Chapter Eighteen
I woke up to the feeling of someone lightly shaking my shoulder.
I wanted to protest against the touch, refuse to open my eyes, but the shaking was insistent.
“Aria?” a voice called to me.
It was familiar and warm. It sounded like home.
I managed to open my eyes a bit, fighting against the bright artificial light that assaulted me as I did so. But after several seconds of adjusting, I managed to make out the face of my mother.
“Aria?” she called again.
“I‘m alive…?” I said, my throat dry and sore.
She quickly brought some water to my lips and I began to sip on it, enjoying the refreshing feeling that came with it.
“How are you feeling?” she asked as she began to look over my body, making several notes in a chart by the bed.
How was I feeling? I was sure I had died again. I was in the Abyss, I saw the memory. It was just like how i t had felt last time.
…So, how was I feeling?
I felt confused by the entire situation right now.
“I should be dead,” I replied.
She instantly turned to look at me, a little shocked by my blunt response.
“Don‘t say such an awful thing,” my mother said, her eyes full of concern. “You‘ve fully recovered, there‘s n o need to say something like that.”
Did this mean I was never in the Abyss? Had it just been a nightmare the entire time?
My mother looked like she wanted to say something else, but she was debating internally.
“You know…as a doctor, I‘m happy to see that you‘ve healed so well, but…as a mother, I want to scold you for stupidly running into danger like you did. What were you thinking, Aria?”
| already realised it was dumb the second I came face–to–face with the sandy wolf. She didn‘t really need t o scold me further. On the other hand though, if I hadn‘t been there then there was a good chance Cai would have died fighting off all four wolves, or Myra would have been killed.
for saving me. I was sure I was only still alive because of the
not to mention how he‘d carried me
with a horrible realisation, I remembered then that Cai had been
okay?”
of concern
a day he was able to walk around again. I‘ve instructed for him to take
glad to hear he was going to be fine but I was confused at
Chapter Eighteet
you say ‘day‘? How
been unconscious for three
so long already. Time really was uncertain
discuss,” she said. “I‘ve been trying hard to come up with
be so serious that it would make the council
“...What is it?”
your body… It looks
jaw could have hit the floor, then I‘m sure
How is that possible? I haven‘t even been close
sort
hear her say that. I was way too young to be going around with a mate‘s marko n me. Not
marked on your back… with a double moon
And, internally, I cringed.
much for letting me choose my own fate. She seemed to have plans o f forcing me
telling me was true, then it would appear the Goddess had now marked me as her own. Any plans to run away in
know what that means,
know. No one had seen the Goddess‘ mark in over a millennium and even then, the accounts were iffy at best. I learnt about it very vaguely during my Luna studies and knew the ramifications it
nodded my head at her. My life was about to
know why you
this out. All the
but I also didn‘t want to break her heart by telling her my story either. I wanted things to be normal between us. I wanted her to care for me in the same way she
my cheek and shrugged my shoulder, not knowing
hesitated at the reaction but, thankfully,
soon as possible to urgently discuss the attack,” she said. “You‘ve physically healed fine, but I was worried about your mental state given the coma
it for a few moments. Did I want to meet with him? Not
Chapter Eighteen
that I would need to do eventually. I felt completely fine other than the shock
can meet with
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!