Page 49 of A Witch Out of Time
My brain was so overwhelmed by the flaming train wreck happening in front of me, I couldn’t fully process the implications. Luckily, Ace cleared it right up when he pointed a finger at me while facing his mother. “How could you?!” he angrily shouted. “Do you have any idea what this man has gone through since youLEFThim as a baby?”
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
Vasi was suddenly by my side, running her claws lightly over my forearm, instantly soothing some of my more violent emotions. Glancing down at my little witch, I saw she was now directing that gorgeous glare of hers in Mokosh’s direction, even as Asa squared off with her.
The Great Mother—mymother, apparently—grimaced and turned to face me. “I truly am sorry I abandoned you at such a young age, Nox, but I felt I had no choice. Veles had found me, and I feared what he might do to you if he discovered your existence. I ran to lead him away from you.”
She left me.
And she never came back.
As if sensing I was a time bomb about to blow, she hurriedly continued. “I did leave you in the care of one of my most loyal priestesses, confident in her abilities to prepare you for your destiny. When she was killed, I intended to return for you, but Matthew surprised me by claiming you first. He’d shown little interest in you until then—hadn’t even wanted to be a father. Knowing what I do now about his distasteful work with shifters, I wonder if he suspected you were touched by the supernatural...” She momentarily trailed off, as if lost in thought. “Once he got you inside the Facility, I had no way of reaching you. I already knew the third Rider had been born, so I focused my efforts on steering Asa toward eventually finding you. Perhaps I should have contacted you before…”
The regret in her tone seemed genuine, but I wasn’t interested in easing her guilty conscience at the moment. I’d spent my entire life thinking my mother didn’t want me—or worse, haddiedbefore she could return. But she could have reconnected with me at any time before my father got to me. This woman acted like he was the only villain here, but in the end, I was just as much a pawn to her as I was to him.
She can go to her magic cave and fuck herself.
Even though I had so many questions, my anger won out, as usual. I ended up simply staring down at Vasi to calm myself, refusing to acknowledge anything the goddess had said to me. Ace walked over and placed a steady hand on my shoulder, making it clear whose side he was on in this situation, which meant a lot to me.
“Um, pardon?” Tan was raising his hand like a fucking moron, as if he wasn’t about to run his mouth anyway. “I hate to interrupt this touching reunion, which also happens to be a very thrilling Telenovela...butIam not also Ace’s half-brother, correct? I mean, I would be more than all right with that, but he may not soooo…”
“Not now, Tan. Jesus,” Asa groaned, giving my shoulder a squeeze to distract me from my sudden desire to go punch the jackass in the mouth.
Mokosh was smiling in that sly way Marena often did, making the family resemblance all too clear. “No, you are not my child, Taneer. However, youdohave divine parentage as well, but I won’t ruin the surprise for you just yet.”
Turning back to face me, the goddess sobered. “Veles has no right to keep you in the Nav, Nox. He simply ordered you to return once your destiny was fulfilled, but your destiny is to exist at Vasi’s side until time no longer exists. Therefore, Vel can wait all he wants, and you four are free to return to the surface and save my beloved earth.” She then gave Vasi a nod of respectful recognition, as she should.
Veles had gotten real quiet while Mokosh was speaking, but now he hesitantly asked, “Will you be returning to me once Vasilisa and her Riders succeed?”
The goddess wrinkled her nose, her judgmental expression making it crystal clear who wore the pants in that relationship. “Koschei owns my death for the time being, and I am content to continue maintaining the balance of life from within these walls. In the meantime, I highly suggest you help Vasilisa and her Riders inany way you can.Only then will I consider returning to you once this is over with. Perhaps.” She then serenely smiled at the rest of us before turning and disappearing back into the depths of the cave.
As if she didn’t just crop dust us with her bullshit bombs.
Looking like a man who’d just had his balls handed to him, Veles sourly muttered, “Fine. You are free to leave the Nav with the others, Nox. And to show my support for your cause, Vasi, I’ve left a gift waiting in your hut. I would suggest the Facility be your first target.” He then turned to Marena and quietly asked, with even more hesitancy than he’d spoken to Mokosh. “Areyoucoming home with me, Rena?”
She shyly nodded, looking slightly emotional as she turned and gathered my witch into her arms. “Thank you for everything, Vasi. I know in my heart you and your Riders will succeed, especially with what Vel left you in the hut.It’s a hobby of his.”She winked before addressing the rest of us, “And I’ll be seeing all of you again soon…brothers!”Then my suddenly half-sister handed out a round of hugs—whether or not we wanted one—snapped her fingers, and got us the fuck out of the Nav.
Chapter 40
Vasilisa
My men were demigods. Of course, I suspected there was something special about them from the moment we met, but learning Mokosh herself was the mother of both Asa and Nox was surprising. Tan’s godly parentage was yet to be revealed, but it was no doubt another extremely powerful deity. Overall, this certainly explained how my Riders saw past my disguise as Yaga and how they could summon and withstand such incredible magic.
It may also explain how they’re so skillful in bed.
Marena had snapped her fingers and instantaneously deposited us back on the rocky shore where we’d first entered the Nav. While settling back into the izba before we departed, I silently acknowledged how good it felt to have all three Riders in my little hut again. Their boisterous energy was as homey and familiar to me now as the warmth from my stove, even if there was barely enough room for all of us.
“Ooh, is this our farewell present from the god of baditude?” Tan’s lilting voice brought my attention to the men’s corner, where he, Nox, and Asa were peering down into a large crate. Joining them, I was confused by the jumble of wires, pipes, and timepieces I found, all glowing with supernatural energy. The men seemed to know what they were looking at, though, judging by the low whistles and murmurs of approval.
Nox huffed a laugh. “So, Veles’ hobby ishomemade bombs?That’s pretty fucking metal of him.” An excited gleam was in his dark brown eyes—like a child with a new toy to play with—but I sensed sadness still lingering at the edges of his emotions.
While part of me was annoyed with my Darkest Midnight for not disclosing his deal with Veles, I understood he hadn’t possessed all the details himself. Mostly, I was heartbroken for my Rider and all he’d endured, including being motherless from an even younger age than I was when I lost my own.
I wish there was something I could do to ease the pain…
The hut started walking, and I smiled, immediately realizing where it was taking us. In only a few minutes, we entered a small clearing with a tiny dilapidated izba in the center, surrounded by an overgrown garden. Nox glanced out the window and froze before turning to glare at me. “Why are we at my grand...at the house I grew up in?”
Pursing my lips to hide my delight, I snatched his hand and dragged him toward the door. “BecauseIwould like to see yourgrandmother’shouse. I want to imagine you running barefoot through the garden, dirty and wild like a little beast.”
