Evolution of a Goddess (The Charming Series Book 3) Read online

  “STOP!” Sebastian’s voice cries out through my ears.

  Stopping where I stand at the top of the balcony, not turning around to face him as tears stream down my face, waiting.

  “You are not running away from this, not from me.” His words traveling up the stairs as he takes each step two at a time.

  My body couldn’t turn around to face him, knowing his eyes would reveal the pain I had caused.

  “Selene, this isn’t you. This isn’t who you are. Stop trying to take all this on by yourself, you aren’t the only one who’s hurt by all this.”

  My back still to him as the tears stream down my cheeks like waterfalls, there was no words that could make this better.

  “Look at me!” He shouts as I slowly turn my body to face him.

  “What could I possibly say that would make this all okay? Nothing. They must pay for what they have done, it’s not your fight, I caused this. All of this!” My words stinging my throat as I point to myself.

  “You didn’t cause this, they did! But for some reason you have this in your mind that you are alone, that you must fight this battle without me by your side. If you don’t want me by your side, then you should have decided that long before you said yes to marrying me!”

  “I didn’t have a choice on if I wanted to marry you. I didn’t have a choice in any of this, but here I am. I will take care of them, this, all of it by myself. Because that’s what I’ve always done!”

  “Stop this! You want to stand there with your secrets, you go behind everyone’s back, playing the villain. Who do you think I am? You must have forgot who the hell I was in your life, because you’re becoming just like them!” Sebastian’s shouting at me. His words stung me like a bee. Was I starting to be like them? That was never what was planned. We stood there staring at one another as tears filled both of our eyes. We were hurting each other, but I was the one causing him more pain than he deserved. His words kept playing in my head as I walked away from him.

  You’re becoming just like them…

  Hours had passed since a word has been spoken among any of us. This wasn’t what it was supposed to be like. This wasn’t what I wanted, but I had hurt him; and he had hurt me. Everything was about to change, my father wouldn’t let this go, and Zeus would be coming for me soon. There was a war coming and this time I may be fighting it alone.

  Chapter Seven

  Sometimes secrets will be revealed whether you wanted them to be or not…

  Alone, again, and this time there was no one to blame but myself. All I had ever wanted was to feel loved, but the one person whom loved me more than anything in these worlds wasn’t on my side now. He was preparing for what was coming, because everyone now knew what I had done, and word was traveling fast. We hadn’t spoken to each other in what seemed to be days, neither of us knowing how to make things right. All I could think was when this was finally over we would be okay, we would be who we were meant to be. But for today, we weren’t on the same page, not even the same book. Standing in front of the mirror, searching my face for resemblance of who I used to be, there was a knock on the door.

  “Selene, it’s Cato.” Splashing water on my face quickly, opening the door to him.

  “Yes?”

  “We need you.” He walks away from me leading me back down the stairs.

  When you walk into a room filled with people whom you have hurt by your actions, it makes it very uncomfortable. They wouldn’t see the pain I was hiding because I had learned how to hide who I was becoming. This wasn’t easy, this wasn’t who they wanted, but this was who they needed. All my life, never knowing how angry I had truly been, was unfolding in front of all them. There was no way to hide it anymore, the cold in my heart was winning. Someday, I hope the light would seep back in, but for now, darkness lurked there.

  “Apollo, nice to see you here.” Trying not to sound nervous.

  “It’s a pleasure, my dear.” He stands taller than I remember, leaning down to take my hand in his and sweetly kissing it.

  “You must have some news, or you wouldn’t be here…” Sebastian says behind him.

  “Yes, but first, the two of you need to get back on the same page. If I could speak to both of you privately?” He turned questioning Sebastian first.

  “Of course.” Sebastian leads him outside to the balcony.

  This would be the first time Sebastian and I would be forced to speak to one another since our last words had been spoken. The secret I had been keeping was about to be revealed, because only Apollo would know. He was going to force me to tell Sebastian and my hands started to sweat as I knew how this was about to play out. Scared, my hands started shaking, rubbing them back on my jeans, hoping that I could calm myself before having to reveal this.

