Chapter 27

Flora’s P.O.V

“Flora?”

I turned back to face Daphne, my hands clenched by my side. Out of all the people who could’ve caught me returning back to my room, Daphne was the worst one.

She might have a wild streak in her; she might like doing some things that were considered dangerous and naughty…but I doubted kissing rogue wolves was something she would consider anything but stupid and risky. Not to mention the betrayal I felt the instant I heard her voice and my brain connected the dots.

“Yes.” I answered her, my voice coming out shrill and overly-friendly. “You wanted something?”

“Yes.” Daphne folded her hands in front of her chest. “I wanted to know what you were doing out in the woods at this time in the morning.”

Shit!

“Come with me.” I reached out and took her hand before tugging her along with me to my room. I had to keep looking left and right to see how many guards were still on duty and thankfully, it was still less than the number of day guards that were usually settled on each floors. Lunar Maidens were heavily guarded and for good reason.

I entered my room and pulled Daphne inside with me before locking the door securely. I couldn’t risk any of this getting outside this very room. Once my racing heart was a bit calmer, I turned to face Daphne and bit my lips, trying to find the best way to explain things to her.

“Flora?” Daphne narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re hiding something aren’t you? You missed flower picking with me and Tanya. You never miss flower picking!”

Shit! I had completely forgotten about it!

I could’ve face-palmed myself right then if Daphne wasn’t around. How could I have forgotten it was a Saturday and me, Daphne and Tanya, sometimes Eliana, went to the gardens at the back of the castle to collect flowers to present at the Goddesses feet? Usually there was a rotation on which Maiden would go on which day and I usually got Saturdays and Wednesdays. No wonder Daphne was awake at this hour and roaming the hallways. She must have just delivered the flowers to the Shrine and was returning to her chambers to rest.

“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I have so much to tell you…so much that I want to, but…”

“You’re afraid I’d babble to others about it?”

I looked up at Daphne sharply at her tone of voice, found her head lowered as she looked at the ground and felt really bad for doubting her. Yes, Daphne loved to gossip and nothing ever stayed a secret with her…but she usually kept our secrets…correction, my secrets.

Till date, no one had ever found out about our little trips to the ‘forbidden’ sections of the library. She had never told anyone when I had caused a mishap in the Shrine prayers during the early days of my training and these were just a few of the things on the list that she had kept a secret for me.

But the reason I was hesitating to tell her wasn’t because I thought she would babble to everyone that I have my memories back. It was because of how good she had been at hiding the truth from me. I was wrong about her, her gossiping around was just a façade and it hid just how good she truly was at keeping secrets. Especially from me.

“What I’m about to tell you, isn’t something you probably want to hear.” I warned her. “It questions our fate, our believes.”

“Flora, the only thing us Lunar Maidens believe in is the power and justice of the Moon Goddess.” Daphne’s eyes widened in realization not even a second after the words left her lips. “What is it?”

“I remember…everything.” I watched her give me a startled look. “Everything, Daphne.”

“Flora…do you…do you really have your memories back?” Daphne took a step towards me but I shook my head.

“How could you do this to me, Daphne?” I accused her. “I trusted you as my best friend! I loved you like my own sister!”

“Before you accuse me, let me ask you something.” Daphne stopped me. “Do you remember what happened the first time you got your memories back? Because if you don’t, I can remind you. You were bleeding out of your eyes, your ears, your nose, your mouth! You had a brain hemorrhage and Mercy had to go to extreme lengths to bring you back.”

I remember that time clearly, waking up to find Mercy next to me and then Malachi had paid me a visit. I had been more concerned about the soldier who had been attacked in front of me and if I had been able to save him or not to remember anything else. But now that Daphne mentioned it…it must have been a scary experience for her and the others as well.

“It’s not that we didn’t want to help you, Flora.” Daphne came forward then and took my hand in her smaller ones. “We couldn’t because if we tried, we could lose you. I love you too, as my best friend and my sister, that’s why I couldn’t see you get hurt. What the Moon Goddess did to you…we saw it with our own eyes, but were unable to do anything to help. No one wants the Goddesses wrath upon themselves, but Ezra and Malachi had been trying their best. A lot depends on you, Flora and I wish I could tell you more but I can’t.”

There it was again. Daphne saying that ‘a lot depends on me’ and Ezra saying there was more that was at stake and she had a lot to lose. What was I still missing?

I kept thinking about it long after Daphne left my room after we made up for the misunderstandings. As I lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling and trying to recall through my newfound memories, what could I possibly be missing that was more important than everyone was letting on? That everyone was counting on either directly or indirectly?

An image flashed in my mind then, of the time I had seen the Goddess in all her beauty, in all her glory.

Glorious silver hair, porcelain white skin and eyes that appeared blind. The beauty of her pure white wings as they spread out from her back. The crescent moon headdress…and her voice…deep, lovely…haunting…and mocking.

“We’ll see how long this forever of your lasts.” She had said to us. “Remember, if you fail to find your way back to each other, no matter what the circumstances, you will die a true death and no wolf will ever be allowed to reject a mate ever again.”

I shot up in bed as realization hit me full force.

No wolf will be allowed to reject a mate ever again…

We weren’t the first ones to reject a mating bond! There were others! There had been others before us! And that was why the Goddess was angry.

A lot had indeed depended upon me and Clay finding our way back to each other! But now that we have…why was Clay still a rogue? And why was the Goddess silent?

There was more to this than what met the eyes and I had a gut feeling that the Goddess was not yet done playing with us.