A Gift from the Goddess

Book Two - Ch.# 35 “My nis Rheyna...,” | said. “Rheyna Knight.” How strange to say it after all this time. It wasn’t something | felt all that connected to nor had any particular fond memories of. It was simply the only thing I could recall when the orphanage had askedwho | was. Just my nand nothing else. Not even my parents.

“Allison?” | asked when she still hadn't spoken.

Something about the whole situation seemed off. The alarms in my head were still screaming atto run... and yet | did my best to keep ignoring it.

Only... Allison now hadn't moved. Almost as if she were frozen in place.

“Allison? Did you hear me?” | asked. “Aren’t you... aren’t you going to check your book?” But with her eyes cast down, her lips started to whisper something very quickly that | couldn't hear.

“...Allison? What are you...."” And it was as | took a step towards her that her eyes then suddenly snapped upwards, staring atwith an expression that tookaback. A hatred within them unlike anything | had ever seen.

“...A Devil of the Mist,” she finished quietly.

“What? What do you mea-.” But before | could ask, she then stood up and began talking as if reciting from an old book.

“Beware the Silver Saintess, her hair as silken thread. With her consort mate of power, the people wept and bled.” “Alli-." “And beware the Siren’s call, his eyes as gold as ore. With whispers of manipulation, they'll hold you in their thrall. And if you breathe despite this, a devil still awaits.

Because forever lives another, the deathless angel mate.” “Allison!” | yelled, beginning to panic. Stop!” And | took a step back in confusion, unsure what was happening.

“You were meant to be dead,” she hissed. All of you.” “I don’t know what you're talking about. Just stop and-.” “NO!” she screeched. “Your words won't work on me. | should have seen it earlier, the signs were all there. But | see you now. | see what you're doing. Your power won't work so long as | stay true to the Goddess’ path.” And before | could do anything else, she then walked over to a glass cabinet, only turning back around to faceonce she had retrieved a dagger.

“You've been influencing all of us to accept you. You with your silver tongue and golden eyes,” she spat. “Is this ssort of infiltration mission? Here to finish us off in revenge? Because | already lost my mother because of you. | will not go down easily.” She moved into what looked to be an amateur defensive position, shakily holding the dagger up towards me.

Me... who was still frozen in shock over what the hell was happening.

Because my mind was trying to piece together what she was saying... why she suddenly wanted to attack me...

and the reason slowly dawned on me.

My family, the pack | must have once belonged to....

I was... a Devil of the Mist.

The spack who had gone to war with Ashwood, who had apparently caused countless deaths and tarnished their traditions. Who were all allegedly insane.

...The ones who had caused the death of Kieran’s mother.

But there were bits | didn’t understand.

Allison was talking about ssort of manipulation... only | wasn’t sure what that meant. | couldn't remember ever doing such a thing.

Maybe she was mistaken or... or | was like sdistant, twice removed cousin. Maybe | didn’t even share the sblood and was just a child of someone married into the family name.

...Though I'm not sure if that mattered right now.

Because it was clear that Allison had made up her mind... and she took a few steps towards me.

“Allison... don’t do this,” | warned. “I don’t want to accidentally hurt you.” But she merely screamed atangrily.

“Enough! That aura around you... That presence of reverence. Adoration. I'd thought this whole tthat you were just easy to get along with, somehow feeling as if we were always meant to be best friends. Sisters. But it’s... it’s all a lie. Everything.” “I'm not intentionally doing anything, Allison, | swear.” “Were you even my brother's mate or was that just another trick? Does he know? Did you bewitch him as well, Child of the Siren?” She was getting closer and closer now, too close for comfort. Soon, | would run out of room within the small space of the archives. A situation that would demand a decision being made.

...Fight or flight.

Neither of which felt right.

“Stop, Allison, please.” But as my back then hit a shelf, | knew it was too late.

She approachedslowly, her intention clear, and moved to strike. A sloppy attempt if | ever saw one, but I did my best to dodge it, using the book still in my hand as a shield.

“Die Devil!” she screamed at me, forcingto push her away.

A little too strong as she almost fell.

What the hell was | meant to do here? Attack her? She was blocking the exit now so running would mean more conflict.

However, as the archives door then swung open, | was relieved to see the guard, Finn, cto hopefully intervene.

“What's going on here?” he asked, shocked by the sight he was seeing. “Allison? What are you...” }) “Help me, plea-.” But during my focus on the guard, | hadn't paid attention to Allison's advance. And before I could plead for assistance, her dagger then cswiping towards me. Something | didn’t have tto properly deflect... and | caught the blade in my hand.

“Fuck!” | cried in pain, persevering through it to pull it out of her hand.

The cut was deep as my blood began to flow, but it had been worth it. At least I'd disarmed her for now.

“She’s a Devil of the Mist!” Allison yelled to the guard. “Her real nis Rheyna Knight. This entire tshe’s been deceiving us with her siren’s call.” “I haven't been doing anything!” I argued. | didn’t even know what The Mist was prior to a few days ago. Please, you have to help me. Allison has gone insane. She’s-." But it seemed my pleas fell on deaf ears as Finn's face immediately changed. A darkness falling over him as he listened to Allison's words.

“A Devil...,” he said, taking a step closer, and | cursed under my breath.

...I was screwed. Based on this reaction, it was clear that it wasn’t just Allison who would prove to be a problem once the information got out.

And | knew that this was it. | was done.

