“How?” I whisper.
“Your mother visits my realm often,” Sariya says gently. “Since I’m not only a queen, but also a goddess who harnesses the power of light, spirits from the realm you mortals call Heaven often come by here every now and then. The moment I saw you, I knew exactly who you were, and I called for her.”
I look at Sariya, tears pooling in my eyes. “You called her here?”
She nods, smiling softly. “Take it as a wedding gift from me. Now go, speak with your mother. She cannot stay long, unfortunately.”
I stand on wobbly legs and run into my mother’s arms, sobbing into her shoulder as she wraps me in her embrace. She feels real. Solid. Warm. Her sweet comforting scent wraps around me and I break all over again.
“I’ve missed you so much, Mom,” I cry.
“And I’ve missed you, my little sunshine. I’ve been watching when I can, I promise.” She pulls back, cupping my face with both hands. “What is this I hear of marriage?”
“About that…”
We sit beneath the pavilion,the sunlight casting a halo around her as if she truly were an angel. I tell her everything—my dad’s soul bargain, Korithax, our deal, and the fact I’m going to become immortal. She listens without interrupting, her eyes pinned on me.
“So… you’re marrying for a business transaction?” She asks, her eyebrow quirked.
“I guess you could call it that,” I say with a weak smile.
She exhales slowly. “Daisy Duke, I swear if I could, I’d strangle your father right now.”
I laugh softly, keeping her hand firmly in mine, afraid that if I let go, she’ll vanish. “It’s okay. I suppose in a strange way if all of this hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have gotten to see you again. That alone makes every bit of suffering I’ve endured worth it.”
Her eyes shimmer with emotion. “I would’ve waited on the other side for as long as it took so I could greet you when it was time. I guess I’ll be waiting quite a bit longer now.” She laughs gently.
I smile through fresh tears. “If you can visit here, can you visit me in Hell?”
She shakes her head, sorrow flickering across her features. “No, my love. Korithax isn’t a God of light, and it takes atremendous amount of energy to leave the other side. I come sometimes when I want a change of scenery, but I have to rest for so long afterwards. But when Sariya called, I knew it was important. I never imagined I’d see you here. It’s strange, isn’t it? How all of this exists, and most mortals never know until they die.”
“What’s it like… on the other side?”
She smiles wistfully. “That, I can’t tell you. But it’s beautiful. Peaceful.”
“And you’re happy?” I ask, my lip trembling.
“As happy as I can be without my baby girl. But the cancer’s gone, and I’m not in pain.”
I laugh gently through a sob. “I see you got your hair back.”
She grins, running her fingers through her thick waves. “Came back the moment I crossed over. Like it had never even fallen out.”
The weight in my chest lifts just a little. I’m so glad that she wasn’t suffering anymore and that her golden locks had returned. She looked exactly like she had before the cancer took over. Her radiance was a rival to Sariya’s. Even when she was alive, she was so angelic, so bright.
“I have to go soon, Daisy,” she says softly, pulling me into another hug. “But please, try to be happy. For me. I know life has been hard for you since I left, and I’m so sorry. But you are so incredible, and you deserve the world. I hope Korithax treats you like the queen you are.”
I scoff. “Fat chance of that happening. He can’t stand me.”
“That’s not true, sweet girl. You’ll see in time how he truly feels. He hides behind anger and fear, but there are big things coming your way. You are more than you ever imagined. You’re going to change everything, my little sunshine, and I am so excited to watch.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
She smiles, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You’ll see, my darling girl.”
She looks up to where she had initially entered the pavilion, a soft glow now pulsing there. “I have to go. But remember—I’m always watching. And if you return to Solara, I’ll find a way to say hello.”
“Wait. But if you knew everything, why did you ask?” I ask, confusion wracking my brain.
