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.

sort of manipulation… only I wasn’t sure what that meant. I couldn’t remember ever doing such a thing.

some distant, twice removed cousin. Maybe I didn’t even share the

if that mattered right

it was clear that Allison had made up her mind… and she took a few steps towards me.

I warned. “I don’t want to

screamed

That presence of reverence. Adoration. I’d thought this whole time that you were just easy to get along with, somehow feeling as if we were always meant to be best friends. Sisters.

anything, Allison, I swear.”

my brother’s mate or was that just another trick? Does he know? Did you bewitch him as well, Child of the Siren?”

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

…Fight or flight.

which felt right.

“Stop, Allison, please.”

back then hit a shelf, I knew it was

to strike. A sloppy attempt if I ever saw one, but I did my best to dodge it, using the book still in my hand as a shield.

she screamed at me, forcing me to push her away.

strong as she almost

to do here? Attack her? She was blocking the exit now so running would mean more

open, I was relieved to see the guard, Finn, come to

he asked, shocked by the sight he was seeing. “Allison?

“Help me, plea-.”

before I could plead for assistance, her dagger then came swiping towards me. Something I didn’t

in pain, persevering through it to

blood began to flow, but it had been

a Devil of the Mist!” Allison yelled to the guard. “Her real name is

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

immediately changed. A darkness falling over him as he listened to

closer, and

it was clear that it wasn’t just Allison who would prove to be a problem once the information got out.

knew that this was it. I was done.

longer

And now…

I needed to leave. Leave quickly and hopefully with my

then, drawing my attention back over to her, and I found her staring at

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

for years. I’ve been on medication to counter it ever

and she tried to

this time I’d had enough.

now that there was only one way out of this, and it entailed getting the hell out of here by any means. And so, with one injured hand,

countered with a kick to her gut, sending her

“Allison!” Finn yelled.

then turned to me, a warning growl rumbling through him as he walked

want to hurt anyone,” I said. “Just let me go and I’ll leave. I

You will not be leaving here alive,”

Goddammit.

sort of combat herself. Finn was a warrior, someone I assumed had probably trained with Kieran

at some point I would either need to counter or

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

the second of my lapse, Finn immediately took advantage to grab me and throw me to the ground, using his

go…,”

of course, that wouldn’t work.

he

silver cuffs as they came out,

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