The god me shakes his head, laughing with genuine mirth. “The world doesn’t need me. I’d just set it on fire and watch it burn for giggles.”
I hear the whisper of a shoe behind me and turn. She’s wearing a deep blue velvet cape with her head covered, but my heart almost explodes in my chest.
“No,” I whisper. “No, what did you do?”
I turn back and find the me on the throne arrested, too. Captivated. Mesmerised. He stands up and steps down the three steps of his dais, forgetting about everyone else.
“No, we don’t have scent matches; it's not possible,” he whispers, but her scent is affecting him; his expression turns from disbelief to one of wonder. He reaches out a hand to her.
The woman smiles knowingly, and I realise that she and the weather-lined woman beside me are one and the same. I stare at her, the one beside me, this dreamwalker, as I try to come to terms with what I’m seeing.
“It’s rare. The gods are not so blessed, but there have always been exceptions.”
She brushes the goddess’ hood back, and though I was expecting to see Kaida, it still blows me away. Her goddess’ form is so beautiful I drop to my knees, staring up at her.
“Kaida,” I whisper in awe.
The god version of me reaches out, not quite daring to touch her.
“Are you real?” he whispers.
“I am.”
“Your omega has decided to go to Earth and become their champion.”
It takes a moment, but his head jerks away from the omega and stares at the other goddess. Fire explodes in the room, scorching the ceiling.
“You…you can’t. You can’t take her. No.”
“She’s going. It’s a done deal. The Petition of Gods has already decided.”
He blinks, and tears fill his eyes. I can see how quickly he’s thinking it through, and I know the answer before he even opens his mouth. Because it’s my answer. It will always be my answer.
“I will go.”
“NO!”
Sorcha runs out and slams into her brother. Into me.
“No, you can’t leave me.”
The god version of me has no words, but I can feel his agony.
“You will stay, Sorcha. You have your own journey now,” he says gently to her. “Just because we aren’t together doesn’t mean we aren’t connected. We will always be family, no matter where we are.”
My double and I both turn to the women who brought this down upon us.
“How can you be so cruel?” I whisper at the same time as the god version of me does.
“I do what I must to maintain the best interests of all the beings who exist in all the worlds,” the All-Seer and the prophet say at the same time.
He turns to our sister and takes her hands. “I will love you forever and a day. No matter how far away I am or what happens to me, I will always love you.”
She sobs and throws herself into his arms.
Kaida…no, the omega goddess is full of a dignified pain that she is hiding. I think most people would assume she is cold, but I can see her tremble.
This omega is glass, strong and tempered. Kaida is shattered shards put back together but never giving a clear picture. The Luna Goddess that is living in my world is a mere shadow of herself.
