Daughter of Kaos (The Daughter Trilogy Book 3) (32 page)

close where the water ran dry, but the deserts were completely swept. Camara is sleeping off her

exhausting night. She occupied over three hundred animals at once,” Ther answers.

“Wow,” I murmur with a bit of shock.

“Yeah. There’s no stirring in the deserts around here, and she would have caught whiff of

anything with that many eyes and ears,” Deacon yawns out before flipping another page.

“Take your wife away,” Kry grumbles to Devin while shifting uncomfortably.

“What?” I squeak.

“Your scent is killing me, and I’m doing good to stay away from Ember as it is,” he gripes.

“Great,” I mumble.

Devin smirks a little, and then he pulls me into his arms before whisking me away from the

room. The padded door to the bedroom closes, and I giggle a little at his eager and menacing eyes.

“Finally,” he murmurs while pulling my lips to his again.

I giggle a little louder, and then I feel the bed pressing against my back.

“It’s only been a week,” I tease.

“You have no idea how hard it is to be without you for a week, especially when I’m right beside

you,” he exasperates.

“Aster has just needed-”

“I know. I know. It’s not bad to want a minute alone every so often though. Then you can sleep,”

he says with a menacing smirk.

“Aw,” I tease. “Is my husband feeling neglected?”

“Yes,” he says with a playful pout that’s almost too hot for my body to handle.

The sheets sear beneath me, and he shakes his head to warn me of my overheating state.

“Maybe this will help you get your strength back. After all, Aphrodite has probably felt neglected

as well,” he jokes.

I feel the burning graze of his touch tempting my body as it slowly crawls upward, and it’s all I

can do to stay still.

My hands tangle in his hair as I pull his lips back down to mine, and the passion that never fizzles

pours free. His delicious body rubs against mine, and the wind caresses our bodies as he frees us from

our weighted clothing.

I smile as I stare into the eyes that have held me even closer for so many reasons, and then there’s

only the desire we have for each other left in the room as all the anxiety, worry, and dread flees.

I feel so complete in
so many ways as I stare at the enormous picture of us laughing. I giggle a

little when I think back to the weddings, and then I sigh before climbing out of the wonderful bed

Devin forced me to stay in after our wondrous sexcursion.

I hope my strength returns soon, but at least not all of my skills have been forced to lie dormant.

A colorful paper flower lies across the pillow where Devin had been while holding me until I fell

asleep. I smirk as I pull away the singed sheets, and then I laugh at the fire resistant cover that lines

the mattress.

I toss the old sheets before pulling on some clothes, and then I pick up the handmade flower

Devin left behind.

Each petal has a word, and together it reads:
For all eternity, Devin, Adisia, and Aster.

He’s almost too amazing for me to believe, but the fact that he’s mine is even more surreal.

The door is barely cracked, and I can hear a few rustling whispers which lets me know Aster must

finally be getting a little sleep as well.

Just as I’m about to walk out, I feel queasy, dizzy, and severely faint. The walls seem to be

getting closer to me, and the bulbs in the room burst as my eyes roll back in my head.

I scream out as I feel the piercing pain of a vision not meant to be seen forcing its way to my

mind. I hear panicked footsteps and distant voices surrounding me as warm, familiar arms wrap

around me protectively.

I scream once more when the vision finally finds a resting place in my mind for viewing.

The veiled face of a slender woman in white stands too far away for me to see clearly. Smoky air

clouds the view that much more, and the clothes worn seem so oddly fashioned.

I feel as though I’ve traveled back in time.

Her chimed voice echoes through a hollow tunnel as she addresses a bowing servant in need of

guidance. It’s her words, though, that chill me the most, and I scream again as I struggle to hear

better.

“To restore life to that of which you seek, you’ll need to take a life both mortal and weak.

Aphrodite’s passion must dwell somewhere within, but you’ll need to find her before the bleeding rain

begins. By then your hope will have run dry, for there will no chance left - no time. If eternity is the

truth of your desire, then find the daughter born of water and fire.”

More images swirl through my mind as a warning of what’s to come, and it’s hard to keep up with

the changing pace. The circle returns to the point where it started, and I’m staring at the original

scene once more with more clarity.

This time, I notice something far more horrid, and the realization of what’s to come knocks me

into a spiraling fall.

I scream again as the vision flees, and the fading glimpse of the veiled woman isn’t the figure I

fear. The humble servant bowing to her is the true source of my terror, for she is no humble servant at

all.

It’s the young Pyrrha, and it’s my daughter she wants.

I gasp for air as the light in the room slowly returns to a dim glow before my eyes, and then I hear

the panicked voices in a muffled volume.

I’ve not fully left the inside of my mind, and this vision has been the worst I’ve received so far.

“Adisia, please talk to me, baby,” Devin shrieks as if he’s been repeating the same phrase in

mantra.

“No,” I cry, and then the weeping howl deepens as I bury my face into his chest.

“What? Tell us what you saw?” Hale urges.

“She wants her,” I choke out in between my wails.

“Who?” Devin softly prompts while stroking my hair.

“Pyrrha. She wants our baby,” I force out, and then my sobs take on a whole new deafening roar

as silence chills the room for everyone else.

“What the hell?” Deacon finally blurts out, but I can’t say anymore.

My sobbing has taken on a motored roar, and I can’t catch a breath long enough to recompose

myself.

Devin’s eyes are trembling in terror, and he scoops me up from the floor to carry me into the

living room.

“Where’s Theia?” Gemma inserts worriedly. “She can view it and tell us what she saw.”

“Theia and Phillip have gone with Persia and Kahl to buy more baby stuff. I can do it,” Jace

interjects, and I feel his hand taking mine.

My eyes are too blurred by tears to see, and my erratic breaths only work to heave out more cries.

