Millicent

Chapter 22

"We literally just got back," I say, gripping my hair lightly.

Sharon put a hand on my shoulder, I didn't have it in me to pull away.

"I know you did, but if we don't act now, we'll lose precious time." She tells us, collecting the notes, putting them back in her bag.

"Why doesn't Athena have her note?" Sterling asked her.

"Athena has already seen and scanned it, she doesn't want to hold onto a piece of paper. She knows what it says and like the rest of us, she is scared for what her child's future holds."

"What does it say?" I ask.

Sharon sighed, reciting the words.

"With an aim that's true, her task is grand,

Beaten and bruised she obeys the command,

Though she's scared, her stance is tall,

What's inside will save us all."

"Well, that was secretive," Sterling says.

"It's meant to be," Sharon told him.

"You remembered Athena's note by heart?"

Sharon nodded.

"So when do we leave?" I asked, surprising everyone in the room. 

"You're willing to go?" Sterling asked me.

I nodded, "Time is of the essence and it seems we don't have a lot of it. Let's find Xavier, deliver these notes, and come back so I can have as much time with my daughter as I possibly can before she's all grown up."

"Thank you, Millicent. I know this won't be easy. When we get the chance, we need to bring everyone together, we need to create some sort of plan to protect the kids. We have to." Sharon tells us.

We all nodded in agreement, knowing what has to be done.

There wasn't much time on our hands, Sterling made the call, the Ethereals knew we were coming. We will leave in the morning. All I have now is this one day to spend with Charm and I won't waste it. After we do what we need to, I won't hesitate in traveling with my daughter, there is so much she deserves to see and I'll make sure it happens before the dangers come.

Everyone parted to collect their things, we only had the rest of today. Sterling came up to me, holding my face while I stared up into his hazel eyes sadly.

"Don't look at me like that. We'll get through this." He told me.

He didn't understand, Charm wasn't his. He won't feel the pain I do, even in the future when and if we have kids, they will be far too young to part take in whatever dangers will be out there, they will be safe, he has nothing to lose.

"I'll get through this, Sterling." I pull his hands away. He was hurt at my words, I shouldn't have said them but it's true.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

I sighed, "It means that if anything happens to Charm, we are not going to react the same, Sterling. She's not yours, you won't be able to share my grief, you won't get it."

His retreating figure upset me, but I knew it was coming. He is mad I'd say such a thing though he has to know somewhere deep down, he knows it's true. Days ago I never even thought as much as having a child and now, I have one, I've had one this whole time and even the possibility of Xenna's prediction coming true is sending me over the edge. Sterling, on the other hand, seems okay, he's completely calm which is proof enough that he doesn't understand.