The Moon Goddess' Favor

Rose stared blankly at the man. Her brain clicked wordlessly in one direction and then the other. Still nothing. Then, she let out a small laugh. "That's a really bad joke." She wished she had some water; her throat was dry.

"It's not a joke," Elias replied. There was no irritation or disappointment lacing through his words and he even smiled at her. He leaned back, releasing her from whatever hold he'd had on her, and asked, "You have magic, don't you?"

"Yeah, but so do about twenty other people in the school. Are they part goddess, too?" She was trying to make it a jest. Her brain insisted it had to be even as her spirit recognized something in his words.

"But your magic waxes and wanes with the moon." It wasn't a question.

"So I'm lunar based. I am a werewolf, you know."

"Not a werewolf," he corrected, "but a wolf. You don't have an 'other' do you?"

Rose's brow furrowed. "Well, no. But I don't think anyone else does, either. I think they just... make it up to feel..." her words slowed as she realized how rude she was sounding and she cleared her throat. "Well, regardless. I'm no different from the others. They just don't know how to integrate their wolf selves with their regular selves."

Elias smiled at her, a little indulgently. "Stubborn."

"It's not my best trait," she admitted sheepishly, ducking her head and looking down.

"Do you feel more like a wolf when it's a full moon?"

"No," Rose shook her head. "I just feel like me. I always feel like me."

He stood and strolled to a nearby bookcase, one finger held up to her, silently asking her to wait. He disappeared for a moment and returned not long after with an old, battered book in his hands. There was no dust on it. Whoever Elias had cleaning his estate did a wonderful job. He held the book out to her. "Read this."

Rose took the book hesitantly. "What is it?"

"The earliest telling of Dianna's story."

Her eyes jumped to his with a raised eyebrow, but she dutifully opened the cover. "Not long ago, while the world was still divided, there was a great and terrible war. The four kingdoms - those of the Seasons and the Cardinals - fought between one another as bitter enemies. The most violent of these wars was that between the North and the South. While the North was a peaceable country, the South wanted unity under their own flag and had been trying to overtake the East, West, and North for hundreds of years. Each Season had its own god and goddess, however, and none could fracture the others as long as they remained in favor with their patron." She looked up at Elias. "This is child-stuff. I know this."

"Keep reading," he had settled back in the chair across from her and leaned back comfortably. One hand held up his chin while the other draped beautifully over the opposite chair arm. He'd crossed one ankle over his knee and looked, for a moment, like a king on a throne.

She sighed inwardly and returned to reading. "The patron god of the South was Ra. He was a deity of war and violence who wanted total dominion over the earth. Kamrusepa was the Goddess of the East and Spring, while Dionysus reigned over the West and Autumn - both were caught in the violence of Ra's desires and fought only to protect themselves. It wasn't until Dianna had grown weary of the fighting that Ra's army was brought to a standstill; she pooled the resources and energies of Kamrusepa and Dionysus with her own and they were able to hold fast. Her king wished there to be no more fighting and went on a sole mission to the South in order to seek an arrangement they could all live with. He was killed before he reached the Southern kingdom." Here Rose looked up at Elias again. "I thought he was killed in battle?"

"Over the years the stories change. They were originally sung and passed down from generation to generation, and each person changed the story just a little bit according to their own tastes. My mother wrote this one." He nodded to the book in her hands. "So it is the most accurate."

"The queen of the North knew immediately when he had died and threw herself into grieving. Each day felt as black as the deepest of nights and not even the moon could console her. She couldn't live in the place where her husband had laughed and abandoned her kingdom to wander, leaving a trail of tears behind her which formed into the Daugava river. She traversed hill and plain, climbed mountain and sank into valleys, until she came to a place nestled in the mountains where a still lake stretched deep. She collapsed on the shores and looked up at the sky to see the moon setting just over the mountains and shining brilliantly on the lake which seemed to go on forever, so she stretched out her hands and cried to the moon.

"'Why did you allow my husband to leave me?' she asked. 'Why did you allow his blood to cry out to me from faraway lands? Why have you allowed no sons to take his place in the kingdom which bears your name?' She received no reply and crumbled. When she looked up again, however, she saw a woman walking across the water. She was a tall woman with pale skin and hair as dark as night. Stars glimmered in the waves and curls of her hair, winking in and out of sight. Her robes were of the purest light and floated around her as though she were moving underwater. When she reached the queen, she knelt and held out her hands. Her eyes captivated the mortal woman immediately. They shifted and changed color with every passing emotion, revealing the goddess was as grief-stricken and forlorn as the queen herself." Rose trailed off a little. She reread the line and asked, "Because my eyes change color?"

