Chapter 61
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
“So I got rid of one crazy half-demon who was after me, and now I have an original demon claiming I’m his.
Forget the dragon pheromones … it’s demon pheromones I have, or something.
” Reiya sighed in frustration. Mephisto had a strong, menacing power coming from him.
He was every bit as powerful as her Lee.
She could sense it. What he didn’t know was that, if he killed Lee, he would kill her as well.
And she didn’t plan on giving him that bit of information.
If that got out, then anyone wanting to kill Leviathan would just go after her, since she wasn’t as powerful.
She wouldn’t have to worry about living without Lee.
But she could still be captured. With a demon as powerful as him, she was sure he had an arsenal of weapons and plans.
Reiya looked at Selene, who she had met before, and then at Kali. She didn’t know who this other woman was.
“Do you plan to tell me what your plans are with me?” Reiya finally spoke up.
“It’s complicated,” Kali said tersely.
“This is the dark priestess, Kali. I won’t lie to you. What we’ll be asking of you is very dangerous. We were going to wait to tell you, but given the circumstances, you should probably hear it now.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to bring the other two involved here as well?” Kali waved her hand casually, and Xander and Hunter immediately appeared.
Hunter turned and saw Reiya and Xander in a dark room, then noticed the two women standing a few feet away from them. Xander and Hunter both approached Reiya protectively. Xander was the one to put his arm around Reiya first, lifting his amber eyes up to the women.
“Well, I guess you’re all involved, so you should know as well.” Selene looked at Kali who only shrugged. “This is the dark priestess, Kali, and I am the Moon Goddess, Selene. We have brought you here to explain something very important.”
“Are you the ones who pulled Reiya in here?” Xander growled out in agitation. They had been on the other side, worrying because she wouldn’t wake up. Then suddenly they appeared here, he and Hunter more than likely leaving their bodies in the same condition as Reiya’s.
“No. Mephisto brought her here. I guess he has decided he also wants Reiya for himself, and for the same reasons Abaas did.” Selene frowned, and a growl ripped through Hunter’s throat.
“I’ll rip him apart,” Hunter snarled lowly.
“No, young alpha. He is too strong, even for you. It will take someone like Leviathan to bring him down. If I didn’t have to worry about the balance of the world, I would do it myself.
But I can’t interfere because of my gift of knowing the future.
” Selene frowned. “Long ago, Kali and I made a terrible mistake. We tried to get rid of the whole idea of balance and merge light and dark. We manipulated the world with our gift of foresight, and we destroyed the balance. When this happened, it created a powerful overflow of magic that took on a life of itself. A powerful black hole.”
Kali tapped her foot impatiently. “Do they really need to know the whole background? What happened isn’t important anymore, because it happened.”
Selene looked at Kali and rolled her eyes. “I think it’s important.” She turned her gaze back to the three, who were still patiently waiting for her to continue.
“The Lord of the Earth, Endymion, threw himself into the black hole and sealed it from within to keep it from raging out of control. Since then, we have been working tirelessly to restore balance. Even setting the stage in the background.” Selene sighed.
“What she means is, we may have indirectly nudged things to go in certain directions because we could see what futures came from those possibilities. It isn’t the same as direct interference, though.
” Kali raised her hand and pointed at Hunter and Reiya.
“The Chain family is a prime example of a family that exists because of careful planning, even up to the very mates that you have now.” She pointed at Xander.
“And the existence of the Gemini souls.”
Xander tightened his grip around Reiya. “So what do you want with the Gemini twins?”
“She’s getting to that.” Kali clicked her tongue in annoyance. The youth of today was so impatient.
“With the army that is forming, this will be the chance to fully restore balance without our direct interference. Once balance is restored, the magic of the black hole will no longer rage out of control. It will go dormant and will no longer require Endymion to keep it sealed. But there is no way for him to escape the black hole. He’s trapped inside it.
No one can enter it without getting lost. That is its nature …
” Selene looked at the three young adults in front of her.
