A Destiny Revealed (20 page)

"It came a time when the villagers started to notice
that the temple warriors were not aging, they began to grow jealous. They
coveted the powers I'd given the temple guards and started using any means necessary
to gain it. They started to turn to black magic, anything to give them more
power. It corrupted their magic, so much so that when they died and passed
through my temple, I was unable to do anything with it. I refused to allow it
to pass down through the family.” Oya sighed with regret.

“I was at a loss for a while with how to deal with it. I
created the oracle to communicate with me and to hopefully get through to the
tribe and explain what they were doing to their magic. When that didn’t work,
the oracle and the village healer, found a way to purify that magic, they
needed a way to get it back here to me, so the magic could once again be placed
in the family’s line. The first
álà-írín
was a young woman, who only
wanted to serve her village. Her father was the village shaman, so she was well
trained and already had the ability to cross the veil. I only had to give her
the power to handle the stones and cross the veil with them. It was then we
discovered that an anchor was needed. We lost three women before it was
perfected.”

Oh God. “That’s scary.”

“We found a way.”

“When did the thefts start?”

“I discovered the magic being stolen, well after the thefts
had started. I only noticed because as a goddess I'm able to see whatever is
happening on earth and in your realm. One day that stopped, there were holes
around the tribe, things I was unable to see. It disturbed me. I sat here on
this bench and watched the procession of souls trying to figure out what was
going on. It was then I saw the actual thief. Anger overwhelmed
me,
I marked him just before he crossed back over. I
immediately went to the oracle and gave her the task of finding him. We
discovered then that vampires were responsible. I gave the village hunters the
power of the lion and had the temple warriors train them.  They became
responsible for hunting the Ajo.”

“Why are they called Ajo?”

“It means witchcraft or magic in their language.”

Dalia nodded in understanding. “So the warriors can change
into lions also?”

“Yes, you understand how hard it is to kill, Dalia. The lion
allows them to separate themselves from the task. The strength and power the
lion possesses gave them the skills necessary to hunt the Ajo.”

Dalia understood and wished she had such a buffer. Killing
others took pieces of her soul, even when their death saved the lives of
others.

“How did the village feel about you using their hunters?”
Dalia asked

Oya made a sound of disgust.
“Greedy
children, the whole lot of them.
Someone spread the rumor of the Ajo and
before we knew it, the villagers were being converted left and right. The final
betrayal came when someone sold out the secrets of the temple. The temple was
attacked and ransacked, everyone save the healer and the child were killed. I
was so angry.” Oya sighed.

Dalia waited, but the goddess did not elaborate. “How does
it work?”

“The village shaman came up with a way to remove the magic
from the Ajo using diamonds from the village mine. The oracle would locate the
Ajo with my help. She'd send warriors out to retrieve the magic. The diamonds
with the collected magic were brought back to the healer. She purifies the
magic. Your job is to transport that magic back to here, to my temple.” She
explained.

Dalia frowned. “That seems simple enough.”

Oya laughed. “Yes, simple. Make sure you follow the rules
passed down to you Dalia. I don't want to lose you.”

“How do I transport the diamonds back here?” Dalia said.

“You'll need to be back at the temple for that.” Oya
answered vaguely.

“The temple where Bron lives?”

“Yes, you don't have to live there. I understand how close
you are to your family. It'll be simple for you to travel there twice a month
to transport the magic to me.” Oya’s eyes suddenly narrowed, and her lips
pursed in concentration.

Dalia looked around for a threat.

“Don't be so hard on Bron. He thinks he's doing what's best.
This is not supposed to happen so soon though, I'm sorry for that.”

Dalia frowned in confusion and started to say something when
a wrenching pain split her chest. Her eyes went wide and she gasped for air.
Her vision started to dim.

“We're not done, Dalia. I still have much to tell you. I'll
come to you again.”

Dalia couldn't answer. The goddess faded and Dalia was
slammed back into her body.