Ashwood was no longer safe for me.

And now...

Now | needed to leave. Leave quickly and hopefully with my head still attached.

A gasp left Allison's lips then, drawing my attention back over to her, and | found her staring at my hand.

“It's true... the stories are true,” she said. ” Look! Look how her hand has already stopped bleeding! Her cut was dealt by a dagger of blessed silver. Such an injury should take hours before our ability to heal works. And yet for her, merely minutes were needed. Only Devil's have been known to withstand the effects of silver.” “Allison! You're crazy! Your fucking uncle was poisoningwith blessed silver suppressors for years. I've been on medication to counter it ever since | arrived at Ashwood. It’s probably just helping the process along by still being in my system.’ “Lies!” she screamed, and she tried to grab atagain.

Only... only this tI'd had enough.

I knew now that there was only one way out of this, and it entailed getting the hell out of here by any means.

And so, with one injured hand, the other holding a book and dagger, | did what | had to....

| dodged her attack... and countered with a kick to her gut, sending her flying backwards.

“Allison!” Finn yelled.

And his face then turned to me, a warning growl rumbling through him as he walked forward.

“Please... | don’t want to hurt anyone,” | said. “Just letgo and I'll leave. | promise.” “Devil... You will not be leaving here alive,” he said, and he charged towards me.

Goddammit.

He wasn't like Allison, a girl who had clearly never experienced any sort of combat herself. Finn was a warrior, someone | assumed had probably trained with Kieran at spoint.

| did my best to avoid his attacks, manoeuvring around them, but | knew at spoint | would either need to counter or make a run for it.

And as | quickly brought my hand up to prevent a jab from hitting my shoulder, it momentarily leftin a defenceless position. Because the wound instantly opened back up, causingto cry out in pain. This was my first texperiencing a silver weapon's cut and | hadn't anticipated its full painful effects.

However, in the second of my lapse, Finn immediately took advantage to graband throwto the ground, using his weight to then keepthat way.

“Letgo...,” | struggled.

But, of course, that wouldn't work.

“You'll stay here until the Alpha arrives,” he said, pulling something out of his pocket.

And | caught a glimpse of the shiny silver cuffs as they cout, dangling with a threat before my eyes.

| couldn't let him put those on me. Whatever else happened, | could not allow him to use those. All hope of escape would be lost.

My breathing quickened in panic, my body continuing to squirm. But there was nothing | could do against him.

He hadperfectly positioned under him to rendercompletely helpless.

“Letgo... please, letgo...,” | continued to beg.

But he was trying to turnover onto my stomach now, the intention of placing the cuffs on me.

...And something insidethen clicked.

A calm washed over me... my body stilled....

...and | looked up at the eyes of the guard as instinct took over.

“*¥Letgo, Finn*,” | said in a foreign feeling voice. “* Let go ofright now*.” And as his eyes seemed to relax, he proceeded to move off me.

Just as I'd asked.

I didn't waste tquestioning why it happened. Instead, | quickly got back onto my feet, grabbing the dagger and book from the floor.

I knew | needed to leave. Now.

And with one final look behind me, | dashed out the door. Just as | saw Allison getting slowly back onto her feet.

This was a race against tnow. | needed to get to the bedroom, grab Kieran'’s car keys, and make it back to the car before she could start a witch hunt.

... My chances were looking grim. No, in fact, they were looking downright impossible. But | had to try. That's all | could do.

| speedily walked through the packhouse hallways, doing my best not to draw too much attention to myself.

Something easier said than done as | attracted a lot of attention anyway. Most likely from the blood stains covering my hand and clothes.

| thought I'd successfully gotten away with it though as | cto the last staircase, the one to lead to Kieran's room. But it was as | was about to ascend that | heard something behind me.

“Miss Raven,” ca small voice.

| spun around defensively but only found a young attendant there.

“Miss... you seem to be bleeding. Can | get you anything?” And | looked down at my hand. “Oh... this? No, it's okay. | was just trying to cut sfruit to eat but I hurt myself by accident. It's already healing, see?” But their brows were still creased. “No, | was actually referring to your nosebleed. Would you like a tissue?” Confused, | brought a hand up to my nose and, sure enough, there was blood trickling down. Odd. I'd never had anything like that happen before.

“Oh um. No, I'm fine. I have tissues in my room. Thank you though.” “Okay, how about some-.” But before they could ask another question, | quickly turned back around to climb up the stairs. | couldnt afford to risk wasting any more time, even if the behaviour might have seemed slightly odd. Hopefully not bizarre enough to be worth mentioning to others.

Once | was finally on the private floor though, | sprinted to Kieran’s room, swinging open the door... and froze for a second.

His scent hitimmediately, it clinging to the space he lived in. His clothes, his bed, his possessions... all of it remindedof him. It threatened to makefinally break down, to cry and give up. Because | knew that this was goodbye... and, if he was just like his sister, he would hateafter today.

| cried out loudly in a mixture of anger and sadness. Just one short sound to help push aside my feelings and focus. Because | needed to survive this. | needed to escape. There were more important things right now than farewells.

And so | quickly grabbed his car keys, leaving everything else behind.

But | should have known that it could never be that easy.

For when | turned back around to leave, it was then that my eyes met theirs.

Met his.

Standing in the doorway, watchingwith confusion as he took in my appearance; dishevelled and bleeding, his car keys in hand.

“...Rae?” he asked softly.

... And my heart broke at hearing his voice.