The Ritual

The Ritual
Alea's POV

Nobody gave a reply to her. They all probably wondered why a nobody like her was trying to show off here because that's clearly what she was doing.

She was trying to make her face known to all like she's a model in a fucking celebrity group.

She looked round, expecting someone to raise their cup of wine and agree with her but none did.

She was so stupid enough not to think that anything done at this table would require for the Alpha or I to be in support of it.

Then she stood up, her cup of wine in her hands.

“Oh, forgive my manners. I forgot I was to stand to make a toast” she said, then turned her gaze to me.

“To The Queen. To the success of the ritual” She said, raising her cup and she really did look like an insane person. A person who had been locked up because of her mental instability only to find her way out by escaping.

That's how she looked at the moment.

I didn't want her misery to last so I helped her out.

I smiled widely, raising my cup too. “Yes. A toast to me” I said and then the others raised their cups, all except Kairo.

I could tell he still doesn't like Cassie. I also don't, but from the little hours we've spent together today, I've seen my sister changed a lot.

I've lived with Cassie for years and I knew today that she truly changed in some way though I haven't figured out what exactly changed.

It could never be her behavior.

“To the Queen” They all chorused and then gulped the wine.

Kairo kept eating, acting like he didn't hear or know about all they were going on at the moment.

Cassie settled down, finally letting everyone have their meal in peace.

“Alea…..”

I turned to Kairo. “Did you call me?” I asked and he looked at me, his gaze filled with surprise.

“I didn't” He said and I tilted my gaze trying to wonder where the sound had come from before I faced my meal again.

“Alea….” I was so certain I heard my name but this time I knew it didn't come from Kairo. My gaze studied the people on the table as I knew the only person who could call me by my name again was Cassie.

But she was eating, so peacefully that she didn't even notice I was staring at her.

I squinted my gaze, wondering if I was starting to hear things or if a cup of wine had made me so drunk that I had started hallucinating.

“Phantom Queen…..” someone called out to me again and my hand went to my head which had started throbbing so hard.

My face wrinkled as I tried to figure out what was happening to me.

Then my brain awakened as I remembered that this wasn't the first time this would happen to me.

It had happened numerous times when I thought that I was hallucinating, or sometimes in a nightmare.

I knew then that something was calling out to me.

Kairo's hand landed on my shoulder as I turned to meet his gaze which was on me, worried and restless.

“You aren't okay, Alea” he said, not giving me a chance to deny it.

“I will be” I smiled, “I need to get to the bathroom” I said, and moved out.

I walked out of the dining hall down to the back of the huge palace. It was cold, chilly out and the voice wouldn't stop calling out to me.

I stopped, feeling a strange presence behind me.

My gaze darkened, the wind blowing my hair. When I turned, ready to attack, the person blocked the attack even though I saw no one.

I was left baffled, but not too baffled as I knew who it was.

Atlas.

“Atlas?” I called, and then he appeared.

A smile on his face as he bowed slightly.

“Guess the Queen was able to find me faster than I thought” he said and I only looked at him before heaving a sigh.

“Why were you calling out to me?” I asked and he walked past me, making me follow behind me.

“I needed to take a walk. It felt suffocating being up there” He said and I scoffed.

That was surely not the case, he wouldn't be here merely because he wanted to take a walk, I was sure of that.

I walked behind him down the garden but then soon realized that we were no longer in the palace's garden. This place was different and I was sure it was my first time here.

I stopped, taking the garden in. It was way more beautiful than the one at the palace. Birds filled the air, butterflies made the garden more beautiful and I couldn't help but smile.

“Where is this?” I asked Atlas.

“This is the garden of serenity” He said, “The garden where Selene takes a stroll every evening” He said and my eyes widened as I rushed to his side.

“Are we in heaven?” I asked, not scared about what the place might hold but instead was intrigued.

“No. I'm just giving you a peek from my memories” He said and I gasped in astonishment.

“You mean, you made this from your imagination?” I was astonished and I couldn't hide that.

“This is nothing” He said, a smug smile on his face.

I should have expected more from the messenger of the moon goddess.

We strolled for a while in silence and I couldn't help but admit that I feel refreshed with the air from here.

It made me start to wonder how mighty Selene must be. For Atlas's imagination of her garden to be this great, then I became curious about how the real garden would be.

“About the ritual, Alea” He said and my chest heaved. Heart beating quite fast.

I had forgotten all about other things for the brief moment I was here. Forgotten about the life I'm leading and thought I've found peace and serenity but guess I was wrong.

The ritual had to be done. Atlas had come here to inform me about the ritual.