Page 8

Chapter 8

Della

M y brother was blabbering about something I was not listening to. There were three other gods in the room with us, discussing issues in the realm of Elloryon, but I did not care. I had left the tavern a week ago, and I still felt like I was dying without Haden. He didn’t call to me, and I wondered if he ever would. I was falling apart.

“Ardella?” Mikel asked.?

“What?” I jumped, startled in my seat, and looked over at them.?

“What is the population doing? Do we need war or disease to wipe out some of it to keep the balance?”?

The God of War, Admes, looked at me oddly. His red hair looked like flames, and his eyes were dark like the night. He looked terrifying.?

“The population is not a threat at this time. Birthing has declined in the past hundred years.”?

Mikel frowned at whatever he saw on my face.?

“Well, there hasn’t been a war in hundreds of years. I would like to have one.” Admes glared. Mikel looked at him with disappointment.?

“We aren’t going to approve a war for fun, Admes.”?

“Okay, how about a small battle?” he asked. “A tiny one.”?

Mikel looked at me for help. I sighed heavily in annoyance before looking at Admes.?

“We aren’t going to create problems for the realm because you are restless. You know war comes when it is needed, not when we create the need.”?

Admes glared at me.?

“Do you have something to say, Admes?” I snapped. “I’m in the mood to fight, so please, go ahead.” My eyes flashed white, and he backed off.

“Kaios would agree with me if he showed up today.” Admes pouted. I glanced at Admes, confused.

“Kaios, God of the Sea, was supposed to come today. Why didn’t he show up?” Mikel asked.

Admes shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea. He was supposed to meet me last week for a meeting, and he didn’t show. When I went to his home, he didn’t seem to be there.”

Mikel stared at me with concern.

“He must be visiting someone,” Mikel suggested.

“Kaios would have said something about leaving. He is not a man that just leaves without a word.”

“So, what are you suggesting? That he is missing?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but I’m giving him a week or two to get back home. If he isn’t there, then something is wrong.” Admes sighed as he looked at me. That is odd. Kaios isn't the type of man to not say anything about missing a meeting.

Mikel stared at me with concern. The other two gods, Lara, Goddess of Peace, and Dramis, God of Health, both gave me a concerning look.

“A small battle, I beg of you,” Admes pleaded.

“The meeting is over; get out,” I snapped. All three gods looked at me before standing up and leaving without arguing. I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling pissed beyond reason. I was having a hard time controlling myself this past week. I went from bouts of anger to grief and back to being irate. Several times I told myself I would check on Haden, but then I decided against it.

It was hard to respect what he asked me to do when the right thing felt like going to him and begging him to not leave me. I was terrified that he would find a different woman. But I also knew that if he didn’t want me, then I needed to stay away. Going to see him would only start this process over.

“Are you going to be alright with the next meeting, or will you scare her away too?” Mikel asked. “You have never been so irritable before; what’s wrong?”

I looked at him and hated that I couldn’t tell him what I did.

“I got in a fight with Penelope,” I lied. “She doesn’t want to be friends anymore.”

“Oh, Dells, I’m sorry.” Mikel frowned. “Maybe she just needs time to cool off. Everyone fights; no relationship is perfect. I’m sure you can figure out the differences and make them up in no time. Just give her a little space and then try again if you really want to work it out.”

I sat up a little straighter. There was a need to go to Haden and let him know that I was not giving up on us. I wanted it to work, and if Haden loved me like he said, then he would want to fix things as well. My patience was running out.

“You’re right.” I smiled softly. “I’ll give her some time, and maybe she will come around.”

Mikel gave me a big smile.?

“Alright, Brim sent this next woman to us, saying it was very important and to please consider what she is saying. Her name is Bayla, Queen of the Blood Witches.”?

I hesitated at hearing Brim’s name. I needed to go check on him and make sure he was doing alright. It had been a little too long since I had seen him.

I nodded as Mikel went out of the room and came back in with her. She was beautiful. Her dark hair fell down over her shoulders; her pale skin was dusted in light freckles. Her pink lips pulled into a genuine smile as her red eyes met mine. Her dark red dress looked like blood, which seemed fitting. We had not met before, but she looked at me as if we were long-lost friends, and I smiled at the thought.

“Ardella and Mikel, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.” Her voice carried a confidence in it that told me she had some serious power. A red stone hung around her neck, and it pulsed with magic.?

“Please, have a seat. Brim said it was urgent.” Mikel gestured for her to sit. Bayla sat down and looked at us nervously. She glanced around the sterile white office that Mikel had not decorated at all. He had said something about it causing distraction during important meetings.?

“I’m not sure how much Brim told you, so I will start from the beginning.” Bayla took a deep breath. “I have been having visions of Elloryon being ripped apart and destroyed by a great war in the future.”?

Mikel and I looked at each other.?

“I do not have the power of seeing the future,” she hesitated. “The visions only started recently after my mate, Killian, was murdered. He had this gift, and he has been visiting me, warning me of what is to come.”?

I stilled.

“If he is dead, then how is he still in contact with you?” I asked.?