  “First of all, let me say, what an honor it is to just be in your presence, Selene. What you did up there was something even I hadn’t seen coming. Congratulations on making your way through the ranks so fast. Second, let me tell you that Cali and Ian are waiting for this all to take place. Of course, Cali is a little angrier because she wasn’t prepared to give up her life here; and she’s just biding her time till she can now take her revenge. Third, the funerals for all the ones who gave their lives will be done in secret and the two of you will not be allowed to be there. Now, before you get angry, there is good reasoning, and lastly… Selene, you need to tell him.” Apollo folds his arms over his body, making him look larger than life, staring down at me.

  Sebastian’s eyes were searching mine; you could see that he didn’t have a clue as to what Apollo was referring too. His lips pursed in a way they shouldn’t be, and I could hear his thoughts. He thought I was leaving him, he wasn’t happy. This was supposed to be an exciting secret that we share, but I knew now, he wasn’t going to take this well. At. All. Apollo searches my face, waiting on the truth to be revealed.

  “I… I’m…”

  “Wait... I don’t want to know that you’re leaving me until after all this.”

  I stop speaking, thinking of what he had just said.

  He thought I was going to leave him? He must have thought I no longer loved him. I had become selfish in a bad way, and this isn’t what I wanted.

  Apollo begins to laugh, hysterically.

  “Oh, dear boy! She’s not ever going to leave you; she’s carrying your child.” He keeps laughing.

  Only he had told my secret and I was searching Sebastian’s face for answers, acceptance if you will.

  “WHAT?” Sebastian’s voice at a yell as he looks to Apollo, then back to me.

  “Oh gods. I wasn’t supposed to tell you; it was to be her. Oh no. I hope I haven’t changed your fates.” He moves away from the two of us, pacing back and forth on the balcony.

  Sebastian stands there, staring at me, with his arms crossed over his body now. Not speaking to me, he’s now staring down at my stomach. I grab my stomach with my hands, feeling the need to protect our child. What if he didn’t want this, or us? Maybe keeping this secret and waiting for the right time to tell him was wrong of me. In my mind, there would be an exciting announcement when I told him, not… Well, not this. He begins to walk towards me, instead of looking at me, his eyes just keep studying my stomach. He stretches out his hand, laying it on my belly.

  “You’re going to be magnificent!” He leans down whispering to my stomach.

  Not being able to contain myself, I wrap my arms around Sebastian as he comes up from my stomach, holding him as tightly as possible. He held me too. This is where I had always wanted to be, with someone I loved, and that would accept me for all my imperfections. Our child would come from a place of pure love, he or she would be loved beyond words. That’s all that I had ever wanted… from anyone. To be wanted, to be loved, and to be someone’s mother. I always knew deep down that having a child would bring me the greatest joy of my life, maybe not in these circumstances, but none the less, this child would know love. Pure love.

  “This is what has made you crazy, huh?”
Sebastian asks me, as he steps back from me.

  “I guess…” My words as a whisper.

  “Selene, why? Why would you keep this from me?” He asks me.

  “Because she’s not stupid. She knew telling you, that you would try to hold her back from what is to come. But that’s not your place, she’s the most powerful goddess to have lived now. She won’t be able to hide who she is and what’s happening for long, and if that child keeps growing inside of her, she will remain the strongest one of all. No one will ever be able to defeat her while she’s with child.” Apollo interrupts us.

  That wasn’t news to me, although, it caught Sebastian by surprise. I could feel the baby’s powers working through me, this child would be stronger than any of us. This baby was going to change the worlds, the fates, and this was my way of protecting her or him. Only one thing that Apollo couldn’t see or didn’t know yet… There wasn’t just one in here, pretty sure these were twins. These were going to be the first twins of pure god and goddess blood, to be born to the rulers of the worlds. This had never happened before, this was now my fate. To be the mother of the most powerful gods the worlds had seen… My children were going to rule the worlds one day, there was no going back now. Knowing this was the hardest part of protecting them, how did I fight this battle, knowing that I held their lives in my hands? The responsibilities of just being a parent was also petrifying to me, especially to children who would have to rule the worlds one day. How could I be a good parent, when I had felt abandoned by mine?

