A Gift from the Goddess

Book Two – Ch.# 39

This was the riskiest venture I’d done since returning from Ashwood.

Not only was I now leaving the protection of my father’s reach, but I was willingly jumping down a rabbit hole that could potentially bring more problems in its wake. Opening myself up to secrets I might eventually regret uncovering.

But I couldn’t go on like this anymore.

To continue as I was would only lead to destroying myself or others, possibly bringing more harm than I knew how to fix. *If it was even fixable. I could only hope that Zac would recover and stop treating me like… whatever that was.

However, it was clear that there were things at work behind the scenes that weren’t immediately obvious. Things that might come back to bite me whether I liked it or not.

And so I had to start with what information I did have.

… Information that led me to staring at an old iron woven gate, a chilling familiarity about it.

Because it was this very gate that belonged to the place I’d called home for some time.

The orphanage I’d been adopted from.

I took a moment to calm my nerves, contemplating whether this was really a good idea. But the drive here had already taken several hours to arrive, it now being morning already, and it was time that I’d spent mulling over this very dilemma.

And, ultimately, I went through with what I came here to do.

….I entered through the gate.

The orphanage looked to still be in business, several children running around in the distance on a grassy green field. From the path, I could hear their laughter, hear how they were all enjoying themselves. A vastly different experience than what I could remember of my own. time here.

“Can I help you?”

I was greeted inside by an older lady attending the counter. She looked vaguely familiar, assumedly someone who had been here during my residency. I hoped that was a good thing.

Upon walking in, her eyes immediately scrutinised me.

“Hi… yes,” I said, approaching. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I was just looking to get some information. I ah… I used to live here and was hoping that you might have my old records still available. My name is-.”

“Rheyna,” she finished, her face lightening in recognition.

“You remember me?” I asked, a little shocked.

It’d been sixteen years since my adoption.

She had to have seen thousands of children come through these doors since then.

“Yes…,” she said slowly. “It’s not often kids leave such an… impact… as you did.

Your time here was as memorable as your distinctive appearance. It’s hard to forget golden eyes such as yours.”

“Ah…,” was all I could say.

sure the memorable impact was referring to the incident I’d

on her lips. “A successful adoption is all I can really hope for the kids here. To this day, it still breaks my heart whenever I see any

Reid paid a significant donation to our facility upon your adoption. It was clear that the lifestyle and devotion he could provide

took a moment to think about it more, I

the

was more than one candidate asking to adopt

interest, this seemed very odd to me. Especially

said carefully. “To this day, I continue to work for

happy to hear

past,” I continued. “If possible, I was hoping to look at my records.

my request, the lines on her face creasing.

is within your rights. Please wait for a moment as

where she remained for some time. I paced in the lobby as she searched for the records, doing my best to remain as patient as possible despite the loud thumping in my chest.

so much as had an itch to go looking for them. To me, only my father had mattered. The one who had lifted me out of this place and given me shelter. Given me a life and purpose, someone to nurture the issues I’d presented with as a child rather than fear me

some things couldn’t be ignored for long. That I couldn’t change my blood, change who and what I was. Ashwood had

the room once more. “From the very beginning, your time here was filled with difficulties outside your control. I can see you’ve grown into a well-adjusted, beautiful young lady, and I tell you these things now not to upset you, but to provide you with some understanding.”

it looked like someone had gone over it with a black marker to censor it. Almost as if someone was removing my identity from it. Perhaps

my eyes away

deep breath in,

treated… different,” she started. “It was something I was aware of but not in its entirety. I now know that the extent of that

“You mean the

the older children?”

before shaking her head.

you gone. I was appalled. Especially since the horrific incident that day could have cost us significantly in potentially losing Mr Reid’s donation, something we were in dire need of. Immediately, I began looking into it and realised that I’d missed all the signs. It became obvious that most of the bullying was being orchestrated by the staff, urging the children to be cautious of you. All

unsure

continue. “I can’t change the past now. All I’m looking for is the honest

nodded her head in understanding.

circumstances surrounding your arrival,” she

I came to be here?”

You were found by a truck driver on the side of the road, miles away from here. Nothing in sight for as far as the eye could see. Just an area completely overrun with

hands and, for a split second, thought I could remember

you came from or what happened,” she continued. ” You’d just… stare at us with those intense eyes

…A large dog?

us your name, she said. “But it was unfortunately too late to stop the rumours and superstitions from the staff at this point. I found out later that this bias would go on to create the foundation of your mistreatment. I wish I’d known back then

tried to focus on what I’d come here to do. But it was difficult not to realise what she was saying. I’d been so worried that the incident was going to make getting answers problematic but, instead, she was the one apologising to

it

anything about my birth family?” I asked, clearing my

head. “No…

strange

…What about… unofficially?”

she immediately hesitated,

can’t disclose information relating to other parties…,” she said slowly, placing a hand on my file. ” However, I

I watched as she then opened my folder