A Gift from the Goddess

Book Two-Ch.# 46

I wasn’t sure how long had passed, but I did eventually awaken to the sound of violent coughing near me.

…A noise that instantly reminded me of my current situation.

“Wakey, wakey,” Clarissa said nearby.

And I groaned, rolling onto my side as the pain returned.

My entire body was aching, completely stiff along every joint and bone. I would have given anything for even the tiniest bit of pain relief medication.

“Come on, Rheyna,” she nagged. “You can’t stay in bed forever.”

…However, the more I did slowly wake up, the more I took in.

I could vaguely hear her shuffling around nearby, coughing every few steps she took. Clearly feeling a bit better despite her limp earlier. And not just that either. I could also smell… something. Food, of some sort.

… Was she cooking?

At that, I mustered all my energy to pull myself upright, hissing from the pain that shot through me. And, sure enough, there she was.

Like a little cave goblin waddling around a fire. It seemed she actually was making something to eat.

“Hungry?” she asked, crouching down to stir the pot.

I stared at her in disbelief.

“…How did you manage to find something worth cooking? I doubt you went out hunting.”

But she pouted a little and kept stirring.

“It’s just a soup made out of some plants I found. Luckily, I didn’t have to go far.”

I curiously got up to inspect the inside contents, discovering some sort of green… goop within. I couldn’t help but scrunch my nose at the sight of it.

Definitely not my definition of ‘food’… but I suppose it was better than nothing.

“Yeah, okay, would like to see you do better, princess,” she snapped, reading my expression. “Can’t always live off daddy’s five-star meals, like some people. Just be grateful you’re getting a meal at all.”

That was awfully… specific. Had I mentioned my father at the house?

Nevertheless though, I frowned at her attitude, my irritation already starting to quickly spark, and I hadn’t even been awake for five minutes by this point.

“I didn’t say anything,” I argued, sitting down by the fire begrudgingly. “Besides, I… appreciated the effort.”

“Yeah… yeah…,” she mumbled. “Like I don’t know what that means.”

But I was far too tired to put up with this today, especially since I was in so much pain right now due to saving her stupid ass.

“What the hell is your problem with me anyway, Clarissa? Like stop mumbling complaints all the time and just tell me already. Or are you just being a bitch for the sake of it? Because it feels like you’ve had it out for me since I first arrived.”

Her eyes instantly snapped up at me then, a quiet rage within her gaze.

“Oh, *I’m the one with the problem?” she asked, her voice as cold as ice. “You have no freaking idea how ironic that is coming from you of all people. I’d laugh if doing so wouldn’t make me die from coughing. Think you’ve already killed enough of our kind for one day. Wouldn’t want to give you the satisfaction of another so soon.”

…That did it.

inside, hurting enough to

good would knowing me as a five year old be? What… did I push your face in a sandbox too hard? Tug on your pigtails? Trip you during hopscotch? Get

yourself! The absolute audacity you have to say that to me when

that!” I growled. “And how do

disliking ‘Rae’ phase?” she mocked. “Then which name

could you

Devil of the Mist?

“-I’LL KILL YOU-.”

*

say I don’t know you. I know EVERYTHING about you. Everything*. I know about your father and his abusive treatment. I know about Kieran, about how you still dream of him every night. I know about the day you were adopted, the children you hurt… I know about your first kill, how when your father handed you that manila folder, it caused you so much anxiety that you threw up in the toilet for hours

someone spying

fuck is wrong with

biggest regrets, and about every single secret you have ever harboured. And once you finally decide to wake the fuck up, we can stop these stupid pretences and get back to work.”

I screamed, terrified. “I don’t

YOU TOLD ME!” she shouted. ”

YOU. TOLD. ME.’

“No, I didn’t!”

back to the pot in

Rheyna,” she spat. “I bet this is just your way of hiding from reality instead of facing the truth. You think I don’t want to do that too? Play ignorant? I already told you that this

accumulating with my already painful muscles and joints. And now, on top

I said in a daze, staring ahead at nothing. “Like… certifiably insane. Weren’t you descended from that alleged crazy Silver Saintess? Was it hereditary? Your

-*SLAP*

than anything that it had happened. Sure, it stung a little where her hand had connected, but her strength was far

it didn’t hurt.

did piss

“Hey! Don’t-.”

lies like that

did feel a little

its doom, its fall from grace. Even implying it was true during the heat of an argument was too far. After all, so

as she continued to stir the soup. Every few seconds she would grumble under her breath, doing so between

my vision was getting blurry, my headache only becoming worse. I probably needed rest more than I needed food. But before I could voice this observation, my ears did manage to pick up on something from her unintelligible quiet

to miss.

she mumbled. “…Should have

at her.

serious. “I should have let you stay dead! I don’t have the energy to babysit you through this again. I needed you on your A-game,

you

caused me to wince, needing to bring a hand up to touch my temple.

“I can see it all over your face!”

don-… ahh.”

Flashes.

flash with images that caused more pain. Pushing against the barrier in

do,” she insisted. “You

“ENOUGH.”

response had been automatic, leaving my lips without realising.

it to her pushing this absurd narrative

bed, now needing to lie down more

walk

“NO.”

Haven’t you found it weird that you seem to know things that happen? Feelings of recognition with people you’ve never met? Echoes