Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign (Worlds of the Crystal Moon, Book 1) (41 page)

Shalee smiled and stroked Sam’s face, saying everything without speaking a word. They allowed each other to feel the passion they had both avoided.

Mosley cleared his throat. “Sam, shouldn’t you be preparing for your fight? You’re practically naked.”

Nodding, Sam kissed Shalee again and then headed into the village. He needed to find a new pair of pants since there were only four more fights before the arena headmaster would call his name.

Shalee stood in silence as she watched Sam leave the room. Her heart was at peace. No woman on Grayham could be happier than she was at this very moment.

Mosley broke the silence. “Shalee, I hate to ruin your desire to mate, but I need you to listen. Did Sam tell you everything Bassorine told him? Do you know your packs on Earth were destroyed?”

Shalee frowned at the way Mosley phrased his question. “He told me some of it, but I was extremely tired when he did. I know Earth was destroyed, and I’m not sure how I feel or how to deal with it. I miss so many people, and it’s hard to believe they’re gone. I’ve been trying not to think about it. All I do is cry.”

The wolf responded as tears ran down Shalee’s face. “Bassorine brought you here for the purpose of mating with Sam. He hoped you would form a union and have cubs of your own. But it appears Sam failed to tell you that.”

Shalee wiped away the tears and responded with a sniffling chuckle. “That little devil. He was going to pursue me no matter what I said. I could’ve played much harder to get if I’d known that.” She sighed. “I think that’s adorable.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” Mosley responded, “but there’s a much larger reason you’re here … much, much larger than having Sam’s cubs.”

“As if having his kids isn’t enough of a responsibility already,” Shalee reasoned. “What else would Bassorine add to it?”

“What I did not know until being enlightened and receiving the power I did from the Book of Immortality was that Bassorine told the Book many secrets after it was created. Shalee, did Sam tell you about the Book of Immortality?”

Shalee thought a moment. “He said its pages are filled with the souls of the dead since Heaven and Hell were supposedly destroyed. The idea of a book holding souls in its pages sounds fake and made up to me.”

Mosley sat on his haunches and scratched the fur on his neck with his left, rear paw. “I assure you the Book is not fake, but holding souls is only part of what the Book does. It also contains the laws of the gods. The gods must live by this charter no matter what.” The wolf paused. “The information I’m about to share with you was given by Bassorine and protected by the Book. Bassorine did not share this information with anyone else. I would not know it now, but it was Bassorine’s desire that I be informed. The Book and Bassorine had plans of their own, though I don’t know to what extent their planning will effect the future.”

The wolf took a deep breath. “One thing I do know is that you will grow quickly and have abilities far greater than any sorceress before you. Your gods of Earth spoke with Bassorine before you were born. It was a secret meeting that only Bassorine and these earthly manifestations knew about. It was during this meeting that Bassorine asked these gods not to share the information they kept between them … and they didn’t. The pact was sacred.

“Your gods were asked to give you the ability to absorb energies that live around you. Bassorine asked them to allow you to channel these energies at a much higher level than those who are normally able to do so. He requested that you be given a gentle heart and a strong will. This is why you learn so quickly and are so kind. This is also why you’re so stubborn and display such drama. You have the ability to become a goddess without having to ascend. You could be the most powerful woman, even more powerful than the gods on Ancients Sovereign, without having to live on the God World.”

“My Lord in Heaven!” Shalee exclaimed. “If my mother was here, she would soil herself. To know her little girl was so blessed ... wow ... me, a goddess! I don’t know about that.” She reached down and pulled at the fabric of her dress. “Oh my goodness, Mosley, I’m going to need a whole new wardrobe if I become a goddess.”

A few moments went by before Shalee stopped daydreaming and redirected her thinking. “What did you mean by ‘energies?’”

As Mosley gnawed at the end of his paw, he responded between nips. “I don’t think it’s possible to fully describe what these energies are. Allow me to improvise. I shall call them miniature beings that cannot be seen ... beings that live around us. Only certain beings can absorb them. They flow into your body when you command magic and become a permanent part of you.”

Shalee held up her hand. “Just a second ... I mean, moment. You’re telling me that these life forces enter my body and just stay there? What happens to them once they’re inside me?”

Mosley smiled and adjusted where he was gnawing to a spot between his legs. He managed to continue their conversation during his exploration for the source of irritation. “Let’s say that these life forces are the building blocks of your magical foundation. The bigger you make your foundation, the stronger you’ll become. The power you’ll eventually command will be tremendous.”

Shalee placed her hand to her chin. “You make me sound like I’m gonna be some kind of Jedi knight or something. Why would Bassorine ask the gods of Earth to do this for me? Why choose me?”

Unsure of what Shalee meant by “Jedi knight,” Mosley ignored the reference and continued. “It was not that Bassorine chose you. It was more a matter of the order of your birth. After they spoke of Sam’s abilities and what skills he would carry throughout life, they sent him to Earth. The gods then found an imperfect soul. Your soul, Shalee, was also incomplete. Joining imperfections can form a completed being. I don’t know further details of how to explain what this means, but I can say you were simply incomplete. This was the only way for the gods to fix your deformity. In the process, you became the one they chose to bless. Perhaps they felt sorry for you.”

