CELESTIA (Unicorn Blessed Chronicles Book 4) Page 12

  The last three weeks was essentially me eating, sleeping, enjoying hot baths, and the now frequent visits from Arielle who'd give us the 411 on what was happening on the other side of our world.

  Everything was being set in place, as our big plan was beginning to be finalized. As of now, Forsaken had tripled in numbers and ignited an uproar with shifters of all races.

  The High Council, however, had been ignoring them, focusing on locating me and setting up a plan to try and blame me for the increase in Forsaken.

  Little did they know that Mother and my dads were working on secretly spreading the word about the hidden truth and lies, using a magic code to ensure it didn't get back to the Council.

  It seemed like a good 80% of the shifters were starting to notice the change in the Council, especially after they removed Orlando long ago and just recently Othello, who was bringing change to the shifter community in Aslan and across the towns and cities.

  Magnor and Orlando had many connections from different dimensions and used them to their advantage.

  The plan was to let an "inside" source of a high position inform the High Council of where they believed I was hiding and that included the rainbow crown that was apparently with them for safekeeping but was stolen.

  They would tell them the day before our scheduled plan, knowing quite well that the story would be the perfect bait to say to the people once I was captured. They wouldn't waste time thinking about it or get a second opinion, seeing as they were desperate to track me down.

  Faelia was working behind the scenes, creating a variety of potions. She'd had a vision of the Fae individual that created the Council's rejuvenation potions would be making an early delivery.

  We couldn't afford for the Council members to be back in full health and magic power and that was where Faelia fit right into the plan. She and her men were ready to ambush the Fae and Faelia would go in disguise and deliver the potions.

  The potions were requested to have an extra boost, and that was what Faelia was going to deliver. However, the potion’s effect would only last three days.

  The scheduled delivery would be Wednesday night and the Council members would be drinking early Thursday morning.

  The 'showdown' was scheduled for Sunday at noon and would give the potion enough lingering power so none of the members would notice the sudden depletion of energy.

  It would be too late once it activated.

  My men were working on the actual spot for the showdown, purifying the forest as much as possible while the familiars helped to sprinkle magic across the land to ensure it wouldn't get too damaged from the battle that would transpire. Just in case things didn't go smoothly.

  Mother was creating magical barriers around the entire area and making safe spots across Aslan and the other towns and villages, knowing quite well if things went south, the sudden spike of concentrated magic would attract Forsaken everywhere.

  Esme was doing her part down here, saying she could go to the exact locations in the Dark World and reinforce the barriers, making it so that only Forsaken would be stopped.

  That way, if there were any shifters with dark magic that had good intentions of helping us, they would be permitted to pass.

  Hellsin and Harrison were aiding with the army prep at Alpha Pure and sending out teams on rescue missions to help those who were being affected by the current attacks.

  Everyone was busy, which included Odion and his friend Aaron who was like a Guardian of the Dark World.

  While Odion did his duty of reaping darkness from animals and a few shifters if he could do it at a safe distance, Aaron would work around the Dark World, traveling through the different areas and created towns to ensure the individuals waiting for the time of redemption and freedom were okay.

  After I'd shifted back from my Dark Rider experience, I'd been unconscious for days, and when I'd finally woken up, I'd just missed him.

  Total bad luck on my account.

  Odion had stuck around, not wanting to leave my side until he knew I was awake and well, but his job was to remove as much darkness as possible that was tainting some of the students at Aslan.

  Othello and Miona were balancing the task of taking care of the school in Orlando's absence for those shifters who had to remain on campus for various reasons.

  With all that was going on, and all the important duties that had to be timed just right, what was I assigned? To sit at home and watch Momo.

  Babysitting.

  It wasn't like I minded much since Momo was absolutely adorable and rather easy to watch. A typical day would be filled with her singing, napping, stealing my food, a long enjoyable bath, playing games, reading her stories, and singing her lullabies before bed.

