Page 47 of A Touch Of Death

A startled noise leaves my mouth, and I look at the stranger like she's crazy. A hysterical laugh escapes me, but the Keeper doesn't flinch away. She looks morose, yet those empty eyes hold my gaze. "What kind of question is that?"

"A vital question. Your decision holds the future of all Naturals in existence, Camelle. Should you choose your life, it will be exchanged for your unborn child’s. Chaos will ensue, and there will be no way to prevent it. Should you to sacrifice yourself and spare your daughter, a saviour will be born. Naturals will have hope of a future where they will not live in hiding or fear. You must choose now, Camelle. Time is running short. I'm deeply sorry."

My life or my baby girl's. A sacrifice for a saviour. I knew what I'd choose even before hearing the ramifications of each choice. "A saviour for what?"

"The extinction of Supernaturals."

"Are you saying my unborn baby will be the Natural to prevent such a thing?" I ask with disbelief. How can that be possible? She hasn't been born yet. How could she possibly be a saviour ofanything?!

The Keeper nods her head a fraction and says, "She's our only hope for a future void of carnage. I've seen it, many times over. This world will burn to ashes without a saviour."

I don't know what makes me believe her, but I know in my heart that she's telling me the truth. My hand goes to my mouth again, and a muffled sob leaves my throat. My decision becomes an easy one, though it rests heavily on my heart. Sacrificing my life so my little girl may live is theonlychoice I have.

My daughter will live.

I will die.

My daughters will grow up without their mother beside them.

Inhaling a shaky breath, I wipe away the tears I'd shed without realising and stand tall before the Keeper of Sacrifice. She offers me a sad smile and extends her hands further towards me. "Your life or the life of your unborn child?"

Instinctively, my hands move towards the chalice that holds the deep ruby liquid. The Keeper nods, and the crystal bowl disappears. She steps back once I have the chalice in hand and whispers, "Drink."

With an acceptance I feel in my bones, I lift the chalice to my lips and pour the liquid into my mouth, my eyes closing slowly as I drink the very last drop. When my eyes open again, the Keeper has vanished, and a woman with long blonde hair stands with her back to me.

And then everything goes black.

Chapter 22

Novia

With aswift inhale, I come back to myself. The fog before me thins and falls to the floor like it was when I first found myself surrounded by nothing. The same tickling sensation is the only warning I have before the mist pours from my ear and joins with the rest hovering just above the ground. My body is shaking, from the cold or from what I saw, I don't know, but I'm forced to clamp my jaw shut to prevent my teeth clattering together.

I wrap my arms around my stomach and crouch low, breathing in and out slowly through my nose while I stave off the fresh round of tears I can feel teetering at the edge of my eyelids.

"I'm so sorry, baby girl," the same voice as before whispers. The voice doesn't come to me in my head this time. Instead, it comes from behind me.

I know who the voice belongs to before I even turn, having heard her talking in the projection with my dad. Like I'm moving in slow motion, I turn, and my eyes find the woman who sacrificed herself for me. There she stands with the same white shirt and grey leggings, clean and tidy. Her hair is loose, cascading in straight lines over her chest, and her eyes are a more vibrant green than they'd been in the projection. My tears immediately fall, and a sob catches in my throat.

"Mom?" I choke out, dropping my arms to my sides.

"It's me, honey. It's really me." She gives me a sad smile, and her eyes are filled with warmth even though they're swimming in tears.

That smile has me running until I crash into her, my arms wrapping around her with an iron-like grip. I feel her arms wrap around me in return, holding me tightly to her chest while I release twenty-three years worth of guilt, grief, and sadness.

My body is wracked with sobs, but my mom holds me close, rubbing a hand over my back and smoothing her fingers through my hair while whispering soft comforts into my head. This is what I've been missing my entire life. A mother who will comfort me when my heart hurts, when it feels like a meteor has crashed into my world with only destruction in mind. Dad was the best dad I could have ever hoped for, truly the greatest, but there's something about a mother's love and comforting embrace that differs from a father’s. My dad gave killer hugs, but breaking while my mom holds me is something else entirely. I've lived all my life without this, without her, and I didn't realise how much I needed her until now.

I have no idea how long I stand in my mother’s embrace, but it doesn't matter because she's here right now, holding me while I fall apart. It takes some time for me to calm down, but when I do, I back away reluctantly, keeping a hold of her hand since I'm not ready to lose contact with her entirely.

I sniffle as my eyes dart up to see her smiling genuinely as she looks me over. "You grew up to be beautiful. You have your papa’s... well, I don't think you inherited anything from your pa'. You look like me when I was younger. Which makes me sound conceited, I suppose."

My laugh comes out as a surprise, and she grins at me. "Ah, there it is. You have your pa's laughter. That infectious kind of laugh that you can't help but grin to or join in with."

I chuckle, followed by another sniffle, and tell her, "Dahlia always said I reminded her of Dad when I laughed."

"Your sister was very right. Seems you've got your mama's looks, though. Look at this hair." She reaches out to brush some of my wavy blonde strands. "I guess these waves come from your father. Nana used to have hair like yours. And those eyes. You're a looker, baby girl."

She cups my face gently in her hands and I give her a watery smile. She brushes her thumbs over the apples of my cheeks and says, "I've missed you so much."

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