Chapter Twenty Nine: Rewind
Kenzi walked into the study where her father was sitting in a large brown leather chair smoking a cigar and sipping on a glass of wine.
"Hey darling, come and sit down, I want us to talk alone for a moment" Kenzi's father said with a smile.
"Sure pops, what's up?" Kenzi said as she sat down across from her father.
"I think you're old enough now for me to give you something that's been passed down in our family for generations…" the man said with a proud grin as he pulled a necklace from his pocket and slid it across the desk towards his daughter.
Kenzi studied the jewelry before picking it up and gripping it in her hand. She looked at the silver chain in amazement. The pendant dangling from it was just as astonishing. It was a small black stone, but if you looked close enough you could see what looked like a flame etched into it with a silver tint to it.
"Dad, this is amazing…" Kenzi said as she smiled and brushed her finger over the stone.
"And it comes with quite a tale… One I feel you need to hear" her father said as he stood up and walked behind his daughter, taking the necklace in his hand and dangling it around Kenzi's neck so that he could put it on her.
Kenzi smiled as she felt the necklace clasp and dangling down perfectly centered on her chest just above her heart. Her father pulled up the chair beside her and sat down, grabbing his daughter's hand.
"You know, our family has many secrets, there are things even I am unsure of right now. But my mother gave this to me just before she died. Growing up my parents always told me tales of magic and powers that individuals would posses. I thought they were all fables and old Russian myths. My grandma told me that one day I would understand there was magic in this world and things we couldn't explain, they just happened. I always found my fascination with fire to be unique in itself. It wasn't until I was older that I learned what I was, who I was…" Kenzi's father said as he smiled, "who we are…"
Kenzi looked at her dad confused as she raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying dad?"
Kenzi's father took his hand from hers and held it out in front of her, closing his fists and reopening it, Kenzi's breath left her lungs when bright red flames appeared.
Kenzi let out a light laugh as tears welled in her eyes. The Russian girl flashed her eyes red and snapped her fingers, letting her red fire ignite.
"Like father like daughter…" Kenzi's dad said with an enormous grin.
"How did you know? Wait, how are you… Then why did I have to get my powers from Alex… I'm so lost… Dad there are so many questions I have for you right now…" Kenzi said as she spoke quickly.
"I'll answer as many as I can, how about that…" Kenzi's dad said as he chuckled.
"Dad… You're… You're fae?" Kenzi said still shocked.
"I'm an Ember…" Kenzi's father stated proudly.
"Then how was I… How was I human?" Kenzi asked as she looked down at her hands.
"Because your mother is human. Embers are only born when their parents are two Embers or they mate with a powerful fae…" Kenzi's dad said as he relaxed in the chair.
"But then how did Alex…" Kenzi started to ask but stopped when she realized she didn't know how to form the question.
"Alex does not know I'm an Ember. As you've discovered from her, our race is very secretive because we are limited. But the reason her willing you her powers didn't kill her or leave her human is because you have the lineage you do… That and she's insanely powerful. But you were able to receive her powers so easily because of what is in your blood. Your powers appeared quickly when she willed you her powers, did they not?" Kenzi's dad said, the smile still plastered on his face.
"Well yeah but, everyone just thought it was because it was Alex who gave me powers…" Kenzi said as she shook her head, trying to process everything. Was this just her Dawning playing tricks on her? What was going on?
"That played a part in it… But that's not the reason behind why you are a powerful new fae. I bet your Dawning comes earlier than any of you expected…" Kenzi's father said with a smirk as he raised an eyebrow.
Kenzi starred at him in disbelief, "Holy fae shit balls, YOU KNOW?!"
"Well it took me a moment to figure out, but when you looked shocked to be getting married, I put two and two together…" her father said as he crossed his arms.
"This is so confusing…" Kenzi said as she threw her hands over her face.
"I can imagine. But, I figured the way you reacted to me when you saw me that I'm not there in your world…" her father said with a frown.
"No… You aren't…" Kenzi said as she looked up at her father.
"I know this is all difficult to process, but when I saw you out there and knew that this was not the daughter I am use to… I had to bring you in here and give you the necklace and tell you what I was… You needed to know that you are great not just because of who gave you your abilities, but because of what courses through your veins. You were destined to be great my daughter, you were meant to be so much more than a frail human. It was fate that brought you and Alex together and destiny that made you an Ember. Don't take this for granted and don't let anything come between you and the ones you love. Your Dawning is just beginning, no one knows how long your Dawning will last, just use what you can to piece things together and try to open your mind. It's all about self discovery. There will be moments that try your patience but don't give up…" Kenzi's father said as he stood up.
Kenzi quickly hopped out of the chair and was pulled into a tight hug by her father.
