Chapter 19 You Are Not Alone
Chapter Nineteen
You Are Not Alone
NORA
The sunlight trickles in through the curtains, so I clamp my eyes closed, wishing today they hadn’t opened at all.
Thoughts of crimson eyes, black blood and glowing daggers pierce through the foggy haze of the night before.
I should be waking up with Ere wrapped around me, his warm arms keeping me safe.
Instead, my sister and best friend are taking up most of the bed and leaving me with nothing to keep me warm, not even my thin top sheet.
I miss him. The way he smells in the morning and the way his lips curve up the moment our eyes meet.
I roll onto my side and grab my phone off the nightstand.
No missed calls. Not one text from him. He always texts me good morning when he’s away.
God, what the hell am I supposed to do now?
He keeps me together when I’m on the verge of falling apart and reminds me that if I do, it’ll be okay.
My fingers hover over the keyboard as I pull up our texts and then slowly I type the only thing I can think of to say.
Please just tell me you’re okay. I miss you.
I hit the side button and let the screen die, putting my phone face down on my nightstand. I’m sure I’ll hear from him soon. We have to be okay. I refuse to lose another person I love.
The smell of cinnamon, warm maple syrup and fresh bacon hits me and my stomach growls. After all the craziness that happened last night and never having a chance to eat, I’m starving.
“Who is cooking breakfast so early? It smells delicious.” Olivia inhales deep and smiles, then meets my gaze and sadness flashes behind her glossy eyes. “Morning, sis. You okay?” She sits up and pushes the covers down past her feet, nudging Hekate awake.
Hekate groans dramatically and tugs the blanket over her head. “That would be Kairos. He wants to talk to you this morning, Nor. I told him Liv and I would make ourselves busy.” She tosses the blanket off and stands, her icy hair still wavy and perfect.
“Hekate, you’re making the rest of us look bad. We just woke up and we drank a shit ton of alcohol last night. Liv and I look like complete shit, and you,” I wave my hands in her direction, grimacing as I do. “You always look so god damn perfect. It’s really not fair.”
Olivia smacks me in the head with one of my feathery, plush pillows, and I nearly sway right out of bed.
Hekate and her both fall into fits of laughter immediately after.
“Speak for yourself, Nor. Besides, she’s a witch and a queen.
I bet she uses her power to stay this beautiful.
She’s hundreds of years old. An old crone probably lives under all that magic.
” My sister dodges and rolls out of bed as Hekate’s mouth pops open and she attempts to smack her dead in the face with a pillow.
We laugh, but it doesn’t last long. Once we’re all out of bed and facing the reality of the day, the momentary joy quickly fades.
“Have you heard from Ere?” Liv stands by my side as I rummage through my dresser and pull out a pair of black leggings and a faded grey band t-shirt.
I shake my head. “Nope. I texted him when I woke up, but…” I shrug, having nothing else to say.
Olivia lays her head against mine and wraps both arms around my shoulders.
“It’ll all work itself out. Everything Hekate and Kairos told you is insane.
I’m having a hard time accepting it all myself, so I can’t imagine how you’re feeling.
I’m sorry I didn’t believe you before. About mom and dad, I mean.
I should have believed you.” Sighing, she lifts her head to look at me. “I’m here if you need to talk, okay?”
I swallow thickly, taking a deep breath as I loop my arm around her waist. “Thank you,” I smile up at her, searching her too calm eyes. “Does any of this scare you as much as it does me?”
She huffs a laugh, her eyes widening. “It scares the shit out of me, Nor. Not the magic or the immortals or even the monsters that apparently haunt the island, just the thought of something happening to you is what scares me.” Her arms drop to her sides, and her bright blue eyes glisten.
“All we can do is believe everything will be okay.” She shrugs, forcing a smile and turning away.
Hekate pushes the bathroom door open and looks at me and then my sister.
“Bromios is waiting for us, Liv. I finally accepted his invitation to have breakfast together after fifty times of being asked, but to his shock and disappointment, I’ll be bringing you along.
” She smiles wide and proud, clasping her hands behind her back and swaying side to side, brimming with excitement.
Olivia shakes her head but laughs. “That’s cruel. Hilarious, but cruel. This will one hundred percent ruin his day, and possibly destroy his confidence,” she says, opening the bedroom door and stepping into the hall.