Chapter 19

HER CHEST BURNED and a weight hovered over her, pinning her
down. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to think past the pain. When she opened
her eyes, Bron was leaning over her, his hands on her chest. Tears streamed
from her eyes. It felt as though her soul was being ripped from her body. She
looked around trying to find out the source of pain. She tried to sit up.

Bron wouldn't let her up. His eyes were tormented, tears
silently tracking down his face. Dalia looked down at her chest and saw a
diamond nestled between her chest and his palm.

“No.” She struggled to move him from on top of her.

They sat locked in agony for minutes, betrayal breaking her
heart. Bron finally lifted his weight and cursed. Dalia looked down. A burn mark
scarred her chest where Bron held the diamond. He shook his hand cursing. She
scrambled from the bed, dragging the sheet with her. For long moments she
stared at him, unable to speak around her hurt.

“I'm sorry,
rewá
, I had to do it.”

His pain radiated through her mind but she pushed it aside,
shutting him out.

“I need to transport you the safe house and this is the only
way. They would've sent someone else–”

“I would've preferred for someone else to betray me, it
would've hurt less, Bron.” Oh God, shards of pain stabbed into her heart. Her
vision dimmed as she fought to stay standing.

“I couldn't let another touch you, Dalia.” He said it as
though that made it right.

 “You could've asked me, Bron. You didn’t have to do it
while I was–” Dalia stopped, unable to speak pass the lump in her throat.

Bron watched her, regret heavy on his mind. He thought that
if he did it before she woke, it would be easier on them both. When she'd
opened her eyes, Bron knew he had lost. The confusion that first lit her eyes
when she woke, quickly gave way to hurt and betrayal, stopping his heart. He
clenched his hand, the palm of it still burning. He had a burn the same size
and shape as the one on Dalia’s chest. He felt the failure down to his soul.
The tattoos marking her as Ajo were a deep crimson now, but still there, so his
betrayal was for nothing.

“I thought I was doing what was best for us both.” He
pleaded for her understanding. “I want us to be together and we can't with the
corrupt powers in you.”

“If I'm not good enough for you the way that I am then, I
don’t want you.” Dalia swiped at the tears on her face. “Leave, now.”

“Wait, Dalia.” No, he couldn't lose her. “We have to talk. I
have a duty to the tribe–”

“If doing your duty is more important than your promises to
me, then I definitely don’t want you in my life.” She cut him off.

“Nothing is more important to me than you.” He pushed the
words out past the lump in his throat. Guilt and fear closed him in, suffocated
him.

“You have a funny way of showing it.” She clutched the sheet
to her chin.

He saw the resolve in her eyes and scrambled to think of how
to fix what he had done. “You have to know that I did it with your best
interests at heart.”

“My best interests should've been discussed with me. I want
you to leave now.” She moved away from the door.

“Dalia-” The hurt and anger in her eyes killed him.

“Leave now!” she screamed. “I don't want you here.” She
circled the bedroom keeping distance between them.

The pain in his heart hurt worse than his brother’s loss. He
left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

"And stay out of my head!"
She shouted
telepathically. Her cry reverberated through the link that bound the tribe and
Bron knew it was over.

“OH NO,” ZAHRA GASPED. She sat at table with Bakari having
dinner. She looked up as her husband entered the kitchen. He braced his hand on
the wall as he felt traces of the pain.

"
Zahra"
The anguish in Bron’s voice seared
her.

Her eyes welled as his pain pierced through her mind. She
quickly transported him into the kitchen.

“What happened, Bron?” She placed her hand across her chest.

Bron dropped into the chair at the table. He spotted Bakari
and his eyes hardened in anger. “I did what I was asked to do.”

 Zahra looked between the Ijoye and Bron in confusion.
Her husband winced. Something was going on.
            “What were
you asked to do, Bron?”

“I was told that my mate wasn’t welcome here unless I got
rid of the Ajo powers,” His teeth clenched, holding back a snarl.

Zahra backed up in her chair in surprise. “No one said she
was not welcome, Bron." She looked at Bakari, surely he wouldn't… His jaw
tightened, but his eyes betrayed nothing. “What is going on?” Her gaze strayed
to her husband, he lowered his eyes guiltily.