“No one except for you three, that is.” Kali finally added.
“Wait. You want us to risk going into this black hole and perhaps never be able to escape?” Xander asked, his eyes flicking to Hunter’s.
“Only two of you will be put at risk.” Selene looked at Reiya and Hunter. “The Gemini twins are the only souls that are like a beacon to the other. They can call out to each other and find their way out of the black hole.”
“Theoretically,” Kali added for good measure. They weren’t completely certain, since it had never been done.
“Xander would need to stay behind so that his soul can call to Reiya’s, while both Reiya and Hunter would enter the black hole.
Reiya and Hunter are both connected as twins.
As such, even part of the Gemini energy resides inside him.
He is the only other person who can enter the black hole with Reiya.
Then, once you find Endymion, you would call out to Xander's soul in order to find the way back out.”
“Okay, one … why would we go in there to rescue this Endymion? And two, why would I need to drag Hunter in there? Couldn’t I just go by myself?” Reiya asked as Hunter shot her an irritated look.
“If you’re going into some black hole, obviously I’m going with you.” Hunter growled.
“There is another darkness inside of the hole. An evil presence that was sucked inside it. You will need Hunter’s strength if you were to encounter it,” Selene said quietly.
“Endymion is also my brother,” Kali said with a frown.
“And he is Selene’s partner. Think of your own mates, Chain children.
Those mates were matches planned by Selene.
Does she not deserve to have her partner back?
And since you are the only ones who can give that to her, do you not feel responsible? ” Kali sighed in irritation.
“What if this Endymion has already encountered this darkness?” Xander asked curiously.
Kali shook her head. “The creature can’t hurt Endymion.
The Slayer is a creature that cannot attack Endymion, since he is its master.
Likewise, Endymion can never injure his servant.
They both need each other to exist, but Slayer is a terrible existence.
Leaving it in the hole will be for the best.”
“I don’t understand. If Endymion is the master, can’t he just order the creature to stay?” Hunter felt like this whole thing was confusing.
“It isn’t exactly like that. It’s hard to explain.
Think of it like this: Endymion removed a dark power from his body.
It was a poisonous existence within him.
When he did, it created a life of its own.
But neither can exist without the other, so neither of them would ever harm the other.
” Selene looked at Reiya. “Think of it like the connection you and Leviathan share. If you are killed, then Leviathan would also be killed, and vice versa.”
“This is news to me.” Hunter rubbed his forehead and looked over at Reiya, frowning.
“Lee’s life is linked to mine. He will not have to live for an eternity without me.
Our lives are linked so they will end together.
It’s more than any mate could ever ask for.
” Reiya smiled as she met with her brother’s silver eyes.
She knew he would understand it better that way, and she could see he did.
“Do we even have a choice in the matter?” Xander looked at Selene and Kali.
Selene nodded but Kali shook her head and spoke before she could answer.
“Selene is giving you a choice. I am not. That is my brother, and he’s been in darkness for too long,” Kali spat out.
“What happens to us if we don’t?” Hunter asked, and a cruel smile spread over Kali’s face.
“I will claim Freja’s life. The reason I sent her on the quest for the black pearl was for this reason.
I linked that black pearl to her soul when she gave it to me.
I will only release it once Endymion is freed.
Otherwise, I’ll smash it, which will cause her death.
” Kali’s obsidian eyes bore into Hunter’s.
Not only would this affect Hunter, but she knew that Reiya wouldn’t allow her brother to suffer.
Nor would she allow Freja to be killed. And Xander would do whatever he could for Reiya. It was the perfect plan.
Hunter scowled with a low growl and glared at the priestess angrily.
“We will do it,” Reiya said quietly.
“Reiya!” Xander said, horrified. “Levi won’t let you.”
“This is our secret. The three of us won’t tell anyone else.
No need to worry them. Freja wouldn’t allow Hunter to risk his life for her sake either.
This will have to remain a secret.” Reiya looked at Hunter, who was staring at the ground.
