Mythic Mysteries Read online

  T.K. Eldridge

  Mythic Mysteries (Sid & Sin #5)

  First published by Graffridge Publishing 2021

  Copyright © 2021 by T.K. Eldridge

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  T.K. Eldridge asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  T.K. Eldridge has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

  Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

  Cover by Lizzie Dunlap of PixieCovers.com

  Editing by Donna A. Martz of MartzProofing.com

  First edition

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  This one is for my Discord tribe. Thanks for being supportive, encouraging, and a great resource. You’ve made this author journey a lot more fun.

  A self-fulfilling prophecy is an assumption or prediction that, purely as a result of having been made, cause the expected or predicted event to occur and thus confirms its own ‘accuracy’.

  -Paul Watzlawick

  Foreword

  This is the fifth book in the Sid & Sin series.

  The point of view shifts from one sibling to the other with each chapter change. Sin - Sinclair Boudreau and Sid - Sidonie Boudreau may be twins, but they are definitely two different people.

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  Enjoy the story!

  -T.K. Eldridge

  Chapter One

  Sid

  Some say the passage of time heals all wounds, but I’ve learned that the greater the loss, the more difficult the process is to become whole once more. Pain may fade, but the scars we bear will serve as a reminder of the suffering we’ve endured – and make the bearer all the more determined to never be wounded again.

  While time moves forward, we get lost in daily life. Sometimes we might react with frustration or give in to anger, or be surprised by joy, but we continue to wait and grow stronger. Before we realize it, time has passed and we’re healed enough to begin anew.

  I’d like to think my healing came from the time spent in Stumpy’s cabin. Those two weeks turned into a month, and finally I felt like I was ready to come home. That was eight months ago. I’m still doing research and studying the ancient texts at the palace archives where my great-grandparents, King Fionn and Queen Maggie of Faery now live. I’ve still got my job doing case research for the Supernatural Police Department run by my great-grandfather, Commander Liam Walsh. I’m still helping around the Fortin Farm where I live in one of the Victorian-styled cottages built on land that’s been in my family for centuries – and is currently owned and operated by my grandma, Alicia Fortin, better known as Grams.

  I’m also dating. Sort of. Timon Soleas is one of my great-grandmother Queen Margaret’s favorite guards. She had also given him permission to court me. Yay, right? He’s really sweet, a lot of fun to spend time with, and great in bed. I’m just not ready for marriage or babies. Please, not babies. All I have to do is spend an hour at the Estate and I’m good. My nieces and nephews – and my baby brother – are all cute and fun in small doses, but I don’t want that chaos in my life. Not yet, and maybe not for another fifty years. I just have to have that discussion with Timon and either break his heart, or settle the argument once and for all. Hey, my Aunt Sett is only now doing the partner and baby thing, and she’s a couple of years younger than my mother.

  Sounds like I’ve got it all figured out, right? That my life is organized and fulfilled and I’m content with it all?

  Yeah, not so much. See, just after we lost Stumpy, my twin brother Sin and I were at the palace. Queen Maggie and King Fionn had invited us to a diplomatic luncheon to meet someone they believed to be an Oracle named Orion. Except, Orion was an embodiment of the Creators and he made us promise that we’d act on this prophecy that’s been following us around since we were small. Once we promised, he said he’d be giving us some kind of blessing – that left us both unconscious.

  He said, “I am here to give you two the blessing so you have what you need to finish the prophecy.” Then he said that we might have to sacrifice our lives to succeed. Yeah, that’s not something that makes me want to run right out and do whatever we’re supposed to do to finish this prophecy thing. I looked at the notebook where I’d written down the prophecy – both the first two parts that we already knew about, and the last two parts that Orion had just told to us.

  “Herne, oh horn-ed one

  Hunter, watcher, hoof, and horn

  Sun and moon shall be reborn

  Two of two that act as one

  Danu, mother of us all

  Bring all that is, into the two

  Gifting them with all that lies

  In magic under seas and skies.

  When the balance is undone

  Two of two shall act as one

  Healing broken bonds and ties

  From the evil, killing lies

  Creators, bless them with the power

  To save us in this fragile hour

  All are one, all are connected

  May these two serve as expected.”

  Well, I could tell you what the ‘balance undone’ part meant. The ley lines, the power grid that wraps the planet, had been destabilized, and we’d calmed the imbalance by killing the Macha and by teaching witches the Path of the Creator rituals. As for the healing? That was going to take time. Witches were still angry at the fae, even though the story of what had been behind it all had been told and retold. The whole ‘Creators bless them with the power’ part? Um, yeah. Been there, done that, and ended up knocked on my ass because of it. The last two lines about all being connected, well that’s a story I’m still researching and pulling together.

