“Des, the only thing I’m conflicted about is what happened to your arm.” I started to stand quickly and regretted it instantly. As soon as I did, a dizzy spell started, but Jack steadied me before things could get out of hand. I ignored the feel of his hands on my arms as I said angrily. “Who did that to you!? They’re about to get the craziest beating of their life!”
Des chuckled as she sat up and revealed her sloppily gauze-wrapped arm. “Ah, this…” she started. “…is courtesy of a tiger at CC Zoo.”
“Please sir.” Sora pleaded. “It would be prudent of you to release me.”
“But you wanted to be friends.” The man laughed louder and pulled her closer. “I always wanted a pretty friend. Grant me a song and a dance and I will be your friend forever.”
Des looked thoughtful for a moment as she considered my question. “Now that I think of it, it is my last year, isn’t it?”
I smirked incredulously at her. “Oh, come on now. You’re going to tell me that you didn’t realize that? I’m sure it will be a relief not to have your bank account hemorrhaging every semester.”
“Yeah, I get it.” I interlocked our fingers tighter. “Feeling all the goddesses. Actually being present for that. It was... overwhelming. Learning how this all started. Finding out my purpose...”
“Samara,” Aryan called slowly. “That’s not your purpose. The curse is not your fate.”
"I'm sorry your highness, but you're the princess. It's just not safe for you to be alone.You are the King's daughter."
"You of all people should know that not many people agree with me here. I won't run from that, and will never deny him as my father, but... (She breathes for a moment.) I have a Father... A mother too, and a little brother. I may never know my parents but until I know for sure I can't rest until I know if he's out there...I can't forget that they loved me too. I can't possibly take the crown and not know for sure."
https://tapas.io/series/TOWA-RISING/ep2
(Unreleased chapter but catch up and start at Episode 1, find out how we got here)
After a moment I asked, “Why do you have so little friends, Samara? Seriously. You secretly evil?”
“What?” she giggled as she gave me a funny look. “No. Or at least, I hope not. I just…” she sighed as she tried to find the right words. “I think people in Curio could sense that I was different.”
Hunter’s mint green eyes looked at me in shock before he bared his fangs and searched violently. “Come out here, witch!”
“No, I’m good. Thanks. But wow… Odessa! Who knew you were such a powerful seer!” she laughed, amused. “I can see why La Reina wants you. However, I think I’ve seen enough. Hunter,” she called him again, “Fetch, boy.”
“Don’t. Just… Let’s just go.” I urged.
“You’re joking, right?” His amber eyes narrowed dangerously. “He’s LITERALLY trying to murder you and you want to host a pity party on his behalf?” Aryan leered at the Janus.
“Sorry?” I asked, confused. “For what?”
“For ghosting you last semester. I was kind of going through some stuff. It’s hard to explain…”
From my upcoming chapter-
“She says that, but she talks to them a lot,” Stephenson added. “She likes to talk about gross medical stuff until they get creeped out. What did that guy call you?”
“The grim butcher of this otherwise respectable team,” Linn recited proudly, “whose fascination with the macabre leaves proper citizens to question who should be allowed to handle such sensitive cases.”
https://tapas.io/series/clear-and-sunny
“Will we still be friends?”
“A grown-ass man asking a teenager if they’ll still be friends. It’s uncanny. You were always the wet noodle,” I chuckled. “I’m not going to get rid of you anytime soon.”
They started celebrating and cheering as Makio already reached the stage where he said his first word.
“Is no one else surprised that a baby just talked?!” Atsuki exclaimed.
“He must be one of those American babies,” Fujio answered with pure confidence.
Atsuki stared blankly at his dad as he had no answer. He let out an exhale and started celebrating with the family instead. A new member of the family has arrived.
I leered openly at his threat. “Oh, I see. You’ve been talking to Kai, haven’t you? He’s convinced you that they’re in there, hasn’t he!?” I shouted, furious.
