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.

deep inside, hurting enough to make

you stupid brat!” I yelled. “And even if you did, what good would knowing me as a five year old be? What… did I push your face in a sandbox too hard?

yourself! The absolute

“And how do you even know

in the disliking ‘Rae’ phase?” she mocked. “Then which name are we choosing today, huh?

you possibly

Luna? Devil of the Mist?

“-I’LL KILL YOU-.”

*

a few seconds to cough before continuing. “…But don’t you dare 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,

spying on

fuck is wrong

about your greatest fears, your biggest regrets, and about every single secret you have ever harboured. And once you finally decide to wake the

screamed, terrified. “I don’t understand how you

YOU TOLD ME!” she shouted.

YOU. TOLD. ME.’

“No, I didn’t!”

frustration, turning back to the pot in front of

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

nothing except give me a pulsing headache, accumulating with my already painful muscles and joints. And now, on top of that, I was coming to the realisation that Clarissa

descended from that alleged crazy Silver Saintess? Was it hereditary? Your ability probably… I don’t know, gives you insight into people’s lives and now

-*SLAP*

spun to the side, shocked more than anything that it had happened. Sure, it stung a little where her hand had connected, but her

it didn’t

piss

“Hey! Don’t-.”

better than anyone how it’s exactly lies like that which are part

I did feel a

rumours that had apparently brought our pack to its doom, its fall from grace. Even implying it was true during the heat of an argument was too far. After all,

away as she continued to stir the soup. Every few

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 rambling.

hard to miss.

this again… suffering for nothing…,” she mumbled.

to look at her. “…What did

you

you mean… ‘dead’?”

caused me to wince, needing

she accused. “I can see it

I don-…

Flashes.

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

do,” she insisted. “You have

“ENOUGH.”

without realising. A force behind it

attributed it to her pushing this absurd narrative on me.

bed, now needing to lie down more

walk away!

“NO.”

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