Chapter 89: Chapter 27

REALTA

Haley’s wish brings a tear to my eye. I long for that. More than anything.

“More than anything, my daughter?”

I continue to watch over the pretty white house that holds the man I love. “Yes, mother. More than anything.”

“Would you give up your Starlight for him? Would you give up your powers? Would you give up eternity?”

I wipe away my tears. Although I’m scared he could betray me like Natalie’s father did, Ryan is good and honest. He would never purposefully hurt me.

“I would, Mother. I would give it all up. Once he leaves the earth, there would be no point for me to carry on. I love him, Mother.”

“Do you believe he returns your love?”

“Yes, Mother. Of that, there is no doubt.”

“My earth children are special to me, but my Starlight daughters are even more. I will grant my vessel’s wish, but it will take time. And suffering.”

I feel my heart stop. I never in my eternity thought anything close to this could, let alone would ever happen. I don’t know how she’s going to grant this wish, but I am truly grateful.

“Oh, Mother.” I’m breathless and anxious to get started.

“Are you willing to continue knowing you will be in agony?” Her voice is soft and wary.

“Mother, you’ve already seen what I have lived through in my human form while trapped on Earth. Is it worse than that?”

“I would not be one to know. You must first find a replacement among your sisters. I need my power on Earth.”

“My daughter has my power,” I remind her.

“That is not enough. I need someone to continue blessing my earth children. Only my Starlight daughters are able to do this. I will come to you once you find your replacement.”

“Yes, Mother. I will do as you bid. Thank you, thank you.” I look to my beloved. He’s gazing at me now from the balcony of his bedroom.

“Sleep, my dearest Ryan. I’ll be with you as soon as I am able,” I tell him, although I know he is unable to hear me. He kisses his fingers then offers them to me as he does every night that I watch over him. He returns into his bedroom and the lights go dark.

I sigh in longing. “Who of my sisters would be willing to fall for me?” I’d like to think I would be there for them if the roles were reversed.

One of my sisters begins to fall from the sky and I gasp a breath. I close my eyes and nearly fall myself from being overwhelmed. I locate my sister on Earth.

Dara gets to her feet and wipes away the dust. Her flaming red hair casts a light around her, bathing the desolation in a fiery haze. Her eyes are as green as emeralds and her skin is pale, even more so than mine.

It is always a wonder how our sisters will look in the form of a human. We would never know if we did not set foot on Earth’s soil.

Dara looks up at me. “I will take your place, dear sister. Come, teach me what I am to do.” I cover my mouth in shock then cover my entire face as I weep my heart out.

I’ve never really understood that human saying until now. Once I finally get my emotions in check, I join my sister in the western part of North America. She landed in a secluded desert where there is nothing for miles in any direction.

I close my eyes and emerge standing beside her. “Dara.” My voice is shaky and I rush to hold her to me. “I could never express enough my gratitude.”

“I have watched you many times. You have suffered, but you remain generous and full of love. I wish to one day find what you have found in the alpha. I would like to experience Earth for a time,” she explains.

I give her a grateful bow of my head. “I wish you peace on your journey.”

“I wish you success on yours.”

I look her over. “Let us begin by blending in as a human by concealing our lights.” Dara listens to my advice and dims her glow. We manifest a change of clothing more appropriate to the climate that surrounds us.

I look to the heavens. “Mother, what am I to do next?”

Mother appears behind me. Her soft glow covers the desert landscape. “Dara, you may return to the sky. I will guide you as I have Realta.”

I embrace Dara once more. “Thank you, sister.” She gives me her perfect glowing smile and kisses my forehead then leaves to rejoin the heavens.

I turn to face my mother, the Moon Goddess. I lift my chin in confidence. “I am ready, mother.”

Mother gives me a pained smile. She takes my hands in hers then closes her eyes. I follow her example and close my eyes as well.

I open my eyes to a tropical paradise. Birds are singing and the plants are green and alive. Mother leads me on a trail.

She says nothing, but I can feel her reluctance to be here. After traveling some distance, we come upon a dwelling made entirely out of stone as if the earth formed the structure. Mother stops before the door.

“I will wait for you. This you must do on your own.” She kisses my cheek then takes a single step back.

I approach the door with trepidation, I am unaware of where I am and who lives within the home. A round bronze and turquoise knocker rests in the middle of the door and I use it with three loud taps.

The door opens and I take a step inside, the door closes behind me. The room is lit by standing candelabras and plants adorn the length of the wall with climbing ivy across wood beams. As I traipse deeper inside, the room opens into a large alcove with large vine-covered windows.

A beautiful dark-skinned woman with hair as dark as night and flowing like a silken waterfall sits in white muslin robes and a crystal leaf-shaped diadem adorns her forehead. Her pale blue eyes look to me. “Realta, daughter of the moon. Come, join me for some tea.” She waves to the empty seat.

