This lady was too close! Her eyes felt like they were staring deep into my soul. Where did she come from, and who the hell is she?

As if to answer my inner questions, she winked at me and began to speak with an annoyingly shrill voice.

“Hello! My name is Destiny, and I am a rank 3 goddess of fate!”

Both my mother and I stared at her. The sound of a burning building around us was extremely potent. My mother, being the only one of us able to use speech, spoke first.

“Hello.”

The Goddess of Fate gave her a sweet smile.

Really, mother? Ask her why she's here and what's going on?

“Those are excellent questions! And I am here to save the day! Death is not part of the plan for either of you today!” She gave a stupidly shrill chuckle to herself.

I looked at her in shock. And she gives me a knowing look. So she can read my thoughts. She nodded.

That's annoying. She gives another shrill chuckle.

I was about to start telepathing insults, but I was interrupted by my mother.

“How can you save us? What do I need to do?”

Destiny finally looked at my mother and smiled.

“All you'll need to do is give up your physical form.”

Wait, no! She told us we didn't have to die!

“Neither one of you is dying, dear.” Her attention was back on me, but then she looked at my mother again. “You just have to be a bit idle for a while until your daughter completes her purpose.”

My purpose?

“Her purpose?” we both asked.

“Yes. She has a great destiny!” Shrilled laughter fills the room. I cringe. “She's exactly who we've been waiting for, and we will not allow her to die here.”

She steps back a bit, but her face has taken on a far more serious look.

“We just have to take you hostage until fate decides it's time to reunite.”

That's so ridiculous. Why? She shrugs and continues to talk to my mother.

“I cannot give you all the details, but I can allow you to watch over her in whatever form you choose.”

My mother looks down at me. Relief shows on her face. She nods, agreeing to the deal. I knew she would say yes to this deal. What loving mother wouldn't? If it were reversed, I'd say yes too.

“How lovely!” Destiny chimes in to my thoughts. I glared at her.

“What form would you like to take?”

“A blackbird.”

"Ohhh, that fits you perfectly!”

She puts up her hand and begins to write glowing symbols in the air. After she is done writing, she pushes the symbols toward my mother's forehead. My mother lays me back down on the bed and kisses my cheeks and then my forehead. She caresses my face, kisses me one last time on the cheeks, and disappears.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

I immediately started with the tears again. Destiny picks me up in her own arms and begins to rock me back and forth.

"Awe, now that's enough of that. She isn't completely gone, and her absence won't last forever.”

I began to hold back the rest of my tears, and I glared at her.

“Oh now don't give me that look. I have some gifts for you!” She starts bouncing me around.

"Your first gift is seeing what you need. It's to be as charming, persuasive, and manipulative as you must be to reach your goals!”

What does that mean?

“You will find out soon!” she sings. “Your next gift are these rings.”

She waves her hands, and four rings float in front of us. Three are silver, and one is gold.

“Each ring holds a minor god. The silver rings hold a lesser minor god, while the gold rings hold a greater one.”

She waves her hand again and they disappear.

“I'll give them to you later when you are able to keep them safe.” She sighs and then looks at me. She's being serious again.

“A second chance was given to you for a reason. Your memories stayed intact for a reason. I cannot tell you those reasons, but we need you to become the person you were meant to be. The person you always wanted to be. Remember exactly why you died that day, Zinnia!”

She smiles at me. I don't understand, but I believe eventually I will. She nods her head at this.

“Now then! Time for my exit.” She lays me back down on the bed. She walks to the center of the fire and waves both her hands towards me.

I blinked and Destiny was gone. She took the fire with her as well. I tried to get a good look around, but I can't sit up. Footsteps are approaching me.

It's Keith.

He picks me up in his disgusting arms. I wish I could bite him!

While in his arms, I get a better look at the room. Barely anything is burnt! I could have sworn the whole room was falling apart in the fire. There were obvious signs there was a fire but nothing to major.

“She must have sacrificed herself to save her.”

Keith turns around at the words of his mistress.

