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Chapter Sixty-One
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2024-10-29 19:42:56"...What did you just say?" I asked, my voice thick with disbelief.
"I said they've declared war," Alexander repeated. "They've said that if we don't release Caius before sunset tomorrow that they will officially announce their intent to bring him home by force."
Less than twenty-four hours. I had less than twenty-four hours to free him or we would be initiating a war.
...And it would be my fault.
"It's not enough time," I whispered, the panic rising inside me once more. "...It's not enough time... It's not enough time."
I took a step backwards as my mind continued to whirl. This was it. Everything had been leading to this moment and it was finally here.
"Is there anything else I need to know?" Aleric asked him.
Alexander frowned as if he'd expected him to have a different reaction. "...No? Just that we received a letter from the Silver Lake just now... —."
"You can go then," Aleric interrupted. "Thank you for te
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A Gift from the Goddess Chapter Sixty-Two
I paced nervously around the communal waiting, located area just outside the meeting hall. Every step in unison with the seconds that ticked by on the clock on the wall, my breathing and heart racing so loud it was only increasing my anxiety.The meeting was planned, everything was ready. All that was left was Aleric. Any minute now he would be walking through that door with the news that would decide my fate. How strange that once again I would be finding myself tempting death in the hands of Aleric; though now relying on him as my saviour, not my executioner. Though I had to admit, I would be lying if I didn't acknowledge that he had been doing that very thing anyway these last few months.But no, I wouldn't be killed. I had to believe in Tytus' own thirst for power should the worst-case scenario come to play. I had to believe that my value outweighed my death... at least for now.Around me were several other people. I could see a few Elders that arrived early
A Gift from the Goddess Chapter Sixty-Three
"Alpha... I am here today to confess my crimes of treason."The room around me became icy cold, a deafening silence hanging as no one even dared to breathe too loudly. All of them too shocked over my words.And, among them, seeming the most shocked and hurt... my father. I hadn't told him what I'd done. In fact, we'd barely spoken the last few months since we'd had that argument about Thea. Not because I was still angry at him, Goddess knew I was in the wrong there, but because I was ashamed. I'd tried to force him into doing something that jeopardised not only his safety, but my mother's also. Even in grieving, it was stupid.Tytus looked me up and down, the only person who hadn't been affected by my sudden announcement. Knowing him, his mind was already thinking of ways to turn whatever I was about to say into something that could benefit him."...Elaborate," was all he said.Strong. I needed to be strong."I...," I started, my vo
A Gift from the Goddess Chapter Sixty-Four
In the past timeline, I was sixteen when I first realised I had feelings for Aleric, eighteen when I knew I was in love with him.All my life I'd grown up believing that he would be mine one day, hoping I would make him proud. I was groomed, controlled, and moulded to become the perfect Luna from the moment I was born.I remembered my first shift, how it felt once I saw him with the mate bond connecting us. It was like the air around him shimmered, beckoning me forward, demanding that I gravitate around him. If I focused enough, I could even still recall how his skin felt on mine; like tiny sparks of pleasure wherever it touched. So strong, an incredible leader, and capable of feats in battle no one else had accomplished. Those were the good memories of Aleric I'd buried.So why was my mind surfacing this now? Maybe I was trying to justify to myself that at one point in my life I'd wanted this. That the old Aria would have revelled in this moment. To wear an Alp
A Gift from the Goddess Chapter Sixty-Five
'Three hundred and one… three hundred and two… three hundred and three… three hundred and four….'I crept my fingers like legs along the wooden panel as I sat curled up on the seat of the windowsill nook. In my head, I would count the steps I made until my hand couldn’t reach any further… then I’d repeat. How many steps could I count until I was eighteen?Everything felt like it blended together, almost as if two timelines were now indistinguishable. It must have been at least a month or two since they dragged me in here kicking and screaming. I had tried to run the minute I saw where they were taking me, a reaction that surprised even myself. But this place held worse memories for me than even the trial grounds where I’d died.'*“No, not here,”*' I had said adamantly as they tried to force me to go inside. '*“Anywhere but here.”*''*“This is
A Gift from the Goddess Chapter Sixty-Six
