Page 3 of The King

Mentally exhaling, she counted to ten, then slowly and succinctly, enunciating every syllable, started over. “Okay, let’s try this again. How have I, Bridgette Morrigan Featherstone, the only Empress Eagle Shifter in existence at this very moment, second in the hierarchy of the Clan of the Sun, and one of the daughters of Lugh, been somewhere – anywhere – for three days without knowing where I was?”

“Because you….”

Not even stopping to take a metaphorical breath, and especially not for the Empress Eagle with whom she shared her soul to continue to butt in and derail her shaky train of thought for the second time, the Demi-Goddess kept right on going,“Better yet, how do you, Queen Eden of the Iolair Convocation of the Golden Empress Eagles not have access to your Magic? You are, quite literally, a Magical Being. How is it that I, I won’t say my name and all the title bullshit again, cannot reach the Mysticism of my birthright in all its forms and glory? I am part goddess, am I not? My father is Lugh, the Celtic God of the Sun, right? How is it that neither of us knows where we are? How can we be clueless about what is happening? And how in all that’s holy do we wake up, kick the ass of the person or persons responsible for our current debacle, find that pain in the ass Panther King we were following because I know he was walking into a trap, and get the hell outta Dodge?”

When she finally reined in the overload of emotions, confusion, and pure, unadulterated rage and stopped talking, her plethora of questions was met with utter and complete silence for ten very long, very infuriating seconds. Yes, it was exactly what she'd expected. No, it didn't make dealing with it any easier.

Holding on tight, she was ready and, as her recent lousy luck would have it, not disappointed because everyone and the Great Goddess knew Eden loved her dramatic moments. So, as expected, on the heels of the silent treatment came a wave of disdain followed by a slap of hot, fiery exasperation. Sadly, the only reason Ettie let it happen was to get the answers she so desperately needed, and at the rate things were going, they better be good.

It was time for the countdown. Yes, the Demi-Goddess might have been poking the Eagle, but as her momma would say, 'You gotta get your kicks where you can.' So, she mentally started the countdown.“Three… Two…”

“Are you quite finished?”Eden snapped, her irascibility at the living, breathing third party to their mental connection.

Returning the silent treatment, Ettie waited until the second she knew Eden was about to retaliate before glibly responding,“Yeah, I’m done… For now.”

"Okay, as long as you don't interrupt, and by that, I mean you will not say a word, utter a peep, or even sarcastically sigh in my direction while I am explaining, I will tell you what I know. Deal?"

“Deal,”Ettie begrudgingly agreed.

“We are in a medical facility.”

“A hospital?”

“Ah, ah, ah, remember our deal.”

She hated when the Empress Eagle used that tone. And even more so when Eden was right.

“Yeah, yeah, okay, get on with it.”

After a pause Ettie knew was meant as punishment, Eden continued.“As I said, we are in a medical facility. I came to that conclusion from the putrid scent of industrial antiseptic, alcohol, and disinfectant that would choke even one of the Noseless Gnomes of Knowington Knob. Before being rudely interrupted, I was about to add that it is not a hospital, or at least not one like I have ever experienced. The spark and crackle of all types, kinds, and configurations of Magic is everywhere, but it is not right. It's untamed. No. Wait. That's not correct." She paused and thought, then continued. "It's different? No, that’s not it either. It’s… It’s… It’s unattached. That's not completely correct, but it's as close as I come to an explanation that makes any sense.”Huffing with exasperation, she added,“I just don’t know how to explain it with any degree of accuracy.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Ettie asked,“Can you try? Because I’m lost over here.”

“Okay, let’s do this. How do you feel?”

“Restrained? Captive? Helpless? Pissed off? Fed up? Ready to wake up, open my eyes, and raise some serious hell?”

“No, Bridgette, that’s…”

"The name's Ettie. How many times over the years have I..."

"What? Are you serious? That's what you want to argue about now? I'm trying to figure out where we are, what is happening to us, how to get you awake, and how to access our Magic, and all you can do is bitch about my use of your given name? I swear, you have to be the most…."

“…contrary, stubborn, mouthy, antagonistic, ball-busting, irritating…Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’ve heard the list of adjectives more times than I can count over the many millenia we’ve been together. Can you just…?”

Interrupted by a low, haunting moan from somewhere to her right, Ettie’s limited consciousness snapped in that direction. The groan grew in intensity and depth, morphing into a howl of desperation and agony that had the hair all over the Demi-Goddess’ body standing on end.

“Where the hell are we? Ivan the Terrible’s dungeon? What the hell is happening? We have to….”

“Quiet!”Eden snapped as a wave of confused, discombobulated, lost, stray, wandering Magic whipped over them, rolled around them, and danced over every inch of Ettie's exposed flesh.

It poked at the back of her hand. It touched the Cupid's bow atop her lips. It slid across her chest and massaged the skin right over her heart.

Somewhere deep inside, way down at the bottom of her soul, the dimmest light flickered for the briefest of moments, then faded back into oblivion. That was where her Magic lived even from before she was born. It was where the Mating bond she shared with that blasted King of the Big Cats originated, thrived, and usually glowed with the intensity of her Father's Light. It was the safest place in her existence – and for the first time, it was damn near barren.

“What is happening to me? How can this be? What is…?”

Instantly weaker and more drained than before, she couldn't even finish her thought, and once again, Eden wasn't responding. Whatever the 'Wild Magic' wanted, Ettie was unable to provide, and the side effects of that momentary connection had zapped everything she had.

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