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“You were born of magic. You have no father.”

I felt my stomach drop.

“I… I…” I couldn’t formulate a thought or sentence. I didn’t even know what I was trying to say. I looked at her as thought after thought raced through my mind. I tried to grab on to one, but I couldn’t focus.

I was filled with an ever rising rage.

I wanted to scream- to yell.

She had to be stopped. She was pure evil.

I took a deep breath.

“She won’t stop coming after me.” I whispered as the realization set in. I thought I had gotten away from her, but now I realized it was just a dream. She would be coming after me.

“She won’t stop until you are dead.”

“How do I stop her?”

“You have to kill her.”

“How do I do it? How do I kill the dark Queen?”

Her eyes fell. “You must find all her children and kill them.”

“Holy fuck.” I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled. “Kill children. You want me to kill children? What the fuck?” I paced hurriedly in a circle.

“I didn’t say that is what I wanted. You merely asked me how do you kill the dark Queen and I told you. Take away her lifelines.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You do it now or she will when they turn eighteen.”

I shook my head. “No. That’s… I… Damn it. Shit. Motherfucker.” I kicked the dirt. “There has to be another way.”

Persephone didn’t speak.

“How many children are there? How do I find them?”

“There are thirteen.”

I choked. “Thirteen? Thirteen children?”

“Soon to be fourteen.”

“She’s pregnant?”

She raised her brows. “This one will not be born of magic.”

“My father…”

“Is not the father. It is the healer's baby.”

“Healer?”

“From the night you shot her with an arrow.”

“I hate I missed.”