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“My name is Ardella, but you may call me Della if you’d like.” Her name sounded familiar, but I could not remember why. I could tell she was watching me for any sort of reaction to her name. When I didn’t give one, she continued. “I’m the goddess who is responsible for your curse.”

Her confession had me frozen in my spot. Everything around me seemed to stop as her words sank into me.

“You’re the goddess who cursed me?”

“Well, my brother did, but it was my fault,” she said with a frown.

It didn’t matter that she was a goddess; I charged at her. All the anger I had been harboring about my life escaped me. How could she be so fucking cruel to me? I launched at her, but she disappeared a moment before I would have tackled her. Instead, I hit the floor, knocking the wind from myself. Fuck. I groaned as I stared at the ceiling from my back. Della peered over me.

“Cassius warned me that you would try to kick my ass if I told you who I was. I guess I should have listened.” She smiled. “I see why you and Cassius work so well together.”

“How could you do this to me? Why did I deserve such a cruel fate?”

Her smile disappeared.

“It was not intentional,” she said, reaching out to help me up. I grabbed her hand and sat on the bed with her. “I’m trying to right my wrongs, but unfortunately, my brother tied my tongue with magic. I cannot tell you anything directly.”

I sat silent for a moment, allowing this news to slowly sink in. “What did I do to your brother to make him do this?”

“Nothing. He was only taking his anger out on you. It is me he is angry with. I did an unforgivable thing, and I fear I destroyed anything compassionate about Mikel.” Della glanced around the room. “What Cassius did in the clearing that day triggered Mikel, and he refused to look at the situation without thinking of his own trauma. His emotions overwhelmed him, and he reacted by making stupid decisions,” she sighed before continuing. “And now there is no way to take it back.”

“I’m guessing you won’t be telling me who I should believe among all of these liars.”

“I wish I could, but part of breaking your curse is you making that choice freely.” Della glanced over at me again. “If I could go back in time and change what happened that day, I would.”

“Well, I don’t feel close to understanding anything. Every interaction I have with my family and Cassius only confuses me more.”

“I can’t imagine,” she frowned. We sat in silence, both of us seeming to be lost in our own minds. Della glanced at me.

“You have a prophecy to fulfill; do you know what side you are fighting for?”

Her star-colored eyes stared into me, like she was trying to communicate some unspoken words with me.

“Obviously Cerithia.” I held up the chains on my wrists. “Why did you come here?”

She frowned. “Cassius was not supposed to take you, and I wanted to make sure you knew you needed to return to Cerithia.”

“So, Cerithia is the right choice?” I found this truth disappointing, but I refused to acknowledge why I felt that way.

“I did not say that. You must go back so that the prophecy will happen. Cassius wants to explain things, but you are not ina space where you will listen, and you won't be until you are in Cerithia learning the truth of all of this.” As the words left her mouth, there was a sadness that filled her face.

Della reached over and gripped my hand tightly in hers.

I felt tears at the corners of my eyes as I told her, “But I feel so confused about everything. Nothing makes sense.”

“I can’t tell you anything except that Cerithia holds truths that you have not discovered yet. The pieces will start falling into place, I promise. But I don't think you will truly make the right choice until you learn what secrets Cerithia holds.” She stood up, like she was about to leave. “I must go before my brother knows I’m meddling. I will continue to try and get memories through, but it’s difficult. You can head back to Cerithia anytime you want.”

I held up my chains.

“Kind of hard to do that.”

Della chuckled, which confused me.

“You haven’t even tried to escape, have you? Cassius would never lock you up. The chains you’re wearing are not magic-binding. You can leave as soon as you decide to.”

My cheeks heated at this truth. I hadn’t tried to leave.

Della turned around but paused. The air filled with thick tension as she turned back toward me.