Chapter 1 #2
If I wasn’t already dead, I’d think I had just died and gone to Heaven because there are actual real angels with huge, white wings flying around the aqua-blue sky.
Mountains of glowing white structures and high balconies stretch up toward the few bright-white clouds spread out like a perfect pattern.
I think this is the place that Hack called Ryetoh because it’s glorious.
The land has an almost ethereal blue glow and energy radiates from every shiny glass surface.
I’ve been standing here for longer than a few seconds and the horny demon hasn’t followed me, so maybe he can’t?
That’s good information to have for when I need to evade him again, which I have no doubt will happen.
Although, I came here by mistake so I’ll have to figure out how to do it intentionally next time.
The ache in my gut tugs at me and I double over, clutching at my stomach to try and ease the pain that has expanded from my heart because I can’t see Hack. Soon, I have no doubt that it will consume my entire body.
It’s only been a matter of minutes since the whole capture attempt, and I’m not always the stupid girl that runs into danger, so I’m going to sit this one out.
I’ll wait here for a couple of hours, endure the pain of being away from Hack, then I’ll follow the pull in my chest to get back to my love…
where I can endure more pain as I watch him fall apart.
Ugh, being dead sucks.
If I could sleep, I’d do that. It makes time go faster and pain grow tamer.
But no. Sleep evades me like I’m trying to evade the horned demon.
Oh, I’ve tried, many times, but it’s impossible.
It seems floating around after Hack—with the new addition of escaping the demon trying to capture me—is my existence now, forever locked into the pain of what losing me causes him.
Forever cursed to watch as the demon I would die for—ha, I’m funny—crumbles into a pit of self destruction.
If I don’t find ways to lighten my situation, I fear I’ll spend my days in a deep depression, and that won’t solve anything.
I have tried to sense Danika a few times, hoping to see her one last time before I resurrect, but when I try, this sensation of being pushed back and crushed overwhelms me, so I quit because yeah, I’m dead, but that shit hurts more than the pain of simply being away from Hack.
There was one attempt that made me believe I’m not a total loser at being dead, because while I wasn’t transported directly to Danika, there was a time I was directed to Desdemon.
After finding him fucking a woman with three fox-like tails over a bed of nails, I vowed never to pop in on Desdemon again. It was not my finest moment since I’ve been a spirit. That being said, finding Danika is like trying to find Waldo in a romance novel—not happening.
“Hi, are you Sage Bayley?”
Ah, fuck.
I look up from where I’m sitting on the lushest green grass to ever exist, finding the most stunning woman. A large pair of golden wings are spread out to either side of her and her horns are much neater than the demon’s. Plus, she only has two.
“Yes.” I debated lying but it wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
“I am Valkyrie Marshall Gwendia. Would you come with me?”
The words say question, but her tone says order, and I’m confused as to whether to trust her. I’m also a little in awe of how she just introduced herself. A freaking valkyrie?! Her voice is like soft baby kisses on your cheek and I’m finding it difficult to deny her request…demand.
A huff of breath makes my chest visibly rise and fall—I guess I can still breathe—and I stand, resigned to my never-ending fate. I get the impression I’ll be on the run more than I get to be with Hack now that they seem to have a lock on me.
Gwendia’s smile is contagious and I can’t help grinning back at her as I begin to follow her toward a large, white cave in the side of one of the many mountains. That nauseous feeling of travelling through a portal hits me before we come out into what I can only describe as mother trucking Olympus.
There are a lot of similarities with the place with all the angels, only there are a lot more decorative columns and gold accents on the few large buildings that can be seen.
“This is Hekate’s palace. Follow me, Lady Sage.” Gwendia doesn’t pause or check to see if I’m following; not that she needs to because of course I am.
My curiosity is ramping up by the second. Like, why hasn’t she grabbed me and turned me into a glowing light yet? Why aren’t we going to the Great Library? And why the fudge is she calling me Lady Sage?
“Can you tell me why we’re here, Marshall Gwendia? And you can just call me Sage, there’s no lady here.” I chuckle to myself, but there’s no response from the valkyrie to even suggest she heard me. So I open my mouth to ask again, but her soft butterfly voice strikes again.
“Hekate has requested it, and while she is the Dei of Witches and not the Gods, she is a goddess. Therefore, I still serve her will.”
“So I’m not going to be made into an orb and reincarnated again just yet?”
This earns a chuckle from the valkyrie with almost golden hair that glows with every flash of light that hits it. I want to be her when I grow up.
“No, Sage. You are not being reincarnated again.”
The long hall of columns and stone, veined with golden threads, comes to an end as we reach the hall I was in before…when Hekate went nuts and Baba Yaga hurried me away.
I was excited about this until that memory surfaced. Now, not so much.
“I will leave you now. Hekate will greet you.” Gwendia finally turns to look at me. Well, down at me because she’s amazingly tall. She tilts her head in reverence before walking away with such grace she may as well be floating down the long corridor we arrived through just minutes ago.
What a woman. Valkyrie.
Quicker than I can blink, or maybe longer because I was staring at Gwendia for too long, a heavy presence fills the room and I look toward the bronzed glowing woman elegantly walking down the white marble steps.
The square room has stairs, almost like seating, surrounding the large space in the middle, and large archways with delicately designed pillars stand tall at the top of each stairway.
All except for the one behind me, that did have an opening when Gwendia left… now it’s gone.
The woman is Hekate. I recognize her from last time, and I take a moment to admire her beauty. Are all supernaturals in Ryetoh this gorgeous?
Her long, dark hair flows around her legs, with some braided pieces holding cute, intricate, bronze metal rings.
The same bronze is in her bra, looking as though it was painted onto her body, with a matching chiffon skirt that falls to her ankles.
It’s probably not chiffon, since there’s a metallic sheen to it, but that’s the only way I can describe the material.
I’m bracing myself for another meltdown, but I’m also treating her like a dangerous animal.
No sudden moves.
Don’t make eye contact.
Appear non-threatening.
“You can look up, child of mine.”
Oh my goddess, her voice is even better than Gwendia’s. It’s like a hundred kittens snuggling into you for cuddles, so I do as she says and look up at her, rather than at her perfectly manicured feet in a pair of stunning bronze-crystal sandals.
“Wait…” The words are unstoppable at this point.
I’m like an avalanche and all respect has flown out of the window.
“Did you say ‘child of mine’? And if so, what do you mean? Because I’ve had a hell of a few weeks.
I found out magic and supernaturals were real, my best friend was kidnapped by my stalker and his snake friends, my mother figure was murdered, I found my fated mate, hated him, then loved him, then died in his arms and watched him suffer, I have run from a horny demon, and now I’m being mesmerized by you and your valkyrie friend.
So what I’m saying is, I need you to spell this out for me because I’ve been through a lot.
Also, how can you see me if you’re not basically reaping my soul?
” I shrug, an apologetic smile on my face, hoping I didn’t just take my rant too far.
“Sage, you are of my blood. You are my daughter.”
How the fuck do I have two biological mothers?