  Not to mention her sneaking into the cookie jar and falling inside of it.

  Yes, the cookie jar is bigger than Momo.

  It was kind of like raising a kid, and even though it was a bit tiring at times, it was enjoyable. But I didn't feel beneficial to the actual plans and preparations of battle.

  I was basically banned from using magic until the day of the battle. Orion had explained what had happened that resulted in me shifting into a Dark Rider, and after a bit of back and forth communications thanks to Arielle and Momo's help, it was determined I was on lockdown until they figured out exactly what was going on.

  Charlotte said she'd have some detailed books that talked about rare unicorn breeds that she could look into to see if I fell into one of those categories, but timing was critical. It would have to wait.

  Being a good girl and staying "home" was apparently better than me participating and risking passing out from exhaustion.

  Odion would be back soon, hopefully by the end of the week, and I couldn't wait. I missed him, a lot more than I expected to, which could have also been due to the Dark Rider thing. I hadn't felt weird or out of place when he'd left, so we didn't find it necessary for him to boost the hint of dark magic inside me.

  I missed the other guys as well and was thankful for Momo's presence or, otherwise, I'd feel very lonely here.

  I'd gotten used to the house and knew where all the main places were, including a library that Esme allowed me to go into whenever I wanted to waste time or read Momo stories before her nap and bedtime.

  It just felt like something was missing between Odion and me, and I couldn't figure it out yet. It could have been our bond, but he had applied it in a similar manner as the others had.

  Minus the sex.

  Before Odion left, he'd given me one hell of a kiss that made my toes curl, my stomach fill with fluttering butterflies, my lungs out of breath, and my new panties wet with desire. Unfortunately, my fingers had to do the deed instead of Odion.

  It was difficult because "sex" would be the hardest thing to confront him about. It was a touchy subject that would only remind him of his past, and I didn't want to do that. I wanted it to be natural, but at the same time, my body yearned to be touched by him the longer I had to wait.

  I felt like a horny teenager who hadn't had sex before in her life, which was completely silly, but I couldn't help it. I figured if I could last until this battle was over, I'd go back and jump one of the guys.

  Maybe two… or three. Who cares. I just needed cock.

  "BiBiBiBi." Momo continued to jump up and down on the bed, making me smile as I closed the door.

  "Want to stay here for a bit?" I asked her.

  She paused in her jumping motion to put her hands in the air.

  "BIBO!" She dropped down to the soft black sheets and crawled up to the where the pillows were. Sneaking under the blanket, she stayed there and began to giggle.

  "Bibibibi."

  I lowered the level of magic in the room, the flames that kept the area well lit dimmed to a decent level for sleeping. It was already evening, and I didn't mind if we went to bed a little earlier than usual.

  Quietly walking to the side where Momo was currently hiding, I slowly held the sheet and suddenly lifted it. />
  "Boo!"

  "Bibibibbi!" Momo giggled and rolled over in the bed.

  "I found you." I giggled and crawled onto the free side of the bed. Momo crawled back to the top where the pillows were, waiting for me to get comfortable before she relaxed next to me.

  I wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead. "You miss Odion?"

  "BiBo." She nodded and snuggled even closer to me.

  "Me too," I said. "He'll be back soon."

  "Bi," Momo replied. I remained quiet, sensing she was almost asleep. I closed my eyes and let my thoughts drift.

  When all this is over, what's going to happen? If I'm a Queen, does that mean I'll have to rule? Am I even ready to do that? Am I too young? I'm not as powerful as the past Queens. At least, I don't believe so… I wish I knew what to do.

  I gave up thinking about it and decided to take their advice and rest so that I was ready for the final battle.

  I looked at my little hands and glanced around the mirrored room, noticing my wide green and purple eyes in the multiple reflections surrounding me.

  Walking up to one of the mirrors, I stared at the ten-year-old me and smiled. "I'm so pretty!"

