When Rhys left Jericho to grab a shower, he found clothes in the closet that fit him, which was again, Fate’s work, Rhys was sure. He had just finished dressing when a knock sounded on his door.
Broni timidly knocked on Rhys’s door, not anxious to see Rhys while still feeling bruised by his words the night before. His expression let Broni know he wanted to see her even less.
“I have to go out again, and Mother has requested that you accompany me.”
“Tell Fate I’m not—” Rhys broke off his words at Broni’s negative shake.
“Not Fate, Mother. You can’t refuse her requests. Believe me, you don’t want to make her angry,” Broni warned.
“Very well, it’s not like I have anything better to occupy my time.” Broni winced at his sarcastic words.
She held out her hand and Rhys took it after a brief hesitation. With a blurring movement of time that took mere seconds, Broni and Rhys found themselves in the middle of a deadly battle. Instinctively, Rhys dodged an arrow headed for him.
“What the fuck!”
Broni burst out laughing. “Don’t worry; their weapons cannot harm us. They don’t even know we are here.”
After they watched the battle to the conclusion, Rhys felt the pull within him to join the losing side as they began to retreat. Rhys wanted to yell at them to hold. Inexplicably, he could see if they’d held their ground they would have won the bloody fight. Instead, they had lost because their leader wasn’t courageous enough to move his men forward. He was concerned more for the casualties than the battle, an error that had cost them the victory.
Rhys was disappointed when he found himself back in his room.
“That’s it?”
Broni nodded. “Sometimes it is. The battle ended the way it was supposed to, or I would have known what to do. A lot of the times I’m just a spectator. They are given free will and many times they do make the right decisions.”
“And when they don’t?”
“If I am allowed to intervene, I lead the person to the correct path,” Broni explained.
“When you’re not allowed to intervene, you just leave them to their misery even knowing you could have changed it?” His voice was filled with derision.
“It’s not that simple, Rhys. A person’s life is made of layers of whom and what affects them. If I change something without knowing the eventual outcome, I could cause irreparable damage, not only to the one I want to help but others,” Broni stated softly. “Foresight of the future is not my gift.”
“How convenient for you.” Rhys went to the closet to get fresh clothes. He needed a shower, even though they had just stood as spectators. He still felt hot and sweaty from the blazing sun and flying dust the horses had stirred up.
Broni watched him closely. His remarks had been snide, yet she sensed he was finally listening to her explanations.
“Each of my sisters and I have struggled with this aspect of our gifts. Cara feels the pain of taking souls before their time or whenever they’re not ready to leave their earthly bodies. I constantly battle with the desire to intervene sometimes because I become so caught up in what is happening I want to help.
“One time, I was watching a football player at a bar. My goal was to keep a fight from occurring with another. However, the football player was so obnoxious I seriously wanted someone to knock him on his spoiled ass. If I had let the fight occur, he would have lost his contract for professional football. The son of a bitch didn’t deserve to become as famous and rich as he did either.” Broni shrugged. “I almost intervened, but my mother stopped me.” Shuddering, she turned away from Rhys, sitting down on the chair beside his bed. “The fight would have made him lose his temper, leaving the bar drunk and killing a college student.”
“You couldn’t have known.” Rhys was beginning to see the difficulties of her duties, Broni hoped.
“It wasn’t my place to know, only to do as I was told. I almost failed. Only Destiny and Fate know Mother’s plans. It’s not my place to intercede. It took me a long time to learn that lesson. The consequences could destroy someone’s life, despite my well-meant intentions.”
“Are you saying Mother is responsible for my family’s deaths?” Rhys’s jaw was clenched, waiting for her answer.
Broni sighed and explained as best as she could. “No, Rhys. What I am trying to say is their deaths were a result of a chain of events. You being a lawyer, Daniel altering the evidence, Shelton not being able to cope with his wife’s death, and deciding to take justice into his own hands.”
“So who is to blame?”
Broni gave him the best answer she could. “Your profession is blinding you to the true answer, Rhys. Your lawyer mind is telling you to place blame and give the appropriate punishment. To you that is justice, but to us it is not so simple. Humans see death differently. It is much more complex than that. Each human has unique DNA, yes?”
Rhys nodded.
“Humans are born with a finite amount of time that Mother grants them. When they have served their purpose, they are taken; many times to another realm, sometimes they return to her to be gifted with another lifetime. On the other hand, if a soul does evil while on Earth, they are delivered to Hades where he keeps their soul imprisoned for eternity. My mother, Destiny, my sisters and I are used to drawing the picture Mother wants, but ultimately, Mother is the only one who knows the whole picture because she is the artist.”
Broni stood up, shrugging. “There is a time when it is all dealt with according to how Mother chooses. Sometimes, she gives her punishments or rewards immediately. Sometimes, after they die. It’s always when She chooses because She is the creator.”
Rhys stood, staring at Broni. “You told me about you and your sister’s gifts. Cara’s took my family when they died. Where did she take them?”
This question Broni had been dreading most of all, knowing if she didn’t answer he would just ask her sister himself.