  My whole family serves the community. My great-grandma Maggie is the Queen of the Faery, which used to be a pocket dimension and now resides on a cluster of islands off the coast of our town. My mother and father were both Supernatural Police agents, but when we came along, Mom left the SPD and Dad shifted to the Academy where paranormal cops were trained. Dad now runs the Academy and Mom has Boudreau Botanicals, an online business that my sister-in-law, Mirabella, helps her with. My twin, Sinclair, is an SPD agent, as was I until I shifted to the intelligence branch of the SPD. My grandfather, Liam Walsh, is the Commander of the North American Supernatural Police, my Aunt Cosette is an instructor at the Academy, as is her partner, Lucia, and my grandma, Alicia Fortin, runs Fortin Farm and provides herbs, vegetables, potions and what have you to the community. So, yeah – to say ‘May these two serve as expected’ doesn’t really make much sense. We do serve and sacrifice for
our community. Not sure what the Creators are looking for with that one.

  I guess what I’m saying is that I’m done with this whole prophecy thing. I’m just going to live my life and do what I can to help the community. No more trying to figure out this stupid prophecy. Since nothing seems to have changed since our so-called blessing, I’m going to assume it was a fancy light show and nothing more.

  The coffee in my cup had gone cold and I still had a stack of case files to research before I could call it a day. Maybe a stretch and a wander to the coffee machine would improve my mood. If not that, then perhaps chocolate and wine would have to do later tonight.

  “Hey, Sid,” Tasha said as I stepped into the kitchen. Tasha was one of the agents on our Special Forces team.

  “Hey, Tash. Any of the dark roast pods left for the coffee machine?”

  She pulled the tray open in front of herself and examined the rows of pods. “Yep, there are three in the back, want one?”

  “Please. I need an infusion of caffeine to get these cases done today,” I said and rinsed my mug before I handed it over. “How’s the shoulder doing?”

  “That salve that Mira gave me is amazing. The scar has faded and the pain is gone,” Tasha replied. She’d been shot last year and it had shattered her shoulder, but now she was back to a hundred percent.

  “I’m glad that stuff worked. At least it smells better than the test batch they gave me to try,” I said and we both laughed.

  Tash handed me my mug and we sat at the table for a moment. “Have you spoken to Sin in the past day or so?”

  “No, I’ve been working later shifts than he does, so we may get a passing ‘hey there’ in the hall but that’s it. Mom and Dad have tried to do semi-regular Sunday dinners, so I’ll see him in a couple of days. Is there something you need me to pass along?”

  “No, not really. I’ve just noticed that he seems distracted and not his usual upbeat self.”

  “He’s got four kids and a high-stress job. I’m sure that’s got a lot to do with it,” I said.

  “Maybe. I dunno, he just seems off. Don’t tell him I said anything, okay?” Tasha asked.

  “Okay, I won’t. I’ve got to head back to my desk. Give Tino my best,” I said and headed to my office. Tino was Tasha’s brother and a tech genius who worked with me and our Special Forces team from his home location. Tasha had lived with him for years now, since her husband died in an accident. I didn’t know much about all of it, but I knew Natasha Campbell and Antonio Morales were a formidable pair.

  Focus shot all to hell, I managed to get two more cases handled then logged off for the night. I decided to bring the extra files home and see if I felt up to dealing with them later, after a run and some food.

  I stopped by the Commander’s office on the way out.

  “Goodnight, Grampa. Do you need anything before I head home?” I asked.

  He looked up from the papers on his desk and gave me a smile. “Hello, Siddie. I’m good for now. I’ll be stopping by Lissa’s for dinner. Maybe I’ll see you there?”

  “I don’t think Grams wants me intruding on a romantic dinner for two,” I teased. Grampa Walsh and Grams were a couple that still lived in their separate homes. He spent a lot of time at her place, though – and they were both happier for the relationship.

  “It’s not going to be just us two. Evie is going to join us. How about I let Lissa know you’ll come by?” Grampa said.

  “You just want me there so the two ladies don’t embarrass you by discussing topics you’d rather not hear at the table, am I right?”

  “Have I told you lately how brilliant a detective you are?” Grampa said and we laughed.

  “Okay, let Grams know I’ll come by after a run and a shower. I’ll bring a bottle of wine. See you later, then, Grampa.”

  “Thank you, Siddie. You’ve saved me yet again,” he called out – our laughter filling the empty hallway.

  Going for a run always helped me sort things out and clear my head. I got home, put the files and my bag in my home office, then went to change into running gear. Bone-conducting earphones were my newest piece of gear. I could listen to my music and still hear if anything was around. Beats pounded in time with my feet as I headed along the roads that ran through the farmland. Fields of fragrant lavender, sage, and dill left bits that crushed under my sneakers and scented the air. By the time I’d circled the farm and headed back home, I smelled like I’d rolled in about a hundred different herbs – but I still felt out of sorts. I didn’t have time for a longer run – I had to shower and get to Grams’ for dinner.

