Whipping my head around, I glare at my would-be captor, “Who the hell are you? And why am I here?”
“You haven’t figured it out yet? My, my, you’re not very bright, are you?” She snickers, ever so softly.
“Why don’t you clue me in. Oh, and don’t leave out why you have bound my abilities. The use of iron forged in angel fire has been outlawed, so why the hell am I wearing this bracelet?” I demand.
“You are funny. I like your fire … cousin.” She cocks her head and watches me. The action reminds me of a bird of prey.
That remark raises all sorts of red flags, “Explain.”
“Walk with me,” she demands and turns to sashay out of the chamber, not turning to see if I follow, knowing that I will, that I have no choice if I want answers. The hall beyond is dimly lit and she makes her way to a beautifully carved staircase.
I run my hand along the smooth banister and say, “The craftsmanship is magnificent.”
“It is,” she says and continues her slow, yet deliberate climb upward. “I inherited this place. It’s not as busy as it once was, but it remains hidden from prying eyes from the realms at large by the most intricate of wards. No one has found it in over twenty years. It has become a mystery and yet the realm has all but forgotten that it was once highly sought after.”
Twenty years? “Wait. Who are you?”
“Nyx. My name is Nyx and I’ve been residing here and in The Mortal Realm for some time. Biding my time. Building support to bring my mother back from The Underworld. So the question is, who is the leader of the New Raven Order? That’s what you set out to find out, isn’t it? Well, my dear, you have found her. Or rather, I have captured you before you could put an end to my plans. Plans that I have been working on for a very long time.”
My mind is reeling, I say, “I’m sorry? Who is your mother?”
“Why? Morríganna. Cousin.” She smiles at me rather smugly as she leads me out onto an enormous balcony that oversees a hidden valley below. The mountain seems to be shrouded in mist and dark clouds. Squinting into the sky above and behind me, I realize that this massive fortress has been carved into a volcanic mountainside. Smelling the slight sulfur scent of the fumes that are being issued from the mouth of the volcano high above us.
It’s that moment that I connect the dots and I blurt out, “I had no idea that Morríganna had a daughter.” Why did no one seem to know this?
“I guess that I should feel blessed that she wanted to keep my very existence a secret for all these years, but in retrospect, I have felt nothing but contempt for the goddess that bore me.” Nyx sneers as she gestures before us. “There are many that are still loyal to my mother. They have no idea as to the contempt that I feel for her. They have no idea that I’m her daughter. I can count on one hand those that now know my mother’s dirty little secret, and yet I continue to cultivate her followers.”
“So. why tell me? Why bring me here at all?” None of this makes sense, “and who is your father?”
“My father? That one should be easy enough for you to guess at, go on, take a shot in the dark.” Again she turns to me, watching me closely as if trying to figure me out before turning to walk into the sitting room behind us. I turn once more to look back out over the land below us. It’s safe to say that this place is nestled away from most of the mountain range. Distance creates a barrier from the rest of the realm. Looking up, the sun peeks through the clouds and for a moment the light shines down on the gleaming surface of this castle carved into this volcanic mountain. The black surface shines brightly with veins of red here and there and without a shadow of a doubt, I know that the dwarves were the master crafters here. It’s beautiful in an ominous sort of way. As the sun is once again hidden from view, I follow my captor inside. She’s seated in a chair that looks remarkably like a thrown and it’s then that I recognize her as the female by Mammon’s side last night, but that’s not what is important. I need information right now if I’m going to get out of here and get to Glenndale Loch so Mama can remove this cuff. I take a seat to her right and say, “The only lover that your mother seemed to pine for, from what I know of her histories, is that of Cú Chulainn.” I watch as her face becomes pinched at my words.
“And the prize goes to the dimwitted goddess in the room.” She sneers.
“What’s your problem with me and my station? I can’t help that I was born a goddess.” I glare at the bitch that has bound my abilities, my temper flaring.
“I’ve watched from afar as everyone in this realm has fallen at you and your sibling's feet just because the three of you were the firstborn goddesses and god in all the realms. No one even knew of my existence, no one cared that I was born of a goddess and a demigod’s union. Well, soon, everyone will know who I am, and everyone will bow down to me!”
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?” I mutter.
She’s in front of me in a flash, her hand wraps around my chin lifting me from my seat with a strength I did not know she possessed. In mere seconds, I find myself dangling from