A loud knocking sounded at my door the following morning, instantly waking me up.It was dark, maybe dim morning light, but definitely earlier than I had expected to be disturbed that day. It was so early that I knew even Lucy wouldn’t have arrived yet.Despite my best efforts, my brain had refused to quieten down after I’d gone to sleep the night before. Figuring out a possible theory to do with Thea had awakened a new spark within me, one which had prevented me from settling my mind down. As a result, I felt exhausted from the little rest I had managed to get.I pulled myself out of bed sluggishly and made my way to the door, opening it to see a dishevelled looking Aleric on my doorstep. It appeared that early mornings still disagreed with him even after all this time.“...Aleric? Why are you here so early?” I yawned, too tired to conduct the required formalities.“So you just open the door for anyone without checkin
A Gift from the Goddess Chapter Sixty-Seven
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A Gift from the Goddess Chapter Sixty-Nine
'Reach for it…' 'Stretch...' I dug deep within myself, searching where I had felt that familiar energy first stem from. Before it used to always feel like it was just out of arm's length, as if only the tip of my fingernail could graze it, but now it felt as though I needed several more appendages just to get anywhere near it. But it was there. I had to believe that it hadn’t just been my imagination. 'Stretch just a little further…' But then I exhaled quickly in release, panting from the strain it had caused to my body. I’d been sitting on my bed practising ever since arriving back at my guest lodgings. However, since starting over an hour ago, there had been little to show in progress. I knew there had to be a trick to this, some sort of internal cue to summon it. Elder Luke had mentioned that this energy was something that could be trained but I was now trying to accomplish it with a sever
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I held my breath the entire time the phone rang, hoping that the plan would work. Everything was hinging on the next few steps being successful and I knew just how slim my chances were at pulling this off. With every ring that sounded, my heart clenched a little bit more. I waited... and waited... and waited... …And, to my immense relief, I seemed to be in luck. For now, at least. Because it seemed there actually had been some benefit in my abrupt escape from Ashwood, all those weeks earlier. In my haste to run away, I’d left all of my belongings behind in a suitcase. A suitcase conveniently located inside Kieran’s room. So, with no other way to contact him, it sure did seem like good fortune that my old burner phone just so happened to be left in that very pile of belongings. I’d assumed Kieran had stashed it somewhere close yet safe after I’d left. My hope was that it was now in his room or a place he’d still be able to hear it vibrate. …And I’d been right. However, whether
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It was dark by the time we made it home, having spent the whole day with the Hidden Moon talking.After my conversation with Jax, the two of us had returned to the camp and the topic of war wasn’t broached again - much to my relief. I went through the motions and enjoyed my time meeting the Hidden Moon members, but all the while dreaded the conversation I would need to have once I returned home with Clarissa.She had been worn out to her limit, I could tell. Being out of the home and needing to be so alert for so long had taken its toll on her. Her face was paler than normal and her coughs were more frequent. But even though I was concerned for her, I couldn’t help but still feel salty over her behaviour. Especially at her attempts of overruling our initial agreements.“I’m going to bed…,” she mumbled, starting to shuffle her way there.We’d only just stepped through the door when she announced it, not even bothering to justify herself about today.“No,” I simply said, making her paus
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“Why are you still being so moody?” she asked me, speaking as I carried her on my back.Between her behaviour towards Kieran and whatever plan of Clarissa’s this was now, I was certainly more quiet than usual.“I’m not,” I mumbled, continuing to walk.I’d agreed to go to the meeting, if only because I’d been the one to request that my cousin come here originally. As Clarissa had said, it would have been rude to make him come all this way only to then ignore him.“Are you being like this because of this morning?” she asked, sounding concerned. “Or did something happen last night?”However, after she’d gone and organised this without consulting me, and after she’d treated Kieran so terribly, I really wasn’t in the mood to put up with her questioning.“I thought you said you didn’t care what happened between us?” I snapped back, quoting what she’d told me in the kitchen. “So stay out of it.”And she was instantly quiet after that.I continued to walk into the nearby forest for some time,
