VI ||| Your Mother Knows Best

Did she saw me with a mate in Belladonna? How do I stop it?

"Mate? What do you mean, mommy? My mate is in the Academy? In Belladonna Academy?" Do I, of all people, have a mate? Why are the Triple Goddess always fucking with me? What did I do to them? The last thing I need is a mate to worry about and be my weakness.

"I can't tell you about it, but yes, you do. You don't look happy!"

Why would I be? "Mommy I just told you I don't want to have any relationships for fear of losing them. A mate? If I have a mate their life will be in constant danger just for being with me. Why would I want that for anyone? It's a cruel fate that only I should bear. Besides, if I were to lose them, I would definitely lose the little sanity I have, and I might commit a crime that might destroy a lot of shite."

Again, she stared at me as if I don't know better. "My love, the second the mating bond snap into place, you ain't going to be able to run away from it." Say that to my father.

But I bit my tongue not to hurt my mom's spirt with my mean words when she's already suffered so much because of that. "I can ignore."

To my dismay, mom laughed at my face. She laughed! "No, you won't. That will be a total disaster, sweetheart. And trying to pretend you don't know about it or doesn't feel anything will only break you further. The mating bond, when accepted fully, will make you stronger. Forever is too long to live alone, Hel, it would break my heart to see you choosing such a destiny for yourself," she caressed my cheeks with her soft warm hands. "You've already suffered too much, endured too much."

"Not as much as you did, mommy."

She clicked her tongue in a loud tsk.

"I doubt anyone suffered as much as you did, Hel. I can see the amount of scars in your body from under your clothes. It's cruel and evil. I'll curse Meredith Bloom forever for what she did to my precious child. So, please, grow stronger, accept your mate when you find him." That means it's a male, so, I'll just stay away from all males in the Academy, easy peasy. "Allow yourself to make friends, build connections, and," her intense gaze met mine, "then you murdered Meredith and Philippa horribly in a way I know you are craving to. Make them pay for what they did to us."

I gulped, "I will. But I have to find the person who has the power to manipulate aether. Naël told me this person will be the key to kill her!"

Mom stared at me as if I had grown two heads. I swear, she stared at me as if I had spouted the biggest shite ever. "Aye, Hel, sweetheart, you really know nothing yet. But don't worry, my love, you will. When the time comes, you will know, let's not rush. There are things that have to be natural or it won't work out for the best outcome."

"I… I don't understand what you mean, mommy."

"Not yet. But you will," she nuzzled her nose on mine again. "Now, get up!" Instantly, I did what she told me, putting the box aside. "Do you see that necklace?"

When I turned to where she pointed, I saw a obsidian necklace in the form of a winged serpent that's supposed to serpentine around the neck, "Yes, I see it." Not just any kind of winged serpent, not my childish form, but my current one.

"It's yours. It was the last jewel I made for you, baby. Put it on!"

Gasping in awe, I went to where it was and took it in my hands with all the care in the world, and only from up close I could tell there were two small dark sapphire in it's eyes. "Is it… me?" Because it does look an awful lot like me, specially with the small emerald dots here and there. "Mommy, did you see my current form in a vision at that time?"

"I did," she grinned proudly. "Did I make it right?"

"It's identical," I gasped and quickly put it on, over the turtle-neck of my shirt, and it embraced my thin neck right away, as if made for me. Which, I mean… was indeed the case. "What's the magic in it?"

Giggling, she waved her eyebrows, "Turn around."

When I did, all the gold and jewels were gone, all except for one obsidian ring that matched the necklace, like a mini version of it and just as perfect and detailed. "Where did it all go? And can I put this ring on?"

A nod, "Of course, it's the matching pair of the necklace."

So, I put on my right ring finger, and when I turned around again, all of the clothes and shoes and accessories mom made for me were now gone. Only then, looking at the lair now empty, I realized what she did. "Spatial magic."

A nod, "Indeed. I made both with the help of my witch friend."

"The one who helped with Cosmos cape of invisibility?" Sounds like an artifact from the modern book series I read called Harry Potter.

"Yes. All my treasure is stored in the necklace, while all the pieces I made for you are in the ring. That way you will be able to carry everything with you no matter what."

Stunned, I stared down at the ring, and when the serpent moved I jumped startled, making mom laugh, "What the… it… it moved!"

