Fated
Chapter 8

Dante

How?! How can she possibly know? The only people who knew about this were myself, the goddesses and gods and Monica. Her name in my mind makes me cringe. She had taken my mate from me, taken her heart and used it in what I later found out was a failed ritual in an attempt to harvest her power. The witch was to blind to even realize that Sedira was human! I was the first god to be fated with a human mate and for that Sedira had been cursed. This poor creature before me could not possibly have been born of the same blood as the dark witch. I see so much innocence and pain in her eyes and right now all I want to do is take her pain away. I stand up beside her and brush the dirt and pine needles off my legs before offering her my hand. Without a word she takes it, but she does not raise her head and does not make eye contact as we begin to walk hand in hand through the forest in silence. After an excruciatingly long walk we reach a clearing with a large lake with water so clear and still that you can see the bottom. I release her hand and remove my shirt as I walk to the shore and lower myself onto the beach at the edge of the water. I do not hear her approaching me from behind, but instead I feel her. I feel the energy pulsing from her in waves as she struggles to get her emotions back under control. She plops down next to me on her knees and lets out a sigh.

“This is where you brought the witch…I mean my mom.” she practically whispers the words with the word ‘mom’ being laced with venom.

“Yes.” I am still trying to process how a bound witch is able to muster the power needed to bring forth such a vision.

“Why did’t you just kill her?! WHY would you let her live? She took EVERYTHING from you and you just let her go! Because she lived, she was allowed to torment you further by existing and then was able to torment me! You have NO idea what she put me through!” She screams at me and while I know her anger and hurt are justified, I cannot help but feel the same.

“The goddess willed me to and I obeyed. I know EVERYTHING she did to you! Do you not think that some part of me wished I had just squeezed the life out of her on this very beach? It took decades for the goddess’s reasoning to make even a sliver of sense.” My words are cold and bitter.

“What sense could ANY of THIS possibly make?!” I hear her voice crack at the end.

“Because I had you.” she stills with my words as if searching me for a further explanation. “I felt it the moment you took your first breath and have felt it every moment since. I was meant to protect you…to save you. You are the reason…the ONLY reason.” I know she can hear the desperation in my words as I see her slump down with her hair falling over her face blocking me from seeing her which leaves me feeling somewhat disappointed.

We sit in silence until the sun is low in the sky with the beautiful sunset creeping across the sky. We do not speak, but as I stand and offer her my hand, she takes it without hesitation as I lead us back toward the mansion. We ascend the steps to the door when I pause and turn her toward me, but to my surprise…she speaks out first.

“I never knew the things my mother had done.” so much pain dripping from every word.

“How could you know Eve? You were not even born yet. I do not blame you for her choices and actions and my greatest regret is not being able to save you from suffering under her care.” I look up to see tears building in her eyes as I pull her to me. “She will never be able to hurt you again.” my last words pulsing with the promise they hold as we turn and walk through the doors.

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