Colton seemed annoyed but his voice showed no sign of it. “I’ve heard Kai’s side of things, and I’ve decided to determine what this mortal goddess is capable of myself.”
“Really?” I chuckled, surprised. “I thought you would have been a chocolate kinda man.”
“Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with chocolate, but strawberry has just enough—”
“Yes I hope we can achieve great things with our new partnership, I do hope you aren’t like your family. I have already had the displeasure of working with your parents General Arilius,” I say to them while shaking their hand back.
They laugh and sit back down gesturing for me to do the same. “You and I both general, as powerful as my family is I do hate them”.
“No, you don’t.” I shook my head.
“Yes, I do. I’m not stupid! Just because I don’t say anything doesn’t mean I don’t understand.” His hands curled and uncurled into a fist several times before he said, “You feel guilty because it was YOUR body that did the deed, but YOU did not consciously kill Nolan. YOU did not give yourself a curse that makes you go all psycho god-killer on aggressive assholes that come at you!” Aryan ran his fingers through his hair roughly—his frustration evident. “You can feel as bad as you want for all I care, but you are NOT allowed to think you deserve to be mistreated. Because you don’t deserve to get your ass kicked for something that was never your fault to begin with. And if this is something you’re gonna continue to think, then what in the World Below is the point of going on this damn quest?”
In an annoyed voice, Petite said, “Des, what kind of trouble are we in now?”
“Tempest,” I called, recognizing her superhero counterpart’s voice. “You have good timing.
“A fine mess this.” He called out to Maedra.
“Yes, as if we weren’t in enough trouble already.” The sad eyed girl shook her head at him.
“Yes, you fool.” The shadow loomed in closer. “Get up, get out and flee this forsaken city.”
“Who are you?” Iola scrambled to sit up and frantically looked around the small room. The door was still locked and bolted down.
“Look around.” I let my gaze wander for a moment before wiggling the fingers that held the pink glowing flower in my hand. “The god of darkness created something so beautiful. And to top it off, he truly made it something that only the goddess of light can see.” Before he realized what I was doing, I flicked the flower to my other hand and placed it on his ear. My fingers brushed against Aryan’s hair for a moment, making me smile. “I wouldn’t call that compatibility. I call that love.”
“Yeah, well,” Aryan started, his hand finally letting go of my wrist. “I wouldn’t know anything about that.”
From chapter 13 - A tranquil dream
“That.. It doesn’t matter.” He says. “As long as you know what you did wrong and your apology is sincere.. I believe that’s all that matters.”
“I.. see.” Cyrus quiets down as their eyes focus to the outside. Quietly dozing off as the outside scenery changes to a grassy field full of crystals scattered all over.
I chuckled, darkly. “You may have forgotten, but I was once Lady Azlin’s handmaiden. Familiars and handmaidens aren’t so different. We form connections with our deities. Affection, even. But that affection is rooted in loyalty. Your contract seems to stem from something else. And it makes me wonder…”
Aryan emanated all types of disdain for me. It was almost palpable. “Makes you wonder what?"
“Th-this is terrible,” Wu Meiying said the moment they left the meeting room. “Jian… Jian, how am I supposed to live if I don’t get my daily dose of Jianinium? I’ll wither away without you.”
“I do not know what Jianinium is, but I do not believe you will wither away if we don’t see each other for a month. You’re exaggerating,” Wu Jian said.
From one of the chapters going live tomorrow:
“You said that they didn’t matter because they weren’t real,” The Destroyer said. “Why does it cause you such distress if they’re fictional like us?”
“They aren’t real,” Jenny sobbed. “And it doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. But I can’t stop seeing their faces! Why can’t I stop seeing their faces?”
From the final part of my novel that I'm gonna post this week on Tapas:
“What the hell is wrong with you, man?! I can’t believe you’ve let Kade go. I’m so disappointed in you.”
"That’s what you wanted.” I rubbed my scalp, bewildered. “Shouldn’t you be happy?” That earned another smack to my shoulder.