“He is waiting for me to move on to the next life.” Bayla’s eyes became wet with tears. “I know that gods’ laws prevent you from meddling in our lives too much, but this war will destroy everything. Something needs to happen.”?

How did she know of the gods’ laws? Something about this made me feel frantic. I could not explain the sudden overwhelming feeling that her visions would impact me in some way. Was it because so many lives would be lost? Even as the thought slammed into my mind, I knew that wasn’t it. I sat up a bit straighter in the chair and watched this woman closely.?

There was something about her, but I could not put my finger on it. My gaze stayed on her, worried I would miss some sort of clue as to why I felt drawn to her.

“Well, when is it supposed to happen?” Mikel asked.?

“I’m not sure. Maybe 300 years from now? It changes timelines in my visions every time I see it. I do not have a definite answer.”?

“Is Admes going to defy what we said?” Mikel looked at me. “We won’t be able to stop it until it is happening, and that might be too late.”?

“The god is not responsible for it,” Bayla said quickly before hesitating. “Did Brim not tell you of the prophecy?” Bayla asked. We both turned to her quickly. Damn it, Brim. Now I definitely needed to go talk with him. “There is an answer to the problem.”?

“Do you want to help?” I guessed.

She shook her head and swallowed hard.?

“I will not survive that long. I have seen my daughter grow up without me in my visions.” She rubbed her belly instinctively. “These visions started when I became pregnant with her. Her name will be Thea, and she will save the realm. I have seen her prophecy, and she is so powerful that no one will compare to her. She is the key to saving the realm.”?

“How can you be so sure?” Mikel asked.?

“Because Brim saw her prophecy as well.” She frowned. “I want to make a bargain with you.”?

I watched the grief on her face. I couldn’t imagine being a mother and grieving the thought that I would die before I saw my daughter grow older.

“You and Thea are going to be great friends.” Bayla stared me straight in the eyes.?

“Me?”?

She nodded, and somehow, I felt the truth of her statement. Was that what was drawing me to her, her daughter’s soul already forming in her stomach??

“You’ll become family,” she smiled.?

I didn’t know how to respond to her words, but Mikel ignored her confession completely.?

“What bargain?” Mikel asked.?

“Thea needs to be star-blessed for the prophecy to happen.”

Mikel looked at me. I was the one who got to decide if her child would be blessed by the stars. It would make Thea a god, but to what extent? Mikel was watching me closely, but I was focused on Bayla. Something about her pulsed with familiarity. I could see the soft glow within her, Thea’s soul forming within her stomach. It glowed a pretty shade of dark green.

“I have never star-blessed a creature before. We do not know what will happen. Perhaps nothing happens; maybe she becomes a goddess herself, or maybe she will only receive elite magic. How can we be sure that this is what is needed?” I asked.?

Bayla smiled softly at me.?

“I would choose a different option if I could. Do you know how terrible it is to see your child’s future being one where the weight of the realm depends on her? Thea will not have an easy life, and I hate myself for being here and telling you of my visions because it sets into motion her difficult fate. But you know it is the right choice. You can tell just by looking at me that I am not lying. This is the only way. Whatever happens after she is star-blessed will be exactly what is needed.”?

I glanced at Mikel, who was watching silently. I waited for doubt or reason to pop up in my mind, but it didn’t. My mind was blank—quiet. I stood up and moved closer to Bayla. She suddenly looked at Mikel with a menacing glare for some reason unknown to me.?

“Is this your coven’s stone?” I asked.?

She nodded as she gripped the pulsing red crescent moon around her neck. I reached forward and picked it up. I hesitated for a brief moment before my star mist circled around it, and when it moved away, the color had faded to purple. Bayla looked at me oddly.?

“If she is a goddess, then she will need her own star for her powers—for her mate. This will be passed down to her and her alone.” Bayla shook her head in disbelief. “Now, I can see her soul forming within you, and I can already feel her power.”

I looked over Bayla, and she looked terrified.?

“The bargain is as follows: I will star-bless her, but I do not know if it will be painful, and in exchange, Thea’s prophecy will be to save the realm, and this stone will be passed to her.”?

Bayla nodded, “I agree.”?

“Alright, give me your arm.”?

Bayla stuck her arm out, and I gripped her wrist, preparing to sear a star bargain into the both of us. It could not be fulfilled until both of us kept our part. Four glowing orange stars appeared in a line across both of our wrists.

Bayla’s silent tears fell from her eyes as I reached forward slowly, resting both of my palms on her stomach. My magic seeped from me, pouring into her slowly as I recited a prayer to the heavens to bless Thea. We would not know if it worked until she was older, but I could feel it. I could feel her power already pulsing from her soul. Thea would change the realm, and I hoped to witness it. I pulled my hands back, and Bayla jumped up, gripping me tightly.?

Relief flooded her as she held my wrists.

“Thank you, Della. Not only for this, but for taking care of Thea later when I am no longer here,” Bayla whispered. “You will take care of each other. Tell her I wished there was another way, and I am so proud of her.”?

“I will.”?

