Maya's POV
I watched in a combination of awe, excitement, and a little fear as the massive fire sizzled in front of us. Nyx hummed and whispered in a foreign tongue, a strange language consisting of as many guttural sounds, clicking with her tongue and horror-like sounds from deep down in her throat as words.
It all contributed to a mythical, almost magical night, dark magic, that is. The sun had gone down long ago; instead, the full moon cast cold, white light down at us in between the thick clouds.
Nyx was an incredibly beautiful woman, but now her eyes were almost black. Staring straight into the dancing flames that reflected in the endless deep darkness in her eyes. Her facial features seemed to change, twisting into something unearthly, almost like she took on a different being. Some creature I'm not sure I should be scared of or fascinated by, but I was not so surprised; I didn't even feel a little piece of that jealousy I felt towards her earlier.
The volume in her voice increased simultaneously as she lifted her hands like she wanted to lift the raging flames up to the dark midnight sky. My eyes widened as the flames actually rose, stretched towards the darkness and cold moon. Just when I thought that was the strangest thing, my eyes followed the flames up as they continued to stretch up, and my jaw almost dropped down between my feet. In disbelief, I watched as the clouds separated, like the water for Moses. I'm unsure if this is magic, dark powers at work, ghosts, or something intoxicating being spread around by the flames, making me hallucinate.
What I wanted to do, was watch the rest. See their reaction, but something up there between the skies called for me, demanding I watch. Demanding I keep my eyes in that direction. My heartbeat increased, and slowly my heart started reaching a frantic stage, slamming against my chest to the point that it affected my breathing. Clenching my fists so hard, my nails dug into my skin before I opened it fully and stretched my fingers out. I repeated this like it became a safety ritual as my palms started feeling warm and sweaty.
This was the moment the deep sound of the drums traveled under my skin. The rhythm was slow, loud, and low at the same time, washing through my body in waves of sound. The beat changed the rhythm of my heart, making it follow the drums, slowing it down, and again making my breathing deeper. Slower. It was intoxicating in combination with Nyx's voice, the flames, and the strange demand from the sky. With no way to control it, my body started swaying from one side to the other. Shifting my weight from one foot to the other to the point that my weight and body felt like fluid in the movements. Guided by drums coming from nowhere and everywhere around me. All my fear was gone, all anxiety and negative feelings in general.
Taking a deep breath, I filled my lungs with oxygen to the brim, stretching them out as I needed them to grow before I slowly let it all out. The transition was there; I felt it and knew about it. Even if I had no idea what was happening, parts of me did know and welcomed it. This was nothing to fear, nothing to resist, and there was no reason to be nervous. It felt more like a gift; a powerful surge grew inside of me, switching out the oxygen I breathed out. Second by second, that now felt like they stretched out into minutes, I felt stronger.
In fact, I've never felt so strong. No, I felt incredible. The air in my lungs felt lighter and fresher, and all the colors around me started popping out of the darkness. Nyx, that incredible Vulva that once triggered my jealousy and insecurities now, she brought me nothing but joy. Yes, as strange as it sounds, I felt joy, and when that registered in my head, I noticed I already had a wide smile on my face. My body reacts before my mind,
The words that spilled over my lips went through my mind first. So I knew everything, but still, I didn't control it. I was just a vessel, and it didn't bother me at all. In fact, I found Nyx's reaction hilarious! She stopped In the middle of her guttural chanting and stared at me with wide eyes and wide-open mouth. I even think she forgot how to breathe before she stumbled back, tripped over a log, and just ended up sitting there while we spoke.
" Nayalan Xenos, the scorn Vulva. The shone beauty that was born balancing on the edge of darkness. Feared, envied, equally hated, and loved. Tsk tsk, what a life you were dealt, but oh so rewarding it will be! We saw your thread, and followed its path, every twist and turn. Through the darkness, through light and hopes, your path was set, and then you do this. Call for the gods; who would have known how this gave you a new thread?"
The voices were three, maybe four, female voices talking around and over each other, but somehow, they worked in a horrifying but perfect balance with one another. I knew the words and knew what was said, but I had no idea what was behind them or what all of it meant. It was partly spoken in riddles, but somehow, they were open and clear. Hidden, secret, and bared for her feet all in the same sentence. I still felt their power and confidence surge through me, but I also, through all this, saw fear and utter disbelief in Nyx's eyes, and it made me wonder what the heck was going on. I knew they had the answers we needed; I just could not reach them.
"The gods do not have time for things like this, and you should know this much young witch. But luckily for you, the course of your actions caught our attention, and we are willing to make a deal. For the information you seek, payment is needed. You are the channel, the one and only host, and will be the one to pay. Strong and independent, you are, but the white horse you climbed on long ago is ready to die. You do not change the course of faith, and you do not entangle in our work and destiny. It is time you know your place; the time you accept the path you are dealt. Close your eyes, Nyx, witch daughter of the deceased traitor, daughter of the black waters. Close our eyes and see your price, pay, and stay in your lane. This will be the last time we grant you such a gift; bless you with the opportunity to keep breathing and living amongst the living."
The threat was evident, and as Nyx closed her eyes, I saw a single tear press out between her lashes and roll over her cheek. The aura, energy, and air went out of me all at once, causing me to fall to my knees with a pained grunt as my knees collided with the stony ground. Spent and drained, the rush of power left me broken and cold. Longing and missing the control I felt just seconds ago.
Strong hands pulled me up and wrapped around me. Embraced me and protected me against the world around us, a warm shield of safety and concern. Tears dripped down my cheek, stained his leather clothing, and dripped over his warm skin. I didn't know why I was crying. But I felt like I just lost something I needed, something my body and mind had been missing for so long that I no longer knew what it was. I only know that it was gone after a brief taste of what should have been. What I should have been all along. I didn't understand any of it, felt stupid, and felt emotional. Then embarrassed. Did I really love Power this much? Because that Is what I felt, I think. The more I think about it, the more sure I become that I don't want to be a person like that.
Yes, I felt good, but why was being powerful so important to me? I never cared about things like that, never even cared if people liked me. The only person I ever wanted to like me, to accept me, was my father, and he never did.
"The dragon king has her. Alive and safe from what I could feel. But we need to find her first; someone else is searching for her. Someone strong and heartless. A trail of death follows them, a path of destruction left in their wake. If they get her first, if she believes them and accepts them, there will be no turning back. She will change, and the life of all shifters will change, but most of all, of the wolves. They will crumble, crawl and beg before they all meet the same faith. Losing their beasts, fur falling off, disease will spread like wildfire between them until it eventually wipes them all out. She is the key to breaking the curse, but she is also the key to breaking us all. "
Nyx's cold and shaking voice pulled me out of my own self-pity, and my eyes found her. She is still sitting on the ground, still with her eyes closed. A chill traveled down my spine and over my skin as her words sunk in.