Page 34 of Tear of Destiny

His dark eyes seek out mine. They’re warm and compassionate. In the moonlight, they look like liquid honey, a fascinating play of different hues that I could stare at for hours.

Noah pulls back his hand. “Andrew, the Noctu who attacked you, came to our house to report what happened at Two Trees. My parents are home a lot lately because of Travis’ trial. Anyway, I happened to overhear the conversation. It didn’t take me long to realize he was probably talking about you. Although I really hoped I was wrong.”

I avoid his eye, unsure what to say. There’s still so much on my mind.

“Tess, what happened? Why did you reveal yourself as a Tempes? You know a Noctu can’t just ignore that.”

I stare at him and shake my head, wondering if he really knows nothing or if he’s just playing dumb.

“You really don’t know? They never told you about Patricia? Your parents are Assembly members. They must know. Surely that’s why Andrew went to them.”

He frowns, runs his hand through his hair, and pulls a clueless face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He looks at me – open, honest, upright.

I slowly open my mouth, knowing I’m about to shake thefoundations of his world. “Patricia’s a goddess of destiny,” I explain.

Noah stares at me in disbelief. He can’t believe what he’s hearing, but he seems to trust me and believe that I’m not lying to him – as unlikely as it must sound.

“She was Charles’ girlfriend a few years back. He’s the Tempes who leaked information to Travis. My great aunt and Charles were friends, and she fell in love with him. But he had feelings for Patricia. Frida didn’t trust her and kept snooping around. At first, she assumed Patricia was cheating on Charles, then she thought she was a Noctu. And in the end, she was convinced she was a goddess. Charles didn’t believe a word of it. There was a fight…”

Noah nods. “Yeah, I remember. That’s why we went to the Odyss to find out if your aunt was a Noctu.”

“I thought Patricia was dead,” I continue. “My great aunt was put on probation after the incident, and she lost her status as a hunter. But Patricia’s alive. In that retirement home. She’s in a coma though. And she’s guarded by the Noctu.”

Noah stares at me and looks as confounded as I am. And he doesn’t know the full story yet.

“How do you know she’s a goddess?”

“She… spoke to me.”

Noah’s right eyebrow arches and he gives me a doubtful look. “I thought you said she was in a coma.”

“It was… weird,” I mutter.

Then I tell him everything. About Patricia’s ghostly apparition hovering above her body, what she said about the library and my destiny. About Andrew’s attack and what he revealed to me.

At first, Noah just stands there looking stunned, speechless, as if he’s been hit over the head. But then he steps up and takes me tenderly in his arms.

“She was probably just trying to scare you. I’m sure yourdestiny won’t be that harsh, and if it is, I’m here for you. And as for Andrew, his post is in the retirement home. He won’t leave it to come after you. Especially since you’re safe in the school. We can’t find you there.”

I know that, but what about when I’m away from the school? When I visit Mom? It’s all so complicated.

Noah seems to guess what I’m thinking and runs a soothing hand over my hair.

“From what I gathered, Andrew was afraid of the Tempes attacking the retirement home. And now I understand why– because he’s protecting a goddess. I figured he was worried that the Tempes could eliminate a couple of Noctu. But I was wrong.” His eyes narrow slightly. “What do you plan to do? Are you going to tell the Tempes about the goddess?”

I bite my lip and think about how to answer him. What do I want to do? I slowly shake my head.

“I don’t want to be responsible for another fight between the Tempes and the Noctu. And that’s what would happen. Both sides would do everything in their power to get their hands on the goddess. That can only end in a bloodbath. And I don’t want to be the one to set that in motion.”

I picture Chloe again, in the room where Ty and I found her. I hear her words and see her eyes, the swift movement and then all that blood. I can’t be responsible for the death of another goddess, as evil as she may be.

“Okay,” Noah says quietly. “I mean, I think you’re right about that. But I could understand if you wanted to tell your people.”

I only need to glance at his face to know who he means. I shake my head slowly. “I haven’t told Ayden. And I don’t plan to.”

Noah raises his eyebrow again. “You didn’t even tell him about the attack? Tess, you’ve just been through a really scary experience. You shouldn’t have to deal with that alone.”

“I told you,” I reply, looking up at him. “So I’m not alone.”

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