Page 16 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

“It must have been overwhelming emotions that made your magic act out,” I answered softly. “Mine acts out too when I feel things deeply.”?

He swallowed hard.?

“I was feeling deeply about that kiss you just gave me.” His eyes flashed icy blue again, but only for a moment, and I became silent.?

“Me too,” I confessed.?

“Are you sure you’re not hurt? I don’t want to go to hell for injuring a goddess.”?

Amusement flashed in his eyes as he gave me a boyish grin. I scoffed as I chuckled and stood up.

“Why did you believe that I was a goddess so quickly? Did it not cross your mind that I was a lunatic?”?

Haden’s shoulders shook with silent laughter.?

“There are a few reasons. One, your starlight magic is not regular. Two, I’ve seen you sneaking around as if no one can see you, and I realized at some point they couldn’t, but I could.” I stood still at his confession. “I saw you crying one night when you didn’t know I was there, and your tears glowed like the stars. And like I said, you are too pretty to fit in with us regular fae. Which brings me to my next point: you don’t have pointed ears.”?

“I didn’t realize you were so observant,” I said because I couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Not having pointed ears could just be because I am a vampire or something.”?

“You don’t have fangs. And Elloryon does not have vampires. They live in another realm." His eyes traveled over me slowly again. “Plus, your eyes shine like the heavens.”?

Haden stared at me and waited for me to say something to refute his claims. I didn’t know what to say, though. Haden ran his hand through his hair like he wanted to say something else to me.?

“Why is a goddess mingling with fae?” he asked.?

“That is a secret, and I would rather not tell you.” I frowned.?

“Alright. Do you believe in fate?” he asked instead.?

I jerked back as if he had slapped me. Where was this going? Did he know that I was here to find my mate and his brother was supposed to be it? I needed to calm the hell down; there was no way he knew that. My anxiety was going to make my thoughts spiral.

“Yes, I believe in it.”?

“I didn’t, until recently.” He looked away from me and started pacing around. “Growing up, Holden and I were the same in every way. We liked the same foods, we hated broccoli, and we enjoyed the same hobbies.”?

Where was he going with this??

“Until we were old enough to start noticing women. Holden immediately began dating and talking to them.” I waited for hiswords to make me enraged with jealousy, but they didn’t. “He kissed girls, and I had absolutely no interest in them.”?

Good.?

“I knew my parents were worried about it. They always tried to set me up with friends' daughters.” My fists clenched tightly. “But I never responded the way that they wanted me to. It didn’t bother me; I just figured I would be alone and do my own thing. Until Holden told me he was going to ask Sara to marry him. I don't understand why him getting married triggered this panicked feeling within me. I suddenly felt like I needed to find someone. I went on a date…”

Lightning cracked into the sky above us as I tried desperately to rein myself in. Haden glanced up before looking at me. A slow smile spread across his face as he saw my eyes flashing white.

“I went on one date, and it was awful. It ended very early.” His words had my jealousy calming down slightly. “That night, I went home, and I did something I have never done in my life.” He looked up at me. “I prayed to the stars to show me who I was supposed to be with. I wanted any kind of sign to know what woman, if any, was meant for me.”

I stepped forward, watching him closely.?

“Did they give you a sign?”?

He nodded, and my heart pounded so violently that I could feel it throbbing in my neck.?

“I had the strangest dream that night. One that, at first, made no sense to me. But then I started to see you lurking around the village. It wasn’t until the day we actually met that I understood my dream.”

I was so confused. Why would the heavens show him a sign that led to me? Haden started laughing softly.?

“My dream was just a woman falling over and over.” He looked at me oddly. “When I saw you practicing falling in the street, it all clicked into place. I think maybe the stars were trying to tellme that you are everything I need, and even though we have not spent much time together, I can’t help but think they were right.”?

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