A Gift from the Goddess by Dawn Rosewood
Chapter 80
Chapter Eighty
“No...,” I whispered, the words choking out of my throat.
Almost a whole day. I‘d slept for almost a whole day. My vision hadn‘t taken place just after sun*set*, it had been just before sun*rise*. And now an hour or so had already passed since then.
I felt myself go completely numb, releasing Lucy‘s hand from my grip.
There was a crumbling beginning within me. Like I was falling... falling into an Abyss that was completely o f my own making. One that was a hole I‘d been desperately trying to swim away from these last four years, trying so goddamn hard to believe that there was still good in people. That even though I had been rejected, killed and abandoned by everyone around me, that there was still potential for people to do better. That I could do better.
And now it seemed the final betrayal had embedded its dagger. The one I knew I wouldn‘t ever survive. And, apparently, neither would my parents.
... There was no one left.‘
...No one.
...I was alone.‘
Just as fate seemed to have always planned for me.
And everything felt... so empty.
“Oh... I didn‘t… I didn‘t realise,” I whispered to myself in a daze, the world slowly moving around me.
“Miss...?”
“...I didn‘t realise we were playing that sort of game.”
... Ready to do this my way?‘ My prior self‘s voice then whispered in my head, offering to give me the support I so desperately craved right now.
It was the kind of help I would have instantly turned down before... but now?
Honestly, I was starting to wonder why I‘d been so opposed the entire time. She had managed to endure years of hell, doing whatever it took to survive and prove her worth. If anyone knew how to keep working when it felt like the world was falling apart, it was her. Only she possessed the strength I would need now.
...What did I even have to lose anymore? Myra? Cai? My parents?
And I felt myself slip deeper into the hole inside.
“There‘s something I need to tell you but I...,” Lucy said to me, disjointedly. “But I–I can‘t, I‘m sorry... –.”
“It‘s okay,” I said, stopping her, my body quickly becoming calm. “I already know he ordered you to stay quiet about what happened in the hospital. I already know about....”
I couldn‘t finish my sentence though. Speaking of my parent‘s demise still felt wrong.
Surprise crossed Lucy‘s features, my knowledge taking her aback since there was no way I should have known.
“Miss? How do you...?”
“Don‘t worry about that. We have bigger things to concern ourselves with now and I need your full concentration.”
Without waiting, I then walked over to where Lucy had laid out the outfit I was going to wear today and began changing tugging on the long sleeve dress over my head.
“But the plan is ruined,” she objected. “Plan A is now far too risky and Plan B is...”
Her voice choked to a stop as the Alpha order constricted her. But I didn‘t need her to elaborate. I already knew what she was trying to say.
Plan A would now mean ordering not just one, but two Alpha bloods. A feat I wasn‘t sure I was capable of pulling off even when it had just been for Tytus with wolfsbane in his system.
you‘re right,” I said, fastening the finishing touches to my attire. “Which is exactly why we‘re going ahead with Pian C.
Miss? Plan C? You never mentioned there was a Plan C.”
Contact Iris. Tell her it’s time,” I instructed, proceeding to grab the last of everything I needed.
The reason Lucy didn‘t know about Plan C was because no one knew about it except for me.
It was something I‘d come up with at the same time I had the others. A plan I had continually pushed away, knowing it shouldn‘t ever be used, knowing it was something that only *shet would do. However, it wasn‘t a backup for if I failed to order Tytus, or if Aleric failed to challenge him.
No, it was what I‘d come up with for in the event the worst–case scenario happened, the absolute point of all else failing
It was a plan that had to be completely hidden from everyone else in order for it to work. The ultimate trump card, the final stand. I had never wanted to resort to it, let alone consider implementing it. But I had prepared for it nonetheless.
Because Plan C was for in the event Aleric betrayed me.
End suddenly I found myself in that very position.
Contrary to Aleric‘s request, I did not seek him out before the meeting.
From everything Lucy was forbidden from telling me, yet everything I had already witnessed myself anyway, I knew it was too dangerous. Who wouldn‘t be expecting some sort of trap?
After all, if he could kill my parents so easily then what else was he capable of? He‘d deliberately chosen not to challenge Tytus once the order came through, showing his alliance to him over me. Hell, he most
the information about the poisoning to begin
made his message clear....
take his succession naturally, not by force alongside
him making the first move. But there was
the motives wasn‘t going to bring my
it was all over. On even the slightest chance that Aleric really was planning something before the meeting I couldn‘t risk seeking him out
Chapter Eighty
oblivious to what had transpired the night before was only going to work in
spot for too long, never giving in to the pain threatening to fester within me. Every single second of today was going to
then, finally, it was time
doors of the meeting hall as I entered and the entire room
hear what they were saying but I didn‘t need to. Their faces said it all... Sympathy, sadness... caution, disgust. It seemed I was once again the daughter of a traitor; this scenario being one I was already painfully familiar with.
I walked over to where Aleric stood, refusing to meet his eyes.
I felt was
who was left to
hissed in a low
a few Elders turned their
on my face and pulled my arm free of his grasp. The same hands that had
greeted back loudly so the entire room would hear. “It‘s good to see you. Apologies, I‘ve been a little busy this morning. But what‘s a few hours when we have our entire lives
voice inside me
“What are you–”
the conversation, and I looked up as the man
tried to force us into a union… and then had
everyone. You may be seated,” Tytus said as he walked to
table then all sat back down, filling the space around him. Or, at least they did for all
Tytus said to the council and warriors present. “However, it is with a heavy heart that I
‘Lies.‘
actually give a shit
plan to poison me during a routine doctor‘s appointment. Upon ordering the arrest of the individual
****
pace Bettid Mootout I could feel everyone‘s eyes on me but I refused to
the everything from me, they would not get this.
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tuetta yo
h e
am truly sorry for your loss and that it happenel4g/ l focused on mine. “Naturally, I have some questions for
head respectfully “side the o dedication you put into this pack. And whilst, of course, numer realise their
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“I know we have had hope you feel you can come
more, acknowledging his olles which, 10 latxa better word, was suggesting he replace my parents.
you 21001a
“Let‘s get this over with these were Aria is itching to get the collar off after all of these months and believe the statt off either.”
thump... My chesi began
laceho ang
Tyus stant approaching me, walking with intent as he
key...
*Thump, thump*...
next to me, desperate to get my
for anything he could possibly say to me now. Therboot would be
Sinking ever deeper...
further and further into the hole inside...
was no turning back now as I relinquished myself over
as he moved his hands
made quick work of the
times, the
suddenly I
next to me with a
with the mass amount of energy that poured through me, and
long severely deprived of my natural abilities, the difference in my strength was extremely noticeable. Noticeable enough that I
different than from even before. All these months I‘d trained with a resuaint that essentially made me human, forcing me to work harder to get results. Now it appeared
Chapter Eighty
than ever before.
long though as a shiver of nausea then quickly travelled up my spine, chasing right behind the
exactly what it was.
didn‘t have
go ahead,” Tytus instructed, gesturing