Children of the Gods - A Chosen Novel (22 page)

“How does
she
feel about that?” he
asked.

“I do not know. She has not made any contact
since I destroyed the ship. I assume she still feels the same. She
expected to die then.”

“Now that she is free, she might feel
differently.”

“She will never be free of what she has
done,” I said, coldly.

He stopped walking and looked at me like he
was making a decision, but then started walking again in
silence.

“I also need you to take care of the
baby.”

“She will be grown before the time comes to
worry about any of this,” he responded, but he did not sound like
he believed it.

“You know that is not true. She draws my
strength as we speak. I will not survive the birth.”

“You do not know that.” He kicked a pebble in
his path, sending it flying further than I could see.

“I do, Griff, and so do you. I need your
promise.”

“I cannot give you that promise.” His voice
sounded thick and angry.

I stopped and waited for him to turn. I was
counting on him. I had no backup plan, and no time to prepare one.
He did not face me.

“How can you deny me?” I shouted.

He said nothing.

“How can you let her live, let her steal the
lives of others, let her go on, when you let Jaxson die?” I asked
through gritted teeth.

“Because I am not bonded to him.”

The words did not make sense. I thought I was
going to be sick. I turned and started running. His heavy hands
clamped down on my shoulder, stopping me. I tried to fight, but I
was so weak and he was so strong.

“Please calm down. You are going to kill the
baby,” he said with sickening tenderness.

I stopped fighting and was still while he
held me immobile.

“If I let you go, are you going to try to run
again?” he asked.

“So what? You have been waiting for me to die
so you can have your pet back?” I spat at him, ignoring his
question.

“It is not what you think.” He sounded
sad.

“Oh? What is it then?” I asked, the acid
creeping back into my tone.

“Promise you will not run if I let you go,
and I will tell you.”

“Fine.”

“Promise me,” he pressed, sounding stern.

I stood rigid and angry, refusing to promise
what I could not. The minute he released me I would either run or
try to kill him. Suddenly the image of Jaxsons’s face as he
discovered he was a father flashed in my head. “I promise,” I said,
defeated.

He loosened his grip, then turned me around
so I was facing him.

“Bonded was the wrong word. I am sorry. I am
bound to her.” His face was a mirror of my pain.

“I do not understand. I thought anyone else
was poison to them? Was that a lie to keep them faithful?” What I
had witnessed through Anaya’s memories seemed pretty real.

“No. If they were ever to be with another, it
would kill them. I have seen it,” he said, cringing at the
memory.

“So how, then?”

“I am not bound to her as a mate,” he
responded.

“What are you bound to her as?”

“I am her guardian. I am not human or
Haloran. I am what you might call a soul. Or a better comparison
would be a guardian angel. We do not exist in the flesh, but watch
over those who are worthy of our protection on Halora. We can take
the form of flesh to interact with or protect those we have deemed
worthy. I was curious and foolish, and had taken on this flesh to
interact with Jaxson, when his father discovered me. He captured me
and bound me to this body. He meant me to be a permanent guardian
for Jaxson, but as was usual for Jaxson, he wanted Anaya to be
protected for eternity so he bound me to her.”

“That is why I am unable to promise you. I
cannot harm her, or even allow harm to be done to her. And I cannot
die until she does. Her death, the one thing I am bound to prevent,
is the only thing that can set me free now that Jaxson is
gone.”

“The world really is an unfair place, is it
not.”

He closed his eyes and nodded his head.

“Wait. How could you have allowed me to blow
myself up? Would you not be bound to stop me?”

“Somehow Jaxson figured out a way to keep
those thoughts from me, and I can only read yours sporadically. He
sent me to take Niko to the City that day to save my life and free
me from my obligation. It was only when you discovered the baby
that he let me back into his thoughts. The moment I knew, I had to
return.”

“So you could not take him, and he knew that
when he called you back,” I said, feeling the loss of him as
acutely as the day it happened.

Griff looked at me like he was looking for
someone else in my eyes.

“Everything he ever did, always, was for
Anaya only, until you. She hated him for choosing her, but it was
not him that chose her. He was doing his duty as always. He was
joined with her as part of an alliance her father brokered with his
family.”

“How could he be so devoted to her then?”

“That was his duty. He felt their union
meant, even if she hated him for it, he would be the best, most
loving partner he could. He always hoped one day she would see how
much he loved her. When I discovered that she found someone she
thought could destroy him, I told him. You know what he said?”

“What?”

