Mortal Goddess

03. Mismatched Eyes

A youth strode with a cowering gait. He donned the white tunics of Mhilrim's temple servants, complementing the stark short trimmed tresses.

He kept his head low, all the way to our position and knelt.

"Greetings to the Holy Goddesses."

His slender stature could show his age but I did not expect a bass timbre when he spoke. However, that was not the main point.

"What's this, Mhilirm? You're receiving a mortal in your temple now?"

I was snubbed as she rose up and gestured to the man.

"You may rise, Raegan."

The guy followed and he stood up. A perfectly sculpted face paired with the two mismatched colors welcomed my sight. Yet at once. I was drawn to his right eye. It was a shade of red but it was too light that it could be pink. That kind of hue was no different from the flowers that I grew in my territory.

I drew nearer and leaned on Mhilrim's side. Though I was furious earlier, I had to whisper since this could be a huge scandal. Humans were off-limits to us. 

"Don't tell me you got a human lover? Fa—"

"What a ridiculous assumption! He is Father's apprentice!" Mhilrim snapped as she glared at me, disregarding her benevolent appearance.

I gaped with genuine shock. "Father's apprentice? A mortal and not even an Amica?"

"Ask Father if you don't believe me."

I could see why he was allowed in the temple based on his countenance alone but I could not understand why he was Father's apprentice.

That title meant he was chosen to become a Holy Knight and all of them were Amicas, a magical race led by my sister. They were bestowed with special names that unlocked their abilities and their most distinct feature was their violet irises.

While the peculiar mishmash of pink and brown was indeed uncommon, becoming a knight was out of the question for an ordinary mortal. He was too frail that a gust of wind could make him fly. If I compared him to the current knights, he was just a mere child.

Upon recalling his name, my brows furrowed more. Family names were only for the nobles but those who bore the name of the kingdom meant he was a royal.

"You're a royal, why bother joining the Holy Knight?" I inquired. 

The Amicas could also be from a royal lineage but only a handful ever had stepped down from their status and became Holy Knight.

"He's only adopted. A king offered to be his foster parent after Father baptized him. Personally." It was Mhilrim who answered with emphasis.

"Truly? Is he that special?"

That was a piece of astounding information. Father was as picky as me. Unlike Mhilrim who needed to give names to Amicas, my father and I were quite selective in giving names since that meant sharing our powers with them.

I cocked my head and he was also watching me. As if captured by his gaze, I became mesmerized. Indeed, those eyes were beautiful.

***

Our eyes locked but no words followed from both of us. I heard my maidservants rushing towards me but I was completely taken aback by his face up close.

He had a completely identical appearance during the time we first met centuries ago. I could have sworn Father created him himself to make an ideal form of beauty. Nonetheless, knowing that he was a mortal both in the past and now, that would be impossible.