Hekate winks at her and follows close at her heels. “I’m counting on that, friend. I truly hope you’re right.”
Their laughter echoes down the hall, and as much as I love to see them enjoying themselves the best they can, I close the door and press my back against it.
Gazing off into nothing, I force deep breaths in and out of my lungs, slowly counting to ten.
What would Dr. Cooper say now if he knew of my current situation?
If I told him a dark queen had plagued my mind and was responsible for all the dark thoughts and suicide attempts this past year?
I laugh to myself imagining the way he’d look at me, his thick eyebrows slanting in concern, his black glasses falling down his nose as he leans forward to tell me I’ve gone mad.
Shaking the thoughts away, I quickly clean up in the bathroom and change, brushing my teeth vigorously to get the taste of tequila from my tongue.
I put on a brave face and open my bedroom door, holding my head high as I scan the hall and then the living room for any winged immortals.
I walk past the kitchen to my right, and no one is there.
Then I check Olivia’s room and Hekate and her are already gone.
I shut her door and then turn around slowly, slamming into something large and hard in the process.
My eyes drift up, hesitant and slow, and bright green eyes meet mine.
That crooked smile sends my treacherous little heart fluttering.
“H-Hi.” My stuttering only makes his smile grow wider, the crooked edges curving into a full-on grin.
“Good morning, princess,” he replies, bowing his head and placing the sparkly pink crown on my head from the night before.
Fuck. He’s hot and funny? If it were any other time and I hadn’t just had my heart crushed to pieces, I’d say I’m done for. But I’m not in the mood.
“Ha-ha. Very funny.” I roll my eyes, pressing my palms against his chest and pushing past him to inspect what’s happening in my kitchen. “You made all of this for me?” I glance his way and his deliberate, slow steps are like that of an animal stalking its prey.
Fuck. I don’t hate it. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as he approaches behind me.
His warm breath tickles my ear. “Who said I made you breakfast, princess? This is all for me.”
There are piles of pancakes, omelets, and bacon on plates along the counter, and bowls of fruit piled so high they’re nearly toppling over.
I shake my head and move past him, leaning against the island as I watch him flip the bubbly pancake in the pan.
He glances over his shoulder to wink in my direction, then faces me fully and leans against the marble counter.
“You had a rough night. I wanted to do something nice, that’s all.” He shrugs, his knuckles turning white as he grips the counter behind him.
“Where are your wings?”
“Your sister just couldn’t resist trying to touch them, so I glamoured them.” He leans forward and whispers, “I think she likes me.”
I roll my eyes. “She is obsessed with magical, weird things, so that tracks.” I look him up and down and give him a teasing smile.
“How are you feeling about all of this, Nora?” His eyes pierce mine. “Knowing you are to be like me one day? You’ll have wings of your own, though mine are nothing compared to yours. Yours will be amazing,” he breathes, his smile returning.
How do I feel? Confused. Terrified. So absolutely lost that I don’t know where to begin with all the questions I have for him.
It’s unbelievable. A part of me wonders if I’ve fully lost my mind and spiraled into a long-term hallucination.
How can I be a divine, powerful being with my depression and pain and darkness?
“I’m not sure how I feel. It’s a lot to take in.” I push off the counter and straighten, but my body sways side to side. My vision blurs and my head spins as dizziness crashes into me.
Weightlessness hits me and I feel myself beginning to fall. Kairos disappears and then reappears by my side, wrapping a steady arm around my waist as he guides me to my favorite plush couch. He sits right next to me, his face only inches away. His arm supports my back as he waits for me to recover.
“That was unbelievable. You disappeared into thin air like you were never even there. How did you…”
“If you stick around long enough, you’ll see many more unbelievable things.
There is so much magic in the world. So much beauty you’ve yet to uncover.
You have more magic and light within you than you can imagine.
I am nothing compared to what you will be.
You, Nora, are destined to bring an end to darkness.
You’ll be the savior of the realms.” His blonde locks of hair cascade over his eyes, and I fight the urge to reach out and brush them away.
Beauty like his should never be hidden.
“That’s a lot to ask from someone who has no power,” I breathe, smiling despite the heaviness of his words.
Reaching out, he tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “There’s no need to worry yourself over it now.”