I slightly bow in respect before accepting the chair. “My apologies, my lady. I am ignorant of you.”

Her face is soft and her mouth parts into a beautiful smile as she pours a cup. “I am Gaia. Humans think of me as Mother Earth. You seek guidance?”

She looks into my eyes. “No, you seek a solution. I am afraid your solution will be painful as your mother warned, but it is possible. Drink your tea. I will return.” Gaia leaves the room so I sip the tea in the hope of calming myself.

I’m practically shaking and the tea sloshes within my cup.

I close my eyes and think of Ryan. I love him with everything within me. He confessed his love to me as well.

I yearned to express my love physically, but the touch of male hands made me tremble, and I couldn’t surrender myself. Instead, he held me close, stroking my back and hair all night as we conversed about everything and nothing.

I longed to love him with my body. I desired to be his mate, as Haley had wished, but that was a blessing my mother bestowed upon her earth children.

“It’s not just a blessing for them, it’s a blessing for you too.”

I opened my eyes to see Gaia sitting before me. “That is the purpose of your visit, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Lady Gaia. I wish to be able to mate with the man I love.”

“He is an alpha who lost his first mate. She has given you her blessing. I will grant your request. You must stay with me here. I have sent my sister away. I will call for her return when the time is right. Are you certain this is what you desire?”

I bowed my head and wiped away a stray tear. “Yes, Lady Gaia. Please, this is my wish.”

“Very well.” She stared into my eyes and opened her palm. I screamed as what felt like razor blades sliced my skin. Every inch of my body stung and I could no longer remain seated.

I collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain. I continued to cry out until I no longer had the breath to scream, but the pain intensified as if the blades were cutting me from the inside. I lay still because movement did nothing to alleviate the pain.

I wanted to scream, but my throat and lungs were too inflamed to even breathe. The pain persisted for what felt like hours, maybe even days. I had lost all sense of time.

Gaia stood over me and the pain receded. My body was shaking and drenched in sweat. My breath was labored and my tears had dried up, having cried everything out.

“Come, child. I will let you sleep now.”

Gaia lifted me as if I were a mere babe. Her skin was cool to the touch and comforting.

She laid me onto a soft bed and tucked me in with tender care. “Rest well, child.”

I dreamed of my life on Earth. Every single moment was relived in such vivid detail that I was no longer dreaming, but was present in everything from meeting Natalie’s father to giving birth to my precious little girl.

The memory of my baby being torn from my arms and my subsequent imprisonment in the dungeon at the mercy of the corrupt alpha was replicated. However, the alpha was not as formidable. I saw his weakness as his soul had been destroyed.

I did not fear him. He was more like a leech than a predator.

He was a parasite that had already been crushed. I stood tall and proud as he cowered before me like the cockroach he was. He could not hurt me. I summoned the powers within me to make him suffer until I no longer cared about his existence, or lack thereof.

I was strong.

When I awoke, my body was sore and tired. Aunt Gaia set down a bed tray filled with delicious foods only the earth could provide. “Welcome back. You were gone for quite some time. Eat and let your body replenish itself.”

She helped me sit up and I was grateful for her assistance. “Thank you, Lady Gaia.” My voice croaked out. My body felt so heavy, my mouth too weak to even chew.

I reached a shaking hand to a glass of juice. “Auntie, why am I so weak?” The juice revitalized my body enough to allow me to start eating.

“It is part of the process. You have been lost in the dream world for a very long time. Your body has been fighting. I am sorry to say that the process requires more from you. Finish eating then lay back for more rest.”

Gaia left me to finish eating and I lay back down for a much-needed nap.

A soft kiss to my forehead woke me. My mother greeted me with a smile and I stood. I looked around, no longer in Gaia’s home, but back in the desert where Dara fell.

“Gaia has removed your immortality. You are no longer a sister of the Starlight, you will never again return to the sky. Are you ready to continue?”

I looked up to see my home and shed a few tears. “Thank you, my sisters. Please watch over me in my weaker state. I will need your protection. I love you all.”

My sisters blinked at me in turn and I wiped my tears before standing strong in front of my mother. “I am ready.”

Mother opened her palm as Gaia had. Instantly, pain radiated within my body as my bones began to break over and over again. I screamed as tendons and ligaments pulled and stretched. My muscles reshaped.

My organs receded and adjusted to the form my body was taking.

My face contorted and my vision and hearing changed. My hearing was stellar, but my vision lacked the red color hue. I could see farther and sharper. After what felt like hours of agony, my bones began to reform and my scream transformed into a howl.

~Did I just howl?~

I looked up at my mother who appeared much taller. My nose began to detect fragrances I’d never before smelled. “Yes, my daughter. You did.”

I tried to speak, but only whimpers and whines echoed from my chest and throat. ~Mother, what has happened to me? I feel different.~

“You are different.”