“Their souls were given to Mother. I honestly don’t know where they are now. If they are still with her, or if they’ve been given life again. Only Mother or Zerina would know that answer.”
“Zerina would know where my family is now? Deena might have been reborn?”
When Broni saw the hope in his eyes, she hid the pain his question caused her.
“Zerina is the most important of us all. It is her responsibility to place the soul within the infant child at its first breath. She is the strongest and the weakest of us all.”
Before he could ask, she answered his next question. “Cara and I see our soul but a short time before we move on, however Zerina sees hers for a lifetime, sometimes through several lifetimes. So, yes, she would know if Deena was given another life.”
“Does it happen often?” Broni could see he was seeking any tiny thread of encouragement that he could find his family again.
“To a special few, they are granted another life.” Broni stared into Rhys’s eyes. “Then there are the strong whose soul is so important it is needed over and over through many lifetimes.”
“Are those the only ones?” Rhys wanted hope that his children’s short lives would be given another chance. It wouldn’t be comfort for losing them, but it was something he could cling to during the night when their absence left him in pain at his failure to protect them.
“For those whose lives were ended too soon,” Broni rose to her feet, going toward the door, “a second chance for life is granted.”
Rhys noticed her trembling hand as she opened the door, leaving him alone, and for the first time in a long time, the silence wasn’t welcome.
* * *
Rhys was kept busy the next several weeks. Broni escorted him through different time periods, observing battles he had only read about in college History classes. During his free time, he worked out with Jericho. Surprisingly, he was developing a strong friendship with the demi-God. Neither liked to talk about their pasts, so instead, they would talk about their new experiences. Jericho would go with C
ara when she was called, therefore Rhys and he would tell each other where they had been that day.
He was kept busy, but he noticed the heightening tension taking over the household as the whereabouts of Broni’s sister, Zerina, remained unknown. Fate and Destiny spent many hours on the balcony searching the stars for her, and he could see their exhaustion becoming more evident as each day passed.
Rhys was on his way to breakfast when he passed by Jericho and Cara’s room. Cara often joined them for the meal before they went their own way. Cara leaving to join her sister and mother while Rhys and Jericho sweated and grunted through marathon workout sessions. Neither could explain the need they felt to strengthen their bodies, a compulsion that grew stronger each day.
He was just passing the door when Jericho exited the room, slamming the door behind him. Seeing him wince at the loud noise in the long hallway, it didn’t take much to deduce there was a problem between the couple.
Jericho fell in step with Rhys as they headed downstairs.
“Problems?” Rhys didn’t want to pry into his new friend’s private life, yet he was willing to lend an ear.
“No… yes.” Jericho let out a sigh. “Not an argument. I am just worried about Cara. She is not feeling well. I want to send for a doctor, but she just tells me to leave her alone. I don’t even know if there are doctors here. She refuses to answer my questions.” Rhys saw the worried look on his face.
“Is there a particular time of the day she is sick?”
Jericho cast him a sideways glance. “Yeah, morning. That’s why she hasn’t been down to breakfast the last few days.”
“Is her body tenderer? Is she overly grumpy?”
“Yes. Do you think it could be a virus? You would think with them being immortal, they couldn’t get sick.” Rhys didn’t think Cara was the only one being moody.
“I think I may know the problem. Deena suffered from the same illness a couple of times.”
“Really? What do you think it is?”
Arriving at the table, Rhys loaded a plate full of eggs and bacon then finished it off with a heaping helping of biscuits and gravy. The men were immortal, but their stomachs refused to give up the ritual of a hearty breakfast. No longer having to worry about the ramifications of such gluttony on their human bodies, they enjoyed the heavy meals prepared for them.
Rhys handed Jericho the huge plate of food. “I think you should take her breakfast in bed. If she eats it, she’ll be in a better mood. If not and she instead runs for the bathroom, then congratulations.” Rhys grinned at Jericho’s uncomprehending expression.
“Congratulations?”
Rhys sat, filling a plate for himself.
“On becoming a father.” He waited for his words to sink in.
“You think she’s pregnant?” Jericho made the statement, dumbfounded. “She can’t be pregnant. I had a vasectomy.”
“You mean the human body that is no longer on Earth was unable to produce children. I’m willing to bet that a demi-God, which is what you are, would have no problem fathering children though. From what I remember of my History lessons at University, the Gods are very prolific.”
Jericho’s eyes narrowed. Rhys felt sorry for Cara. From the look on Jericho’s face, he was about to give his fiancée hell.
“You would think that Cara would inform me of that little detail.”
“Maybe she didn’t know. That could be why she hasn’t told you. She could be unsure of your reaction.” Rhys began to feel nervous for the woman. He liked Cara and enjoyed watching the closeness the couple shared.
Jericho turned without another word, holding the plate as he precariously left the room.
“That wasn’t very nice.” Rhys jumped at Fate’s voice behind him.
Fate gracefully took a seat at the table. “She was going to tell him, Cara was just building up her courage. It is so difficult when others interfere.” Fate stared him straight in the eyes, letting him see her displeasure.
Rhys sat quietly, watching as she took a piece of bacon and with her teeth tore it in half. Rhys’s balls curled into themselves for protection.
