“I see that. Welcome dwelling. Now we have company. Come meet Maerlin.”

Taking his hand, Ash pulled him over to the goddess, bursting with eagerness to introduce her mate. “Maerlin, that is Luca. He’s simply returned from revealing the supernatural world and shifting us into Earth’s Magic Age.”

Luca supplied a heat, respectful smile, however he didn’t bow. “It’s a pleasure to fulfill you, Maerlin. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

She scoffed. “All lies, I’m positive.”

“They’re not!” Benji known as as he scribbled notes on a serviette, cursing his choice to depart his bag within the library. “I’ve eyewitness accounts.”

Maerlin despatched him a glance of mock disapproval. “Oh, hush, owl. I’m attempting to be humble.”

Luca tried and failed to carry again a snort. “He has studied you obsessively for hundreds of years. Benji is a strolling encyclopedia of Maerlin lore. You may’t pull off humility with him round. Would possibly as effectively discover a strategy to adapt. We’d like him.”

Maerlin knew about and preferred the owl shifters, and Benji’s presence right here meant they have been involved concerning the rift, too. She made a psychological notice to speak to him when there was time. For now, she needed to inform Ash many issues.

“I suppose I’ll need to get used to it, then,” Maerlin replied. “Ash, I have to inform you some tough issues. Now that your mate is right here, can we discuss?”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Therian Palace, Friday, January 18, 2013, Afternoon

Along with the massive eating desk, the room featured a number of seating areas, and Ash pulled Maerlin to a settee. The others gathered round to pay attention. The goddess took a deep breath and checked out her daughter with the plentiful love she’d carried for all these years. “I don’t know how you can begin.”

Ash smiled. “I can’t even think about. Let me inform you what I do know, and you may fill within the holes.” Maerlin nodded. “I do know that the Therians take into account you a goddess. You might be immortal however sometimes reside as a human and possess unimaginable magic. You labored as a human fertility physician whenever you met my dad and mom and have become shut associates. I guessed that science wasn’t sufficient to get them pregnant with me, so that you threw in some magic. The place have you ever been all my life? Why did you allow?”

Maerlin sighed. “You’re proper, in a approach. Melinda and Brian are your dad and mom, however I did use my magic to present them the spark of life and make sure you would survive to beginning. In a really possible way, you will have three dad and mom, particularly now that the seal is damaged.”

She paused. “I’m getting forward of myself. I used to be there for the primary two years of your life. You have been essentially the most cute child, however you added an entire new dimension to the ‘Horrible Twos.’ It turned evident that your supernatural heritage got here with a limitless effectively of magic. You may’t think about how harmful it’s to have a drained toddler who can degree a metropolis block—or a continent—throughout a tantrum when she doesn’t wish to nap. That was once I knew my presence was making it worse. I needed to block your powers to make you extra human and bind them to your soul till you have been prepared for that accountability.

“What do you imply ‘extra human?’” Ash requested warily.

Maerlin took a deep breath. “You’re not my first youngster, and our powers don’t all the time result in comfortable endings.”

“I’m nearly afraid to ask. Which means I’ve…I assume we’ll name them siblings?”

Maerlin nodded, wanting hesitant. “You studied historical past, proper? I assume you’re aware of the Greek pantheon?”

The colour drained from Ash’s face. “The entire thing?”

Maerlin smiled and shook her head. “Oh, goodness, no.” Ash began to loosen up, however she completed, “Solely the unique twelve are your siblings.”

“Fucking fuck!”

“Third-siblings, if that’s a factor,” Maerlin added sheepishly.

That was an excessive amount of for Ash. She couldn’t cease eager about the opposite implications of being Maerlin’s daughter. “I don’t have the mind energy to course of Zeus being my older brother proper now. Why don’t you inform me concerning the seal?”

“If I had stayed, the magic would have gotten stronger, and I couldn’t threat it. I cherished you all far an excessive amount of. Earlier than I went, I needed to take the reminiscences of the magic from you and your dad and mom, or the block wouldn’t have held.”

“You took our reminiscences?” Melinda requested, wanting upset.

Maerlin turned a pleading look towards her good friend. “Please perceive that I didn’t have a selection. I needed to do it to guard you.”

Melinda and Brian locked gazes, partaking in one other of their silent conversations. “I perceive why, and I’m not mad. Can now we have these reminiscences again now?”

Maerlin nodded. “In fact.” She leaned ahead and touched the fingers of her proper hand to their foreheads in flip.

Like somebody had turned on a video montage, Ash noticed the misplaced reminiscences tied to Maerlin and magic play in her head. So many moments from numerous days. Experiencing these reminiscences by means of the filter of her grownup thoughts, Ash couldn’t deny the love and concern that poured from her different mom. Probably the most detailed reminiscence featured Maerlin babysitting on the Mosiers’ anniversary. She’d taken the toddler for ice cream and spent the remainder of the evening attempting to maintain up with the sugar rush and canopy the traces of magic as a guffawing child Ash flew round the home, turned the sofa to cotton sweet, conjured a toy from the tv, and reworked her bed room into Candyland. When Brian and Melinda bought dwelling, the home appeared regular, and Ash was asleep, wanting as harmless as an angel. The exhausted and matted Maerlin appeared like she’d been hit by a hurricane.

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