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“There’s always a choice, Althea, and you chose it,” he reminds me. “But you’re right. Some things are born with destinies, and I think you were.”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
ALTHEA
Reve is right, and I find myself perched in the informal sitting room—the one they brought me to when I first woke up. I hold a cup of warm tea in my hands, thanks to Conall, and my feet rest in Nathair’s lap as the others sit patiently, curious as they watch me. Reve stands behind me, leaning casually against the wall.
“I had a dream.”
“That is how all good stories start.” Reve snorts.
I throw him a grin as Nathair sighs.
“This wasn’t like any I’ve ever had before. I saw a god. The god. Our god,” I tell them, and there’s a moment of silence, so I rush ahead. “He told me he selected me himself, and that I’ve been chosen to work with you, to . . . to save our race.”
Nathair just blinks, the only crack in his composure.
“I know how crazy that sounds—”
“Not as much as you would think. Gods are known for being dramatic, and they often meddle,” Nathair murmurs.
“Yes, well, he gave me his power. He . . . He’s dead.” The room falls into silence once more. “He said we need to cleanse our race, that we are . . . changing and becoming evil. He said that was always the plan, and why you were brought back, so we could do that together. This feels bigger than judging. It’s as if we are on a clock that’s ticking down, and if we don’t save them, we are all doomed.”
“In what way?” Nathair asks, no doubt speaking for them all. I can feel their minds working against mine.
“I don’t know, he wasn’t specific, but it was a feeling I got.” I cannot bring myself to tell them that he called me a queen of monsters.
“Could you show us?” Nathair requests. “It might be easier. Reve can help you.”
I nod hesitantly, looking at Reve.
“I will not delve deeper than I have to. I will, however, have to put you to sleep to retrieve it.” Reve’s hand strokes my face.
I put the cup down and curl up. “Do it,” I murmur with trust in my voice, and before I know it, I am back in my dream, but this time I feel the others watching like a movie. I can see myself and the god, but it’s as if I am far away from it all, and suddenly, everything pops back into reality as I sit up, gasping.
Reve strokes my hair from my face and crouches before me as he searches my gaze. “Queen of nightmares.” He grins. “It has a ring to it.”
“I often wondered about our purpose. It couldn’t have simply been to try and hold back the tide of evil, but we weren’t enough. Now, though, I understand that we were waiting for you to complete us,” Nathair whispers. “He has given you a great gift, Althea. We will need to help you control it. In the meantime, I will think on what I have seen, but one thing is clear—this is bigger than all of us.” He meets everyone’s gazes. “We must continue our work, faster and bigger than ever before. Thea is right. I feel the ticking clocks. I want us to fall back into our routine. Thea, we will work with you on your new powers because unfortunately, unlike the rest of us who have had years to hone them, you will not.”
I nod in understanding, feeling a little overwhelmed. I mean, a god, our god, asked me to save our race and then gave me his power. I’m no one. I’m a dead girl surrounded by the most powerful, beautiful vampires, and I’m supposed to . . . save everyone?
It sounds like some cliché YA books I used to read, just with more death, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers.
“Shh, I see your mind whirling, Althea. It is not as scary as it seems, and you have us. We will move one chess piece at a time, that is all,” Nathair promises, squeezing my foot. “Everyone else, we know what we need to do.”
The others give me small smiles and hurry away, leaving me with Nathair and Reve. “I’m going to research more into the god and see what powers we can expect.” Nathair leans in. “Stay here and rest. Even if you don’t think you do, your body needs it. Between being chosen and now receiving more gifts, it is probably overloaded right now.”
“I feel—”
“It wasn’t a request, Althea, I will always give you a choice, but in regard to your well-being? It’s an order. Rest.” He kisses my head softly as he rises and takes Reve with him, leaving me with warm tea, fire, and nothing else to do.
I’m supposed to be the hero or some bullshit, yet I feel useless. They have had years to accept this life and their job, but I’ve had a day, and now I’m supposed to help them stop our race from being destroyed by their own evil misdeeds?
Maybe Nathair is right. I need to rest, figure out what I feel, and let my body come to terms with everything. All I seem to be doing is lying around, but I felt his determination. He will chain me here if he must to force me to heal.
Now that I focus on it fully, I do feel my body still knitting itself together after the damage of dying and the poison in my blood. It’s like a fresh scar, healed but still tender, so I will do as I’m told this once. I sip the tea and laze around, and before I know it, I’m drifting off to sleep once more, lost in memories and futures that are not my own.
* * *