"It's enchanted, Hel. So, yes, it moves, just like your necklace also does," the second the words left her full pouty heart-shaped lips, which I inherited from her, my hand went to my neck and the obsidian serpent moved under my touch.

"Goddesses above," I gasped.

"Crone," mom corrected.

I draw my eyebrows together, "What?"

"Crone. Our family worships the Crone out of the three Goddesses. She's the only one who's ever answered our prayers, Hel. So, if you intend to worship one of the Triple Goddesses, you should worship the one who's on our side. I have a feeling one of the three is against us, so, we should always repay the kindness of the Goddesses who answered our prayers by praying for her instead of the other two," does she know that the Maden is on Meredith's side?

Better not say anything, or she might worry that I'm going up against the person guarded by one of the Goddesses. "Then I'll pray for her from now on, mommy. I'll keep your words in my mind."

"You need to go, Hel," she told me again.

"Why, mommy?"

"The time magic and the protection barrier I set in the cave will only rest for an hour after you came inside. It's almost up, and as you can't use time magic over time magic, you won't be able to stop time to stay with me longer, that will only negates it and makes it end sooner. I had little magic when I put this protection up, that's why it lasts such a short time," sigh.

Can you believe she actually managed to get me on my feet again and push me out of the lair into the empty side of the cave? Spiritual manipulation is some intense shite. "Can other spirits also touch me, mommy?"

"No. You can only have corporeal contact with spirits within whom you have an emotional connection with," she knows a lot.

"That's reassuring," I scoffed. "It would be horrifying if all spirits could do. There are a lot of tormented souls that would put me in some trouble." As my eyes went to the ring, I remembered to make an important question. "How do I summon what's in the necklace and in the ring, mommy?"

She smiled, still with her warm hands on my shoulders. "Good question, Hel, darling. You have to say agathokakological, it's the magical key word. If you do it, you will see a magical projection of everything that's inside it and then you can just chose what you want and it'll magically materialize itself. When in the projection state, you can also add anything you want to it, and it'll magically get stored in the ring or the necklace." When I was going to try, she stopped me, "Don't do it now, or you will get distracted and the time will run out."

"But why, mommy? What will happen when the time runs out?"

"This place will get swarmed up with tormented spirits of those who died in the mountains during thousands and thousands of years. It's quite annoying, but they respect me and are harmless to me. But as you can see and hear them, give your spiritual special ability, it'll be bothersome to you, sweetheart." Sounds awful.

Sigh, "Alright, mom. I've had my fill of tormented souls while locked on Meredith's crypt. One more thing," I raised my index fingers, "what does that magical key word means?"

"It means something that is composed by both good and evil."

Philosophical. "Interesting choice. Fine," sigh, "I'll go, but this isn't a goodbye, it's a see you soon. It may take sometime, but I'll come back to see you in the future," I hugged her tightly.

Her arms circled me as she hugged me back warmly, "I'll always be here for you, Hel. Now, go to Abellona. It'll take time to make all the tattoos, and you have two weeks only."

I blinked, "How do you know all of this, mom?"

"I know lots of things thanks to my gifts, my dear. But we don't have time now," she said as we got to the mouth of the cave. "Remember, my love, that twenty-six will be necessary to start the fall of the evil, but only twelve will make it out."

What? Is that what? A prophecy? "What does that mean?"

She smirked mischievously, "Just remember my words, Hel. Tattoo them in your mind and don't forget. When the time comes, you will get the meaning of them. Don't overthink, don't try to stop because there's more on the line. But remember!"

"But mom that sounds terrifying."

"The future is terrifying. I liked the silver hair, by the way. You looked amazing with the ebony black hair, but this silver gives you a mystic air that suits you beautifully," and with one last kiss on the top of my hair, she winked and disappeared.

I gasped, "Mommy?"

Nothing.

"Mom?"

Nothing again.

Sigh, "I'll keep missing you. I know you are still in here. Just… I… I love you more than anything and I'll come to see you again. I hope I can spend more time with you when I come around next time. Love you, mom!"

"I love you more, darling," she whispered from inside the cave.

Smiling, I jumped from the mountain, using my telekinesis to float above the Himalayas as I floated straight towards the bottom of the main mountain. I just hope she's awake right now, even though it's near 1 in the morning right now.

Well, she's a vampire, ain't she? Why would she even sleep?