Chapter 49
MORRIGAN
Ilanded on my ass, water splashing out and pain shooting up my spine.
When I looked around, I was both disappointed and relieved to see that I had returned to the sea of stars, and I let out a groan under my breath. “I’m getting really tired of falling everywhere.”
“We have watched you, Morrigan,” the younger female voice spoke again, whispering beside my ear. The sensation sent a crawling chill down my spine. “We felt every lash on your skin, cried every tear that slid down your cheeks, and shivered every night you spent in that little attic.”
“Who are you?” I insisted, pushing myself up from the ground. “Why did you show me that? None of it was real. I don’t understand—”
“The stars chose you, Morrigan,” the older female responded. “They led our light into that crib. A girl born with no name… and a future already planned for her. It seems everyone but you had a say in your life.”
“Are you here to remind me of how shitty my life was?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “I survived all of that, and more. Answer my question!”
“Imagine a world where you were never born with that star on your shoulder,” the little one replied. “A world where he was given a new life. We could give that to you.”
“Give me what? A new life? Why would you even want to do that for me?”
“It isn’t about what we want, Morrigan, but what you want.”
“So, you would just create a whole new life? Tristan would be mortal, and my mother never would have…” They don’t respond, but I sense their validation in the sweet, scented air. “No scars… No pain…” I whispered to myself.
Tristan wouldn’t have had to be alone. He’d have a family… I would have a family.
“And the lords? What would happen to them? Hypothetically…”
“Everything comes with a cost,” the male spoke up. “If you no longer bear the star, another must take your place. Another girl will be chosen and given to the lords as their blood gift.”
I mean… it’s not like it was a horrible life—being doted on and worshiped by attractive men.
“But, she will be mortal. Without the light of your fated god, she will live only for their benefit. For all of the lords…”
My stomach tightened as a pair of green eyes flashed before mine. “And Cain—”
“Would still be Cain,” the older female whispered.
“But it wouldn’t have to be you that suffers,” said the little one. “You could free yourself of the chains of fate. Live the life that you want to live.”
I didn’t understand why they were doing this, or how they had the power to give me such a choice—a tempting one at that. “But, if I give up this life, I won’t have Dez… I won’t have Kaiden…”
“But you wouldn’t remember them,” the little one assured me. “You would only know the life that you are living. All of this guilt would be released.”
“But why are you offering me this?!”
“We need an answer,” the male said.
“I can’t give you an answer like this when I don’t know—”
“You must decide—”
“Then, no!” I yelled. My voice seemed to echo across the stars, creating tiny ripples in the water at my feet.
The small, flickering lights above seemed to blaze even brighter, as if my flames had reached out and fueled their heat.
“No. My life is my own. I am who I am because of what I have endured.”
Their voices were silent, but the air around me began to thicken with power.
“I won’t leave Dez. I won’t leave any of them.”
I could almost sense the little one before she spoke. “But all they have done is hurt you—”
“I love them,” I admitted. “Even if I don’t understand why. It doesn’t change the fact that I do. I don’t want a life without them—not anymore.”
“Is that your decision, then?”
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation.
A long moment of silence passed between us all before one of them stepped forward.
She walked slowly toward me, and once again, each of the stars seemed to pull toward each other.
They clumped together slowly, creating a large ball of light, and lowered between us.
By the time the woman reached me, the star blazed so brightly that I couldn’t see her—only the faintest outline of blonde hair.
“Are you sure about this?” another male asked, different from the first. He didn’t seem to be directing the question at me, though.
Then, through the bright light, I made out two striking blue eyes smiling back at me.
The girl nodded. “She’s the only one who can do it,” she called back to the man.
The light moved as if she held it in the palm of her hands, and I felt the edges of heat teasing the skin on my chest. The blonde female turned her gaze back to me.
“Take care of him for me,” she whispered.
Before I could even process what she meant, the light was shoved inside of me, and my entire body lit on fire. The worst kind of pain overcame me, blinding my vision, and causing every color to burst before my eyes. I couldn’t even feel my limbs anymore.
“What’s happening?!” I screamed, but I didn’t feel like anyone could actually hear me anymore.
Everything turned white, in a way that felt like holes were being burned into my eyes.
“I’m so happy he found you, Morrigan.”
“Rosina…” I whispered, realizing then who the blue eyes belonged to, just before I passed out.