the words with me.
Dark smoke filled the air in front of her and we all froze at the sight that took shape in front of Wendy. A man with dark hair and silver eyes looked down at her. “I had thought you had forgotten me, pup.” The god’s smile was full of mirth and he winked. “I, Máni, claim you.” Then he was gone.
I turned with a wide open mouth to Wendy. “I didn’t expect that. I don’t know why I assumed we would all come from goddesses. But that…”
“Was a god.” She finished.
I nodded. “That he was.”
“I’m descended from a god.” She looked at me with wide eyes and a trembling lip.
“Yes, yes, you are.” I sighed and sat back in my chair, feeling validated. “Okay. One more thing, then we can sleep.” I closed my eyes. “Grandma, I need your guidance. I don’t know my gods and goddesses, but I need to know who these are.”
I felt the ghost of a touch at my shoulder and I looked up to find her standing next to me. She leaned down and kissed my brow. “My girl, you are tired.”
I nodded as I opened my eyes. “I am, but this needed to be figured out tonight.” She nodded.
“That it does.” She turned to my friends. “Hello my girls.” She smiled as she walked to Toya. “I know, I don’t have to tell you much. You know your homeland, your stories are intact. Nut watches over her children. Her sands will always welcome you home.” Toya smiled and nodded.
“It was still amazing to see her.” My grandmother leaned over and kissed her brow. Then she turned to Hanna.
“You come from a family or travelers.” She winked as she moved onto my next friend.
Then she looked around and smiled. “All of you do. But you three, you lost your roots because of it.” She watched as the three of them all nodded.
“Now. Refinding your stories, finding your roots will become something important to you. And it should be.” She leaned over and kissed Hanna’s brow.
“While Japan is dear to your family. China is where they stem from. Your Goddess calls you home.” She moved to Micca, and she tugged on her strands.
“It should come as no surprise that your roots are Welsh. Rich in culture and redheads.” My grandmother laughed.
“Arianrhod of the silver wheel and weaver. Tell her stories and bring her home.” Micca smiled as she played with a lock of hair as my grandmother moved past me.
She stopped next to Wendy and kissed her brow.
“A god brought forth your line. Norse roots date your family back years. Yet in their exploration, your men turned their back on their god. And now you have to find your way back to him.”
I watched as my friends digested the information. Then, as one, they all turned to thank her, but my grandmother was already gone. “Damn, she’s fast.” Toya smirked.
“We didn’t even get to say thank you.” Wendy sat back in her chair and I smiled.
“She knows.” I sighed as I sat back. “How are we all feeling?”
Everyone took a deep breath, sitting with all the new knowledge, but it was Hanna that spoke up first. “I had no idea we moved from China.” She looked down at her hands. “My father was sure we were Japanese, through and through.”
I bit the skin on my thumb. “Is that a bad thing? Being from China?”
“God no.” Hanna had to think for a moment. “It’s not a good or bad thing, just unexpected.” She sighed. “I doubt my father will even believe me.”
“And do you need your father to believe you?” Micca leaned her elbow on the table.
Hanna paused before answering. “No. I don’t think I need him to, but I would like him to. Chang’e deserves our line to recognize its roots.” I nodded. “I don’t know how to go about speaking with him about it.”
“I don’t think that is something you have to worry about right this second. And maybe you could find the immigration records, or something like that.” Wendy smiled, and I agreed.
“Wendy is right. You are focused on the wrong thing. How do you feel about everything?” I pushed her to focus on herself for a minute. “Push aside what anyone else might think about these revelations. Just how are you feeling?”
Hanna took a deep breath. “Vindicated.”
I tilted my head. “Why?”
“Because my father was so obsessed about being descended from Tsukiyomi that it became relentless. I told my father that we couldn’t focus solely on Tsukiyomi.
We had to stop relying on a Goddess that had turned her back on us.
But now…I realized I was right, but for another reason.
He was focused on the wrong goddess.” She sighed.
“Vindication was probably the wrong word, but I’m tired. ”
Wendy yawned. “I’m exhausted.” She looked over at me. “But I am honestly blown away. I never thought I descended from any God or Goddess, but to learn that my family were probably vikings. That’s cool.”
Micca turned to her. “Vikings? How do you know?”
“Máni, he is a Norse god.” Wendy smiled. “I chose to do a report on the Norse pantheon when I was a child.”
Micca sat back. “So you didn’t have to be told?” Wendy shook her head. “That’s good, but also a little upsetting.”
“Why?” Wendy chuckled.
“Cause you already know about your god. I’m clueless about mine.” Micca crossed her arms.
Toya laughed. “Typical.”
“What?” Micca pouted more. “What’s so freaking typical?” She tossed her arms up.
“You get bratty and whiny when you’re tired.” I pointed out, and everyone else nodded. She opened her mouth and then stopped to think about it. She just ended up nodding and sighing.
“You’re right.” She yawned and rubbed her eyes.
“But.” I pushed myself to my feet. “It’s time to turn in. We have to get up early in the morning and we have to plan our next steps.” Everyone else stood as well. “Goodnight.”
“Night Amy.” We all trudged up the stairs.
I stopped off and checked on Carly. She was huddled in the middle of her bed sound asleep.
I wanted to hold her, but after everything, I barely knew her and I didn’t want her to be afraid of me.
So I closed her door with a soft click before heading to my room.
I listened to the soft click of the other doors as I made it to the bed and slid inside of it.
Today had been way too much. So much happened that my battery had completely run dry.
How was I going to take care of a child?
How was I supposed to be here and there at the same time?
I groaned as I thought about home. I wanted to be with my mother, but having to face Morgan and Shannon was going to be hell.
But that was tomorrow’s issue.