Rive by Miranda Kavi Read Free Book Online

hair into coils that neatly wrapped around the back and top of her head like a crown.
    Her light flowed through her as she neared the stage. She heard the collective gasp as her flameless fire burned through her body, lighting her up in violet. She kept her eyes on the casket as she entered the platform.
    She fell into a loose circle around Naomi’s remains with the other Tuatha . It was a small group, since there were only five Tuatha on earth at any give time. Mateus stood on her left, a wide-eyed Ashley on her right, greenery forming on the spot where she stood. Betty stood next to Ashley, still bearing some scars from her ordeal. Regina stood between Betty and Mateus.
    Regina turned off the microphone. She kept her voice low enough that only Tuatha could hear. “Hold hands,” she said.
    They did, making a circle.
    “Repeat after me.” She spoke a series of strange, almost guttural sentences. Celeste was afraid she wouldn’t be able to repeat them, but found they rolled off her tongue quite easily. It was some buried, ancient knowledge.
    As the last word rolled off her tongue, power whipped through the circle. Mateus’s and Ashley’s hands gripped hers so hard it hurt, but she barely noticed.
    Strength surged through her. She closed her eyes and dropped her head, overwhelmed with the feelings cursing through her being. Images started flashing behind her closed eyes. She instinctively knew the others could see them as well.
    It was knowledge. All the knowledge in the Tuatha world somehow shared with her over a period of seconds. She saw her entire life in reverse. She saw her familiar violet eyes in another woman’s face leaving an infant in car seat at a fire station. My mother. The woman whispered, “I’m sorry. This is the only way to protect you,” as she left.
    As she watched her story unfold, she saw Mateus’s life. His many, many loves. Victor being born. She saw Ashley’s life and Betty’s, even Regina’s long life that had began in a different era.
    Previous Tuatha came next. The images moved faster as the Tuatha became more ancient. The modern clothes and cars disappeared. The cities gave way to villages, then to dirt. The people began to look stranger and different. Huskier, rougher. Shorter.
    There were strange animals and creatures along with the early humans. Dragons, elves, true faeries, furies, skinwalkers, giants. They split on a seam, co-existing at the same time but not the same place. The corporal beings on earth, the rest in the Otherworld. She watched most of the magic leave the world.
    Then it was more ancient. A time so long ago it was beyond her comprehension. There were the ancient ones, the very ones that were the light and the dark and time was beginning on earth.
    She understood the power they held now, as controlling the seam between the two worlds. It could be closed, it could be opened freely. It could end the world.
    She gasped as the images faded. Their hands dropped as they all struggled to step out of what they had just seen.
    “Holy crap,” Ashley whispered.
    Regina cleared her throat. “That is how it began. We are connected with earth. What you have seen does not leave the circle. Our powers must never be known.”
    With that, she turned her microphone back on. “Thank you, everyone. The graveside service is family only. The wake is in the atrium.” She smoothed her skirt, and then stepped carefully off the stage.
    Celeste was rooted to her spot, slowly watching the people and Sidhe leave the room.
    She had just seen the creation of the world. She had seen her birth mother. She had seen the ancient ones. She had seen power unknown to the modern world.
    Rylan was standing at the edge of the stage. “Celeste?” he said.
    She focused her eyes on him.
    “Can you hear me? Are you okay?” he said.
    “Yes,” she whispered.
    Tension tightened his shoulders. It was worry for her. She forced herself to smile, though she felt her heart break when she did. Now she knew