The Mermaid Rising

Chapter Eighteen

Kia's POV

I tried to make it home but I just didn't have enough energy. I don't know why my sickness was getting worse so soon. It made no sense. My mom's sickness was instant yet mine is acting not as quick. I had collapsed in the woods not too far away from my mate's house and I refused to think about the idea of him finding me.

My body yearned for him but I couldn't comply with his Godess' wishes. I couldn't. We are two totally different species and enemies at that. I wouldn't allow it. I couldn't let my people down and I most certainly won't hand them over willingly to the werewolves. The Moon Goddess may think that we have no chace if I don't accept my mate but I will show her that we can stand up for ourselves. I'm sure my brother has already started talking to the other clans about the war. As soonh as we get mermaids signing up for the war to be soldiers, then we can start to trainig for the war.

I haven't wanted a mate either. I loved the idea of finding my own love. Falling in love, not being assigned love.

My lips parted as a groan left my lips from the pain swelling in my chest. How much longer would I be able to take the pain before I joined my mother.

No, I can't think like that. I have to avenge her death. I have to show her that I am capable of being indepedent. I have to show her my love for her.

I struggled to a sitting position, spitting the dirt clinging to my tong from when I did a face plant in the dirt when I lost all my strength and fell.

"I can do it." I tell myself breathlessly.

How was I going to hide this from Stark and continue leading the mermaids in the war?

"Pick yourself up, Kia. This is a piece of cake." I mummble and push into a standing position with great effort, having to rest on the tree next to me after I was successfully balanced on my feet.

"Definitely not a piece of cake." I pant and rest my head on the cool bark.

The coldness of the wood felt good against my forehead but it also poked me so I lifted my head and looked around to see where I was. I took a few steps and stumbled to the next ree, almost falling to the ground again.

"I can do it." I push myself and am caught by a pair of arms when I start falling after I leave the support of the tree.

I cry out and slump in the pair of arms.

I twisted around with all of my energy and see Stark.

"Kia, what has happened? Why weren't you home last night? Did they poison you again?" Stark asks with concern.

I couldn't show him I was getting worse. I just had to say I didnt feel good today and have to push past it tomorrow, praying that I'd be able to ignore it and walk.

"I just don't feel well today. I slept over at the inn in town, I didn't have enough energy last night to make it home." I lie and felt bad about lying to him.

"Alright, let's get you home." He sighs and picks me up.

My mind flew to my mate but I struggled to push him away. Why would he never leave my thoughts?

Stark made it home and placed me on my bed and I fought to hold in a horrid cough.

"Just to let you know, I sent those letters out to the wolf packs since you were gone. By the way, what did the Sirens say?" He asks and my breath caught.

"They said they could help." I force a smile.

What am I going to do! I didn't visit the Sirens.

"Great! I also sent the sign out sheets to the clans and had a few paragraphs explaining what happened to mom...and dad." He struggled with his words and I nodded in sadness.

"Alright, I'll leave you and allow you to get some rest. Tomorrow mermaids will be showing up to train so hopefully you'll feel better." He gives me a smile that didn't reach his eyes and then walked out.

Wonderful. Now how am I supposed to go see the Sirens and train mermaids for the war when I'm like this?

I laid there on my bed, wishing to get better but cough after cough, I kept getting worse.

"You did not do what I told you to do." A cold, distant voice said and I turned my head to see the Moon Goddess.

I mustered up a scowl and rolled my head away from her.

"You know rejecting him will only cause your body to get worse? Not only are you getting worse, but so is the world. If you fight with the werewolves then the world might as well end now. The destruction your two races will cause is too big for you to comprehend. You can't go to war with the werewolves but if you want to fail your mother, then keep doing what you're doing." She snaps and I look at her with an iciness to my glare.

"You know nothing of what my mother went through because of your dogs and now I'm having to go through the same thing." I spat and felt anger course through me.

"I know about everything that happened to your mother as well as the other mermaids who have died." She shot back and my glare only got colder.

"Then why didn't you do anything about it?" I snarled and she sighed.

"It is not my place to change the future, only to help guide those in the right direction whether they choose to listen or not." She said and my anger drifted a little.

"But what if I do not want to be assigned to a mate? What if I want to fall in love?" I whisper.

"Give Marcello a chance and see if you fall in love with him. Just one chance." She says and I think about her words.

"One chance." I sigh and she smiles.

"I'll have him stop by in a few hours. You can't let your brother know about it though." She says and I nod numbly as she disappears.

What have I done?