Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings (by jessica hall) novel Chapter 92

~Zirah~

As Kelly leads me to the back of her shop, I can't help but glance around. To the untrained eye, it looks like an array of trinkets and baubles, but to someone like me, it's a treasure trove of magical artifacts. Magic clings to the air like a sweet perfume. Ethereal and a little dizzying.

We reach the back of the shop, a heavy oak door barring our way. She opens it, revealing a narrow staircase leading downward into darkness. I raise an eyebrow at her, but she merely smiles, her eyes twinkling with a secret.

The staircase spirals down into the basement, which is far from what I had expected. It's an apothecary, the walls lined with shelves of jars and bottles, herbs, and all sorts of magical ingredients. The air is thick with an earthy aroma, punctuated with the sharp tang of dried herbs. The scent of magic is potent here. Its sharp tang combined with the sweet musk of sprouting grass and the musty old books. It’s like being trapped in between two worlds.

Regan, who has been trailing behind me silently, glances around the room with wide eyes. His hand moves toward a jar filled with swirling, silver mist. Just as his fingers brush against the glass, Kelly yanks it out of his reach. "Don't touch that, unless you want to transform into a Salamander," she warns, her tone severe. "That's Sylph essence. Pure elemental air energy that can wreak havoc on physical form."

Kelly sets the jar back on the shelf and moves over to a small table where a teapot sits. As she prepares the tea, she begins to unravel the history of my family, our ties to the Goddess Diana, and our association with Hecate.

"Goddess Diana, your ancestor, sometimes known as the triple goddess due to her connection of three realms: earth, sky and sea. She is widely linked with Hecate, the triple Goddess. She is a lunar deity who rules over night, earth and the underworld. Diana was known for links with wild animals, hunting and fertility - all associated with Hecate’s realm. Diana embodied moonlight itself and she is the Moon goddess, the creator of Lycans."

I take this all in with a sense of awe as Kelly hands me my tea cup with gentle reverence. As I sip from the warm drink steam rising from it, I listen intently to Kelly’s voice drifting through the room like mist

"Hecate, on the other hand, is often characterized as a crossroads deity – one that guides travelers through dark roads, both literal and spiritual. It's believed they were inextricably linked from birth; though some would argue they were the same person, and Goddess Diana was just one of Hecate's crones. Whether that is true, I guess we'll know when we cross over. But what I do know is that their power grew together throughout time until it reached its peak in your family bloodline."

Her words weave a story of power, of women who defied the norms and embraced their inner magic. But with power comes conflict, and with conflict comes consequences.

"Your mother, Litha," Kelly begins, her gaze focused on the tea she's pouring, "Cursed King Theron and, in doing so, breached the Universal Law of Magic, 'Do What You Will, But Harm None.' She didn't just curse the King. She cursed an entire species, pushing the Lycans to the brink of extinction."

I stiffen, my cup halfway to my lips. I knew my mother had been powerful, but the depth of her actions still surprises me. "And what of my own curse?" I ask, my voice steady.

Kelly placed the teapot down with a defeated sigh. "Your mother's actions had far-reaching consequences, Zirah. It caused a ripple effect. On your birthday, you will come into full power, however, since you are a hybrid, your Lycan side can only be unlocked if the curse on the Lycan king is broken, otherwise, it will remain dormant."