Chapter 11 #2
Two chairs appear before me. Not chairs—thrones.
One glows faintly white, and on it rests a red dagger, a mimic of my Nex dagger.
The other is black, and on it sits a crown ringed with black spiked jewels all the way around, blood dripping off the spikes.
“Snakes weave paths, we weave time and energy, and we will show you two paths today. There are two futures for you, and only you can decide which path is yours to take. We will judge your answer and decide your fate. We are Gods.”
The white chair glows once. “Death.”
The black chair glows. “Or life.”
Before I can even think about what they mean, the visions are in my head, ripping straight into my mind like a knife.
The first vision they show me is beautiful.
In my soul, I know it’s many years later.
I’m sitting on a tiny private balcony, overlooking a greenhouse attached to the side of Starlight Academy.
Rangers move around the grounds outside, walking to classes, and as I look down, I notice my cloak has a symbol on it I don’t know.
A white background and a black snake wrapped around a six-point star.
I think I’m a tutor at the academy. My hair is braided and hangs over my shoulder, and a cat I don’t know is sitting on my lap, all grey fur and an odd black tail.
It is raining over Starlight City, over the rebuilt towers and houses, but light shines from many star statues built onto the tops of the buildings.
“Alpha,” Annie walks out the door behind me and sits down on the stool at my side.
Her stomach is rounded, and there is no mistaking why.
She rubs her stomach as she grins at me.
Her blonde hair is cut short to her shoulders, and the tips of her hair are green.
“The ten-year celebration preparations are waiting for you. You can’t hide up here forever. ”
“Stop calling me alpha to annoy me into going down there. Severi usually hides with me, but it’s Franklin’s first lesson with him, and he would never miss it.
” I grin at her. “Not that Franklin has to worry; we have all been training him for years for the academy. He’s going to be the best student the academy has seen since me. ”
Annie barks out a laugh. “I was worried I was in labour this morning, but apparently, it’s just practice contractions. I was with Onyx at breakfast when it happened, and he freaked out with worry. I have a feeling he would be so much worse when you finally decide to make me an auntie.”
“We’re not ready for children yet,” I remind her softly. I’m not sure if I ever will be or if I want to make a new generation with God powers. Any children we would have…they’d be unstoppable and so powerful. Maybe we can adopt a child…we did good with Franklin, I think. He is a good kid.
“I know, and you’re going to be the best aunt either way. I’m so glad it all worked out this way. I know we lost a lot to get here, but you really are the best alpha female Starlight City has ever seen.”
The vision fades and I grab for it, tears falling down my cheeks.
I want that future, I want it so desperately.
I don’t know if it’s real or a lie the Gods are showing me, but what if it is true?
What if we fight for everything and have that at the end?
All the tiredness I felt in my soul lifts at that vision… it’s a dream. Just like Rhodes said.
The next vision is different and heartbreaking.
Dark and cruel. The world itself is plunged into a permanent grey shadow, and it smells of blood.
I don’t feel anything, not my mate bonds, not joy or happiness.
I’m alone. Truly alone. My mates are on their knees in front of me, each one of them doesn’t look me in the eye as they stay bowed.
There is a crowd behind them, filling a throne room I’ve never seen before.
Black spikes jut up the walls all around the edges, dripping with fresh blood.
The throne itself is blood-red. I lift my hand up in front of my face, looking at my dark nails, my pale skin in a dark, tight dress, and then across at a world of people bowing to me.
This is an entirely different future.
The vision fades, leaving me gasping on my hands and knees in the sand.
My head is pounding as I try to breathe in and out and try hard not to be sick.
I push away the feeling of that last vision, how cruel and cold I was.
I was a horrible person there, unfeeling and empty.
My Nexus whispers to me. “I ruled like that once, but my mates were my equals.”
I know the Snake God is trying to scare me, but I have to believe I would never accept that future.
“But you would accept it…when you lose your humanity. When there is nothing left of this world or the next, you will be its queen and rule with no mercy, no morality…nothing. Your Nexus…that is her fate before we stepped in and changed the fates. We made her a Nexus, made her attached to you…a soul worthy of being a ruler, and gave her a chance to witness the goodness of humanity. You have failed to keep her contained as we had hoped.” The Snake God pauses.
“Each one of these thrones will lead you to each path you are fated for, and that fate cannot be changed. This is your final test. If you choose right, you will meet us where only Gods can walk.”
The Snake God’s voice disappears, leaving me in silence.
“You know what we have to do,” I speak only to my Nexus. “The choice is simple.”
“Or…we could be cowards and take the other choice. It looked rather amazing to me. All that bowing and blood…” She sounds in a daze.
“Really?” I mutter.
I can practically hear her huff. “In my last life, people bowed whenever they saw me. You don’t make them bow enough. It’s a sign of respect to a Goddess.”
“Last time, you sounded like a psychopath who liked to swim in blood and kill people other than your mates and these asshole God friends of yours,” I remind her. “It didn’t end well. Let’s try my way this time.”
“As long as I get to kill some people, I’m happy,” she responds.
I roll my eyes and walk right up to the white throne and pick up the dagger.
I sit down, breathing out a nervous breath, and I wish I could tell my mates that I’m going to be okay, because they are going to feel this and lose their minds.
I position the dagger tip in front of my heart and plunge it in deep. I die in seconds.