Page 183 of Knot Their Omega

“Aww, c’mon. Be nice,” Kenji laughs. “Me and Kai are sharing.”

“You two share the same bed. Y’all are perfectly fine sharing one line,” Nathaníel complains. “This douche can’t even cuddle in the same nest without pushing me off of it!”

“I was asleep,” Icarus notes. “Can’t use that against me.”

“Liar! You were smiling as I struggled to get up.”

“Whatever.”

“Hummingbird! Where are you?” Kenji asks.

“Oh,” I begin as I finally rip the envelope open, being sprayed with glitter powder and dust. I sneeze three times. “I’m at my place. Family house.” I wrinkle my nose. “Ugh. I hate fan mail.”

“Rebel,” Nathaníel groans. “Didn’t I say we’d go together?”

“You guys had your interview,” I whine as I open the package to take the documents out. It’s a mix of fan mail and documents that need my signature. “I wasn’t going to sit for two hours doing nothing. This was the perfect time to come get my package and dip. We have the next tour stop tomorrow, so I won’t be back here until the new year at this point.”

“Yes, but you didn’t have to do it on your own,” Icarus scolds. “We could come with you.”

“So overprotective,” I whine but smile while looking at the document. “My mom isn’t here, so it’s fine.”

I have to squint to try to make out the words, doing my best to understand what the hell the document is trying to say.

“What the fuck?” I mutter as I lift the sheet, still trying to read the words that are… blurry.

“Rebel?” Nathaníel asks, but even that sounds far away.

“Why the hell is it so blurry?” I question, holding the paper now with two hands as a thumping sound reaches my ears. I bring the paper up close, but it only makes the words dance in my line of vision.

The only thing I can make out are the words “Marriage” and “Certificate,” but my mind feels like a fog while something begins to drip from my nose.

“Marriage? Certificate?” I say in confusion, using my left hand to wipe at my nose. “What the fuck. I’m already married, dummies.” Maybe that’s not processing right in my mind because a part of me knows that’s not true, yet this other side wholeheartedly agrees that I’m taken.

Looking at my left hand, I see the striking red that cloaks the side of my hand, leaving me more confused as black spots begin to take over my vision.

Lowering the paper, I try to figure out what’s happening, but then my eyes land on the woman standing in the doorway.

Tear-stricken, I see the fear in my mother’s eyes, and for once, I see a level of sympathy I haven’t witnessed in her gaze for years.

“Mom?” I whisper and watch as her eyes further water and her parted lip quakes with agony.

“I’m sorry.”

I want to respond, but the words can’t leave my throat. In fact, I struggle to breathe as the struggling sound reaches my ears before my eyes roll back.

I drop like a log, unable to feel when I touch the ground, but hearing a ringing sound while my name seems to be repeated over and over again.

Someone’s calling me.

Multiple people are calling me.

Yet… there’s no way for me to answer.

The world is nothing but darkness.

What Goes Around Comes Back Around

~ASTRAEA~

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