A Gift from the Goddess

Book Two – Ch.# 35

“My name is Rheyna…,” I said. “Rheyna Knight.”

How strange to say it after all this time. It wasn’t something I felt all that connected to nor had any particular fond memories of. It was simply the only thing I could recall when the orphanage had asked me who I was. Just my name and nothing else. Not even my parents.

“Allison?” I asked when she still hadn’t spoken.

Something about the whole situation seemed off. The alarms in my head were still screaming at me to run… and yet I did my best to keep ignoring it.

Only… Allison now hadn’t moved. Almost as if she were frozen in place.

“Allison? Did you hear me?” I asked. “Aren’t you… aren’t you going to check your book?”

But with her eyes cast down, her lips started to whisper something very quickly that I couldn’t hear.

“…Allison? What are you….”

And it was as I took a step towards her that her eyes then suddenly snapped upwards, staring at me with an expression that took me aback. A hatred within them unlike anything I had ever seen.

“…A Devil of the Mist,” she finished quietly.

“What? What do you mea-.”

But before I could ask, she then stood up and began talking as if reciting from an old book.

“Beware the Silver Saintess, her hair as silken thread. With her consort mate of power, the people wept and bled.”

“Alli-.”

“And beware the Siren’s call, his eyes as gold as ore. With whispers of manipulation, they’ll hold you in their thrall. And if you breathe despite this, a devil still awaits.

Because forever lives another, the deathless angel mate.”

“Allison!” I yelled, beginning to panic. Stop!”

And I took a step back in confusion, unsure what was happening.

“You were meant to be dead,” she hissed. All of you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Just stop and-.”

“NO!” she screeched. “Your words won’t work on me. I should have seen it earlier, the signs were all there. But I see you now. I see what you’re doing. Your power won’t work so long as I stay true to the Goddess’ path.”

And before I could do anything else, she then walked over to a glass cabinet, only turning back around to face me once she had retrieved a dagger.

“You’ve been influencing all of us to accept you. You with your silver tongue and golden eyes,” she spat. “Is this some sort of infiltration mission? Here to finish us off in revenge? Because I already lost my mother because of you. I will not go down easily.”

She moved into what looked to be an amateur defensive position, shakily holding the dagger up towards me. Me… who was still frozen in shock over what the hell was happening.

Because my mind was trying to piece together what she was saying… why she suddenly wanted to attack me… and the reason slowly dawned on me.

My family, the pack I must have once belonged to….

I was… a Devil of the Mist.

The same pack who had gone to war with Ashwood, who had apparently caused countless deaths and tarnished their traditions. Who were all allegedly insane.

…The ones who had caused the death of Kieran’s mother.

But there were bits I didn’t understand.

was talking about some sort of manipulation… only I wasn’t sure what that meant. I couldn’t remember ever doing such

she was mistaken or… or I was like some distant, twice removed cousin. Maybe I didn’t even share the same blood and was

sure if that mattered right

it was clear that Allison had made up her mind… and

“I don’t want

merely screamed at me angrily.

were just easy to get along with,

intentionally doing anything, Allison, I

brother’s mate or was that just another trick? Does he know? Did you

for comfort. Soon, I would run out of room within the small space of the archives. A situation that would demand a decision being made.

…Fight or flight.

which felt

“Stop, Allison, please.”

then hit a shelf, I knew it was

attempt if I ever saw one, but I did my best

Devil!” she screamed at me, forcing me to push her away.

too strong as

hell was I meant to do here? Attack her? She was blocking the exit now so running would mean more conflict.

was relieved to

going on here?” he asked, shocked by the sight he was seeing. “Allison? What

“Help me, plea-.”

could plead for assistance, her dagger then came swiping towards me. Something I

persevering through it to pull

cut was deep as my blood began to flow, but it had been worth it. At least

name is Rheyna Knight. This entire time she’s been deceiving us with her siren’s

didn’t even know what The Mist was prior to a

my pleas fell on deaf ears as Finn’s face immediately changed. A darkness falling over him as he listened to Allison’s

closer, and I

wasn’t just Allison who

this was it. I

was no longer safe for me.

And now…

Leave quickly and hopefully with my

drawing my attention back over to her, and I

blessed silver. Such an injury should take hours before our ability to heal works. And yet for her, merely minutes were needed. Only Devil’s have been known to withstand the

me with blessed silver suppressors for years. I’ve been on medication to counter it ever since I arrived at Ashwood. It’s probably just helping the process along by still

screamed, and she tried to grab at me

time I’d

of this, and it entailed getting the hell out of here by any means. And so, with one injured hand, the other

countered with a kick to her gut, sending her flying

“Allison!” Finn yelled.

to me, a warning growl rumbling through him as

said. “Just let me go and

leaving here alive,” he said, and he charged towards me.

Goddammit.

wasn’t like Allison, a girl who had clearly never experienced any sort of combat herself. Finn was a warrior,

them, but I knew at some point I would either need to counter or make a run

quickly brought my hand up to prevent a jab from hitting my shoulder, it momentarily left me in a defenceless position. Because the wound instantly opened back up, causing me to cry out in pain. This was my first time experiencing a silver weapon’s

in the second of my lapse, Finn immediately took advantage to grab me and throw me to

go…,” I

that wouldn’t

Alpha arrives,” he said,

cuffs as they came

him put those on me. Whatever else happened, I could not allow him to use those. All hope of escape would