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“You made a promise!” Clarissa yelled. “The morning is here now, Kieran. Time for you to make good on your side of our agreement and leave.” “I’m not leaving until I know Rae is okay,” Kieran argued back. “You saw her yourself. She was passed out cold last night.” “And why would that be, huh? Care to share?” “As if I would know why, Clarissa. Stop thinking that I have some ulterior motive here to hurt her.” “Fine. Then if you won’t leave, consider our deal brok—.” “Woah!” I quickly yelled, rushing in to stop her. “That’s enough.” Their heads both swiftly turned to look over at me, relief evident in both of their faces to see me awake. “Rae!” Kieran greeted, moving towards me. He quickly touched my face, examining me as if I were a hospital patient. It warmed my heart to see that he was so worried... but the new sensations brought by his mark were making it hard for me to focus. It was as if everything I’d felt for him before had been heightened tenfold. ...This might take a l
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“Aria…? The….?” my voice trailed off, almost as if I were in disbelief. She simply smiled at my reaction though and nodded her head. “I’ve been watching you for a while now,” she continued. “You’ve been through so much. I’m so sorry you’ve had to experience any of this. I know better than any how unpleasant it can be.” “You… how can you be here?” I asked, still confused. “Here? You mean in the Abyss? This has been my home for many years now. I learnt how to navigate its plane and break free of my memories back when I was alive. Not like Selene is around to keep tabs either. Finding you before Clarissa revives you was the difficult part though.” “…Then why are you here? Why did you try to find me?” And she then looked up at the stars above, a longing in her eyes. “…Because I felt it was time I intervene,” she said. “I swore to stay neutral but, with every death you endure, my heart breaks a little bit more to watch. How many times will this be now, Rheyna…?” Her eyes then met m
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“Found you,” Kieran said a little while later. After talking to Zac, I’d climbed up onto the roof, hoping to think and reflect by myself for a while whilst Kieran had a shower. The storm was currently only in the distance, it hitting the hardest during the prior conversation. Now, all I could see was the brief flashes of lightning amongst the clouds. “Interesting spot,” he mused, looking around. “I usually sit here to keep an eye on things,” I replied back quietly. “I can see why. You’ve got a good view of the forest… with the added beauty of the sky.” He then looked over at me with something in his eyes that caused my cheeks to burn a little. Apparently, he didn’t even need to speak or touch me, simply his presence and gaze alone were enough to send shivers through me. I stared at him for a moment, a longing inside my chest, but still couldn’t quite work out why he’d stayed. After everything he’d learnt about me, after everything I’d done… somehow, he hadn’t given up on me. …H
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“Allison…?” Kieran repeated, warily. “How could Allison have that sort of capability?” Clarissa had been explaining everything to Kieran for quite some time. Everything from her connection with Selene, to what triggers the end. …And also about me. He’d been quietly taking it all in so far but after Clarissa had finished talking, he finally spoke up, albeit he seemed to be slightly dazed. An understandable reaction. Clarissa shrugged. “She devoted her whole life to her faith. That sort of connection is incredibly difficult to sever. It just goes to show the potential that even those without our lineage abilities can possess.” “And… Rae…,” he said, slowly turning to me. “You’re… a Saintess now? How many times did you say…?” “This is the seventh timeline…,” I answered. “Though I don’t have any of my memories.” Or, rather… I had just one. Clarissa hadn’t gone into too much detail regarding my previous involvement with him, thankfully, but he still understood that it was mostly… u
A Gift from the Goddess Book Two - Ch.# 53
“I… Rheyna Knight… of the once lost Silver Mist Pack,” I started, my voice barely louder than a whisper. “Hereby reject y—.” …But I wasn’t able to finish the sentence. Because I’d been wrong… so wrong. I could see that now. I didn’t recall that prior timeline memory to prepare myself for the pain I’d feel upon completing the rejection. No… I’d seen it as a reminder. A reminder of why I shouldn’t go ahead with it. And as his lips came crashing down against mine, immediately cutting off my words, this newfound realisation seemed so obvious. Why hadn’t I seen it sooner? It was as if something inside completely broke down the second he reached for me. Now all that was left was this connection drawing me to him. It was so incredibly strong, almost impossibly so. Like this was something I was meant to be doing. I didn’t have the resolve to resist him, instantly kissing him back. There was an urgency in my response as if I’d been starving for this. To just feel the sparks and desir
