Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,19

"You think the blood inside you is human?"

"No? I'm a witch."

"And what do you think makes a witch a witch?" She crossed her arms and stared at me.

"Magic?"

"Precisely. And how do you think we got the power to use said magic?"

"Stole it? Bought it at Walmart? Gift from the gods?"

"Some is stolen, some was a gift from the gods, but some of it came from our ancestors. Humans that bred with demons, elves, dragons, you name it. Most non-magical humans have some fey or demon blood running through their veins, but it is so diluted they can't touch, see, or harness that power. Some of us have more than others and it keeps us young and it gives us magic. A few have too much, and you get the fey blooded, who are hunted for the liquid gold that flows through their veins."

"Do I want to know our family tree?"

"Your mother did the horizontal mambo with a god, and you're going to act shocked now?" Nana laughed.

"What about you, Nana? You never mentioned Mother's father. Was he human?"

Nana got a dreamy look on her face. "That was a time long ago. I have forgotten who sired her."

Nana was a fucking liar. That was a story I wanted to hear, and I would get it out of her sooner or later. The Blackwells were powerful. It had to have come from somewhere. It made me wonder about Nana's parents… She had never mentioned them either.

"So, what do family trees have to do with conduits and planes?"

"If you have the right blood in your veins, you can travel to those planes."

"So, when I summoned Dar, that means we have demon ancestors?"

"You can look at your mother and seriously ask that question?"

I looked at my mother. "Never mind. I believe you."

"Just as your Grandmother can open a portal to the Jurassic plane, dear."

"Again, with the dinosaur jokes, Madeline?"

"If the foo shits, Mother."

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "So, how does all of this help us to get to Tartarus?" I wanted the Cliff's Notes version.

"By sailing the seas of Ethereum, straight into the bowels of Hell."

"Do we have a boat?"

"It's not the vessel you should be worried about, it's the captain." Nana sighed.

"Color me confused?"

"The only people who can safely traverse Ethereum are the gods."

"Okay? So, that rules this little current plan of attack out, right?"

"Did you forget that you are a god, Child?" Nana narrowed her eyes.

"No. But I've been trying to. So? What? I can go to Tartarus?"

"Not without a guide. You would be lost in Ethereum for eternity."

"So, who did you have in mind?"

Nana looked at Mother. Mother stared back. "Belenus."

"Who?" I asked out of shock, I knew who Belenus was. The god who hated my father and done everything she could to destroy him. The god I had fought in Underhill. The god of Light and the overworld. His ex-wife.

Chapter 6

"You want to take my car?"

Chief was holding open the passenger door of his police Jeep like it was a limo. I'd ridden in it several times, and between all of the communications equipment, laptops, shotgun, and other law enforcement themed paraphernalia, I had never gotten out of said vehicle without bruised knees or shins. Sure, I was a witch and healed shortly thereafter, but a bruise was a bruise. "Nah. We get better parking in the cop car."

"Okay," I acquiesced. "But you're rubbing my poor knees and shins later."

"Oh? You're already planning on being on them for extended periods of time?" He grinned as I got in.

"Well, I was. But if you're not going to show an iota of consideration…"

"How about I kiss your poor shins and your abused knees. Give you a gentle backrub, and then hold you tight for the rest of the night? Would that be considerate?"

"It's a start." I returned his grin and let him shut the door. "Where are you taking me to eat?" I asked once he got inside the car and started the engine. "And you better not say the diner."

"Nope. Some place new."

"New? There isn't any place new in Cedar Falls."

"Didn't say we were staying in town, now did I?"

He backed out of the driveway and headed for the highway. "We going to Amersville? My second trip today. I should write that down in my record book."

"You were there earlier?"

"Yeah. Yuki and I made a run to Wally World."

"I'm sorry."

"Meh. It wasn't that busy, really."

"It's a Christmas miracle."

"Christmas is over. Now we can concentrate on the three