Page 46 of Voices in the Stars (The Lost Witch #1)

Cece shook her head as she moved, sitting against the opposite side of me.

I bent one of my legs so she had room to spread out.

There was a huff beside us before the sound of Leon marching off echoed.

He was most likely headed to Bekah’s tent, where they liked to spend their time drinking the night away.

He acted like we were inconveniencing him, but truthfully, he would’ve been leaving soon, anyways.

I’d still apologize next time I saw him.

Suddenly having us take over his house wasn’t an easy ask.

Especially from a man who was used to living in solitude. Another thing that would change soon.

“No, I remember being here,” Cece continued. I tried to keep my questions to myself as I waited for her to continue. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait for long. “My name wasn’t always Cece. My family in Donnaway wasn’t given a name for me, so they decided on Cecelia.”

Her eyes closed as she leaned back against the door. I grabbed her hand, hoping it helped her through this. None of this had been easy for her. Now she had her proof that what I was telling had been the truth. Her eyes were glassy when she opened them again.

“That’s not what I meant, though. About you.

” She took a deep breath, watching every part of my face.

I tried to stay relaxed in hopes she would continue.

Whatever she was about to say was important to her.

“I was pulled into my memories by something. Someone. Honestly, I’m not sure who it was.

They showed me one in particular, though.

It was of a little boy with horns, screaming a different name as he looked for me. ”

“Nari?” I asked, feeling all the air being squeezed out of my lungs.

Cece nodded, her gaze scanning my face as she waited for my reaction.

Which I certainly should’ve been having one.

It felt like I was paralyzed, though. Staring at her now, I could see the resemblances that I missed.

The hint of brown around her eyes. Her half smile that revealed the small dimple in her cheek.

My gaze darted down to where her knees were exposed at the cut of her dress.

There it was. A small scar from when I had snuck her out to the creek near the temple.

We were playing in the water when she slipped, cutting herself on a rock.

Neither one of us wanted to tell her father, so it never got healed like it should have.

I ran my thumb across it now, too fascinated by it to pay much mind to the way she shivered under my touch.

These were things I had noticed before, but never added together in my mind.

Which is what caused me to shake my head now.

“She died when the temple was set on fire.” My words were soft.

“I wasn’t in there. There was a cold running through some of the elderly at that time.

My father took me into the forest to gather some lemon balm to help.

When we came back, that’s when we saw the fire.

I tried to tell you I was okay.” Her voice cracked toward the end.

I wanted to comfort her, but I was helpless to do anything but keep running my thumb across her knee.

There was a deep need to know her side. “My father stopped me, though. He kept whispering that this must be.”

My mouth opened and closed several times as I thought about what to say. Emotions battled through me. Joy at the fact that she was okay. Confusion on why all this had to be kept from me. Anger was what my words settled on as they forced their way out.

“I thought you died. My mother thought you died. There were months when I barely left the house because I couldn’t stand the sight of the burnt temple.

I endured Eris and Ivy’s torment until I was sent away to go lead his armies.

” Guilt twisted my stomach as she flinched at my words, but I couldn’t stop.

“Just to find out this was their plan? They wanted me to suffer?”

“I’m sorry, Atlas,” Cece whispered. My body jerked away from her as she reached out to touch me .

“You don’t get to be sorry,” I snapped. I knew my words hurt, but I couldn’t stop them. “You got to forget everything while I was left in pain.”

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as I stood. There should’ve been sadness filling me. Instead, all I could hear was the quickening of her heartbeat. The call to it was getting louder. A single bite and I would be strong enough to take down Eris.

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” I snapped out instead, turning from her as I stepped out of the house. The cool breeze did little to calm the pulsating need.

“I need more time,” she argued, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“If this is the show the gods want, then that’s exactly what they’re going to get. I’m going to end this with or without you.” I forced all emotions out of my voice.

Even to my own ears, I sounded nothing like me. I shut my eyes, sucking in a sharp breath to avoid turning to her. There was no doubt in my mind that I was being unreasonable. We had enough time to spend another day or two here.

I needed this to end, though. The gods ripped away the two people who mattered most to me.

For twenty years, I lived with the knowledge that I watched my mother and best friend get trapped inside the burning temple where they died.

Now, the gods decided to return my friend, only for them to have ripped away enough memories that she didn’t know me.

They had no problem telling her that my mother needed to die to fulfill whatever prophecy they had set for us.

It was too much for me. Anger twisted through my chest; any words I wanted to say to her got clogged in my throat. This was just easier.

Her protests pierced my heart as I closed the door, leaning my head against it. Tears finally prickled the corners of my eyes. I was quick to wipe any trace of them away before walking away. Bekah and Leon would be getting a drinking partner for the day.