Truth- Shadow goddess seris(COMPLETE)

Chapter Twenty Five

I had taken a break from classes. I didn’t want to hear all the whispers or hushed words. I didn’t want to walk in and have all conversations fall quiet. I would normally tell people to shove their opinion of me up their back side. But Cass….Damn it Silas said I can’t do things like that anymore. He said because I am what I am that I had to act the part. I wasn’t so sure about that though. I didn’t want to pretend to be someone I’m not. And shouldn’t people want a strong queen anyway? Someone who would defend themself and others? Someone who wouldn’t let bullying and indecency stand? 

Walking into potions class my eyes landed on Professor Kline, narrowing on her all but trembling form. She stared back at me, her eyes holding a fear I never wanted people to look at me with. I mean yeah I was still upset with her for her stupidity. But she had learned her lesson and the boy was fine now. So I was calming down about the whole situation. Maybe I should reassure her I wasn’t a threat. 

“Good morning professor.” I walked up to her smiling. “How has your day been?” 

“I..uh..it’s been…” She stuttered before shaking her head and smiling back. “It has been good, thank you.” Her voice trembled. 

I sighed heavily. “I don’t plan on hurting you professor. There is no reason to be looking at me like that.”

“Of course.” She smiled, but never relaxed.

“You do know I can see your fear, right?” I arched a brow at her. She just laughed almost manically, waving me off like a madwoman. I huffed. “Fine.” I turned from her and took my usual seat, crossing my arms over my chest as I faced the front of the class. I swear if every class is like this I will be mad. Why act like this or treat me differently just because of who or what I am? It’s not like I had a choice in the matter. 

Lexi sat beside me as usual. But the person who normally sat on the other side of me had moved, leaving that space open. Mathew took the seat with a small smile, his face kind of gloomy. “I’m sorry about how everyone is acting.” He told me. “People have ostracized all of us out of fear.”  

“Fear of what?” I gaped, looking around the room in shock. How could people just cut others off because of the company they keep? It shouldn’t matter you associate with, it should only matter the kind of person you are. But no, that’s not how this twisted and messed up world works. You’re either liked, or you're not. And if they don’t like what you’ve done, or who you hang out with, they instantly condemn you. It was like being put on the executioner's block, all confused and fearful. It’s no wonder people walk around stiff and rigid. If you make one wrong move, you’ll be kicked from the school’ social groups. 

I shook my head in exasperation. People really need to get their heads out of the ass and see the light. No one is perfect and everyone will do or say something you’re not going to like. It’s just the way things work, supernatural or not. These people were either too dumb to care, or they truly knew no other way. Which was a sad thought. They basically grew up thinking they needed to be like everyone else. Don’t stand out or bring attention to yourself. Don’t fight or argue. Be what and who you’re told to be. How? Why? It made no freaking sense. Such stupid and blind people the supernatural’s are. 

“Yeah.” Mathew continued. 

“I’m sorry guys.” I groaned. “I never meant for this to happen. I bet the twins aren’t taking it well.” 

Lexi chuckled. “Are you kidding me? They are soaking everything in and bragging that they are friends with the queen to anyone that will listen.” 

I felt the color drain from my face. Queen. Lexi just called me queen. I really didn’t want to be anyone’s queen. I didn’t want to rule or be top of the pecking order. I just wanted to be me. I wanted to graduate and become a teacher. I wanted to have a family without having to worry about people threatening them. And I knew just being what I am, I would have enemies. My kind were all killed off after all. 

Which brings me to another question. If the reapers were so powerful, how were all of them killed? It again made sense. I could feel the power the reaper side of me gave me. I could feel Lilith’s presence in the back of my mind and the bubbling pit of power she kept hidden. So how were they all so easily killed? Or maybe I was just different. Lilith did tell me I still had yet another side of myself to unlock. But what? 

“You must wait.” Lilith’s raspy voice echoed in my mind. 

“How long?” I whined. 

“Stop pouting.” Lilith reprimanded me. “Your other side will emerge when you’re ready.” 

I huffed. Why is it always when I’m ready or when I need it? Why couldn’t it be easy? Like I just ask and, POW, there it was. But no, nothing about this God forsaken world could be easy. Everything took extra steps, extra hardships making things all but impossible. Ugh! 

“Rose?” Lexi whisper yelled. “What was that?” 

“What was what?” I asked her, confused.

“That weird spark thing that swept over you?”

“Spark thing?” I furrowed my brow. “What are you talking about Lexi?”  

“It was almost like an electric current that coated your skin for a split second.” 

My brow furrowed further. What the hell was she talking about? I didn’t feel anything, didn’t see anything. But then again I wasn’t really paying all that much attention either. I was focused on Lilith and her cryptic talk. It was still so irritating. 

“I don’t know.” I told her honestly. “I didn’t even know anything happened. I didn’t feel it.” 

