A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter 99

Chapter Ninety Nine 

Chapter Ninety–Nine 

It was the most difficult decision I‘d ever made. Sacrificing someone in order to save myself. I felt sick even thinking about it... but I didn‘t have a choice here. And not just that, but I also didn‘t have time to digest it further if I wanted to escape safely. 

On the off chance that Thea had people lying in the wait to catch me, I gathered only whatever I could pack quickest, ripping open the emergency envelope with my location and beginning the long drive home. And whilst I had taken the time to retrieve the ring, I unfortunately couldn‘t risk wearing it. If I were suddenly ambushed, then I needed to be ready to fight. One critical blow to my body and I would be instantly dead in seconds without my natural healing, something the ring would prevent. 

It meant I needed to work even harder to keep Thea out of my head, despite everything threatening to overwhelm me. 

‘Calm. Composed. 

‘Everything was fine. 

We were two hours drive west of the Winter Mist and I was both sad and relieved when I finally returned t o the pack. There were going to be a lot of questions, I knew, but I just needed to take it one step at a 

time. 

‘I could do this.‘ 

‘I needed to do this.‘ 

Heading directly to the packhouse, I immediately had patrols start double–checking the borders, wasting n o time in ensuring we were ready for if Thea decided to attack. There was always the possibility that she assumed we were weakened right now by her kidnapping Aleric, and I didn‘t want to give her the satisfaction. 

“Send out only the most trusted warriors we have,” I instructed. “I want a status report that everything is secured within the next two hours. After that, we‘ll review again if anything needs to be changed. And I need you to send word to–.” 

“Aria?” I heard someone say behind me in surprise. 

I instantly spun around to see Cai by the entrance of the door, frowning. 

“Cai,” I greeted. “We‘ve got a lot to do and we need to start working on a plan.” 

“Woah, woah, woah,” he said, putting his hands up. “Slow down. What the hell is going on? Where‘s Aleric?” 

*Thump.* 

“Not here,” I replied stoically, swallowing back my pain. “Thea had rogues grab him whilst we were at the cabin. They took him down before I could make it to him. She‘ll most likely try and use him as bait” 

“Then shouldn‘t we be getting you somewhere safe? I can find Elder Luke and start working on a plan.” 

“I‘m feeling fine,” I said, picking up the shift roster for patrols. “I‘ll be assisting with the planning. Once Elder Luke has been made aware, we can begin looking at different options. 

“Aria….” 

And I looked up at him, finally meeting his eyes. 

“...What?” 

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I could tell he was analysing me carefully, his eyes narrowed slightly as he watched me. But then the tension broke as he sighed in defeat. “Alright. Fine.” 

...And I immediately got to work. 

It took another three days before I felt reassured Thea wasn‘t planning anything directly against the pack. With the people within the Winter Mist safe at least, I could begin thinking of ways to counter her movement. But without much information surrounding her whereabouts, I was beginning to wonder what her next step was. It‘d been eerily silent since I‘d returned. Well... except for her presence every now and then in my head. 

I was doing a pretty good job at keeping her out for the most part, but I‘d be lying if I said everything had been going smoothly. At times, my anxiety would get too much and I‘d start to hear those thoughts again. The ones nagging at me to stop wasting time and focus completely on trying to save Aleric. To ignore the pack, Cai, everything else, and do whatever it took to rescue him. 

In the last few days that had passed, I‘d used the time in sending scouts out to find information. And whilst there were a few potential leads, there wasn’t really anything definitive enough to warrant building a n entire strategy for. There was yet to be any real confirmation. 

“... What are we doing, Aria?” Cai suddenly asked in the meeting room, breaking me from my thoughts. 

We were usually holed up in here all day unless we were briefly needed elsewhere. It was important to be accessible in case someone needed to find us. 

Today, Cai seemed agitated. Restless, even. He‘d given me several suspicious glances the last day or so and they were slowly becoming more frequent. An added stress that was not needed, nor wanted, given how hard it already was to remain focused. 

“Maybe he doesn‘t care if Aleric dies. He‘s never really liked him. Perhaps he‘ll use this as a chance to hurt me.‘ 

*Breathet. 

There it was again. Getting more and more frequent. I needed to be more careful. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean... It‘s been three days and we still don‘t have a plan. What are we doing?” 

Timmediately put my pen down to look at him, addressing him in an even tone despite the mild attitude ! was sensing. 