I feel his grip tightening, and I know he’s just seen it all as I have.

He stammers backwards shaking his head, and Faith comes over to help him steady himself.

“What did you see?” Devin says emergently.

“She’s right. Pyrrha wants your baby,” he murmurs as a ghostly shade infects his normally tan

body.

“Why?” Devin blares.

“She needs the child of Aphrodite born from fire and water to restore the fountain of youth. The

time frame is limited, and she grew impatient. That’s why she drugged you. She’s not looking for the

two of you; she’s just looking for Adisia. She doesn’t know Adisia had her early, and that’s why she’s

been so relentless in her search,” Jace explains.

“What the fuck?” Kry gasps as he grips his head. “Why does she think Aster is the key to

restoring the fountain?”

“An oracle prophesied it,” he murmurs while still gaping at me.

“Where the hell did she find an oracle? They’ve been extinct for centuries,” Camara rattles out.

“The vision isn’t from recent past, it’s ancient - before the dawn of the immortal wars against

Rhea and her armies. Adisia saw an oracle’s prophecy. That’s never been done before,” Jace

murmurs in astonishment.

“Damn it,” Deacon growls, and I see everyone shaking their heads in distress.

“Where’s my baby?” I whimper.

“She’s asleep in the bassinet,” Hale answers softly.

I free myself from Devin, and I grab up the sleeping beauty bundled in far too many blankets

from the overzealous concern of the immortals without a true grip on a child’s preferred temperature.

I peel her out of the overstuffed wrapping, and then I hold her precious little body to my chest as I

try to make sure she’s still real. My lips press against her wrinkled brow over and over as the tears

from my weary eyes fall to her face.

Devin pulls the two of us into his lap, and his lips repeat the same motion of overwhelming her

with too much affection.

She whimpers slightly from the stimulation, and he pulls both of us against his chest.

“When and where?” Kry urges.

“I don’t know. It’s not exactly like watching a movie. Past and present mixed together in the

visions. The background is blurred, but the faces and words are more distinct,” Jace answers. “I could

tell from the ramblings she doesn’t know Aster has been born yet. We need to capitalize on that one

edge.”

“How?” Hale interjects.

I feel the tears falling as the silence in the air answers the question Jace cannot.

My heart pounds fiercely against my chest, and Devin’s grip tightens against me. We stare down

at the beautiful creature we’ve created, and the pain stings us both when we know what we have to do.

“We’ll take her to my parents,” I whimper. “She’ll be safe with them until we finish this,” I sob,

and Devin fights the tears in his eyes as his lips console my quivering ones.

“When?” Kry sighs too softly.

“Now,” Devin breathes, and I know he’s struggling with this decision just as gravely as I am.

I cry harder, and he holds me in his arms while helping me to my wobbly feet.

“I’ll get her stuff,” Camara whimpers, and Deacon flashes in behind her to aide her in her packing

endeavor.

“We’ll leave now to cause a scene on the beach south from here. If there’re any eyes watching

close by, they’ll be distracted,” Nina offers, and then her followers flash in behind her as they filter

out without another word.

“Call Persia and Theia,” I murmur to Hale, and he nods solemnly while patting my shoulder.

“Are you going to be okay?” Devin almost whispers.

“Are you?” I counter.

“Fair enough,” he almost whispers, and then he takes a deep breath to restrain his terrified and

pained tremble.

The long flight and drive
has been lengthened by the silence and reluctance smothering out the

air. Each mile is a painful cross, and every second we’re getting closer to the inevitable

relinquishment of the daughter we just got.

It isn’t fair to her or us, and for the first time, I really understand the turmoil and difficulty of the

decision Persia and Kahl had to make so long ago. I only pray my daughter can return to me soon

instead of when she finds her own immortality.

Devin’s arms haven’t released me the whole journey, and I’ve barely let anyone else hold Aster.

This could be the last time we see her for a long time.

“We’re here,” Camara almost whispers to ease the force of the painful blow.

Devin takes Aster from my arms while Persia and Theia sniffle together. Two dark vehicles

follow us down the dirt ranch drive, and we all climb out together.

I take the lead, and my breath hitches as I try to control the surge of emotions choking me to the

point of being physically painful.

“Adisia,” Clara squeals, and right behind her comes my mother zipping toward us with excited

eyes.

“Is it over?” Mom gasps as she throws her arms around me in a relieved embrace.

I strain so incredibly hard to stay strong in front of them, although strength is my most lacked

quality right now.

“Not exactly,” I quiver out, and my imitation of strength begins to waver.

“Then why are you here? Is something wrong?” Mom worries.

“Yes, but there’s been something wrong since I turned immortal. It’s going to be fine just like it

always is. I came to introduce you to someone, and I wanted to ask for another favor,” I tremble out.

“Anything, dear. What’s the matter? Who do you want us to meet? Is it another child?” she

babbles.

“Angel!” Nadia squeals in interrupting delight, and I smile as I wrap her up in my arms. “Are you

taking me home to Momma?” she asks with heartbreaking hopefulness.

“Not yet, but soon, Nadia,” I promise, and stabs of pain shoot through my stomach.

Devin walks up behind me, and all eyes fall on the precious baby in his arms. The others start

carrying in all of the tiny baby’s overwhelming amount of supplies, and my mother oozes out her

baby-fever symptoms as she gushes over her.

“Oh my. She’s so precious. What’s her name?” she giggles out.

“Asterius Kaylana… Cole,” I murmur with suspended hesitance. “Aster for short.”

“Cole?” she muses and Devin hands Aster to me.

His arms wrap around my waist as he stares lovingly over my shoulder at our sleeping beauty who

has finally learned how to rest.

“Yes,” I murmur, and then I choke on the thick air as I gently place her into the come-hither arms