41. Lia
41
Lia
A ll my life, I’ve pretended.
Pretended to be powerful when I had no power. Pretended to be the perfect daughter of a ruthless matriarch when all I felt was damaged. Pretended to be the queen bee—confident, untouchable, in control—when deep down, I was terrified people would see the real me.
Now? I can’t pretend anymore. I am completely and utterly broken.
It’s been three months since I was freed from Goddess Eris’s hold.
Three months of pure agony.
I spent the first few weeks living at the mansion with Evelyn and her mates. She was radiantly happy and deserved all the love in the world. But I didn’t quite fit in.
I needed space.
So I moved to Evelyn’s parents’ old home, hoping to find some peace. Instead, I found myself living on the edge of what once had been the Luminary Coven—a constant reminder of everything that happened.
Turns out, people don’t welcome you with open arms when you’re the face of a near-magical apocalypse.
But it wasn’t just the people or the memories and the torture my mom put me through.
The black magic that had been poured into me wasn’t meant to be temporary. It was designed to mold my body into something that could sustain the energy of a goddess. Even with her gone, the magic hadn’t left.
Something inside me didn’t feel right.
The darkness was still there.
It was alive, coiled deep within me, and it wanted out.
I wished I hadn’t been reborn, that I’d stayed in the Shadow Realm. Living like that, with a darkness that consumed my every moment, has been pure torture.
I needed to leave.
I needed to get away because that darkness was growing. And I didn’t know what would happen when it finally broke free.