A Gift from the Goddess

Book Two-Ch.# 37

“NO!” Kieran roared.

And right as the dagger pierced the surface of my shoulder, Daniel was promptly pushed off me.

“I said *don’t touch her*,” he growled.

The weight of his words fell over everyone in the room, and once again I experienced the tangible sway of his order.

“Kieran,” Daniel huffed out, unable to get back up to his feet. “She-.”

“No, enough! You’re hereby forbidden from moving until further notice,” Kieran said. ” That goes for you too Allison. Sit down. Now. And I don’t want to hear another word from either of you.”

Allison gritted her teeth but did as she was told.

“What… What is that?” I asked. “What did you do to them?”

Kieran looked defeated as he straightened back up, unable to meet my eyes. He simply stared at two people he held dear as they were trapped on the floor.

“An Alpha heir order,” he said. “It’ll only hold them long enough until a full ranked member arrives though.”

“Kieran-.”

“Leave… Rae,” he said quietly. “I can’t do anything else for you now.”

The pain in his voice was clear, an echo in it that stung me. I didn’t want to upset him further, and so, with one hand covering the shallow new wound to my shoulder, I hobbled back to my feet to grab the book and dagger.

“There’s a cupboard to your left which has an emergency hidden staircase inside it. Use that and follow it all the way down. It’ll take you to the car park outside safely without being seen.”

Just as he’d said, upon inspecting the cupboard, there was indeed a staircase inside. But as I stared into the dark passage ahead, I hesitated once more.

…This was the last time I might see him. Did I really want to leave things like this? With lies intended to push him away and a head full of questions?

“Kieran… I…,” I said, my voice trailing off.

So many things I wanted to say, to explain, to ask about. All of which would take too long to get through. And so, in the end, I settled for one thing.

Just one line.

“…I’m sorry,” I whispered.

And I slipped through the doorway without another word, beginning the descent down.

“This isn’t over, Rae,” he called out behind me. “I’ll find you. I promise.”

But I just wiped at the stray tear that had escaped my eye and kept walking.

There were a lot of promises that were made lately. Too many.

“Do yourself a favour for both our sakes, Kieran,” I said quietly. “…Forget about me. My survival might just rely on that very thing.”

I knew what awaited me now. The only remaining path left.

A path that would lead me to the one place I ever truly belonged.

Back into the shadow of my father.

But first… first I had a job to do.

out of Ashwood, I was reminded of the fact that my absence had been long. Perhaps too long for an impatient man such as my father. I knew it would be punishable to return like this

to acknowledge everything that had happened, simply just

I couldn’t think about Kieran anymore. He didn’t exist as of today.

was only me vs… them.

of the past. Now, I’d need to work even harder to hide my presence, an entire species probably soon intending to hunt me down. Because if a war could span over fifty years because

still haunted me every time I

I said to myself in the confines of a dark

thing that had started all of this. What my father had been desperate to get his hands

could have lived my life in ignorance until death came for me. That sounds better than this… than now living with this pain.”

I was fine. Completely fine. Just… a girl doing her job. And I pushed back the feelings threatening

minutes to crack into the lock, Miles clearly not investing enough in security, but soon enough I caught

father had

could see why.

smuggler, but at some point he must have switched sides. Probably working for someone who had it in their best

to get back… even if it meant losing

catch one thing. Something that wasn’t quite like everything else. It looked almost like a journal entry in my father’s handwriting, one dated a few years

pertained to an associate or partner

her, and I am reminded of that fact every day by my fortune; with my business and my Raven. It is through her continuous instruction that I

as I could remember, my father had always been alone; both in business and in personal life. Never even so much as bringing a casual one-night stand over to the house, let alone ever speaking

was nothing like the man I knew of. Not the cold-hearted,

Not Eric Reid.

snapped the folder of documents

a thing would get me in trouble. But I’d figured since I’d

for unexpected reasons.

And I sighed.

discovered. Truths that would only lead me into situations I

a mistake.

on the passenger seat. My father could have them back and secure his business, just as he wanted. It was a testament to my loyalty, if nothing else.

threw them down that the juxtaposition of my life

to the book I’d

of curiosity at the time but then somehow hung

new path of opportunity for me to take, one

stared at the two choices as they laid side by

father’s documents… or a book with a title

Council of the Silver Mist’ the front cover read. ‘A history of The Winter

Silver Lake’.

least. I could only imagine the bias I would find inside upon reading. Though some information was better than nothing. Better than… being spat. at for being a Devil.

was I really going to chase down another

felt as though I’d had a part of myself torn away

My other half.

My… mate.

person I lo-.

No.

down this path.

or Rheyna… I was

time for me to go

exactly what I did.

scent of my home greeted me as I entered the house, the place quiet now within the late hour of the night. This was my longest time being away and it felt almost… safe

A needed one.

the staircase, a light shone brightly through, emanating from down the hallway. I knew

father was awake.

felt nervous confronting him. Would he be angry? Had he somehow discovered what I’d