Lexi gave me a funny look that made me uncomfortable. I’ve never seen her look at anyone with such seriousness before. But her gold eyes looked deeply into mine, her brow furrowing deeper by the second. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her jaw tightened. She was either mad or seriously confused. But either way I did not like the way she was looking at me. I turned to Mathew for help, but I was getting the same strange vibe from him too. Was I missing something here?

“What?!” I finally shouted, making the professor fall silent and every head in the room turned my way. I dropped my head and massaged my temples slowly. “Why are the two of you looking at me like I just grew three extra heads?” I murmured more softly, but the edge in my tone never left. 

“It’s just. Reapers don’t carry electricity within them.” Lexi whispered. 

“What do you mean? Everyone is capable of producing static electricity. Hell all you have to do is get a balloon or shuffle your feet on a carpet.” 

“No. You misunderstand.” Mathew piped in. 

“Then explain it.” I urged. 

“Some witches, powerful ones, can coat their skin in elements. Fire, water, earth, lightning. Whatever it may be to protect themselves just in case of an attack. Fire and electricity are two of the more rare. You had electricity shoot across your skin. I saw it, felt it in the air.” Lexi explained. 

“That’s impossible. I’m not a witch, I’m a reaper.” 

“Hence the cause of our confusion.” Mathew finished for her. 

I didn’t understand. Any of it. The reaper thing, the bond, the electricity. Everything seemed to just keep piling up on me without an end in sight. What was next? Were the council going to make an appearance? Send more from the Embassy? Were the heirs going to attack? I don’t think I could handle much more. I just need time. Time to absorb everything that has been going on, let it settle and allow me to accept it. Because if things kept on like this, I felt like I was going to explode. 

“I’m going to go.” I told them gathering my things into my bag and sling it across my back. “I need to speak to my uncle.” 

“Do you want me to come?” Lexi asked hopefully. 

I gimanced, not wanting to hurt her feelings, but I really needed to do this alone. “Thank you for offering Lexi, really. But I need to speak to him alone.” 

Her face fell and I gave her an apologetic smile before I left the room. The professor didn’t even say anything to me. She just lowered her head and allowed me to go. Was this how it was going to be all the time now? Were people just going to submit and back away? I didn’t want that. I didn’t want followers, or worshipers. I didn’t want reverence. Give me respect and loyalty and I will be just fine. Was that really too much to ask for? Was everything else really necessary? I am still the same person I was yesterday, and the day before that and the day before that. The only change is my supernatural emerged. 

When I entered the waiting area of my uncle’s office and the lady at the desk saw me, she jerked upright, brushing off her clothes before plastering in a smile. What the hell? Really? Like I really care what she looks like or if she is smiling or not. This is all getting out of hand. 

“Is my uncle in?” I asked, trying to contain my disdain. 

“Yes, of course your majesty.” She said quickly. 

“Who! No. We are not going there and you will not call me that.” I told her harshly. 

“Oh, I...um…..I” Her fingers twisted in front of her and her cheeks took on a deep pink color, and I swear I saw tears brimming in her eyes. 

“Just don’t call me that again. Okay?” I sighed, softening my voice to the best of my ability. 

“Yes, alright.” She answered meekly. 

I groaned as I walked past her. There was no way I could keep attending classes if this was how everyone was going to react to me. I just couldn’t do it. It was humiliating. I am not queen material. Like, at all. Yeah, I’d do well helping someone else lead. But as for leading myself, nope. Count me out. I knocked on my uncle’s door, closing my eyes and calming myself before I walked in. 

“Come in.” I heard him shout. His tone was distressed and it worried me. 

“Are you busy?” I asked, peeking my head around the door. 

“Rose!” He jumped out of his seat and rushed to me, pulling me into the room and into his embrace. 

“Whoa! What’s wrong?” I asked pulling away. 

“Nothing. I’ve just been worried.” 

“There is no need to be. I am fine, and the Academy and students will be fine. I did need to talk to you though.” I said moving past him to take one of the seats across from his desk. 

“Of course.” My uncle took his seat and smiled over at me. “I am so proud of you.” He beamed. 

I grimaced but didn’t say anything. “Those blood tests. Did anything come from them?” 

His face paled. “As a matter of fact, yes.” He pulled a large envelope from his desk and handed it to me. I furrowed my brow as I took it and pulled the very official looking documents out. I really didn’t understand what it was or what it was meant to be. There were graphs of some kind with my name, my brother's name and the names of both my biological parents under a graph. What I did notice was that they were all very different. Continuing my scan of the paper, the words I read stilled my heart. 

“This can’t be right.” I murmured. “There’s been a mistake.” I tossed the papers down on the desk, my hands trembling. 

“I’m so sorry Rose.” My uncle said soothingly. “But DNA does not lie.” 

DNA, they were DNA charts. It all made so much more sense now. My mother and councilman Blackthorn’s DNA was supposed to be different, they weren’t related. But mine was supposed to be similar, and be almost identical to my brothers. But it wasn’t. My DNA didn’t match any of theirs. It wasn’t even close. 

“How is this possible?” I whispered. 