“He said ‘If I am finally able to make her
happy, then that is what I will do.’ He chose you the night after
she took him to see you dance.”

“Was that why he was so horrible to me that
day?”

Griff shook his head sadly. “No, that was for
both you and Anaya. He wanted you to hate him so you would help
her, but also so you would not know it was really her that chose
you.”

“How long did he know it was me and not
Anaya?”

“He suspected from the beginning. He was sure
after your first night together. He was sorry about that, too. It
was the first time he was with anyone other than Anaya. You gave
him a reason to hope. Even though you hated him, you showed more
kindness than he received in a thousand years. He loved you the
moment he knew it was you.”

“He loved me because I was kind? Not because
of my gift?” I asked, unsure I wanted to know the answer.

“He loved you because you were just like him;
making the best of a horrible situation. He wanted to give you
everything he never had. He was immune to your gift.”

I touched my lips, thinking of all the times
he kissed me tenderly. Every time he made love to me. It was all
real.

“Why did he never tell me he knew?”

“He was too afraid to find out if it was all
just an act. If he never knew, he could hope you actually did love
him.”

“Griff, if I do not survive, promise me you
will tell Jaxs about her father. I want her to know him.” I felt
hope for the first time since his death.

“Jaxs?”

“Yes. I had not decided until just now. I
think he would like it.”

“I know he would.” Griff’s voice sounded
rough, full of emotion.

“You really loved him?” I asked.

“Fate chose him to be the king for a reason.
He was more worthy of the protection of the Isturis, my people,
than any Haloran or Osidian I have ever encountered.” He paused,
and he looked far away like he was in another place. “He was my
best friend.” Tears welling up in his dark eyes.

I squeezed his arm as a wave of pain hit.
Griff swept me up in his arms as my legs bowed. He closed the
distance to the small cottage in what seemed like three steps.

~o~

“One more push!” Griff ordered.

“I am too tired. I cannot do it anymore,” I
whimpered.

“You can,” he said, looking intense. “You
have to.”

I shook my head. He grabbed the sides of my
legs and leaning over my knees so his face was closer to mine. “If
you cannot do it for yourself or Jaxs, think of Jaxson. Do it for
him.”

I hated him for it, but he was right. I
pictured Jaxson standing next to me, holding my hand. It gave me
strength I no longer had. I gritted my teeth, but that did not stop
me from screaming as I gave one final push.

There was silence as Griff turned his back to
me. My body thrummed with a new energy that had not been there a
moment ago. I should have been weakened by her birth. Instead, my
strength was renewed as though Jaxson, himself had entered into the
room.

“Is she alright?” I asked, trying not to
panic.

A tiny wail pierced the air and I slumped
back against the pillows. Griff handed me the little bundle, and I
peeled back the blanket. I ached seeing those perfect green eyes
staring back at me.

“She looks so much like him it hurts. I wish
he could have seen her at least once.” I could not help the tears
that streamed down my cheeks. Tears of happiness, and of pain.

Griff patted my arm. “If there is any justice
in the universe somehow he will see her.”

###

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Acknowledgements:

I’d like to thank Jolyn Palliata (Jodi) for
always believing not just in this story but in me, and for falling
as hard as I did. Without ALL your help and encouragement I’m not
sure I’d have had the confidence to make this journey!

I’d also like to thank all my critique
buddies and readers: Amy, AdriAnne, Renee, Bobbi, Wendy, Jamie and
Patrice. Your feedback has been invaluable.

Thanks to all my Twitter friends who have
helped me learn not only to grow as a writer but have helped me to
discover the business side also.

Thanks to Kathleen Duey for showing me that
pantsers write amazing stories, too!

Thanks to all my family and friends for their
support and belief in me.

And to all who have taken a look and kept
reading! Thank you!

Thank you for reading Children of the Gods. If you
enjoyed it, Chosen – A Children of the Gods short story gives a
look into Reka’s life the night before she is Chosen and is
available at
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MonicaMillard

About the author:

Monica was born and raised in Alaska. She doesn’t own
a dog sled team, but has worked in a place where there are
buildings with caged exterior doors to keep employees from being
eaten by polar bears.

She lives in Wasilla, Alaska with all her critters,
some four legged and others that stand on two. She writes Science
fiction, fantasy, and Paranormal for young adults.

Find Chosen – A Short story prequel
to Children of the Gods and future releases on
Smashwords.com

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MonicaMillard

Connect with me online:

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/MonicaEmme

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/emmeandemme

Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MonicaMillard

My blog:
http://analaskangirl.blogspot.com/