Goddess Awakened (On Hold)

Goddess Awakened - Chapter 11

Owain ran a hand through his hair, which was sticking up on end, and glanced back towards to the open doorway. Tendrils of smoke spilled out into the early morning, reaching out to the shafts of sunlight like ghostly fingers.

Antheia shivered and shook away the image. It was just smoke.

"Are you certain the fire is out?" He waited for her nod before he glanced back at the open door. "Stay here with Ellie. I'll be right back." He took a deep breath, lifting the fabric back up to his face, before running back into the house.

Antheia sucked in a sharp breath, her lungs burning in protest, as he disappeared from view. A part of her wanted to run after him and pull his breakable mortal body from the smoke filled building. Instead, Anthea moved to stand at Ellie's side, her arm wrapping around the young girl's shoulders as they stood shivering on the garden path.

The alarm continued to shriek loudly. Then, the window at the front of the house popped open, a wave of smoke spilling through the opening. A few seconds later, another opened.

Finally, after another agonising minute, the shrieking stopped.

"Everything okay?"

Glancing behind her, Antheia was greeted by a man wrapped in his dressing gown, his feet thrust into a pair of wellington boots, his bald patch gleaming in the morning sun.

"We have everything under control. Just a small cooking accident."

"Right, if you're sure?"

Antheia nodded and then gave him her back, dismissing him without another word. Instead, she refocused her attention back on the house, pleased to note that the smoke was already starting to thin.

Owain appeared in the doorway. Antheia's breath hissed out between her teeth before her shoulders slumped. He was okay.

"Everything okay, mate?" The same neighbour asked, as if Antheia's response hadn't been satisfactory enough.

"I think we've got everything handled." Antheia replied,  even thought the question had not been addressed to her. Then, before she could stop herself, she was rushing forwards to meet Owain. "Is it bad? I'm not sure what I did wrong."

Owain sighed before pulling Antheia and Ellie into a hug. "You're both okay. That's what matters. For a moment, I thought-." He paused,  his throat working past the lump in his throat and his arms flexing as he tightened his grip on them both. "You're safe."

He said it again a few more times, as if to reassure himself.

Antheia lifted her free hand and pressed it against his cheek. "We are both well. I am only sorry that my actions caused you all so much distress."

"What were you trying to do?"

"I was trying to make breakfast." Antheia replied, a frown forming on her face. "I'm not completely useless. I did everything right. I made the fire just as I was taught."

Owain pulled back so that he could peer down at her face. "Fire?"

Antheia nodded. "Yes, I was going to make eggs. I have been told they are pretty simple to make." She glanced back towards the house and shook her head. "It was going perfectly but suddenly the smoke started pouring out of your fireplace and into the room. I think you may have a blockage."

His eyes widened.

A moment later, Owain startled out a laugh. His body shook against hers, his face turning and burying itself into her shoulder as he attempted to contain his mirth. "Are you kidding me? You were trying to make breakfast in the fireplace? Why would you do that? The fireplace is just decorative. It's not for actual fires."