“I ordered Bron to rid the Ajo of her power before I would
allow her here.” Bakari showed no remorse.

 Damn him. The familiar burn of her temper heated her
face.

“Her name is Dalia.” Bron stood, his chair slamming against
the floor. “She's not ‘the Ajo’ she is my mate, and you will show her respect.”

Fynn pulled Bron back.

“As long as she is a threat to this tribe I will refer to
her however I see fit.” Bakari shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance.

Zahra slapped the table in anger. “Show some respect Ijoye.
She's the
álà-írín
and important to this tribe.” How in the world would
she fix this? Dalia shut her out of her mind, and from the chaos running
through Bron's the tribe could lose them both.

“She's a threat to this tribe regardless of your refusal to
see otherwise.” Bakari turned to her and snarled.

See, this was why they never got along.

Fynn growled at his father’s tone.

She ignored them both. “What did you do, Bron?”

“I tried to take the corrupted powers.”

Her heart plummeted.  “Did it not occur to you to ask
me if her powers were corrupt?” Though she spoke to Bron, it was the Ijoye she
watched. Bakari met her stare, no trace of remorse in his expression. She
couldn't sense any remorse from him either, but with the heightened emotions in
the room it was hard for her to filter anything.

“What do you mean her powers weren't corrupt?” Bron
whispered. He backed against the wall, his face ashen.

“Is that the reason you gave for not allowing her here?
Because you thought she was corrupt?” Zahra ignored Bron’s question and focused
her attention on the Ijoye.

Bakari turned his head, avoiding her.

“What is going on?” Aren stepped into the room.

“Answer the question, Ijoye.” Her power saturated the room,
bowing the warriors’ heads in submission, all but Bakari.

“I said nothing of corrupt powers, only that he removed the
Ajo powers that were stolen.” Bakari said stubbornly.

“You said–” Bron started.

“She is Ajo, Zahra and therefore an enemy to our tribe.” He
cut Bron off.

“And that’s all she will ever be to you?” He was impossible.

Fynn moved closer to her, no doubt sensing the impending
explosion. He placed a hand on her shoulder and heat from his palm sunk into
her. She shuddered and reigned in her anger.

“I will not let an Ajo destroy our tribe.” Bakari lifted his
chin.

“Do you intend to destroy the tribe from the inside, Ijoye?”
The impact of what he did hit her and she nearly swooned. All the careful
planning… the work that went into finding Dalia. “Do you think the goddess will
have use for you if we can't do what we were set on this earth to do? Do you
have any idea what’s at stake?”

War loomed and Bakari sat there as though he were in the
right. She wished she could throw something at him.
Anything
to remove the stubborn look on his face.

“You weren't there, Zahra, you didn’t see the way they
destroyed our temple.”

“No I wasn’t, but neither was Dalia. I told you she wasn't
corrupt, that her powers were different than the other Ajo.”

 The kitchen became still, the silence like the calm
before the storm. “I hope you’re satisfied that you’ve damned us all.” Without
the cycle completed, the Ajo would over run them. It would only be a matter of
time before those searching for a way into the temple found one.

“You knew she was not corrupt?” Bron tensed, his eyes
changed.

His beast perched, ready to take over. Zahra sighed and used
her power to calm him.  She was disgusted with the lot of them. Either of
them could’ve come to her with their concerns, but instead they went behind her
back. She dragged Bron from the room to prevent the fight she knew was brewing
in the air.

“You should've come to me, Bron.”

Bron flinched at her anger. “Trust me, I'm sorry I didn't.”
He left Zahra alone at the foot of the stairs.

She watched him until she heard his room door slam. She
needed to contact the Goddess. They needed to fix this, and pronto.

Chapter 20

DALIA GROANED AND ROLLED OVER, cursing whoever had the nerve
to call her at the ungodly hour of… eight o’clock in the evening. Dalia sighed.
Damn, as lethargic as she was she was sure it was barely sunset.