Page 63

Freyja

“I’m going to Mardi Gras this year. I’ve waited long enough.” My clothes were packed in my suitcase. Moving through my room, I grabbed my cards, my crystals, and my cleansing herbs.

I clasped my amulet around my neck.

I never flew without it.

“You could have gone last year, but you insisted Dimeter had to be married first.”

I stared at my sister Athena as she sat on my bed, her legs crisscrossed in front of her, hands on her knees, eyes closed as though she was meditating.

“Lucille insisted. Now he is married, it’s my turn. Are you still coming with me?”

“Of course I am. But this isn’t going to be as easy as you think.”

“What do you mean? Lucille said I would find my universally chosen intended.”

“And you will.”

“Athena, spit it out.” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest as I waited. Athena talked in riddles. It was fine for other people, but I was her sister, dammit!

“You think you are just going to go down there to see the man the universe has chosen for you, and he will instantly fall in love? It does not work that way, sister.”

“It worked for Phoebe. It worked for Dimeter.”

“They were different.”

“Why?”

“They aren’t you.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“What exactly did Lucille say?”

I released a frustrated breath.

They all knew what she said.

I had told them a hundred times.

“She told me I would meet the man the universe had chosen for me at Mardi Gras.”

“Meet, dear sister. You can’t force the universe. I would think after Duncan, you would know this. The reason Dimeter got married when he did was because you weren’t supposed to go last year.”

“Which is why this year is so important.” I threw my hands in the air, ignoring what she said about Duncan.

“Meeting him is one thing. Convincing him to fall in love with you is another.”

“I don’t have to convince him. Lucille said he was mine.”

Athena rolled her eyes at me and left the room. She had better be packing her things. We had a plane to catch.

As we boarded the plane and found our seats, the scent of stale air, perfume, and body odor assaulted me. I hated flying. As we sat in our first-class seats, I heard the chatter of companions traveling together as they passed us, arguing over window vs. aisle seats.

Frequent stops as travelers shoved their carry-ons into the overhead bins, before taking their seat, made the loading of the plane slow and tedious. Travelers stood next to our seats,irritated by the wait. Athena took the window seat as I knew she would. Which left me in the aisle seat.

We settled in as the plane took off, and the passenger across the aisle glared at us. Why? I had no idea. Once we were in the air, the light came on, letting us know we could move about the cabin if we so desired.