Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Carolina roses.
In the Post-3rd world, flowers are one of the simplest tools for divination that even children may master. These very blooms tried to warn me before, but because I chose not to listen, my heart was stolen away by a man who seemed destined to break it.
This time, however, I'm not going to repeat the same mistake.
And so if the flowers think I'm in peril...
"You're here, aren't you?"
The words tumble past my lips in stilted fashion, but all I hear in response are whip-poor-wills singing from their hidden nests.
Another gust of wind blows into my direction, and I wrap my arms around my body. That's all it takes apparently, and danger soon walks out of the shadows in the form of Professor Lucious.
The whole world seems to stop, and I'm absolutely certain I'm in shock. This is the part where I should be charging towards him in rage...isn't it?
And yet all I'm able to do is stare at him like I'm hypnotized.
Moonlight casts a brilliant sheen on the rebellious waves of his midnight-black hair, but I don't have the usual urge to run my fingers through those silky dark locks.
The sight of him does make me feel slightly lightheaded still, yes, but for once, it has nothing to do with how broodingly gorgeous he is...and everything to do with the fact that I now know the professor is no longer just the professor.
"You're cold, moraki mou."
While my still-struggling brain is unable to process why he's shrugged out of his tweed jacket, it's hearing him call me his baby in Greek that finally snaps me out of my shock.
I step back with a shake of my head when he tries to give me his jacket.
No, no, no.
I'm not sure if I'm silently rejecting his offer or my brain is crying out 'no' because it can't deal with the fact that an endearment which I only used to hear from my god...has just been uttered by the professor.
"You'll freeze to death if I leave you like that."
And now, that curt tone...that curtness is something I always hear from the professor, but this time I need to find a way to assimilate the fact that it wasn't really just him. That when the professor was being curt and cruel to me, it was also Eros who was being curt and cruel—-
Despair suddenly wells up inside of me, and it cripples my whole being to the point that I'm unable to move as the professor insists on having his way.
His jacket covers my shoulders, and I'm immediately surrounded by his warmth.
His scent.
And his betrayal.
(oh god, I feel like such a fool)
It's a struggle to think such a thing without having him read my mind, and I hate how I now have to guard my thoughts around a man who once said I was and would always be irreplaceable to him.
I just hate it so, so much.
(hate it, hate it, hate it)
My gaze jerks up to his, and the words simply fly out.
"I think I hate you."
I know they're big words, but I mean it. I do think I hate him, and I don't know if I can forgive him.
"I'm sorry, moraki mou."
The roughness of his tone makes him sound more human than divine, but I don't care. He knew how hard it had been for me. He knew I was in agony all this time, but he still didn't say a word.
He was the only one who could've put an end to my misery, the only one who knew I was beating myself up over nothing, but he still hadn't said a fucking word, and I just can't...
"I'm sorry, too," I choke out. "But I don't think I can ever trust you again."
The way he flinches hurts, but I can't make myself take the words back because every one of them is painfully true.
"I know you will not believe me when I say this," the professor says in a low tone, "but everything I did was meant to protect you. I love you, Halyna. If nothing else, believe that at least. I love you."
This is not my first time to hear my god says he loves me. But this time, it's different, and every word feels completely wrong because it's the professor's face I'm seeing in front of me.
"Can you just tell me why?" I whisper. "You say you love me, but all you did was lie to me. How can you love me when you knew you were making a fool out of me?"
Chapter Two
On the eighth day of creation, of which was kept secret until now,
He created beings greater than Man but still in His likeness.
These were the first primordial gods,
and for a very long time, these beings chose to live in secret,
unseen and unheard, until both mortal and immortal sought their aid.