Before the Dawn

Chapter Six

The next day is lonely. I awake that morning, searching the room for my warrior, only to have disappointment crash down on me when I realize that he's gone. The will to get out of bed leaves me. What do I have to get up for? Declan is gone into the mortal realm to check on my friends and my friends are up in the mortal realm with him, leaving me all alone in the big castle in the Underworld.

I squeeze my eyelids shut but I'm unable to fall asleep. Even last night I'd woken up countless times, only able to fall back asleep when I buried my face in Declan's pillow that his scent still clung to.

With a frustrated sigh, I sit up in the big white bed. I glance around the pure white room in distaste. It's so damn white in here. It'd seemed almost enchanting when I'd first arrived, but now that Declan is gone it's. . . cold.

Shivering, I sink further into the fluffy covers. I reach down into my bag and pull out the journal I'd been reading. As I page through the journal to find where I'd left off, I can't help but wonder when my memories will return to me fully. A few memories here and there aren't going to cut it. I want them all. I want to be whole for Declan. I want to remember him more than anything. I want to know everything about my dark lover.

Once I find my page, I devour ever word I read. The memories resurface as I read them, carrying me into a whirlwind of emotions.

My life with Bel was so easy. We talked, we laughed and I thought that I loved him. It was perfect, my life with my sun god. Well, at least, that's how my past self had described it. But, if it was so perfect, would it have ended?

Sighing, I flip to the next date in the journal. Immediately my eyes zero in on a single name: Arawn.

My breath catches in my throat. My heart beat picks up its pace in excitement. A pleasant shiver runs down my spine at the sound of his name. Oh, Declan. Why did I make you leave?

I shake my head and return to my journal. Not even a full day without him and I'm already a mess. If I keep this up, I'll be a puddle of tears by the time he gets back. How attractive.

I'm just about to begin reading again when a shrill ring echoes throughout the large room. I jump and look around, searching for the source of the sound. My eyes land on a phone sitting on the nightstand next tot he bed. I quickly pick it up from its cradle and press it to my ear.

"Hello?" I answer hesitantly. Who in the world would call the Underworld?

"Good morning, love,"  a deep, familiar voice greets affectionately.

"Declan!" The words gush from my mouth with my overwhelming joy. Tears spring to my eyes immediately, accenting my lonely heart, which thuds loudly in my chest.

At the sound of my warrior's deep, rumbling laugh, my tears flow freely. "Oh, gods, Declan. I miss you so much!" I cry, clutching the phone tightly with both hands as if it were my lifeline.

Declan makes a sound of agreement in the back of his throat. "I miss you, too, Thanatos, so much. Every second away from you hurts." He pauses. "Is everything okay there?"

I choke out a laugh. "Of all the things- Of course I'm okay! What about you? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Talk to me, love," I beg him, needing to hear his voice again.

"I'm perfectly fine. Not a scratch on me. Don't be so worried. You wanted this remember?" he says lightly, reminding me that he is in the mortal world because of my worry about my friends.

I sigh and rub my face tiredly. "I know, but. . . Come home, Declan. Please."

He's silent for a long time. After what seems like forever, he lets out a stunned, half-chuckle.

"What?" I ask self consciously.

"It's just that . . . you called it home. I was under the impression that you felt trapped in the Underworld," Declan says slowly, in a tone of dawning hope.

I scrunch up my face in confusion, although he can not see it. "Of course I don't, Declan. I belong here, with you. I always have," I say almost crooningly, a glimmer of my inner goddess shining through to speak to her warrior.

"It's so good to hear you say that," he breathes in relief. If I didn't know better, I would say that my hardened warrior was on the verge of tears. When he continues, his joy is long gone. " I have to go now."

Panic immediately sets in. I jolt up from my lounging position on the bed to an upright position. 

"No! Baby, please don't go!" I beg him with tears stinging my eyes.

"I have to, but believe me, I don't want to. I need you to do something for me. Go into the third drawer on the nightstand. I left something there for you."

Pressing the phone to my shoulder with my ear, I hurry to open the third drawer, desperate to see what my love has left me. Laying neatly inside the drawer is the moonstone necklace that Declan had given me when I'd first found out that I was a goddess. Inhaling softly, I run a careful finger over the smooth surface of the stone.

"Oh, Declan," I sigh, touched.

When he speaks, I can almost hear the smile in his voice.

"I have that to you a long time ago. When we had to be apart in the past, I told you to hold onto that necklace and remember that, however long we must part, we'll always be together again, love. That's a promise. So put it on, Thanatos. I'll be home soon. You'll be in my arms before you know it," he pauses for the slightest of moments. "I love you."

I wipe a few stray tears from my face and smile weakly to myself. "I love you, too."

Then he's gone and all I hear is a dial tone and my own uneven breathing. I carefully set the phone back in its cradle and give it one last longing look. Then I lift the moonstone necklace from its place in the drawer and, with shaking hands, fasten it around my neck. The familiar weight of it around my neck soothes me, like Declan said it would.

I notice an envelope laying on the floor just inside the door. Curious, I walk over and pick it up. On the front of the envelope, written in a rushed print is a note from Andrea and Logan.

'We stopped by to give you this but you sounded busy so we slid it under the door. We'll try to stop by tomorrow to pick up your reply.

 -Andrea & Logan'

 

Excitedly, I tear open the envelope, unable to wait to read what Amora wrote. In her loopy cursive, she expresses her shock over what Theo had done. She rambles on angrily for a few paragraphs about that before updating me on what's going on in the mortal world. She says that everyone is on the look out for Theo and defense classes are a lot more serious. She also happily states that she and Egan are officially a couple now and ends off with a question on how I am.

I write back to her quickly, telling her all about Declan leaving, the necklace and the journals, including what I'd remembered so far. I also express my joy over her and Egan's new relationship. What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't?

I stick the letter in my bag and, with nothing else to do, I open up my journal. Then, with one hand holding the journal and the other resting upon the moonstone that hangs around my neck, I begin to read more about my hidden past.