I pulled back and looked over her face and stilled. Her tears that fell were lit with the soft glow of the stars. Mikel stood up and looked at Bayla closely.?

“Fucking hell, it’s going to work,” he said.?

Bayla smiled at me, and I knew that this moment had just changed my entire life. That frantic feeling subsided slightly, but it was there in the back of my mind, like an itch.?

“You are not allowed to speak of this to anyone but Brim,” I decreed.?

“I promise.” She smiled. “Thank you both.”?

Bayla bowed her head down, and when she lifted her gaze to me, there were so many emotions floating in her red eyes that I didn’t know how to decipher any of them. Bayla left, and I turned to Mikel.?

“You believed her.”?

“Yes.” I nodded. “Something about her made me feel like I was meant to star-bless her daughter.”?

“You may have just created a goddess,” Mikel said with wonderment.?

I smiled at him.?

“I guess we will see if Thea makes a name for herself in the future,” I nodded.?

Mikel stared at me like he was lost in thought. His eyes traced over me like he could see something different about me.?

“I am going to go have a drink after the day we just had,” he sighed.?

“I’m going to check on Penelope.”?

Mikel nodded and gave me a hug.?

?★★★?★★★?

Haden was working on his house when I showed up. He didn’t know I was standing in the birch trees close by. I sat on a downed log and watched him work without a shirt on. I waited for the woman to come out of the house or show up, but she hadn’t so far. Fuck, I wanted to go speak to him, but my aching chest and heart felt better just from being close to him. So, I stayed and watched for hours. This was the best I could do to respect that he wanted space. So, I would watch from a distance.

Haden didn’t stop his ridiculous pace of working. He was making quick progress on the house, and I wished I could see it. The sun began setting, and the sky turned pretty shades of pink and orange. Haden glanced up at the sky and admired the beauty for a moment before looking around.?

“I know you are here,” he called out. “You’ve been here all afternoon.”?

Shit. I stepped forward, and his gaze immediately found mine. He didn’t say anything as I walked closer.

“You’re just sitting in the woods?” He raised his eyebrow.?

“It just feels nice to be close to you,” I whispered. “You never called for me. I was hoping you'd be ready to talk now so we can work through this."

He shook his head. His eyes were cold—hidden behind a wall that let no emotion in. I rubbed my chest as the dull ache shot through me painfully.

“There isn’t anything to talk about," he said, his voice flat and unreadable. He looked down at the log he was cutting and began working again. That was it? He was just fine with ending things like this? “You have a mate, and it will never be me.”?

I could hear the pain in his voice even as he tried to hide it. But his words ignited a wrath within me that I could not control.

“There is so much more to talk about. You are acting as though I went to the heavens and told them to make Holden my mate instead of you. This was out of my control.”?

“Listen, Ardella, I don’t know what you want me to say. Do you want me to be fine with the fact that you were made for my brother?” The sadness in his voice made me pause. “I do not understand why the heavens did not think I was worthy of you.”

The heartbreak and confusion in his trembling voice made my anger subside. He was better than any mate ever could have been.

“You are. You are the only one who can love me in the way I need. Please, I am begging you to hear me when I say that there is no one more worthy of me."

“I’m not, and you need to leave. This will be easier if we stay away from each other. If you and Holden become a couple, I will not hold animosity toward either of you.”? His voice was untouched by emotion.

His words enraged me.?

“You really think I am going to pursue your brother?” I snapped. “And I don’t believe you for a second that you would just step aside and let another man have me.”?

“What choice would I have?” he yelled. “Holden and I are twins; it would be easy to fall for him instead of me.”?

I scoffed.?

“You have lost your fucking mind.” I glared at him. “You and Holden could not be more different. You do not even look similar to me.”?

His chest was heaving as he stared at me as if I was a pain in his ass. He looked away from me, not even giving me the respect of a response, as he began working again on his damn piece of wood. I used my magic and threw it across the field.?

“What the hell?”?

“Stop trying to act like this isn’t hurting you, and fight with me if you need to. Tell me how I can make you realize that I meant it when I said I love you.”?

Haden looked me in the eyes and sighed. “You won’t convince me. Just let me go so I can forget about you.”?

My anger immediately formed into grief.

“You won't ever forget about me because I am not letting you do this. I chose you. I want you. I will choose you every single fucking time you are an option, and if you aren’t, then I will change fate to have you. I am in love with you, Haden.”

He frowned as he looked away.?

“Why do you not love me enough to hear me?” I cried.?

“Loving you is not the issue here.” He looked at me again. “You should have told me immediately that Holden was your mate.”?

“I didn’t want to lose you.”?

“You lost me anyway, but at least that way I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you first,” he snapped and went into his house, slamming his door.

I stood there hoping he would change his mind and come back out. He didn’t, but I was not backing off. When my legs became tired, I sat down. And when hours of sitting in the grass hurt my back, I lay down. I would sleep out here if I needed to. I stared at the stars twinkling above me, and I prayed to them.

I prayed that they would correct this mistake because that was exactly what this was, a huge fucking mistake. I curled into a ball and closed my eyes.