"Do you know of anyone else whose eyes change with every emotion they feel?"

"No, but-"

"I have lived centuries, Rose. You and the goddess are the only ones who have that particular trait."

"But-"

"Add to that your affinity for the moon magic, the fact you are not a wolf, and the fact I could follow you because I remember the way you smelled when I was brought into existence, and who else could you be?" He watched her steadily, but she didn't look up.

Instead, she snapped the book shut. "I'm going to bed." Then she fled the library, leaving the book behind her on the chair and Elias staring after her.

***

Rose awoke later that day to light streaming in through large windows. Someone had come in and flung open the heavy curtains, which she was secretly grateful for. There was a tray by the window which held something steaming and delicious, coaxing her to stumble up out of bed and toward it without thinking. As she slowly woke, she recognized things weren't exactly right. First, she wasn't in her own bed. The bed she'd clumsily clamored out of was deep, soft, and covered with an astonishingly detailed duvet over impossibly soft sheets. The furniture was lavishly decorated and high quality, polished to a soft, satin shine. The rug which sat under her bed and stretched nearly to the edges of the room was thick and deep, so thick she sank into it with every step. The windows were beautiful and massive, stretching almost to the ceiling with beautifully crafted handles and locks.

As she made her way through a fantastically made French toast, she slowly remembered what had happened the day before, and reality hit her with a sharp, painful memory. Taka was injured. She'd been kidnapped and threatened by Kazriel Gregor. She'd been rescued by George and Frederick and then rescued on top of their rescue by Elias Darcy. She felt a small tremor go through her and she pushed the remainder of her breakfast away. Last night, Elias had told her she was the reincarnation of the Moon Goddess, Dianna.

There was a happy, musical rapping at her door and she turned just in time for it to pop open and her friends bound in. Their grinning faces relaxed her a little and she smiled weakly at them.

"Man, this place is huge!" Frederick flopped himself into a nearby chair and stretched his legs out. "Me'n'George have been exploring all morning and we still haven't seen everything!"

George pointed to Rose's plate, and when she nodded he happily scarfed down what she'd left behind. "We've found secret passageways and rooms that look like they're made for some kind of royalty-" He spoke around mouthfuls, his blue eyes bright with excitement.

"And he's got a pool and a hot tub!" Frederick cut in.

"Who has a pool and a hot tub in an old mansion like this?" George wanted to know as he buttered Rose's last piece of bread and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Uh, clearly the best person in the world. Rose, if you're not gonna marry this guy, I might."

"For the pool?" she couldn't help laughing.

"For everything!" Frederick exclaimed. "This place is great! A personal chef, a pool, a hot tub, a massive tub for the best bubble baths a guy could dream of, a garden, and like, a zillion servants who do everything for you."

"So basically, Fred wants to be treated like a queen." George teased.

"Excuse you," Fred put a hand on his chest and straightened, "I am a queen."

They all burst into laughter and George went to inspect Rose's window. "Oh wow! You've got a balcony!" He excitedly started to unlock the windows and pulled one of them open - it happened to be a door and swung in silently on well-greased hinges.

"And a great view." Frederick popped up as well and walked over, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "This guy knows how to treat a lady."

"Well, considering he's centuries old," Rose put in, standing up and stretching as she followed them, "I'm sure he's had lots of practice."

"That's not a bad thing," Fred strolled out and peered over the edge of the balcony. "Man! Look at those gardens!"

Rose hurried after him, George falling behind them both despite being the one to open the door, and they all peered over the edge. Large, sprawling pathways wove in and out of lush, flowering gardens. Trees of a multitude of colors were blooming in every direction. For a moment they were all silent, admiring the view and the smell of a well-groomed garden. Then Rose balked as a familiar scent slammed into her. She scrambled back, grabbing George and Frederick's collars as she did so and yanked them with her.

