Page 59 of Fennick’s Fortune (Sentinels of Apollo #2)

The sun was warm and felt so good on my skin.

It was nice to be able to sit outside and enjoy it.

We were working in the garden today. I loved to do this.

Watching things grow made me happy. As long as we were doing work, we’d be left alone and be able to enjoy ourselves.

I preferred to be outside when I talked to Momma anyway.

You never knew which one of them would be lurking around a corner, trying to overhear what was said.

They were Dad, Kairo, and Anton, or one of the other women kept here.

If the women thought they could use something they heard to their advantage, they’d tattle in a heartbeat.

I’d seen it enough times in my ten years to know not to trust them.

And I distinctly recall years ago being overheard telling Momma that I could talk to the babies in their mothers’ stomachs.

She’d believed me, and I was told not to say anything to anyone.

Unfortunately, Dad had overheard me, and I was forced not only to speak to the unborn babies but to tell them when they were to be born and what the threats were if they didn’t comply.

The worst was when they’d cut the moms’ stomachs to remove them.

However, the beatings weren’t much better.

“What’s on your mind, little one?” Momma asked.

She gave me one of her rare smiles, which showed her true beauty. Her heart was pure, and her soul shone like the moon. I’d told her that once. She claimed that it was something we were born with and she’d teach me all about it one day.

“I wish we could run away from here. Why can’t we get away from the mean men? All they do is hurt you and the others. One day, they’ll do the same to me. If I let Nova out, I can kill them, and we’ll be free.”

“My love, you know why that can‘t happen. If your father and the others discover what you can do, they’ll make you do far worse things than they already are. I don’t want that to happen to you.

You must hide that you have a bear. At the moment, they believe you don’t.

I convinced them when you were born that you didn’t have one.

It happens occasionally that a shifter is born without the ability.

They didn’t want to believe it. However, I was able to trick them.

“Even at birth and when you were a toddler, their bears were no match for Nova. She knew what they wanted, and to protect you, she had to bury herself so far inside of you that they couldn’t detect her.

The two of you must continue to do it. Remember what I told you, only shift when it’s late at night, when they’re asleep or otherwise occupied. Only do it in your cottage.”

“Why doesn’t your bear ever come out? The others show theirs. What if you all were to do it at the same time and attack them? They wouldn’t have a chance.”

Momma shook her head. “I’m sorry. I know this is hard for you to handle. My bear, Selene, isn’t able to come out anymore. And while the others can shift, they’re too afraid to go up against Lazarus, Kairo, and Anton.”

“Why can’t she come out?” I asked.

She checked out the surrounding area before she answered.

The other women were working on the opposite side of the garden from where we were.

They couldn’t hear us. The men were in the house.

We were chained to deep stakes in the ground.

There was no way to escape or break those. Momma leaned closer.

“I want you to listen carefully. And once I’m done, you will forget my words, but store them in your mind.

One day, your dreams will reveal the truth.

One day, when you’re far from here, free, and a great danger comes to our world, you’ll remember.

When that happens, you’ll recall all that I’ve told and taught you.

If Anton, Lazarus, or Kairo are still alive when this happens, you will see that justice is served. ”

There was a look to her. It reminded me of anger, but she was never that way with me, so I wasn’t afraid. I knew she meant what she told me, and I had to recall it. “I will, Momma. I swear to Artemis, I will see it done.”

She rubbed my hair and smiled. “Good girl, that’s what I need to hear.

Okay, I was showing you your powers last time.

You asked me why Selene can’t come out. It’s because your father and the other two were afraid.

I was their first victim, and they coveted my children because of what I am, what you are.

We’re not like them. We’re shifters and witches.

It is passed down in our family on the mother’s side. It goes from mother to daughter.

“We can manipulate magic. But even more than that, we can create it by bringing elements and more together. If Selene were able to appear, they couldn’t hold us.

However, Lazarus, before he took me, knew he wouldn’t be able to fight my magic and win.

He found a warlock. That’s a male witch.