  Chapter Eight

  Now that the secrets are revealed how do you protect those secrets?

  Apollo talked to us in depth over what was to take course in the matter of a couple of days. The funerals would be done in quiet, with many attending on Earth, but some of us wouldn’t be there. Apollo already knew it was trap for Sebastian and me, we were getting set to go back to the mount. We had taken on the whole world of gods and goddesses and it was time to start taking back our lives, piece by broken piece. Sebastian and I would have mere hours to prepare together. We asked questions, but Apollo would only nod or say maybe at some of them, never revealing anything that could change our destiny. As we listened, he also made sure to tell me that what I had done on the mount had gained me respect from many. That now meant we had our own army. Zeus had killed most of ours, he hadn’t won the war, just a battle. After Apollo told us all that he felt we should know, he left quickly, not even a goodbye or good luck. Luck didn’t need to be on our side, rage was on our side. It’s different when you feel like you know what you’re fighting for. They are fighting for control, that’s what leads them, we are fighting for us. There’s a difference. Sebastian and I don’t have much time to relish in our happy news, there wasn’t even time for me to tell him about it possibly being twins, but at least we were back together. I still felt guilt for making him think I was leaving him, when that was the farthest thing from my mind. In time, he would see why things went the way they did. Sebastian asked many questions as we geared up for going to the mount together. Trying to tell him what happened on the mount, how long I had known about the baby, and telling me he was mad, but he loved me. It didn’t change who we are, it would only make us stronger. He was right. I was wrong for keeping the secret, but he also understood why I did what I did. We still needed so many answers to the questions we had been asking for all this time. One way or another we would get them, even by torture Sebastian said. There wasn’t a need for torture if truth be told, I could just kill them all, and be satisfied. That’s not what the right thing was to do, but the darkness that held in my heart told me that would help me. It wouldn’t help me; I didn’t want to hurt them like they had done me. I just wanted them to feel the pain they had caused for me and so many others.

  “You ready?” Sebastian asks as we make our way down the stairs.

  It felt like this was the last time we would walk these stairs, to be in this house honestly. It was going to be hard to say goodbye, but I also knew it was coming. Maybe my whole life I had been preparing for what was to come, because maybe somewhere deep down inside, I knew I was meant for more. Sebastian and I held hands for the first time in days, standing together, united, in front of everyone. We were going to lead them into the path of destruction and chaos. This was now going to be everyone’s fight, not just mine. Many of them had felt betrayed by what they had been taught their whole lives, and who they had lost the day the army was slaughtered. It was never going to be me against them, it was always meant to

  be like this. Too many hurt in too many ways. We were the lost, the forgotten, the set aside, and it was time for everyone to find out just who they were in the worlds.

  “Cato and I will be going with the two of you. There is no other option.” Zack steps forward.

  “Ryker will follow with the team after the funerals.” My mouth dropped open as Zack relays the message.

  “Ryker? What the hell? He is playing both sides; you can’t believe he will do that.” I tell Zack.

  “We don’t have another option now, he will do what is asked, because in the very least, he wants to be on the winning side.” Cato announces to everyone standing there.