“As far as I can tell she lied to me by telling me she had twins. Once your..Xavier was born she gave him to his father. I assumed it was so he would not have to give up his birthright. But now I know it was to keep you safe. Somehow she came across you and took you in somehow knowing who and what you were. She hid you very well, even trained you without you even knowing what you were training for. But I am unaware if she knew your true origins.”

“True origins? What is that supposed to mean?” I snapped. 

“It means you are not only a reaper Rose.” 

“I already knew that.” I scoffed. “Lilith told me. She also told me that side of me would awaken when I was ready.” 

“No Rose. You were born with that part of yourself already available. It is in your blood.” 

“Okay, you’re scaring me Uncle Jack. What’s going on?” 

“Rose.” My uncle sighed, coming to kneel in front of me. “You are half reaper, half witch. No one has ever seen a hybrid like you.”

“What’s so wrong with being a witch hybrid?” I asked. 

“It’s not the witch part that makes you special, Rose. It’s the blood line in which you descend from.” 

“I’m confused.” I leaned away from him, sinking further into the chair. 

“You are not only descended from the royal blood of the reapers, but also the blood of the Hallewell witches.” 

“No.” I stood, crossing the room in seconds. “It’s not possible. I am not a Hallewell.” 

“You are both a Hallwell and a Knight. It is up to you which name you decide to use.” 

“Knight?” 

“The name of the reaper bloodline.” My uncle told me gently. 

“If I must choose, then I’ll use Knight. But I refuse to accept that I am a Hallewell.” 

“You can’t run away from who you are forever Rose. If you don’t face this now, it will come back on you negatively.” He warned me. 

“Ha!” I barked. “Like that would be in any way different from what it is now. Everything since the moment I got here has been one hell show after another. Wave after wave of things coming at me threatening to pull me under. I haven’t had a break Uncle Jack, not one. And now this whole reaper thing is added on top of everything else. I can’t handle this too. Not right now. I need time.” 

“I understand.” My uncle nodded. “Can I talk to you about Silas?”

“Don’t go there, please. I don’t even know what to think about everything myself.”

“I’ve heard you’ve bonded with three men. This is unusual Rose.” 

“I know, I know. I don’t know what to do.” I groaned, sliding down the door and pulling my knees to my chest. “It’s all so confusing.”

“I think it will do you some good to get away for a little while.” My uncle patted my knee. 

“And where do you suggest I go? Plus I can’t. I have to wait for the others to get here. They’ll be looking for me when they arrive.” 

“Some have already arrived.” He informed me, making my head jerk up towards him. 

“What? When?” I demanded scrambling to my feet. “Where are they?” 

“They are being kept in spare rooms in the professors quarters. I’ll bring them to you as soon as possible. Which brings me to my next order of business. Come with me.” He placed his hand between my shoulders, leading me out of the door. I followed him with confusion as we walked down the corridor. This is where the professors' private offices are. What am I doing here? 

“What are we doing here?” I asked when we stopped in front of one of the doors. There was no name on it, telling me the room was empty. So why are we here? 

“This is to be your office, where you will take care of any and all business necessary while you’re here. Your followers will have to meet you somewhere afterall.” He smiled down at me as he opened the room door. 

It was beautiful, and big. Like, classroom big. Why would anyone ever need an office this size? It could easily fit thirty people with room to spare. The floors in this room were not stone, but beautiful walnut wood spanning the length of the large room. An old rosewood desk was in the center of the room already stocked with things I would need. Behind the desk were floor to ceiling bay windows with an attached balcony, covered by deep red drapes. A large black wingback chair was in place for me, while smaller ones in red were on the other side. A Victorian era couch was on the far wall, and a marble fireplace on the other. A door to the side was what I could only assume was a bathroom. This office was fit for the headmaster, not little ol me. 

“This is too much.” I breathed, my eyes scanning the room.

“No. It’s perfect. Fit for royalty.” My uncle smiled. 

“What if I don’t want to be royalty?” I lowered my head and whispered. 

“Rose. You are so strong, and your ideals are stronger. You will make our world everything it should have been. You will right wrongs, and make people see the true meaning of loyalty and fairness. You will make them see you. Your vision of right and wrong differ from our worlds so completely that they won’t know what hit them. You will be amazing, and will do an amazing job leading. Believe in yourself Rose. I know I do.” he stepped towards me and hugged me again. “I’ll leave now and let you get accustomed to your new surroundings. There is a phone on the desk linked to every professor’s personal office and of course mine should you need anything. There is also a connection for the supply rooms where you can order anything you need for the space.” 

“Thank you.” I squeezed him before backing away. 

My uncle smiled and left, closing the door with a soft click and leaving me alone. Alone. I was actually alone where no one could find me. No one knew I was here or even had this office. No one except my uncle and I knew he wouldn’t be back today. I knew this wouldn’t last long. Word would get out and people would come see me. Ask things of me. So right now, I just wanted to enjoy my solitude. I wanted to enjoy the peace and quiet and let my mind wander to better things, calmer things. And tomorrow? Well, tomorrow I will have to face it all again. But that’s tomorrow’s problem.