  I dressed in jeans and a soft sweater, old leather ankle boots, then selected a bottle of wine from my collection before I went out and started up my ATV to head over to Grams’ place. We used the ATVs to get around the farm because they were electric and it was just far enough that a walk would take too long and I’d be all dusty by the time I got there.

  A tap on the door and I stepped into the foyer where I left my boots, then followed the sound of laughter into the old farmhouse’s kitchen. “I brought wine,” I announced as I went to kiss Grams. She stirred something in a pot on the stove and the aroma had my stomach growling. “Whatcha making?”

  “Sausage and meatballs in marinara sauce over spaghetti. Garlic bread is in the oven and the salad is in the fridge. I hope that’s a red wine,” Grams said and held out a spoonful of sauce for me to taste.

  I sampled the sauce and sighed. “Nothing like growing your own tomatoes and herbs for this, is there?”

  “Nope. Can’t beat it. The beef and sausage are from our own animals, too. Nothing weird in this meal, unless it’s hiding in the pasta,” Grams said.

  “There’s nothing hiding in that pasta, I made it fresh,” Evie said. Evie was Evelyn Rue, a healer and family friend who now lived in the in-law apartment accessed off the kitchen that I had called home for a while. It worked well for her and Grams since they tended to spend most of their time working together anyway.

  Grampa Walsh took the bottle from me to open it and set it on the table.

  “Need me to help with anything?” I asked.

  “Nope. Got too many bodies in this kitchen already. Take your grandfather and go sit down, would you?” Grams asked.

  Grampa Walsh and I took our seats at the table. I poured wine all around, then took a sip of mine.

  “You’re rather quiet, Siddie,” Grampa said.

  “Still feeling out of sorts, Grampa,” I replied. “Went for a run, but it wasn’t long enough to really clear my head.”

  “What’s bothering you?”

  “I dunno. I just feel antsy and irritated. Unsettled. Like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop or something.”

  “Full moon is tomorrow,” Grams said. “Maybe you’re picking up on the moon energy?”

  “I don’t think so. I know what that feels like – and this isn’t it.”

  “You’re probably just hungry,” Evie said as she placed a large bowl of fresh spaghetti on the table. Grams brought over a large bowl of meatballs and sausage in sauce, and Evie returned with the salad and a couple of bottles of dressing.

  Grams waved a hand at the table and said, “Start serving yourselves, the garlic bread is almost ready.”

  I didn’t need to be asked twice, and after a couple of bites of food, I could feel some of the unrest fade.

  “You are probably correct, Miss Evie,” I said. “I’m already feeling a little better.”

  We ate and chatted, sipped our wine and generally enjoyed each other’s company.

  “I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you accommodated me, Siddie,” Evie said. “When they trashed my place and I stayed in one of the Pack’s cabins, I dreamed of being able to stay somewhere on the farm, but I didn’t want a big place I’d have to manage on my own. This little apartment is just perfect, and I feel safe and at peace once more.”

  “We would have found a way to get you settled here, one way or the other,” Grams said. “It wa
s just good timing that Sin and Mira needed more space, as did Sett and Lucia. Siddie needed room to stretch, and you needed to feel cozy and safe. It all worked out for everyone.”

  “Except Sin is on the other side of town,” I said. “That’s the only part of it that I hate.”

  “A little space for the two of you is a good thing,” Grampa said. “You’ve both got a different focus in your lives now, and I’ve watched how, over the past year or so, the two of you have managed to grow as individuals and yet still maintain a deeper connection than regular siblings might have.”

  “Speaking of focusing on different things, I’ve only seen Timon around of late,” Grams said and I gave her a look that clearly said ‘shut it’.

  “What’s the matter, Siddie? Can’t keep the interest of the five or so men you were juggling?” Evie asked.

  “I will take that kind of comment from my Grams, but I’d rather you didn’t get involved in my love life, Miss Evie,” I said.

  “Don’t be rude,” Grams snapped. “It’s kind of hard to miss when there’s a different car every night in your driveway.”

  “Do I need to move across town to get some privacy?” I asked.

  Grampa sighed. “Ladies, Siddie has the right to her privacy, and I will remind you both that in today’s social climate, there is nothing – and I mean absolutely nothing – wrong with a woman choosing to share herself as she pleases. Would you like it if people commented about me staying over so often, Lissa?”

  Grams had the grace to look abashed and shrugged. “Probably not, but I’m an old woman.”

  “And I’m a young woman. So?” I said.

  Evie spoke up. “I’m sorry, Siddie. Liam is quite correct. There used to be a social stigma about a young woman being seen with multiple partners, but with the advancement of birth control, and the fact that a woman can have a child without a male partner being involved, and have it be socially acceptable, those rules have become outdated. Forgive this old woman for not catching up with the times?”