Chapter 587

The Goddess beams at my question. "You really like this one, don't you?" She nods her head to the side to indicate Jackson, still frozen next to me. I raise my chin, my teeth clenched, not bothering to answer. Because I'm sure she can see it, read it in every line of me - that Jackson is the most precious thing in my life right now. And that if she takes him from me and gives him to another mate?

There's going to be hell to pay.

I mean, I have no idea how I would wreak vengeance on a Goddess but...I would figure it out.

The Goddess laughs, light and tinkly, and again comes close, wrapping me up in her arms. "No, my flame," she says, enveloping me in her grace, allowing it to flood and comfort me. "You are his only mate - I am not so generous with my gifts as you might think me. I don't know what sparked his magic - probably puberty, or something like that. All of your mates are only mated to you. They are my gift! Enjoy them."

When she pulls away I wipe briskly at my face with my wrist, wiping away the fast tears of relief that sprung to my eyes.

"Okay,” I say, nodding and sniffing, looking down at my feet. "Th...thank you."

"Oh, I do like you, little girl," the Goddess says with a graceful sigh, drawing my eyes back to her face. "You are living up to your promise. Now. Get those marks." She points a willowy finger at me and gives me - of all things - a cheeky wink.

But there's no time to consider my shock as time snaps back into place, everyone jumping a bit and looking around in confusion. I grimace a little, seeing what everyone else sees - that the Goddess is in a different place than she was what they perceive as half a second ago and that I'm suddenly standing with my chair knocked over.

"Ariel," Jackson gasps, reaching for me, a hand going around my wrist. "What are you -"

"I'm fine!" I say, my voice still a little choked as I fold my hand into his and give it a squeeze before turning towards my chair, picking it up and settling a little awkwardly into it, trapped as I am under six wondering stares. "Um. No need to...look at me...everything is normal. Nothing happened just... lost my chair for a second."

Everyone continues to stare at me, no one believing my blatant lie.

"So, are we done here?" the Goddess asks, smiling beatifically around at everyone.

"Mom, we like...just got started," Cora says, pulling her gaze from me and turning towards her mother with a frown.

"Oh, nonsense, there are no more questions," the Goddess says, waving a dismissive hand. "Everything is perfectly clear and I have business to which I must attend." To my shock, her form begins to fade in the air.

"Wait!" Rafe calls, getting to his feet quite suddenly, his own chair skittering back - though perhaps not as dramatically as mine.

We all turn to him, the Goddess's light brightening, her form becoming more vivid.

"Please," Rafe says, his eyes fixed on

et

the Goddess. When...when will I meet my mate?" My heart twists when I see my brother's shoulders shaking with emotion, see how badly he wants that connection. A sly smile takes the Goddess's lips as she considers him. Content belongs

"Are you questioning the wisdom of my timeline, little grandson?" she asks, curious and playful.

"No," Rafe says immediately, but then he sighs, looking down at his desk. "I just want to access my magic - I want to help, the way Ariel and Jesse can."

"You will have patience," the Goddess says gently, her fondness for her first-born grandchild clear in her voice. "Your mate will come along and make you the craftsman you were meant to be, have no fear."

Rafe frowns at her words, looking up into her face, more confused now than he was when we began.

"But..." the Goddess looks away for a moment, her eyes going somehow deeper as she stares across space...maybe across time. Then she blinks and looks again towards Rafe. "You do not have long to wait."

"And I...have not already met her?" Rafe ventures, his voice breathless.noveldrama

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The goddess shakes her head, smiling deeper now. "If what you're secretly asking, child," the Goddess says, a soft smile coming to her lips, "is if the seamstress is somehow for you..." Slowly, as if aware that her answer gives great pain, the Goddess shakes her head. "You need a mate who challenges, not comforts, my little Rafe-wolf. Much rests on your shoulders - you will have the love that you need, if not perhaps the love you currently want."

Rafe hangs his head, his eyelids dropping shut, and we all sit very quietly as we witness his grief.

"All right," the Goddess says, looking around the room at all of us. "I think that is sufficient. Unless...” she pauses when her eyes land on Tony. "You have not asked a question or received new information. Is there anything you want to know?