Chapter 16 : The Path of Her Own Undoing

His eyes narrowed, cutting through her defense with ease. "You made yourself human. You chose this fate to escape what you already knew - remember the prophecy . You can't outrun what's coming," he said, his gaze drifting toward the direction Alex was in. His next words sent a cold chill crawling down her spine. "Don't trust anyone, Luna. Everyone you trusted in betrayed you."Her breath caught in her throat. A chill snaked down her spine as her lips curved upwards in a mocking way for her own self, the weight of his words confirming her doubts. What she had dreaded most had come true: Yes, it was indeed her choice ; she had been the one to willingly sever her divine powers. But obviously - how could anyone have dared to stand against her, to reduce her to this fragile state? Anyone but her own self ! The enormity of the realization crashed over her—why had she willingly surrendered her power? As a goddess, she had always been the one to shape her destiny, to wield immense authority and control over the forces around her. The thought of becoming vulnerable felt alien and disorienting. Yet here she was, stripped of her divine essence and ensnared in a web of uncertainty and what was it about not trusting anyone ?The air seemed heavier, thick with unspoken truths. Everyone? Her mind flickered to Alex, the unexpected pull of doubt creeping in. But she pushed it aside, refusing to entertain the thought. It couldn't be him. They barely knew when she was still a goddess. Yet, the nagging suspicion lingered—if not him, then who? Lucifer ? Ridiculuos ! How can it be them ? Could it have been someone closer, someone she had trusted implicitly? Her own people?The weight of the Ezra's words sank deeper, cracking open her carefully constructed facade. How could anyone have dared to betray her, to leave her vulnerable like this? The enormity of it was suffocating, and the memory of her decision to abandon her divinity resurfaced with a bitter taste. What prophecy was Ezra talking about ? why can she not remember it ? She had been invincible, untouchable. Now she was fragile, lost in the chaos that surrounded her.Luna grappled with her confusion with a small chuckle escaping her lips, trying to piece together the fragmented memories of that fateful decision. What had she seen - that made her choose to confront it as a mere human? who is everyone ?Across the road, Alex fought his way through the stalled cars, his frantic eyes searching for the boy. By the time he reached her, the child was gone, leaving Luna standing there, silent and frozen, her thoughts a storm of regret and dread.Alex rushed to her side, his voice low with concern. "Luna, are you okay?" His eyes searched hers for any sign of injury or distress, but there was something else now—something he couldn't place. "Luna?" He asked again , his voice was filled with concern as he reached her, grabbing her by the shoulders ,His brows furrowed as he saw her smiling - it didn't reach her eyes yet it carried a hint of sadness.She blinked, as if pulled from some faraway place. Her gaze flickered to him, and she quickly shook her head.

"What did he say ?" Alex asked .

Luna hesitated, her mind clouded with confusion as she tried coming up with an excuse . "I couldn't hear him. The traffic... it was loud," she lied, her gaze darting away from his.

Alex's brow furrowed, suspicion creeping into his expression. He could sense she was hiding something, but before he could press further, she changed the subject.

"Maybe we should stop for the night," she suggested, her voice strained. "We're both tired, and it's not safe to keep driving like this."He stared at her, the tension between them thick. He knew she wasn't telling him everything. Still, he couldn't bring himself to pry, not when she looked so shaken and mysterious . "Luna," he said softly, his tone firm but gentle, "don't hide things from me. If something's going on, you need to tell me."She met his gaze, and for the briefest moment, her eyes shifted, the usual warmth gone, replaced by an icy, hollow blue. Her composure shifted as well, like something inside her had fractured. "You were right," she whispered, her voice distant. "It's not about you. It's about me. You don't need to concern yourself with any of this."Her words cut deeper than she realized, but Alex was quick to dismiss it. His jaw tightened as he responded coldly, "You're right.."He turned and walked toward the car, the weight of their unspoken fears heavy between them, leaving Luna standing there, her mind still replaying the cryptic words of the boy who had vanished into the night."Let's move," Alex said, his voice steely as he grabbed Luna's hand, pulling her away from the road. The unsettling events of the night hung heavily between them, a silent reminder of the dangers lurking in the shadows. Luna could still feel the boy's presence, his words echoing in her mind—find peace in the shadows and this being her decision . Confusion twisted in her stomach as they hurried toward the stay house.Inside, the air was thick with dust and memories, the dimly lit lobby empty except for the two of them. The old wooden floors creaked beneath their feet as they approached the check-in counter. Luna caught a glimpse of herself in the dusty mirror behind the desk, and a chill ran through her. The face looking back at her seemed foreign, hollowed out by secrets she wasn't ready to confront."One room," Alex said firmly to the attendant, his tone leaving no room for argument. He glanced at Luna, concern etched across his features. She could see the unasked questions in his eyes. He didn't feel right leaving her alone in a separate space; he wanted her close, where he could see her."Make it two," she interjected suddenly, surprising even herself.Alex's brow furrowed, confusion flickering across his face. "Why?" he asked, searching her expression for an explanation. When silence followed, he pressed further. "Are you sure?""I just need space," she said, her voice tighter than she intended."Alright," he agreed, though a flicker of wariness crossed his face. "But if anything feels off, you let me know, okay?""Yeah, okay," she promised, though deep down, her mind was still tangled in the questions.Once they were handed the key, they made their way down the dimly lit hallway, flickering lights casting eerie shadows on the walls. Each step felt heavy for Luna, her heart racing as the weight of their unspoken thoughts pressed down on her. Their rooms were side by side, yet the distance between them felt monumental, an invisible barrier that seemed to pulse with tension.Alex sensed the awkward silence stretching between them. To break the tension, he fished his phone out of his pocket and typed something, the soft glow of the screen illuminating his features. After a moment of contemplation, he took a deep breath and blurted out something absurd he couldn't believe was coming from his own mouth. "You know, if you were a vegetable, you'd be a cute-cumber."Luna paused, her lips twitching into a smile despite herself at his ridiculous attempt at humor. It was charmingly absurd, a flicker of warmth in the heavy air, but the unease lurking beneath the surface couldn't be dismissed. She raised an eyebrow, playful mischief dancing in her eyes. "It's cute how bad you are at this."Alex met her gaze, a spark of determination igniting within him. He took a step closer, the confidence swelling as he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Well, if you think that's bad, how about this? "You might want to rethink those separate rooms. I make a pretty good pillow, and I promise to keep you awake. "