Shalee frowned. “You’re saying I’m special only because I was messed up. That puts a damper on how I feel. How’s a girl supposed to live life knowing that she was no better than a mutt? I—”

Mosley stopped her from continuing. “I know many mutts who have lived valued lives, Shalee. Be careful who you insult. Mutts have feelings, too.”

“Oh my goodness, Mosley, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Nodding, the wolf stepped forward. “Despite your flaws, the knowledge the Book of Immortality passed to me revealed that Bassorine has plans for you, but I don’t know all of what they are. Bassorine was the God of War for a reason, and he never failed to create a strategy.”

Shalee’s brow furrowed. “How could Bassorine have plans for me? Don’t you mean, he
had
plans for me? Wasn’t he destroyed?”

“I said what I meant to say, Shalee. Bassorine
has
plans for you. This plan involves the Book. When the Book of Immortality was created, Bassorine liked the idea of its creation, but he didn’t trust the others. If any of the gods found a way to take control of the Book, someone would need to be strong enough to take it back. You are the only being with the potential to summon the power necessary to do this. I know nothing more.”

Shalee stood in silence for a fair series of moments before she responded. “Mosley, I don’t think I’ll ever be powerful enough to fight gods. I can’t even fathom that concept.”

“Someday ... you’ll be able to, Shalee, I assure you.”

“With that kind of power, there must be a ton of temptation to go along with it. What should I do?”

“I want you to be careful, and though you’re going to learn how to command magic like no other before you, unexpected danger will find you because of it. Don’t use your power unless you must. Avoid attracting attention.”

Shalee laughed in frustration. “Sam Hill, Mosley, how can I become powerful if I don’t train? It doesn’t work that way. I need to use my power in order to grow.”

“I understand how your power works, Shalee, and I know you must command it to build your foundation. Just consider yourself warned.”

The wolf looked up. “I must go. My moments are short. I have many goodbyes to say before I leave this world. Tell no one of this conversation ... not even Sam.”

“Doggone it, Mosley, why can’t I tell Sam?”

Mosley sighed. “You would be putting him in danger.” With that, the new God of War vanished.

Shalee looked at the empty space where Mosley had stood, “Are you kidding me right now? How could you just leave me here like that?”

CHAPTER 16

The Fight

The Arena in Angels Village

Southern Grayham

SAM WAS ANGRY WHEN he came back from his unsuccessful search for a new pair of pants, and Shalee was dying inside because she could not tell him anything Mosley had said. Sam’s clothing issue gave Shalee a chance to focus on something new. She had never been good at keeping secrets, but then again, she had never had a secret of this importance.

Sam had worked himself into a panic, and he was storming around his preparation room. “I can’t go out there looking like this! I’ll be the laughing stock of the village. These trunks are too tight. I look like a giant Richard Simmons. Paint me green, and I’d look like a queer hulk. I’ll be damned before I go out there looking like a freak. You should see how the people were staring at me.”

Shalee smiled and threw Sam his old pair of torn, leather pants. “My goodness, we can’t have you looking silly out there, now can we? Why don’t you put these on as best you can. I’ve got an idea.”

“Why would I do that? They don’t fit!”

“Sam Goodrich, don’t you make me stomp this foot on the ground,” she said, not liking his tone. “I said put them on as best you can. Now git! I might be able to fix your pants ... and your boots.”

Sam did as he was told and pulled on the shredded mess. He watched as Shalee raised her staff and pointed it at him. “Wait! What are you doing? I don’t want you to use your magic on me. What if you screw up? Save all that hocus-pocus for someone else.”

“Shush up, and stop being a baby!” Shalee barked. “I know what I’m doing. Just be quiet and stand there. I need to concentrate.”

Once again, she lifted her staff and pointed it at the leather pants. “Precious,
luane
!” she shouted with an authority that surprised Sam.

To the fighter’s amazement, the leather started to grow and add to itself as if it was alive. It did not take long before he was standing in a perfectly formed piece of clothing.

“Holy cow! That’s incredible!” Sam stopped and took the moments necessary to adjust his mind. “I’m going to thank you for this later,” he promised. He lifted her in the air and planted a big kiss on her cheek.

Shalee enjoyed the affection, but in the back of her mind, she realized the staff had not rewarded her for her success. There would not be many more tears of joy, and she knew the intimate relationship with her petrified, wooden friend would soon be over. However, she grinned in anticipation of the replacement relationship she would have with Sam. The transition could not have come at a more perfect moment.

Once Sam lowered her to the floor, Shalee commanded Precious to repair his boots. Like his pants, the leather mended itself and formed to his feet.

Sam bent over to kiss her again just as BJ walked into the room. All the trainer could see was the large back of a huge man. Not recognizing his student, the trainer excused himself.

Sam called out, “BJ, wait! Don’t go!”

The trainer reentered the room. Stunned, BJ could see it was Sam’s face, but nothing else resembled the person he knew. He rubbed his eyes as if he was in some sort of dream and then looked again. “Sam?”

“It’s me. You won’t believe me when I tell you, but I’ve been transformed.”

A bewildered expression appeared on BJ’s face. “How?”

“By the new God of War, Mosley,” Sam replied.

The trainer pondered a moment before he responded. “Aren’t you referring to the wolf? Isn’t Mosley the wolf? Bassorine is the God of War.”