"I love you, and you can do this…" Her father said as he kissed the small girls forehead.
Out in the living room, Bo and Alex were sitting on the couch talking.
"So Succuubs, listen here and listen good…" Alex said sternly.
"Okay…" Bo said as she raised an eyebrow.
"Don't take Kenzi for granted. Yeah she might have me and we are all happy and getting married but you're her heart. She adores you… You can't focus just on your love life and all your other bullshit and forget all that she's done for you, that girl would die if it meant keeping you safe. Just.. I don't know, make sure you know who has your back… Don't let her get hurt Bo, but more than that, don't be the one to hurt her by up and focusing on saving the world all the time" Alex said as she looked Bo in the eyes.
"Alex I…" Bo said before the blonde cut her off.
"Yeah I know… Look I told my fiancé I would play nice, but Bo… You're all she has. Her parents are bat shit cray half the time. I mean she made me get your permission to ask her to marry her over her own parents, that's saying something… I just don't want to see you vanish and forget how much she does for you… Because that hurts her more than I ever could.." Alex said as she pursed her lips.
"You're right…" Bo said as she took a deep breath. The Succubus had to admit the blonde had a point. It was so easy for her to get consumed with Tamsin, the baby, everyone trying to kill them.. She really did lose focus on Kenzi so easily.
Before they could continue their talk, Kenzi came racing into the room.
"BO BO YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT I JUST FOUND OUT!" Kenzi yelled, as she stopped running, the room began to spin, "BO!" Kenzi yelled as she grabbed on to the table beside her.
"KENZI! WHAT'S HAPPENING!" Bo yelled as she grabbed the arm of the chair.
"Hey… Are you two okay…." Alex said, her voice growing distant as Kenzi and Bo both closed their eyes.
Kenzi was the first to open her eyes as she gasped for air and lunged her body up ward. She looked around her and then saw the Succubus on the ground to her left.
"Bo… Bo wake up…" Kenzi said as she shook her best friend.
"Wh-Where are we? What the hell happened?" Bo asked as she slowly sat up.
"Not 100% sure on the deets but I'm almost positive we skipped ahead to phase two of this bullshit…" Kenzi said as she stood up and held her hand out to Bo.
"Where the hell did we go this time… And why the fuck is it cold?" Bo said as she grabbed Kenzi's hand.
"No clue, but I have never been to a place like this before so…." Kenzi said as they were now both on their feet and looking around the cabin they appeared in. Bo looked around at the small and dark place they were now in.
"I'll find a light…" Bo said as she held her head and stumbled to the small kitchen in the room, rummaging around for whatever she could find to light up the room.
"Well I think I figured out why it's so damn cold…" Kenzi said over by the window.
"Why?" Bo asked as she found a candle and a lighter.
"Come check this shit out…" Kenzi said still looking out the window.
Bo lit the candle and headed over to her best friend. As the Succubus approached, Kenzi nodded out the window and her jaw almost dropped.
"Oh shit…" Bo said looking at the 5 feet of snow piled up to the window they were looking out of.
"Looks like my Dawning wanted us to enjoy a fucking blizzard… Bo… Bo are you okay?" Kenzi said as she witnessed her best friend stumble back several steps. Moving quickly, Kenzi grabbed Bo's arm and lead her over to the small couch in the center of the room.
"Yeah I just…" Bo said as she felt herself becoming weaker and weaker by the second.
"Bo Bo, talk to me honey, you just what?" Kenzi said as she sat down beside her best friend.
"Kenzi… I'm hungry…" Bo said as she fought to keep her eyes open.
"Oh-kaaaay, give me just a sec I'm sure this bitch has a can of beans or something I could-" Kenzi said looking towards the tiny kitchen.
"No Kenz… Not that kind of hungry…" Bo said as she felt herself becoming drained.
"Oh SHIT!" Kenzi exclaimed wide eyed. "Didn't you just chi suck Tammers in her hottie maid get up like back at the house?!"
"No… Kenzi… Tamsin was human in your Dawning… Even if it wasn't real I couldn't drain her… Kenz I need to feed…" Bo mumbled as she felt herself on the verge of passing out.
"Awww man, why me?" Kenzi groaned as she smacked her hand on her forehead.
"Kenz!" Bo argued as she felt her body start to shiver.
"Fineeeee…" Kenzi whined as she looked down at her best friend, seriously taking in the severity of how deprived Bo was of chi right now. "Oh Bo Bo… You really are in bad shape aren't you…" Kenzi took a deep breath and prepared herself for what she was about to do.