“I have my Lee because of Selene. Even a short life with him would be worth it over having no life with him. I couldn’t imagine my mate living for all eternity, but I could never reach him.
” Reiya looked at Selene and smiled. “If I can help, I will. And this is my own choice, not because of the threat. I would have chosen this anyway.” Reiya looked at Kali with distaste.
She understood why she did it, but it wasn’t necessary.
“I don’t have a choice in the matter. I won’t lose Freja, nor will I allow Reiya to go without me.” Hunter sighed heavily, then flashed his gaze at his sister. “I’ll protect you there. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Leviathan is Reiya’s summon. Can he not enter the black hole, too?” Xander’s brows furrowed.
The two women shook their heads. “No, he can’t enter. His energy wouldn’t be allowed inside. Once Reiya enters the black hole, she will not have her elemental powers, and neither will Hunter,” Selene said apologetically.
“Boy, you are really selling it. This keeps sounding better and better.” Xander said sarcastically, then looked at the goddess seriously. “What are the chances of success?”
“There are many factors that will come into play. Whether Reiya and Hunter have to fight the Slayer and how long it takes to find Endymion. Then how strong the connection is between your souls …”
Xander looked a bit agitated. “Give me our best chances and worst chances. I want to know. We deserve to know.”
Kali clicked her tongue. “Best case scenario: Going in, if they find Endymion right away, then I’d say a seventy percent chance they make it out.
If they run into the Slayer, you’re now looking at a thirty percent survival rate.
I don’t understand why this matters. It really isn’t like there’s a choice. ”
“Damn.” Xander breathed out. Neither of those odds sounded good to him. He looked at Reiya. “How are you going to keep this a secret from Levi? You couldn’t keep the Ocean’s Tear a secret. You’re a horrible secret keeper.”
“It doesn’t matter if that water dragon knows or not. He can’t stop it from happening if you are willingly choosing it.” Selene said matter-of-factly. “It would just make leading up to the moment easier on you. But he can’t stop it.”
“I’m going to try my best to keep it a secret and then go from there,” Reiya said quietly. “So how will this work?”
“So, we still have to survive through the demon war first, right? Nothing like surviving the fire to be thrown into the furnace.” Hunter shook his head. They already had a tough battle coming with the demons, and then right after, there would be another life-or-death mission.
“After Mephisto is destroyed and the demons are bested, we will come to you. We will guide you on how to continue from there,” Selene answered with a smile. “I know this was forced on you all, but I am incredibly grateful.”
“Nothing better happen to them in that black hole.” Xander was angry that he couldn’t be the one to go in.
He would have in a heartbeat. “Why can’t I just go into the black hole?
I can take on the Slayer if I find him. Then Reiya can call my soul back.
Then I’m the only one risking my life instead of Reiya and Hunter. ”
“Because someone with fairy blood flowing through their veins is needed.” Kali shrugged.
“Wow, you really planned all this out with the creation of our family.” Hunter scoffed. He felt like they were basically bred just for this. And in a sense, he wasn’t wrong. They were definitely set on this path intentionally.
“It’ll be okay, Xander. Let’s just focus on one thing at a time. Getting rid of Mephisto. I really don’t want to be used as his own personal breeding machine.” Reiya turned her nose up in disgust.
Xander snarled and shook his head. “No one is going to touch you, Reiya.” He could see Hunter nodding in agreement over this.
“It’s time you head back now.” Selene glanced at Kali for her to wake them up.
“Wait, before you do … what reason should we give for Xander and me to be brought here? Not the real reason, of course. The reason we should use to explain to everyone who’s waiting.” Hunter chuckled and looked at Reiya and Xander. Their stories needed to match up.
“You were brought here since you’re both connected to Reiya, in order to protect her mental presence from Mephisto.” Kali waved her hand dismissively. That was a good enough excuse for her. The moment she did, the three consciousnesses vanished.
“One step closer,” Kali said, looking at Selene.
“Yes, everything will soon be over. And hopefully Endymion will be freed,” Selene said with a soft smile.