"There you are, Luna Rose." A heavy, dark form had landed on the edge of the balcony with significant weight, causing the platform to shudder. Kazriel's eyes were as hard as flint and black as obsidian as he glared at her and the twins. "Once again, you're really not all that bright." Then he flashed forward, flinging both George and Fred out of the way with ease as his hand clamped down around Rose's arm and he yanked her toward him. "You're coming with me."

"Hey!" George leaped toward Kazriel, but he'd already put an iron-strong arm around her waist and had leaped back off the balcony.

Rose let out a yelp of fear as the ground raced up to meet them and squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel anger radiating from the wolf who'd grabbed her, it was as palpable as electricity in the air before a storm. She bit her lip, trying not to tremble, and the next moment she was tossed over Kazriel's shoulder as he sprinted away from the mansion. Gathering up her courage, Rose started hitting his back, neck, and shoulders with all her strength. "Let go of me!"

He only snarled, "If you keep hitting me I'll make sure you can't move for a week-" but the rest of his words were cut off.

Rose used her magic and surrounded them with thick, opaque mist, shoving off his shoulder at the same time. She ended up upright, wobbled, and then sent them both toppling over. Kazriel filled the air around them with curses as they hit the ground hard, much to her annoyance. She'd rattled her own brain in her attempt to escape and now fought like a wild creature - kicking, biting, scratching, and snarling in return to his attempt to gain a hold on her again. Then, suddenly, he was gone. She scrambled back and out of her mist which dissipated with a light breeze.

Elias and Kazriel fought in front of her. Kazriel shifted halfway, not quite wolf, not quite man, and used brute strength more than anything else; but Elias was faster. He moved fluidly, like water around reeds, avoiding all of Kazriel's attacks with ease and striking his brother multiple times until the black wolf sprang back panting, blood dripping from various wounds. Kazriel's lips curled back over wickedly gleaming teeth and he snarled.

"I suggest you leave, Kazriel." Elias said calmly. "You can't win this fight. The other simple let out another snarl and lunged forward. Elias sighed, elegantly slipped out of the way and, with a series of quick movements, had hurled the larger man to the ground and placed his foot on Kazriel's neck. "I could kill you, but I'd rather not."

"How big of you." Kazriel's voice came out unnaturally from his wolf's mouth. "If you don't, I'll kill you."

"No, you won't." Elias' eyes flashed in the afternoon sun, seeming to glow. "You don't have her favor, Kazriel. I do." Kazriel's eyes narrowed and he struggled, but he was unable to remove Elias from on top of him. Elias continued, "She's in my protection now. I suggest you leave before I take something from you - like an arm." There was a cold edge of steel to the vampire's words and the wolf let out a half-laugh.

"Still bitter about that?" but Kazriel lay limp, catching his breath. "Fine. Take her. But I'm not leaving."

"Suit yourself," Elias removed his foot from his brother's throat and walked to Rose. Offering her a hand, he helped her up. "I'm sorry."

"Are you alright?" she asked, worry etched in her face and tone.

Elias looked surprised. "Yes."

"I'm sorry, if I'd known you meant that we couldn't go outside at all, literally, I wouldn't have let George and Fred open the doors. I didn't think-"

"It's not your fault." Elias flicked his gaze to where Kazriel had slowly pushed himself up. The wolf was glaring at them, but somehow he also looked sad. "If my brother had any manners he wouldn't have kidnapped you at all, let alone attempted to do it again. Are you okay to walk?"

Rose followed his gaze back to Kazriel even as she nodded. "Yeah." She pulled herself away from the other man and allowed herself to be guided back to the mansion. "Elias, I have a question."

"What would you like to know?"

"You said that you have the Moon Goddess' favor - my favor - what did you mean?"

The man was silent for a moment, considering her words carefully. "When we were created, we were given the same power. Throughout the years we've fought one another instead of bringing peace, but we've never been able to best one another." His golden gaze dropped to hers and he smiled. "It seems you favor me a little because this time, if I had wanted to, I could've killed him."

Rose felt an in icy trickle of fear run down her spine. "If you'd wanted to..."

"I don't want to. He's arrogant, cruel, and impatient, but he is my brother." Elias spoke a little stiffly. "And Dianna had said we'd bring peace together. Even if he doesn't wish it, I do. I hope one day we'll be able to end these foolish wars and instead live like adults. Until then, your favor gives me an edge I wouldn't have otherwise."

"I didn't realize I favored you," she replied honestly.

"All the better for me," he chuckled.