A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter Twenty-Five 

His shining eyes stared directly at me and I had to fight the urge to look behind to see if someone else was standing there. But no, I could feel the touch of his hand against my cheek, even the warmth emanating off his skin. This was real, he could see me.

“Aria…,” he said weakly.

“I’m here,” I replied.

I wasn’t sure how to react. I was still unnerved by the whole situation. All I could do was stare down at him confused and uncertain. Was this part of the vision or had something changed? “…Aria,” he called again. “Cai? Can you see me?”

I wrapped my fingers around the hand he was using to touch my cheek Maybe he was too weak to see me.

“.Aria.” 

I frowned at him. It was starting to feel more than just being unable to see me as he persisted i n trying to call out for me.

“Can’t you hear me? I’m right here.”

His eyes continued to bore into mine intensely before, finally, it was like he saw me. I watched as his expression changed to one of worry.

How could he be worried about me? He was the one who was dying.

“Aria… wake up.” “What....?” 

Wake… up? 

could feel his hand was on my cheek as a few tears had escaped my eyes. Had he actually not seen me as held laid dying then? Was it just

already weak body, the news of a ghost coming back to haunt m e… and then having to witness it for myself. I couldn’t do this anymore. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his torso, pulling him down towards me. He had to act quickly to use his arms to support himself so he didn‘t completely crush me during

to be shown all of that? Caius Knight would die at the age of twenty–one with no Luna, mate or child. I already knew that was his fate if nothing were

him, allowing for us both to sit up. My

“I’m sorry…,” I mumbled.

you might have mentioned that already once or twice… or ten times,”

joking half–smile he gave me though.

he was trying to process the situation. “Is this like a medical condition you have? It was if you were asleep… except your eyes were open the whole time.” I shook my head. “I’m fine now, really. I’m sorry for worrying you.” I did my best to give him the best reassuring smile I could manage. “Aria! Enough,” he suddenly said loudly, a tone of annoyance in his words. “You’re clearly not fine. Stop feeding me that same bullshit line.

would lock me up in the hospital for a few days in order to conduct extensive tests. And I could see I’d upset Cai, my chest tightening with the guilt of seeing him like that. He was worried and wanted to know what was wrong. I owed him at least some sort of

breath. “It’s the Goddess mark,” I said slowly. “It

I shuddered. I couldn‘t tell him. If I told them then I would need to explain my rebirth and it was something I wasn’t

the way, Cai, I saw your death. Sorry about that. It was my bad? I‘d either sound completely insane or, if he did somehow believe me, he would probably not want to be

finally. “I really am

looked uneasy and I could tell he wanted to ask me more questions. “Just… believe me when I tell you… I

graphic murders and was now having to fight harder for my right to be left alone. Not to mention that, if I somehow didn’t get assassinated by someone before my coming of age, then it would need to be classed as a miracle. This mark prevented me from ever being able to run away or even to

he finally agreed to leave it at that for now, having

had even given me a new strict diet plan. I gave it to the cook at my house and told them to keep it quiet from my parents in exchange for a pay rise. Finally, a few days into my mandatory bed

what she needed at first before I finally realised the date. I couldn’t believe

organising most of the things you’ve asked for, ”