  Cato had a point on one hand, Ryker would want to see which side he should choose. His name made my skin crawl, he was as shady as Colin was becoming and knowing they would help because they want to be on the winning side... That just wasn’t good enough for me, but it was all we had at the time. Questions ran through my mind as we all took our last coins in our hands, making our way to the beach from the mansion. The others stood on the balcony watching and waiting for what was to come. Iris’s voice rang out clearly when she said, ‘Give’em hell for me!’ Then they all cried out and cheered as we stopped on the shore line. We faced one another, Cato tosses his coin first then says he will see us there. The three of us follow suit, but this time, as we traveled to the mount, I felt it was the last time I would see this beach. The four of us were now standing in Hades home. Not sure why or how we got here, to this house, but none the less, here we were. You could hear the gasps of the servants as we stood transforming in front of their eyes. Cato was now dressed in all gray, with a red stripe down each arm sleeve. Zack stood in all white with a red bow and arrow embroidered on his shirt in the upper right-hand side. But the shock was for all of them to see me in the colors that had chosen me. Black and gold covered my body like a woman scorned and a really pissed off goddess. Sebastian gasps from seeing me. His colors had changed too. White, black, and gold. No one had ever had the colors of gold and black, and only gold had been seen worn by Zeus. This was our statement to the worlds. Shocked as he was, we stood in silence, staring at one another. He could now see my heart had turned to black; a part of his had now turned black, and there would be no hiding it now, from anyone. Sebastian didn’t hesitate, he took me by the hand, holding it tightly to make sure I knew that we were one. It’s often said that when you find your soul mate that your hearts align with one another. There was never any doubt now that I was always meant to be with Sebastian. We move quickly from Hades house out into Mount Olympus. There was no time to spare, and we were about to shock the Mount with just our presence, let alone our true colors we now wore. Black had never been a color worn besides Hades, and here I was dressed in the darkest of blacks and the brightest of golds a god or goddess had ever worn. They weren’t going to be prepared for what was to come.

  Chapter Nine

  When your heart has turned cold, there isn’t any light you let in…

  Stepping out onto the golden streets of the Mount seems to almost bring a calm over me. The four of us make our way down the street, Sebastian and I hand in hand, while Zack walks in front of me. If we were nervous you couldn’t tell. Sebastian and Cato walk with heads held high as people are bowing along the sides of the street. They knew something was coming and I don’t think they knew what to do with themselves or whose side to be on. As we walk, whispers fill the air. Some feared us, some were in shock over
the colors we now wore, and some thought the end was near. They weren’t wrong. The end of whatever this was is coming to an end. Today. Ryker pops out of nowhere, scaring me for a moment, until I see who he has with him. Colin stands taller than Ryker as they start making their way towards us. Behind Colin I can’t make out the others quite yet, but he didn’t come alone. Guess Ryker had made a choice. Brother versus sister, brother versus brother, was about to take place. Too bad he had chosen wrong. Whoever was with Colin didn’t show their faces as they all stood with heads down, following him like he was the captain of the sinking ship. In a way, this wasn’t about them, and a part of me almost felt bad for what was to come. Just not bad enough.

  “Unless you are here to join us, step out of the way.” Cato steps forward to Colin.

  “Unless you plan to stop this nonsense, then that’s not happening.” Colin grins.

  “Colin, I don’t want to hurt you, just move and let this be over between us.” Sebastian pulls me closer.

  “You know that’s never going to happen…” Colin begins to chuckle at himself.

  His arrogance was disturbing to say the least. Cato and he had a long history, but this was different. Colin felt like he was fighting for his parent, he just didn’t know that he was fighting a losing battle.

  “Enough!” I let go of Sebastian’s hand, yelling at Colin.

  “You talk way too much for someone who is on the losing side.” Now, I knew he was going to try and strike me first.

  He misses my face, as I land my punch on his left cheek. He stumbles back, and I take that as my way to move past him. I begin running through his self-made army who all try to grab at me, but I’m too fast. Running towards my father’s home one more time, I knew that this was the end. Whatever was about to happen, was happening now. Looking behind me for a mere second, Sebastian and Cato are sprinting towards me, as Zack takes the lead. He is in front of me before I can turn around. The fire begins to burn inside of me, there was only one way this was going to work, and Zack was going to have to be quick. My hand begins to burn, I keep running, raising my hand in the air and throwing a fire ball over his head towards my father’s home. It ignites in seconds. Coming to a screeching halt as the fire is extinguished right where it had begun.