Page 85 of Gambling with Time

I glanced between my guys, seeking reassurance amidst my own uncertainty, yet not putting a voice to it. Lex, ever attentive, stepped closer and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. His touch sent warmth spreading through me, a soothing presence in the midst of the unknown. It was all so strange. I wanted to be here and to find the Golden Apple, but yet, I felt scared almost. It was a foreign feeling for me.

"Take your time, Samantha," Lex said softly. "We're here with you. The edge of the world may seem daunting, but remember, we've overcome so much already. Together, we can face anything."

I nodded, grateful for Lex's steady presence. Alastor, standing beside me, radiated hope and determination. His eyes were filled with an unwavering belief in our shared destiny. I only had to lead the way. Morpheus had made that clear in his instructions; I had to be the one to find the Golden Apple. If my guys plucked it from the tree, I couldn’t eat it because it would rot in my grip. That was if the tree was even still growing.

"Think of the possibilities, Samantha," Alastor said, his voice filled with anticipation. "To defy the natural course of time, to experience eternity alongside the ones you love. It's a chance we can't ignore. I’m sure I’m not the only one that can’t live without you now."

Bellamy slung an arm around Alastor's shoulder, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, Alastor, always the optimist. But remember, eternity is a long time. You sure Samantha’s ready for that?"

He was joking obviously. The thought of staying with them forever was like a balm to my soul. A kick in my stomach, that felt a little like gas bubbles, told me the life I was carrying inside of me agreed. I rubbed my belly as I looked at each of them. Who knew this was where we would end up? A mythical place that quite literally was the edge of forever.

A surge of emotions welled up within me. I leaned into Lex's touch, finding solace in his embrace, and then turned to face Bellamy and Raiden. “I’m ready.”

I led the way into the shadowed lands ahead of us. It was silent and dark. But on a raised cliff was a single tree. It appeared dead, and my heart sank as my feet faltered.

“Keep going, love,” Bellamy urged.

Pulling in a steadying breath, I forced my legs to move me forward. If it was dead, it wasn’t a big deal. I was still young, and we would have years to find a solution. We had treated this like an urgent matter, but it wasn’t. Even if I aged a few more years, I wouldn’t look older than any of my guys, and I wouldn’t be older than them ever.

I climbed up the rocky path toward the dead tree. A figure detached from the trunk as we approached.

“Who comes to the edge of the world?”

Her skin was brown like the bark, but smooth and beautiful, and I realized she hadn’t actually been a part of the tree. She had just been resting against it.

I swallowed. “I came for a Golden Apple.”

A tinkling laugh filled the air, stolen by a sudden wind whipping over the cliff. “Did you, now? Did you think you would waltz up to the tree and pluck one just for yourself?”

I opened my mouth to respond when another beautiful woman stepped away from the trunk.

“Don’t mind Violet, we don’t get visitors much. Not since Myra attempted to burn the tree to the ground. Rumors spread that it was dead. Yet, we are still forced to guard the shell of what's left. To coax it back to the land of the living.”

“Greta, don’t share our secrets,” Violet hissed.

“Secrets?” she laughed. “They can see with their own eyes that they have come here for a pointless cause.”

My gaze ran over the tree. It was large and reached for the starry sky. Near the top was a bunch of leaves, and one shiny Golden Apple. My breath caught.

Greta followed my line of sight. “The branches up to it wouldn’t hold your weight, even if we allowed you to pass.”

I met her honeyed stare, getting trapped in the golden hues. “What do I need to do to pass you?”

“Sammy,” Rai murmured.

“It’s okay,” I replied. I had a plan. I didn’t need to climb the tree to get to the top, I had a dragon with me.

A third woman moved away from the shadows cast around the tree. “Answer three questions honestly.” The grin on her face told me the questions would not be straightforward and easy to answer, but I nodded anyway.

“Very well,” Greta sighed as if this was something they had done thousands of times, and she was tired of the game.

“Wait, what if the questions can’t be answered honestly?” Lex asked.

Violet lifted her eyebrows. “Only the honest deserve immortal life.”

“Question one, if you had to choose between the life in your belly and the life of its father… Which life would you save?” Myra looked downright rabid and expectant as she waited for my answer.

My chest clenched. I pressed my hand to my stomach. It was an impossible question. Raiden or a baby we created? There was only one answer that rang true to me.

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