Chapter 78
CAMILLA’S P.O.V
I remembered the arrow and I remembered the pain but after that was complete darkness. I always thought that if I died, I would be welcomed by the goddess with open arms. I may not have been the best person in the world but I knew I wasn’t the worst and I deserved a happy ending. I was terrified at first because it felt like I couldn’t move or breathe. I tried to count to have an idea of the time but it went on for what felt like an infinity.
I tried to fight it. With every second that ticked by, I tried to remember my family waiting for me. I tried to remember the palace and everyone that was under me. It was my job to defend them and I had to fight for them. I tried to move, I tried to breathe but I was stuck in a perpetual static. It was exhausting and there was this nagging voice at the back of my mind that kept telling me to give up and let go. I didn’t want to and I tried my best to remain strong but I soon forgot what I was fighting for. When I had finally given up and decided that I was ready to embrace the unknown, I fell. There was no other way to describe it besides falling. It felt like I was falling through the air until I landed in the sand. I wasn’t hurt from my fall. I looked around wondering where I was. The landscape looked foreign to me. I knew it was my imagination but I thought the mind was capable of showing only places that a person had
been to.
I analyzed the place once more. The sand stretched on for miles before it met with the sea. The sea was surprisingly calm and it was so shiny and clear that I wondered if it was possible for anything to live inside of it. I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe I was in paradise. Maybe the darkness was to determine if I was worthy enough of paradise and my giving up had brought me where I deserved even though it wasn’t where I wanted to be.
“I suppose you could call it paradise,” a voice spoke from behind me and I instantly jumped to my feet.
Standing behind me was a girl who looked to be no older than sixteen years old. She had long silver hair that was thrown over her shoulder in a braid, her eyes were a turbulent shade of grey that almost reminded me of a storm and she was in a small dress that was made from threadbare grey fabric. She wasn’t standing there before- or at least, I hadn’t noticed
her before. She gave me a warm smile that was inviting but I couldn’t help but be wary. There was something about her that put me on edge and it wasn’t just the fact that she had answered the question I asked in my head.
“I won’t hurt you,” she assured me. “Come, let us take a walk.” I hesitated before standing and I glanced at her outstretched hand. “If I wanted to hurt you, I would have by now, Camilla.”
“How do you know my name?”
“I know everyone’s names and everything about them. I suppose it gets exhausting after some time when you remember everything about everyone. A human is just a speck in the grand scheme of humanity.” Immediately I recognized her and I bowed deeply. Very few wolves had the privilege of meeting the moon goddess after death and here she was standing in front of me so casually. She smiled softly and gestured to her outstretched hand. I took it immediately and her hand was cold to touch. “There is no need to bow to me Camilla. If I wanted that, I would have appeared to you in a divine form. I am here as your friend,” she told me softly.
“Am I dead?
“In a way,” she shrugged as we began walking. “You are stuck in a limbo of sorts. I have never had a hard time deciding if a person should live or not before. It is easy to compartmentalize with my creatures because there are so many of you but I have a certain fondness for your line. The royals were some of my first creations, that is why your line has powers that the others do not. I have watched you since your birth and you are a special breed, Camilla Caine.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your job on the earth isn’t done yet and I have a feeling our mate is more likely to burn down paradise than leave you to die.”
“Ryker wouldn’t do that.”
“You underestimate him,” I realized that somehow, we had gotten to the edge of the water and right there was a small boat. “Get in, Camilla. You have more work to do.”
“You’re just going to let me go?” I asked confused and she cracked a smile.
“Would you rather stay?” I shook my head. “Go back, Camilla. Your mate is waiting for you.”
She turned on her heels before I could utter another word and I just stared in confusion. There were no oars to row the boat but I got in. As soon as I got in, the boat began to move on its own. The further it moved, the darker it got until I couldn’t see anything. My b*dy went numb and I couldn’t feel anything. The first thing I heard when I came back to reality was incessant banging and the flurry of inaudible voices. The first voice that came into focus was Ryker’s and I tried to speak but all that came out was a low moan.
“Camilla, baby, can you open your eyes for me?” I moaned once more and I felt his warm hands against my cheek. “Is she supposed to be this cold? What is wrong with her?”
I heard someone respond but they were too far away for me to audibly hear what they said. I tried to open my eyes and it took a lot of tries but when I finally did, I had to squint my eyes in order to adjust to the brightness of the light. When I finally managed to open it, Ryker was clutching my hand and staring down at me.
“Hey,” he whispered softly as if he were scared that I was going to disappear. “How are you? I thought you were gone.”
I opened my mouth to speak but my voice was too dry. He quickly grabbed a cup of water and brought it to my l*ps. I drank it greedily and allowed it to soothe my dry throat. Ryker kept smiling at me in encouragement and I could see the palpable relief in his eyes. I looked arund the room and noticed that Christine as well as the royal physician were standing in the room. They were all looking at me as if I were a miracle and I couldn’t help but know that something had happened. “What happened?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Ryker tried to assure me but I shook my head. I needed to know exactly what happened. “Camilla, it isn’t important.”
“Tell me.”
He sighed before speaking. “The poison from the arrow had gotten into your bloodstream. You were flatlining. You weren’t supposed to make it through the night and your,” he hesitated before continuing. “Your heart stopped. For two whole minutes you were dead. I didn’t- I- f**k.”
He stopped to take a deep breath. I could only imagine how traumatic it was for him to relive that moment. He ran his hand through his hair repeatedly to calm himself.
“It doesn’t matter because you’re here now.”
276
“The goddess sent me back.”
All eyes turned to me in shock. Christine blinked, Ryker looked confused and the physician looked like he was about to pass out. I relayed everything that had happened in my encounter with the goddess and by the time I was done, everyone was staring at me with varying levels of shock and awe. I still couldn’t believe it myself that I had seen her. A part of me wanted to believe that it was all a figment of my imagination but I knew it was real. I could still feel her hand in mine.
“You need to rest, your majesty,” the physician was the first to break the silence. “Your b*dy has been through a great ordeal and it is important that you are well rested before anything else.”
I ignored him and turned to Ryker. “Did you catch Frederick?” Guilt took over hi features as he shook his head. “We will, together.” It was hard to believe considering everything that had happened so far but I decided to have faith. It hurt to know that someone! I thought so highly of would have tried to kill me but it was part of life- making bad decisions. Now, I was sure that Frederick wasn’t looking for mercy but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow. He had managed to get into the pack and shoot me in front of everyone. That was no small/offense and I knew it would not be easy to catch him but I forced a small smile on my face.
“We will.”
Ryker stroked the back of my hand with his thumb. “You have two daughters who want to see you more than anything.”
I watched as Christine and the physician filed out of the room but Ryker stayed. Since we mated, he hadn’t stepped foot in this room so it confused me when I saw him settling pillows on the couch close to the bed. I was even more baffled when he pulled a comforter out of the closet and laid it there.
“Are you staying?” I asked and he turned to me incredulously.
“Did you really think I was going to leave you here?” he asked as he settled on the couch. “I need to make sure that you don’t need anything.” I could tell there was more to it so I levelled him with a hard look and he sighed. “I need to make sure that you don’t disappear again. You have no idea what it felt like to feel that bond break. I need to be here with you.”
I gave him a watery smile and moved over a little to create space for him on the bed. “Then you might as well sleep right next to me.”
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“I won’t be uncomfortable if I am the one asking. Please, Ryker, just for
tonight.”