Fate smiled as she poured herself a glass of juice. “It was quite fortuitous that you walked by his door at that time and he confided in you. Of course, with two children yourself, you easily recognized the symptoms.”
Rhys began to feel like he had done exactly as she had wanted, and he didn’t appreciate the feeling.
“I take it you are going to be a grandmother?” he said, losing his appetite.
“Yes, I am ecstatic. This one will be the first of many.” When a faraway look entered her eyes, Rhys had an uncomfortable feeling she was counting her future progeny.
He decided to be upfront about his relationship with her daughter. “Broni and I—”
Fate cut him off. “There is no Broni and you. You are merely using my daughter to satiate your physical needs. Broni knows this and accepts it. I, however, do not.”
Rhys did not know what to say at Fate’s censure because he felt anything he said would damn him further in her eyes.
“I have agreed to accept Broni’s decision, for now.” Fate took a drink of her coffee.
“For now?” Rhys questioned, hoping the woman didn’t think he would change his mind.
“Until I don’t, and you will know when that happens.”
Changing the subject, she asked how his visits to the various battlefields had been progressing. He found himself drawn into a long conversation about the outcomes of several battles, even arguing several tactics the commanders had used without success.
Rhys was surprised to discover he liked Fate. She was extremely intelligent and had a grasp on events that rivaled the great minds of known time. She was also easy to talk to, so it was disappointing when she rose, stating she had work to do before excusing herself.
Rhys worked out alone, missing Jericho’s company and deciding to shorten his workout time to find Broni. He found he was actually looking forward to beginning their day.
Chapter 17
It was the bloodiest battle they had been sent to; the casualties were massive. While Broni watched Rhys’s reaction to the bloodbath taking place before them, she was cringing inwardly. As a warrior was slaughtered before her in a gruesome manner, unable to bear the sight, she turned away.
However, Rhys observed the battle differently, analyzing it from both sides, weighing the pros and cons of the strategies the two opposing antagonists were using. Broni smiled at his clenching hands, unconsciously wanting to join in the fight. She was glad he couldn’t; there wasn’t going to be a survivor from this particular battle.
“They’re Vikings.”
“They are. No one survives this battle.” Broni pointed to a large man lying nearby. “He is their leader. His son will grow to be famous, becoming one of their best warriors. A leader known through time. He almost conquered the world.” A proud smile played on Broni’s lips. “If he had not died, I think he would have.”
The battle ended, and as Broni had stated, no one was left standing. Rhys felt a deep sadness at the men lying before him. After Broni gripped his hand, returning him to his room, she moved away from him, never touching him longer than it took to move from one place to another. It was dark outside and the room was softly lit with candlelight.
“I need a shower, will you join me?”
Broni looked at him in surprise. Rhys never wanted intimacy between them out of the bed, so hesitantly, she agreed.
They disrobed before going to the bathroom, which was the epitome of decadence. The shower was made of marble and the water rained down from the ceiling like a small waterfall. Broni took the soap and lathered herself, unsure of what to do, having never showered with a man before. Rhys took her hand with the soap, moving it where he wanted. Her hands were guided over his large chest then downward toward his hips. The soap fell to the floor of the shower as he slid her hand over his slick flesh toward his protruding cock. He braced his arm on the wall abov
e her head at her gentle touch.
“Harder.”
Broni took his slippery cock in her hand, beginning a rhythmic stroking that had him thrusting his hips forward, giving him the friction he needed. After a while, Broni removed her hands, letting the falling water remove the soap. When he was clean, she dropped to her knees, taking him deep in her mouth. Her tongue curled underneath the broad head, sucking strongly as he began a fierce rhythm that took him to the back of her throat.
Broni gripped his balls in her hand, applying a delicate pressure, and when she swallowed on the head of his cock buried in her throat, he came. Broni delicately used her tongue to tease him as he slid from her warm mouth. Her body was on fire. Sucking on his cock had aroused her; she’d enjoyed it as much as he had.
Rhys dried them off before taking her arm and leading her to his bed, but before she could climb onto the bed, he stopped her. He put a hand on her back and pushed her downward until she lay bent over the bed with her feet barely touching the floor. Broni felt Rhys’s thigh part her legs, his cock sliding deep within her wet pussy. She was ready for him, but it was still tight with no foreplay. A small scream escaped her at his hard entry.
Not giving her time to recover, he began to thrust deep within her. Broni felt the strength of his thrusts and began to quiver with an impending orgasm. Rhys thrust faster, driving them both toward a climax.
After Rhys’s cock slid from her, she turned to leave, yet his hands circled her waist, lifting her onto the bed.
“My hair will get the pillow wet.”
“It will dry.”
Rhys’s hands roamed her still water slickened flesh. Taking a nipple between his lips, he was just beginning to play with it when Broni stiffened with a gasp.
“Get dressed.”
She was being called and was expected to obey immediately. Hurriedly, they dressed in silence. When their shoes were on, Broni grasped Rhys’s hand. The call was becoming more urgent. She was usually called by Fate, but this summons was from Mother herself.