Prologue.
Eiden POV
I looked into the eyes of the woman who magically appeared before me in that wasteland of light.
She, shedding light all around her, looked at me with regret and pain; and I knew that no one could get me out of that mess I had gotten myself into.
"You have committed many sins against my children, your brothers." She told me.
"I swear it wasn't me" I muttered looking at that woman in front of me. "You of all people must know that it wasn't me. That I've been set up."
"I would like to believe your words" She said and looked at the girl behind me: "But your brothers have accused you of so many deaths, that it wasn't me who chose your punishment."
I looked at Zoe who, in my world, was the only one with the power to bring me here; besides the goddess, my goddess, who was now upset against me.
"Please" I pleaded to look again at my queen: "I beg you to believe me.”
"You did a lot of damage.”
"It was not me" I denied again and clenched my hands into fists knowing that an injustice was being done to me: "Please. Search my soul, make sure for yourself that it was not me who sinned against my race.”
She looked at me with compassion and denied caressing my cheek as her eyes bore into mine.
"Your name and soul do not belong to me, Eiden" She smiled sadly: "Since you were born, you have had only one owner, and it is she who worries me.”
"What?”
"Will she be able to see you and believe in you?”
I lowered my head knowing that everything pointed against me and, if I found my eternal partner, maybe she wouldn't believe in me either.
"I will give you one last pardon.” My Queen says.
I looked at her immediately, knowing that maybe she didn't believe me, but that if she listened, she would understand that only she could help me.
"Thank you.”
"But listen to me well" She said and walked away: "Just because I help you doesn't mean you won't get punishment.”
"What is it about?”
"You may be innocent. But your brothers demand punishment for the years you kept silent and the pain your presence has caused.”
"They will understand when I prove my innocence to them." I denied it and looked at her.
"You have been judged by my children" She denied taking a seat in front of me again.
I looked to my sides and saw that Bruno and Zoe, were on either side of me. Both dressed just like the goddess, as the messengers of her will.
"And I must mark that penance.”
"My queen... "I tried to keep pleading, but it was too late.
They already had me cornered and forced me to my knees, holding my arms and forcing me to look at her as she walked towards me.
"You will be judged in our world, you will be free if you do not lie" She said touching my chest: "But your heart is no longer pure, Eiden. And I will not allow you to sit on the soul of another of my children for your ambition.”
I looked into his eyes and saw anger. So I knew he would kill me.
"And for that, I will take a single gift from you…”
"You will not kill me?" I asked incredulously.
"No, that’s something I could not tolerate.”
"Then?”
"I will give you a punishment" She said lighting my chest with his hand. Causing me a horrible pain that burned my veins, that hurt in overdrive but she didn't mind at all. And if she didn't, at least I preferred not to look at her, because I knew my pain was hers. "Eiden Hale, your punishment will be not to have the gift of recognizing that mate each of us longs for.”
I looked at her in surprise, for I did not believe the sentence she was leading me to.
"You will not see her, not even her scent will tell you it is her, until your death if she chooses that, yields to you and I swear allegiance to you.”
"No!” I screamed.
"And if she chooses that, she may join you in eternity, but if not, you will not have the power to hold her. For you will not even know if it is she.”
"Kill me!" I screamed in despair: "I beg you! Murder me!”
"And your punishment will last until the end of my reign.”
I looked at her as she removed her hand from my chest and walked away. Turning her back on me. Like all the others.
"No!” I begged again.
"Take him away" She commanded, and I watched her leave as I was dragged into the darkness my own mother had condemned me to.
For even if my heart was still beating, she had taken my soul from me when she decided to take from me what I loved most and what I wanted most.
She took away my mate.