"Dude Tams…. Listen to this shit!" Alex said with a laugh. "I really should kick Acacia's ass more. I swear sometimes she's impossible. Today she told tried to give Tamsin a dagger.. The kid is 8 months old! I turned around to see Tamsin with the handle of the blade in her mouth! Acacia and I began bitching at one another over how inappropriate it was to give a baby a knife and then the damn dagger comes flying right in-between us, missing our noses by mere centimeters… We looked over to see my blonde baby giggling and scrunching her nose… I guess mom was right, pay back is hell when you have kids. Mine is already a badass"
Tamsin laughed as did Alex, "Dude… That's so hilarious!" Tamsin said as she wiped her tears.
"Mom kept like everything in this thing… She wrote in it all the time… Like some of this stuff is intense…" Alex said as she flipped through the pages.
"I know right. Check out these pictures of us with mom and dad…" Tamsin said as she held the album out for Alex to glance at. "Who would have thought we had so many pictures with them…"
"It's crazy to think that we went from taking happy normal and cute family pics together to our parents showing up to destroy Valhalla…" Alex said as she frowned.
"Yeah…" Tamsin said as she handed the album to Alex and grabbed a dark leather book from the chest. Opening it, Tamsin saw her fathers name written on the center of the first page, Darren. Flipping through the pages, Tamsin stopped on a chapter that mentioned her name.
The Valkyrie's eyes began to read her father's handwriting:
Tamsin's marvelous. Pefection even. She's strong, swift, fast and brilliant. She's smart, beautiful and a force to be reckoned with… But she's no Ember. She's a Valkyrie. I knew there was a chance of this when I found out we were having a baby, but damn if I didn't hope it was going to be a powerful Ember. I keep saying she does not need to go to Valhalla to train, Odin and I have spoken several times. Tamsin will be one of the greats, but if we send her she could grow strong enough to interfere with our plans. Odin would pay anything to have the child of Talicia the infamous in his ranks. Tamsin has potential but she is not the child that will carry out my name, my Ember bloodline. I just wish that she would show some of my abilities. A mixture of a Valkyrie and an Ember. That would be genius… Unstoppable. Our family will rule one day. No matter what I have to do I will be almighty. Nothing and no one will stop me, stop us. I'll have my Ember heir to the thrown and no Valkyrie, gods, or fae on this earth will prevent me from getting what I want. What I deserve.
Tamsin felt her heart ache from her father's words. She closed the book and tossed it into the trunk as a tear fell down her cheek.
"Tams…" Alex asked as she closed the photo album and looked at her sister.
"Dad was a dick…" Tamsin said with a light laugh as she wiped a tear from her eye.
"Yeah, pretty sure that part became clear when he tried to ruled the afterworld" Alex said as she elbowed her sister.
Tamsin huffed out a light laugh. "Yeah…" the Valkyrie said as she stood to her feet and walked to the fridge to grab another beer.
Alex looked in the trunk and saw their mother's blessed Valkyrie sword. There were words written on the handle. The Ember grabbed the sword and pulled it out, smiling when she saw what was engraved.
Standing, the younger blonde took the sword in her hands and walked over to her sister. "I think mom left this for you… I think she wanted you to have this…"
Tamsin turned around, smiling when she saw the sword. Alex grinned and held it out to her sister. Carefully, the Valkyrie grabbed the blade, looking over every inch of the brilliantly created weapon. On the handle it said, "Talicia" but just below that it read, "Tamsin". Both names were engraved in perfect cursive. It was beautiful.
"I guess she knew you'd turn out to be a pretty awesome Valkyrie…" Alex said as she crossed her arms and smiled while nodding down to the sword.
"I can't believe she did this… This is amazing…" Tamsin said as she tossed the sword from each of her hands, feeling how light and swift it felt.
"She loved you Tams, and no matter how much of an ass dad was, mom clearly thought the world of you… No matter what choices she made that lead to her showing up with dad to fight Valhalla, she was damn proud to have a Valkyrie daughter" Alex said as she put a hand on Tamsin's shoulder.
"Yeah… And I bet she was just as proud to have you firestarter… She may not have been around to raise us but I think she would be happy with who we are today. We've done some shitty things but I think in the end we are right where she would want us to be…" Tamsin said as she gave a genuine smile to her sister.
"Actually, I think she would want us outside playing with this epic sword she left you…" Alex said as she winked.
"Oh you wanna go huh?" Tamsin said as she took a sip of her beer.
Alex flashed her eyes red and reached over grabbing one of the many swords they kept around their cottage, "if you think you can handle it…"
"Let's go kid…" Tamsin said as she shoved Alex back, causing the blonde to stumble over the trunk in the middle of the room.
"Bitch!" Alex called as she raced out of the room.
Both girls were so consumed in the play fight, neither one noticed a note fell from the top of the trunk and now laid in the middle of the room.
On the front of the envelop it read: "To my darling daughters…"