Page 62 of Voices in the Stars
My attention was quickly grabbed by the three strangers who were staring at us. They were wearing dark robes with hoods pulled up. My eyes squinted as I tried to get a better look at them. I didn’t need to try for long before the three of them shared a look before marching up to us. Something was yelled at my father, but I couldn’t make out the words as two of them grabbed my arms, throwing my blanket to the ground. The last one was directly in front of me. Her features were fuzzy besides her glowing green eyes and lips that were rapidly moving with her whispers.
All talking stopped as she pressed one hand on my forehead and the other on my chest. Piercing screams ripped from my throat as it felt like an open flame was being seared into my chest. She never stopped whispering even as I begged her to let me go. To stop what she was doing. Everything was hot. Sweat poured down my face as my limbs flailed. The two holding me just tightened their grips. Then it stopped just as quickly as it began. I was dropped onto the ground. My hands grabbed at my chest where the new ember smoldered in my chest as I sobbed. Josi came running up to me. She wrapped me in a tight hug as I heard the woman speak.
“This will help protect her.”
My Donnaway family pulled me into the house while my father and the woman stood outside. His head bent, whispering words into the wind. His brows furrowed as his words got louder until he was shouting them at the town. There was a shake in his shoulder as the woman placed her hand on his arm, joining his chants.
The world quaked with their words. Leaves rustled as the wind picked up. Any sounds of creatures were drowned out.
My own brows furrowed as I tried to understand what they were doing. It took a moment before my eyes caught it. The slight rainbow shine I had seen outside of Marie’s room was slowly covering Donnaway inside a giant dome.
Within a single blink, the dome finished trapping Donnaway, causing the town to fully vanish. I gasped as I stood, looking at the never-ending expanse of forest.
“It’s done, then?” the woman questioned.
“Yes.” My father nodded. “None of the humans will remember Feycrest. Only myself and my daughter can pass through the barrier.”
The woman’s head snapped over to him, squinting her eyes as she looked over him. “She can’t be able to leave.”
“I refuse to trap her in there with no escape,” my father snapped back. “None of us will be around to help her if something goes wrong. She needs to be able to help herself.”
“You’re a fool that is going to damn the world,” the woman commented, her voice flat like the world ending would have no effect to her.
“Maybe you need to believe in someone besides the other gods,” my father spoke before he turned, walking away from the now hidden town.
Someone was in the room with me. I had fallen asleep with the pillow pressed against my face, which is where it still laid. Footsteps creaked throughout the room around me. My body tensed as I stayed layingdown. There was a loud noise as whoever it was kicked the boots I had thrown off, scattering them across the room. It wasn’t until I heard the following masculine curse that I relaxed.
“Atlas?” I questioned, throwing the pillow back onto the bed.
His eyes were wide as he looked at me, hands on the bed like he stopped in the middle of crawling into the bed. His lips twisted in a half smile before he finished climbing into the bed. The hands that grabbed me were gentle as I was moved to my side. An arm wrapped across my waist and pulled until I was pressed against him. A hum left me as I closed my eyes, fully soaking up Atlas’ warmth.
“My past is a difficult subject for me,” he muttered, his voice soft in my ear.
“I know.” I nodded. “I wish I didn’t tell you.”
“No.” His arm tightened, pulling me closer. “Don’t apologize for telling me the truth. I just wish I had known it sooner. Maybe it would’ve made this easier.”
“No, it wouldn’t have.” I ran my fingers along his arm. “It’s okay to be upset about it.”
“Not toward you. None of this is your fault, just like it wasn’t mine. We were children; there was nothing we could have done about any of this. Forgive me,” he whispered before kissing along my shoulder.
“We’ll make him pay for what he did,” I said instead, feeling the anger spark in my chest. Atlas lost his mother that day, and I lost my father because of that day. If I wasn’t ready to strike back against Eris before, I was more than ready to now.
A thankful hum vibrated along my neck as his kissing moved up, pulling me from my thoughts. A giggle broke free as I tried to push his face away. It felt wrong sharing a moment like this after today, but also right. Like we defied the gods by finding our way back to each other. His lips pulled into a smile as he fought to stay right where he was. Then I was flipped onto my back, a gasp leaving me as I was suddenly staring up at him. His arms caged my head. I tried not to blush as I saw the muscles in his arms flex as he leaned down to kiss me. My eyes slid closed as I followed his slow movements. It felt like he was trying to savor me in that moment. If it was allowed, I would have stayed in this bed with him forever. My hands ran up his chest before settling around his neck. Witha groan, he pressed himself against me, deepening the kiss. It was over just as quickly as it started.
“You have become the only light in my dark life,” Atlas whispered, moving as he caressed the side of my face with his knuckles before gently holding it. “I’m afraid it’s gotten to the point where I would do anything to keep you by my side.”
I leaned into his hold, staring up at his brown eyes. There was a fire burning in them that told me tonight was far from over.
“Everything will be okay,” I whispered, trying to reassure him.
“I wish to have your level of confidence," Atlas said with a shake of his head before leaning down to press a quick kiss to my lips. “I’ve spent most of my life preparing for this, but now I find myself wishing I hadn’t. Losing you again would be the end of me.”
“You aren’t going to lose me,” I promised.
Doubt still swirled throughout his eyes as his lips dipped into a frown. I could feel his body shift as if he meant to pull away. My chest clenched at the thought of ending our last peaceful night like this. My hands darted out, grabbing him by the horns before pulling him back into a fierce kiss. His body was tense for just a split moment before he melted into me. Lips pushed mine harder as he deepened the kiss. His knee moved my leg so he could press himself further against me. I gasped into the kiss as my core tightened when he pressed his hardness against me.
“You’re wearing too many clothes,” I mumbled as I tried to pull his shirt off.