  I noticed the little crown that was on my head and it only made me happier as I began to dance around. "I'm going to be Queen. I'll help everyone to be happy."

  "Will you?"

  I stopped mid-dance to stare at the woman. She had pink and purple mismatched eyes and long pink and purple hair that caught my attention.

  She had the same swirls on her cheek as me and when I walked closer to her, she had tiny hints of gold in her hair. She was tall, much taller than my 4'1" height or that's what I assumed when I looked in the mirror.

  "I will!" I said with a pout but then tilted my head at her.

  "Who are you?"

  The woman gave me a sad smile and approached me. When she stood in front of me, she knelt to her knees so we could be at the same eye level.

  My eyes stared into hers and I smiled. "You look like me!"

  "Do I?" the woman whispered and reached out to stroke my head comfortably.

  "How did you know I like that? Magnor does that to make me feel better when I'm sad," I explained and smiled at the stranger. "I'm technically not supposed to talk to strangers, but Magnor said if they have good energy I can. They won't hurt me."

  "He gave you good advice," she said softly. "He's a powerful man. He'll teach you well."

  "You know Magnor Rune? He's going to train me!" I stressed.

  "Yes, I know him. He trained me once."

  "Did he?!" I asked in astonishment and moved closer to her face. "How was it? Hard?"

  "A little hard. See, I only trained at night."

  "At night? Why? Are you a vampire?" I asked with a curious look. "You're very pretty for a vampire."

  The woman giggled and shook her head.

  "No, I'm not a vampire, but I could only train at night because my other half trained during the day."

  "Other half… so you’re like two people?!" I exclaimed and put my hands up. "That's so cool!"

  "It is… but I won't be able to see her much longer."

  "Why not? You guys are halves? Like peanut butter and jelly! Though… I like Nutella. It's nice."

  The woman smiled, and I noticed she was on the verge of tears which made me frown. "Do you really miss her?"

  "I do. She doesn't remember me."

  "HUH?! Why not! How can she forget you! You're so pretty and nice!" I was shocked. "I can go remind her for you?"

  The woman giggled and shook her head.

  "It's not her fault. See, the reason I was allowed to stay was that she didn't have all her powers. So I was like a guardian to her. Now she has all the power she was meant to carry in this world."

  "So… that means she doesn't need you anymore?" I whispered, my shoulders sinking in disappointment.

  "Ya. She doesn't need her other half anymore. She's whole now without me."

  "But… but… she'll miss you." I sniffed, tears beginning to pool in my eyes. The woman smiled, her pink and purple eyes filling with tears.

  "I know she will. That's why it's best that she forgets. It would only make her cry, just like how you're crying." She wrapped her arms around me, giving me a tight hug.

  "But that's so sad. What if she didn't want to forget you?! You're her friend. She loved you. Are you going to leave her forever?" I began to sob into the woman's shoulder and she rubbed my back.

  "I'm still inside her… just not for long. I know she loved me. She gave me a life I never got to really enjoy."

  I pulled back to stare into her watery eyes and she lifted her hands to rub the tears from my cheeks.

  "But..."

  "You want to know a secret?"

  I thought about it for a moment and nodded my head quickly. "Yes, please!"

  "Before I was a half, I used to have a kingdom, family, friends, and lovers. They were what brightened my day and made me happy, but the one thing I really wanted was a child."

  "A child? Like me!"

  "Yes, a child. She'd start as a baby and grow until she reached adulthood and have a family of her own. I never got a chance to do that then. But, being the half of this amazing, loving woman, gave me the chance to know what it would be like."

  "It… did?"

  "Yes. I got to help her grow every day. When she was asleep, I'd watch all the memories she made for the day, and how she'd laugh or cry when she was frustrated. I got to watch her grow in my own way, and when she struggled, I'd help her. I watched her learn more about herself and become stronger with her familiar. I got to witness her meet new friends, as well as fight scary monsters and enemies. Each time she accomplished something, it felt like I'd done my job. Kinda like I was her mom, making sure she took the right steps."

