Chapter 196: The Gods

"So?" Marianne asked just as their feet finally touched the ground.

For a moment, she thought that she would sink right into the snow but it held strong and Valerie couldn't remove the amazed grin from her face.

"It's beautiful, mom." Valerie breathed, "I can imagine why you like staying here so much."

"It's mostly lonely, but it works." Marianne said with a small grin on her face.

"Come, I'll show you inside."

And taking her daughter's hand in her own, Marianne approached the marble bridge over the river which would lead them to the palace gates.

Valerie couldn't believe for a moment that she was truly standing in the fae lands. She wasn't sure how, but her sadness seemed to be at bay for a while.

More importantly, she didn't feel like crying her eyes out because of a boy.

And just as they were about to step inside her mother's palace, they heard the sound of wings flapping and both women turned around.

Valerie gasped when she saw the most beautiful woman standing in front of her eyes.

"Oh, forgive me, Selene, I didn't know you had a guest." The woman said softly to her mother, reminding Valerie that her mother's real name was Selene, her voice coming out in a lilt of pleasing memory that could easily put anyone into a peaceful slumber.

"Oh, it's alright, Cara." Marianne said softly before wrapping her arm around Valerie, "this is my daughter, Valerie. Valerie, this is the Goddess of Dreams, Cara."

Valerie's eyes widened as she stared at the woman with an awestruck expression.

The woman had a kind, oval face. Her skin was a darker shade of brown and her full lips were pulled in a gentle smile. Her eyes were swirling pools of honey and caramel and her hair were pitch black, thickly curled and falling till her lower back. She was dressed in an ethnic golden gown, and had circlets around her arms and a small gemstone crown on her head.

Her beauty was unmatched with anything Valerie had seen before.

"It's...good to meet you." Valerie stuttered out, stunned.

Cara chuckled before she looked at Marianne, "I thought that you would be joining us at Nyx's gathering." She said with a childlike pout which only made her cuter.

Marianne shook her head, "I have a lot of things to show my daughter today." She said politely and Valerie raised her eyebrows, not wanting her mother to miss anything for her sake.

"Then bring her along, Selene!" Cara insisted.

Marianne's eyes widened and she looked at Valerie with a questioning look. "Well, it depends on if Valerie would like to meet the other gods."

Valerie felt the gaze of both the women on her and she couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

She wanted to meet the gods, she wanted to see more of this world that she had been invited to.

And so, taking in a deep breath, she nodded her head, "sure." She said with a shrug.

How bad could it be?