Page 39 of Dark Witch: Entangled Fates

Toven kept telling her that, and she kept dismissing him, saying that after five thousand years she knew perfectly well what she was capable of, but it was a lie. The truth was that she was afraid to look too deeply inside herself and discover that she was more powerful than her father or even more than her grandfather.

It was terrifying.

Annani did not want to rule Anumati any more than she wanted to rule Earth. She had not even wanted to rule her own clan, entrusting her children to manage it for her, and they did that splendidly without her.

As for humans, even if she was interested in governing them, they would never accept her as their ruler, and by taking over she would do more harm than good, which was the reason why she had never considered it.

Working from the shadows and trying to improve their condition as much as she and her clan could was the best option for the divided and fiercely tribal humans.

But Anumati was different, and it was possible that she was the only one who could liberate trillions of beings from the oppressive rule of her grandfather.

Or conversely, cause mass loss of life and destruction.

A soft sigh had her turn to look at her sleeping granddaughter. Allegra shifted in the portable crib that Parker had brought to Annani's cabin with Okidu's help.

The sweet child always brought a smile to her face.

Annani had hundreds of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many times removed great-grandchildren, but Allegra had a special place in her heart.

When the doorbell rang, the child whimpered in her sleep but did not wake up.

As Kian and Syssi entered along with Aru, Annani walked over to them and welcomed each one with a warm embrace.

"Are you okay?" Kian regarded her with a frown.

"I am very well, my son. I have been pondering the universe, and it has made me feel melancholy for some reason. But then I gazed upon the face of my granddaughter, and my heart swelled with so much love that I became emotional. But do not mind me." She waved her hand at the couch. "Let us all get comfortable before the meeting begins." She turned to Aru. "Is Aria ready?"

"She has not opened the channel yet, but I assume that she will at any moment."

"Indeed." Annani offered him a fond smile. "In the meantime, please help yourself to the refreshments my Odus have prepared."

"Thank you, Clan Mother."

As Aru reached for a teacup, Ojidu immediately rushed to lift the carafe and pour into the young god's cup.

When each one of them had a cup in hand, Aru closed his eyes, and Annani's heartbeat accelerated.

There was something she desperately needed to ask the oracle, and hopefully, her wish would not be denied by her grandmother or the seer.

29

QUEEN ANI

Ani settled into her cushioned seat, excited anticipation filling her chest as she prepared for another telepathic meeting with her granddaughter. The connection, which was made possible through the extraordinary abilities of the twins Aru and Aria, had become a lifeline for her, a bridge over the vast distance between Earth and Anumati so she could get to know her beloved son's daughter and share the wisdom of her years with Annani, the young goddess who might be the answer to the future of their people.

Sofringhati slanted a look at her. "You look amused. Care to share?"

Ani smiled. "I was thinking of Annani, and to me, she is a young goddess, but she thinks that she is ancient at her mere five thousand Earth years."

"It is a matter of perspective, my dear friend. She lives among humans whose lives are so short that they are a mere blink of an eye to us. And yet, they pack so many experiences into their short lives to take with them to the beyond."

Ani frowned. "You said that you cannot see beyond the veil. So how do you know that?"

Her friend's lips twitched with a smile. "I cannot see, that is true, but sometimes I get impressions." She leaned closer to whisper in Ani's ear, as if anyone could hear them.

Aria was there, but she was already privy to all of their secrets, so there was no need to whisper around her. Sometimes, Sofri just liked to be dramatic.

"The mighty gods would not like to hear this, but beyond the veil, they are no different than the created species they look down their noses at. In the realm of the spirits, no one being is worth more than another." Sofri leaned back.

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