The man was very powerful, and he was able to cast a spell that I couldn’t break.

It prevents me from using the bulk of my magic and transforming.

Hiding what you’re learning and can do will protect you from the same fate.

One day, you’ll be the one they’ll be afraid to cross. ”

“Who is this terrible man? How will I know if I find him?” I asked.

“You will recognize him by the scar on his face. It runs from the outer corner of his left eye along his cheekbones to his mouth, like a crescent moon. Selene clawed him before the ritual was complete.”

I was grateful that she told me, and that the horrible man was hurt.

“Make sure to continue working. As you do, I’ll tell you about our family and our history, and then you can regain our legacy and pass it along to your children.”

“What if I don’t have children?” I asked, fearing the worst.

“Oh, you will. I’ve seen your future mate in my dreams. He’s handsome, strong, loving, and kind, yet able to stand up for others.

He’ll be complicated but worth the effort.

He helps others in their times of need, and he’s special in a different way.

He has extreme importance to the survival of all shifters. ”

I kept picking the weeds and throwing them out of the garden while Momma talked. I filed away every word she said. It was a long time before we were told to stop and come into the house to prepare dinner.

While dinner was being made and eaten, I prayed that she would be left alone tonight, but it was no use.

After the meal was over and the dishes were done, all of us returned to our homes and were locked in except for Momma and two others.

They were to remain in the big house awaiting the men.

I knew they would be hurt, and sometimes, I could hear their screams and pleas. They never did them any good.

I covered my head with my pillow to seal my ears against their cries and those of the women in the other building close to mine. I kept repeating what Momma told me so that I could remember it in the morning.

It was a long night, and when they finally allowed Momma and the other women to return to their beds, I heard them yelling at them. They wanted them to conceive. They were angry that it was taking so long. I buried my face in my pillow and screamed. I hated them. One day, they’d pay.

I jerked into a seated position and scanned to see where I was.

I was breathing hard, my head pounding, and my stomach churning.

A light came on, hurting my eyes. I had to narrow my eyelids to help block it out.

When the sting subsided, I found myself staring at my mate, who was frowning and sitting beside me in bed.

“Akiva, babe, what’s wrong? You screamed in your sleep. I tried to wake you, but it didn’t work. Then suddenly, you sat up,” Fennick said as he placed his hand on my back and lightly rubbed me.

It took me a minute to gather my scattered thoughts and recall what I had been dreaming. As my thoughts came together, I gasped.

“Fen, I dreamed of my mom. She told me about our ancestry and how my dad and the others could hold her despite her being a bear and a witch. She made me hide so much for my protection. She told me I’d be free one day and had seen who my mate would be.”

Fennick brought me onto his lap and cuddled me in his arms. “Tell me. Take your time. I want to hear it all.”

It took me close to an hour to recall and pass along what I remembered. I had to stop a few times to regain control. By the time I was finished, I was crying, and he was rocking me.

“Shh, baby, there’s no need to cry. I’ve got you.

And I can promise you, we will make them all pay for what they did.

First, we know Kairo and Anton are still in prison.

We’ll find a way to get to them. However, first, we’ll track down your dad.

Somehow, we’ll find out his name and discover a way to track him. ”

When he said that, I gasped and straightened. “Fen, I know his name! It was the last thing recalled before I woke up. My father is Lazarus Kincaid. He’s from Scotland originally. I have no idea how long ago he was born there, but I know that.”

“Look, our first big clue. Baby, you and your mom just gave us the first step to finding and destroying him.”

His joy over having a clue led to a kiss that made me forget about my father and all the other evil out there. All that mattered at the moment was the man holding me in his arms—my foretold mate. Momma was right. He was strong, handsome, loving, kind, and a champion for others.

After my dream and subsequent conversation with Fen, it was hard to fall back to sleep, but I did manage to get two more hours of sleep before I had to get up and get ready to leave. We traveled together in Brax’s truck. It had more room than Fen’s Jeep.