  I stared at her with great focus, wanting to listen to the rest.

  "I got to watch her fall in love and to learn the goods and bads of loving another person. Even when times were hard, she didn't give up, and what I loved most about her was she never judged a book by its cover. She loved the person that was inside. The soul that our physical bodies carry. Appearances or the type of shifter the person was didn't matter to her. It was the personality and being you were on the inside that was what she cared about, and when she loved, she did it without holding back."

  "She sounds like a princess." I smiled. "She'd be a good Queen one day. Like in the fairytales."

  The woman nodded and reached out to fix the crown that was on my head.

  "She will. Just like you will be a forgiving, loving Queen."

  "Can I ask you something?" I asked hesitantly.

  "Sure. What would you like to ask?"

  "If you… had… one more chance to talk to her… what would you say?" I asked.

  The woman appeared deep in thought and tears rolled down her cheeks.

  "I'd thank her. She let me enjoy a piece of her life and it gave me a chance to feel like a mother. I'd tell her that no matter what trials are ahead, she'd conquer them, and when in doubt, her men will always be there to help her through turmoil. Most importantly, I'd tell her how much I love her, and that I'll watch her journey from the stars above."

  I smiled and raised my hands. "You're a nice person. You should be a Queen too," I whispered.

  She gave me another hug and squeezed tightly. When she pulled back, she gave me a light kiss on my forehead and smiled. "I was, but now it's time for someone better to take over. That's why I'm passing that blessing down to you."

  "To me?! That's a big responsibility," I noted but smiled proudly. "Don't worry, nice Queen! I'm going to be just like you and be kind and spread love! If I see the woman you’re talking about, I'll let her know how much you love her."

  "That sounds like a good deal. Thank you, Celestia."

  "How… did you know my name?" I asked and yawned.

  "A Queen has to know the name of the next Heir." She winked, and I pouted my lips.

  "That'
s confusing," I huffed, and the woman laughed.

  "It is. Now, you should go back to sleep. Your Prince will be home soon."

  "My Prince?! I have a prince?! Oh… I should sleep." I turned around to run to the bed that appeared a few feet away.

  I was halfway there but stopped and turned around to see the woman staring at me.

  "Can I know your name, nice Queen.... please?" I asked.

  She nodded her head and gave me a broad smile. "Sia."

  I grinned and ran back to her to give her one last hug. She knelt down before I reached her and opened her arms out to accept my hug.

  I didn't know why, but tears rolled down my cheeks and I held her as tightly as I could.

  "Sia..." I whispered. "Thank you for everything. I love you."

  She was silent, and her shoulders trembled. I pulled back to see her sad smile and she nodded.

  "I love you too, Celestia. Off to sleep you go," she encouraged.

  I wished I could make her happy, or at least stop the tears that flowed down her red cheeks, but I didn't want to disobey her and not go back to sleep.

  With a nod of my head, I turned around and ran to the bed, crawling onto the black sheets. Once I was settled, I picked up the rag doll to the side, making sure her white string hair was nice and neat before I reached for the blanket.

  Looking to the right of me one last time, I stared at the woman and waved.

  "I hope I see you one more time, Sia," I whispered.

  She waved back to me and I lay down and closed my eyes.

  Goodbye Sia...

  Something soft pressed against my lips, and I opened my eyes slowly to see what it was. Beautiful lilac eyes met mine and I smiled against Odion's lips.

  "Sorry, I woke you up," he whispered.

  "I missed you," I admitted, trying to fight off sleep.

  "I did too. You're still sleepy," he pointed out with a smile.

  "A little… I had a dream I think." I allowed my eyes to close for a second. I relaxed against the sheets as I wondered what my dream was, to begin with.

  "Celestia?"

  "Hmm?" It took me a bit of time to open my eyes again, and I realized Odion was now next to me and I was in his arms, my head resting against his bare chest.