A Gift from the Goddess

Chapter Twenty-Five 

His shining eyes stared directly at me and I had to fight the urge to look behind to see if someone else was standing there. But no, I could feel the touch of his hand against my cheek, even the warmth emanating off his skin. This was real, he could see me.

“Aria…,” he said weakly.

“I’m here,” I replied.

I wasn’t sure how to react. I was still unnerved by the whole situation. All I could do was stare down at him confused and uncertain. Was this part of the vision or had something changed? “…Aria,” he called again. “Cai? Can you see me?”

I wrapped my fingers around the hand he was using to touch my cheek Maybe he was too weak to see me.

“.Aria.” 

I frowned at him. It was starting to feel more than just being unable to see me as he persisted i n trying to call out for me.

“Can’t you hear me? I’m right here.”

His eyes continued to bore into mine intensely before, finally, it was like he saw me. I watched as his expression changed to one of worry.

How could he be worried about me? He was the one who was dying.

“Aria… wake up.” “What....?” 

Wake… up? 

was just like in my vision, I could feel his hand was on my cheek as a few tears had escaped my eyes. Had he actually not seen me as held laid dying then? Was it just a mesh of the two realities as they transitioned? It had already been a frightening ordeal having to confront him like that without the added fourth wall

having to witness it for myself. I couldn’t do this anymore. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his torso, pulling him down towards me. He had to act quickly to use his arms to support himself so he didn‘t completely crush me during the sudden embrace. I didn’t care though. He couldn‘t

child. I already knew that was his fate if nothing were to change, I didn‘t need to be reminded. This wasn’t like Myra where being able to see it happen in

him, allowing for us both to sit up. My eyes were painfully sore and puffy,

“I’m sorry…,” I mumbled.

mentioned that already once or twice… or ten times,”

half–smile he gave me

“I’m fine now, really. I’m sorry for worrying you.” I did my best to give him the best reassuring smile I could manage. “Aria! Enough,” he suddenly said loudly, a tone of annoyance in his words. “You’re clearly not fine. Stop feeding me that same bullshit line. You weren’t fine with Aleric and you’re not fine with whatever hell that was. If you don‘t tell me then I‘m marching

paled. If he took me to my mother then she would lock me up in the hospital for a few days in order to conduct extensive tests. And I could see I’d upset Cai, my chest tightening with the guilt of seeing him like that. He was worried and wanted to know what was wrong. I owed him at least some

took a deep breath. “It’s the Goddess mark,” I said

to mind and I shuddered. I couldn‘t tell him. If I told them then I would need to explain my rebirth and it was something I wasn’t ready to talk about with

by the way, Cai, I saw your death. Sorry about that. It was my bad? I‘d either sound completely insane or, if he did somehow believe me, he would probably

ready to talk about it,” I said finally. “I really am sorry. I hope that this

questions. “Just… believe me when I

I somehow didn’t get assassinated by someone before my coming of age, then it would need to be classed as a miracle. This mark prevented me from ever being able

but he finally agreed to leave it at that for now, having realised that I

already done, and he had even given me a new strict diet plan. I gave it to the cook at my house and told them to keep it quiet from my parents in exchange for a pay rise. Finally, a few days into my mandatory bed

and an uneasy looking Lucy came walking in. I was confused about what she

organising most of the things you’ve asked for, ”