Chapter 583

“Okay, so, ground rules are clear?" mom says, arms crossed, looking around at us. Fifteen minutes have passed and while we're all equally freaked out, we're much calmer and more ready to...call upon a Goddess, apparently.

Quietly, we all just nod, staring at mom, I think all kind of wondering if this is some elaborate prank.

"All right then," Cora says, exhaling a deep breath. "Ariel and Jesse, why don't you two...go ahead."

Jesse and I give each other a glance and then, as we decided a few minutes ago, quietly concentrate, doing as Cora instructed us and calling upon the Goddess in our hearts in our minds, through our magics, mostly...because we want to know if we can.

About a minute passes and nothing happens. I look up at Cora, a little disbelieving now, and sigh.

“Okay,” she says, shaking her head. "My hypothesis was correct - you two...for some reason, can't call on her yet.”

"Well, what reason could that be?" Mom asks, curious, turning to Cora as if she wants to speculate on it.

"Mom," Rafe says, sighing deeply, "please, can we not add any side quests right now? And just do this?" I press my lips together as I look over at my brother, because he seems like he's the most stressed of all of us. Cora looks away from mom and nods, apologetic, when she sees Rafe's expression.

"All right, sugar," she says quietly, using an old pet name we haven't heard in years. Then Cora exhales deeply and shuts her eyes for a moment, clearly...doing the thing.

I frown at my aunt, wondering if she's over-estimated her abilities because...I mean, I don't notice any changes. I glance at Jackson, who peeks at me at the same moment, but we both shrug and look back at Cora. When she opens her eyes and smiles I frown at her in confusion because... honestly I can't figure out why.

Until she turns to the right, her smile growing. "Hey, mom.”

I nearly leap out of my skin as I follow the direction of Cora's gaze and see a woman standing there - an incredibly beautiful woman, half transparent like a ghost, her form lit up in glittering silver light. I grip the sides of my desk, leaning forward to stare at her in awe.

"Is she here?" mom asks, likewise leaning forward eagerly, touching Cora's arm. "Can you see her?"

"Hello, daughter," the Goddess says, stepping forward towards Cora and taking her face in her hands. Cora melts a little at the Goddess's touch, like it's the softest, most wonderful thing she's ever felt.

Still gaping, probably ghostly pale myself, I look back at my mom, who flicks her eyes to me and then laughs when she sees my face.

"Oh, can you see her too?" Mom says, perking up.

I just turn my eyes back to the goddess, completely shocked.

"Oh...oh my god..." mom breathes, looking around the room. "Can you all see her?"

The Goddess laughs a little, lookingnoveldrama

around at all of us. "Yes, they can all

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see me,” she says with a happy sigh "Though these two," she says, narrowing her eyes a bit like she's entertained, flicking a finger between Jackson and Tony. "Are not mine."

Cora turns to mom and tells her what the Goddess said, acting as a kind of translator as she's done before because - apparently - mom burned up her bond with the

Goddess once in a desperate plea to save Rafe when he was just a baby.

As Cora does that, I take a moment to look around the room, to see everyone else as shocked and gaping as I am.

Cora looks at us too and her mouth twists in disappointment when she sees all of our reactions. "You know, I prepped you for this," she says, frowning. “The least you could do is stop gaping at her like a school of fish."

As one, we all slowly close our mouths, and the Goddess laughs at us alongside her two daughters. I blink at her, still awed, because...it's the Goddess. Laughing at us.

"Well?" the Goddess says, perching

her hand on her hip and looking around at us impatiently - looking so much like my mom in this

net

moment that makes my mouth fall open again. "You know I don't like having my limitless cosmic time

wasted. So? Did you call me here for a reason?"

"They have questions, mom," Cora says with a sigh, still looking at us with disappointment. "If any of them can get a word out, that is."

"Mom," Tony whispers, still awed. "She...called the Goddess...mom.”

Something about that - the stark way that Tony said that - shakes something loose in me and I look at him with a little grin on my lips. I open my mouth to speak, but Rafe beats me to it.