The Prophecy (The Goddess Game Book 1)

Chapter 4

Amelia stood in a field she didn't recognize. She looked around frantically, trying to understand where she was. It was dusk and she could barely see. She spun around when she heard the sound of someone yelling for her to duck. A flash of white light zipped passed her, blinding her for a moment. When her eyes adjusted back to the darkness, she could see that the strange magic had come from a young girl with long hair flowing around her. She wore a white dress. Amelia couldn't see her face, but she knew who the girl was. She had dreamed of her of many times. Amelia began to run toward her, determined that this time would be different; this dream would not end like the others. This time, she would—a bolt of darkness speared past her, barely missing Amelia. She cried out, wishing it had hit her. Instead, it landed heavy in the girls chest, throwing her back. "Mom..." she choked out before...

"No!" Amelia shot up in her bed, screaming so loud her throat hurt. "No..." she sobbed. She refused to wipe away the tears that fell down her cheeks. Her heart ached for the daughter she was destined to lose, no, the daughter she would never have, and in this moment, she wanted to feel the pain--to let the sorrow wash over her and through her. She had spent the week since Osric showed up at the clinic avoiding thoughts of him and the prophesy as well as avoiding these dreams and the feelings that came along with them, but perhaps she needed to feel them now. She laid back in her bed and sobbed.

Once the tears stopped flowing, Amelia dragged herself into her bathing room and drew a bath, adding a few drops of lavender to the water. After undressing, she stepped into the water, sighing as the warmth crept up her body, instantly easing some of the tension that her crying hadn't reached. Once the water reached her neck, she closed her eyes and allowed her head to rest on the back of the tub, hair spilling over the edge. Lavender scented steam filled the small bathing room, working to relax her nerves while the water eased her stiff, aching muscles.

In the week since Osric had come to the clinic, Amelia had thrown herself wholeheartedly into work. She took extra shifts and stayed later than usual. She dedicated herself to the residential patients, allowing the junior healers to see to the walk-in patients.

By the end of the week, dark circles had begun to form under her eyes and her thought process had become dangerously slow. Yesterday, when Gertrude had caught Amelia napping on her reports, she had thanked her for her dedication to the clinic and promptly ordered her to go home and sleep for a few days.

As much as she needed to, Amelia didn't want to sleep. The dream flashed in her mind and Amelia's nose began to burn. She sank deeper into the tub. She didn't want to think about Osric or the prophesy, but ever since he showed up back in her life, the thoughts had come unbidden. Thoughts raced around her mind at speeds too quick to be discernable. Even if she did allow herself to think about them, she wouldn't know where to start.

Amelia groaned and sank fully under the water, letting the tears falling from her eyes wash away. She held her breath for as long as her lungs would allow before coming up and gulping air. Please, she silently pleaded to the Goddess, Release me from this misery. She waited for the pain to go away. When it didn't, she decided to wash up and find some way to make herself useful, even if Gertrude didn't want her at the clinic.

She got out of the bath and wrapped herself in a towel. Walking into her room, Amelia noticed the flower on her nightstand was open, a little slip of paper resting in the middle. She padded over to the nightstand on bare feet, water still dripping down her legs. Amelia unfolded the letter and examined it; it was written in her mother's handwriting. Millie, don't forget that your father and I are hosting a dinner party tonight. You already RSVP'd so we will be expecting you at 7. Love, Mom.