“We‘re ensuring the pack remains strong until we can track her down. After that, we can look at the different options to hopefully recover Aleric. Until then though, we‘re managing resources to ensure we‘re fully prepared to leave at a moments notice.” 

There it was again. 

Another guarded look that seemed borderline distrustful. 

“...I thought leaving was meant to have helped you with getting better,” he said, finally deciding to say whatever he‘d been holding back. “Instead, you‘re possibly even colder than when you left.” 

He thinks

back against the urge to lash out, reminding myself what was more important right now. And

talking about, Cai. That‘s exactly what I did.“

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I then walked away, turning my back to him so I could concentrate on literally anything else. Anything to stop the thoughts surfacing that I was trying so hard

seemed like nothing had changed… but, in reality, it was because of how much I‘d managed to

happening? As if

trying to ignore

you even give a

That did it. 

piercing directly into the thin shield I’d managed

face him again, teeth

that?!” | bit back, a flood gate opening inside. “You think i don‘t want to break down, scream or cry because I‘m scared of losing him? That I don‘t want to rush into action and do everything I can to

my hands into fists, taking several steps towards

endanger us further! This isn‘t the first time Thea has done something like this. She wants me to get angry. She wants me to yell and stop thinking rationally. I‘ve already told you that‘s

aback by my response, looking a little guilty as

my face. “...I can‘t lose him. I... I can‘t endure any more pain. I‘ve lived two

*Breathe* 

I‘d said enough 

I took a deep breath,

wasn‘t going to help Aleric. If I was starting to crack this bad already then it would be near impossible

it was already this difficult? My resolve was getting weaker every day the more anxious I became, the urge to just give in becoming too much. It was inevitable that I was going to snap like this soon. And maybe the next time would be

strong enough. He‘s going

my own thoughts anymore. Either way, it was probably a bad

sorry,

please?” I asked, wanting nothing more than to drop it before it had worse

the words cut short in my mouth as

answer was

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to give her what she wanted. To completely eliminate the chance of accidentally snapping by doing exactly what she expected

to just... give

with ideas as it all came together, letting me see exactly what we needed to

risky. Incredibly so. Doing something like this was reckless and might not

distantly, thinking it through. “...I need

seen someone look more

–*THWACK* 

the ground. Blood immediately beginning to ooze from her

she whimpered feebly, trying to crawl away.

just revelled in the cries of my old attendant, enjoying every second. I‘d dreamt of doing this for years, Dreamt of making her life miserable as retribution for her betrayal. And, based on how unphased she seemed today upon entering

deserved this. She was a monster.‘

importantly, she was the only link I had to Thea. Every second she wasted now was another

was her

know,” I replied, though unable to hide

didn‘t mean I couldn‘t enjoy myself

she said, cowering. “I don‘t

her in the

in your best interest,” I said, crouching down to her eye level. “Thea isn‘t here. I am

her throat, tightening my grip enough to make

wouldn‘t be the worst thing if she didn‘t tell me. Then

I heard someone yell by the

Cai. 

back, never breaking eye contact with Sophie as I watched

to help me find Thea, find Aleric, then I‘d just take her to the brink of death. Give her a taste of

the only God here.’

Cai yelled again before dragging me away from

growled. “We agreed that this was what we needed to do! Why are you chickening out

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Chapter Ninety Nine 

forced me out the cell door, leaving Sophie on the

said stop it! I didn‘t agree for you to kill people. Just let

the cell, shutting the door in my face to keep me from following him

I yelled,

apparently made any difference as he remained in the room for several minutes.

I swear, if you don‘t let

other side as the door then abruptly opened, Cai somehow catching me and pushing me back out to stop

why didn‘t you

off. ‘There are three hundred rogues located in a camp near the Silver Lake. Makes sense if those are the same rogues

“Three hundred rogues? That‘s insane. They‘ll have us outnumbered after we

I‘m just telling you what

sighed in frustration, turning away. This was going to be more difficult than I

opinion, I think you should give up on trying to rescue Aleric. Or, at least attempting to

attention again as I snapped back to him in disbelief.

if Aleric dies whilst we wait, safe in the pack.’

‘He‘s an obstacle. 

Cai,” | spat. “You‘ll make yourself an enemy of this pack and to our kind. Aleric is integral to our survival. This is a war. *Ust against

said. “The side that doesn‘t needlessly die for no good reason, especially when that results in only further problems. It‘ll be my head at her

I yelled, grabbing his shirt. “Too scared to fight when so much is on the

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