“It is not poisoned, Vivienne.” She sounded hurt, but covered it with a small, almost understanding smile. “I’ve only added orange pekoe, and two spoons of sugar. Would you like me to taste it?”
It was amazing that Evelyn, even after revealing she was a witch, could reduce Vivienne to a guilty-feeling six-year-old with her rebukes. Trusting the instinct that told her her mother would never hurt her, Vivienne reached for the tea and took a sip. It was the perfect temperature, extremely warm, but not hot, and as the warmth seeped into her body, she felt her muscles relax, and her head clear. She took another sip, and closed her eyes. When she opened them, Evelyn was holding out the tray of biscuits. She immediately took one, and when her stomach demanded more, Vivienne polished off three more.
Satisfied that she was drinking the tea and had eaten, Evelyn began to speak. “I was born in Paris to parents whose love for each other defied their communities. My mother was the daughter of a witch and a druid—”
Vivienne almost choked, but recovered quickly. “Druid, as in the druids we read about in ancient mythology?”
Her mother leaned over and rubbed her back gently, before nodding. “They are one and the same, but as most historians are human, they don’t know the true origins of the druids. It is said that the gods played a part in the creation of the druids.”
“Gods?” First druids, and now gods? She only knew of one God. Vivienne gulped her tea.
“Yes, the gods. They are most popular in their Greek names: Zeus, Artemis, Apollo, Aphrodite—”
Vivienne let out a disbelieving chuckle, and placed her cup back onto the tray. She lifted her hands to her temples and shook her head before saying in a clear, passionate voice, “You’re Christian, Mom! I know you’re not a devout Christian, but we celebrate Easter and Christmas and Thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving wasn’t a Christian holiday, she knew, but Vivienne felt the need to throw it in there, too.
“Because I wanted to raise you and Cassandre in a normal setting. That is why I haven’t told you any of this before now. I hoped you’d be able to live normal, human lives. Also, your father is Christian, sweetheart.”
“Dad’s a witch too, isn’t he? You’re both witches and so Cassie and I are witches too? Is that it? That’s the secret? That’s why you wanted me to sit down?”
Evelyn reached for Vivienne’s hand and clasped it in her own. “Vivienne, listen to me. Your father is not a witch. He’s human, and doesn’t know what I am. Remember what I’ve said: everything I did, I did for you and your sister.” She paused before continuing. “Do you remember the stories I told you and Cassie when you were children? Of a powerful woman named Selene, who created children in her image?”
Vivienne shook her head, but the name sounded familiar. Selene.
Evelyn sighed. “Perhaps you were too young to remember. Selene is a goddess, and she is known by many names. Luna is more familiar to some people, but Artemis is the name most humans know her by: the goddess of the hunt. She created the witches first, and later on, the werewolves. Please, just listen, ma chère, I promise it will all make sense.” She paused and Vivienne noticed her eyes were darkening. Lifting her hands, Evelyn slowly reached forward, scooting further up the bed, until her palms rested on either side of Vivienne’s head. “As my mother explained it to me, I will explain it to you.”
Once more, that feeling of the winter chill and just as quickly the summer heat blasted through Vivienne’s body.
Relax, ma puce. I am here and you are safe.
She did as her mother commanded, and slowly blinked her eyes open. She was no longer in her room, but in another, watching as a pale little girl with golden eyes and thick, black hair sat up in a tiny bed, love and adoration in her eyes as she stared at the woman kneeling beside her.
Opening her mouth, she spoke the quick and excited French of a child.
“Will you tell me the story of the gods, Maman?”
“Again, my sweet?”
The girl’s head bobbed up and down in excitement as she clutched a well-used cloth doll to her body.
“All right. The gods created everything: you and me, and the beautiful world around us. They are powerful beings and we pray to them for health, strength and happiness.”
“And the witches, Maman?” It was clear that the child had a keen interest in them.
“Ah, my love, the witches are the children of Luna, the Goddess of the Moon.”
“Just as I am your child?”
A gale of soft laughter came from the woman, and Vivienne tried to take a step forward so she could see her face. Something held her back, and she turned to find her mother standing next to her with a sad smile on her face.