"Well, it looks like our problem has solved itself.” He begins to walk toward the door to leave, but then a bird flies through an open window. It starts attacking his mistress. She covers her face and screams.

“Hurry! Let's go, Agatha!” Keith yells as he grabs onto her and rushes them all out the room.

I try to cry out for my mother as she perches herself on the window sill.

It's obviously her. I just didn't expect her to be around so soon!

I was glad my mother hadn't completely disappeared. But I hadn't noticed I was at the house's entrance. I am now able to get a good look at what went on when I couldn't see.

The older maid who had tried to defend my mother was lying with her face toward the ceiling. Her eyes were thankfully closed.

Keith had pushed her over the railing and didn't care that he had murdered her. He probably believes it was her own fault. Are all noble men like this?

No. I've met some decent noblemen, but something about them still gave off an aura of entitlement. The women were the same but not as intrusive. They were easier to deal with as long as you weren't eyeing their men. As long as they didn't find out anyway.

Oh! I guess I'm a noble’s daughter. Not that I consider that asshole my father, but my mother must be from a noble family as well. But honestly, who knows how long this status will last under Keith? He's obviously a controllable idiot. I need to make plans so I can keep my nobility outside of him.

As I'm thinking, Keith walks past the other maids. I would really like to keep at least one of them near me. I dramatically cry out the best infant performance I can, and they all look toward me.

“What's wrong with her?” Keith looks down at me, annoyed. I up my performance, and he drops me! Luckily, his mistress is near to keep me from having a traumatic brain injury! Although she is on my list, I have to remember she did save my life.

The mistress looks around toward the side of the room with the maids. She studies them, trying to figure something out.

“You there.” She finally says, but towards the most annoying maid there. The young loudmouth one.

The young maid tries to stand up straight, but the fear never leaves her outer façade. “Y-yes?” she asks.

“Take her and follow us.” She basically shoves me at her. This maid is on the verge of crying. I need to get her on my side.

The only thing I can do is attempt to use my infant charms. The same way I did for my mother.

I hit the young maid as hard as I could. Which was not hard at all but with enough strength to grab her attention. She looks at me with a face full of fear and tears. I didn't have to fake my nervous laugh because she looked ridiculous right now.

I tried my best to repeat the adorable laugh I presented to my mother. I succeeded, but something was off. Or was something on? I don't know, but there appeared to be a soft glow surrounding me. I heard a soft “ping” sound as if I had gained access to something I couldn't see. I tried searching for its source, but found nothing. This was very weird. I looked up at the young maid's face again.

She appeared mesmerized by me. There was a twinkle in her eyes and her mouth spread upward. I was extremely confused and disturbed. But I could tell she was very content with serving me now.

“I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, Miss Zinnia.” Her awakened determination caused her to hug me too tightly. She held me unbearably close while following Keith and his mistress out of the house.

*****

After leaving my old home, we got into a carriage that took us about an hour to reach our destination. It was a newly built mansion. A gift for his mistress, I'm assuming, because she looked delighted. I rolled my eyes, and upon doing so, my sight landed on the nameplate placed on the side of the gate's entrance.

It read, CAMERON, in bold, annoying letters.

No! Wait, don't panic.

“Welcome back, Mr. Cameron.”

Ah damn it! WAIT. Wait… it's probably been years since my accident. What are the odds?

As if to purposely screw me over, a butler came over to whisper something to Keith. I could feel his anxiety spike up tremendously.

“Where?” Keith asked.

“In the study," replied the butler. “And he's asked you to bring the child."

Keith looks directly at me. And realizes I never took a good look at him. The black hair and gold eyes. No, not really gold. More of an orange amber color.

“This way please.” Insisted the butler after interrupting my studying of Keith.

We traveled to the study room. There stood a man with gray-black hair. He turned at our approach, and there he was. He was almost just as I remembered him. Unlike Keith's amber eyes, he had actual golden amber eyes. Vincent Cameron had aged. He was possibly now in his late 40s to early 50s. Which means about twenty plus years had passed since my death!