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.

had been long. Perhaps too long for an impatient man such as my

through the motions. I wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge everything that had happened, simply just trying to get through the day without breaking down. To keep moving

couldn’t think about Kieran anymore. He didn’t

was only me

probably soon intending to hunt me down. Because

of hatred on Allison’s face still haunted

in the confines of a dark office.

floorboard, promising to give me the very thing that had started all of this. What my father had

you. Perhaps if you’d never existed, I could have lived my life in ignorance until death came for me. That sounds better

was no pain because I was fine. Completely fine. Just… a girl doing her job. And I pushed back

not investing enough in security,

my father

I could see

must have switched sides. Probably

get back… even if it meant losing his daughter.

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 in crime

me again last night and I basked in her glory,’ it read. ‘What I have, I owe to 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

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 about a woman with such adoration; not like in the way he

way he wrote here… it was nothing like the man I knew of. Not the cold-hearted, business focused father who I’d lived with for years.

Not Eric Reid.

the folder of documents closed, no longer wanting to

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

it seemed I’d been wrong about that, if only for unexpected reasons. The new information merely added more questions to my

And I sighed.

I discovered. Truths that would only lead me into situations I was better avoiding. Just like how chasing after Kieran had led me to the state I was

evil… a

have them back and secure his business, just as he wanted. It was a testament to my loyalty,

them down that the juxtaposition of my life really came into focus.

next to the

at

me to take, one that could possibly lead to

two choices as they laid

title topic

the Silver Mist’ the front cover read. ‘A history

Silver Lake’.

history. Or… as was told by Ashwood, at 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.

to chase down another

I thought about it some more, my heart ached for Kieran for the millionth time. It felt as though I’d

My other half.

My… mate.

I

No.

wasn’t going down this path. Not

wasn’t Rae or Rheyna… I

it was time for me

what

City. The familiar 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

A needed one.

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

father was awake.

confronting him. Would he be angry? Had he somehow discovered what I’d been up