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Our Goddess Incarnate
Chapter 8: Exposure

Chapter 8: Exposure

August (Brit) 1

Miza woke with a start to alarms blaring, red lights strobing, casting shadows as it dimly lit her room. She was still orienting herself from being startled awake when Justin roughly grabbed her arm to shake her into full consciousness.

“Baby girl, wake up!” He hissed as he dragged her from the bed they were sharing. “We’ve got to go now. Get dressed.”

She scrambled to pull on a pair of leggings and the hoody he had thrown her. Quickly stepping into her boots, she watched Justin scurry around the room, grabbing a few items and throwing them into one of the packs she was holding. Seeing that she was ready, he threw a pack to her and held out his hand.

They walked to the back wall. An intricate carving was embedded in the material decorating the wall. Justin placed his open palm on a specific part of the pattern that looked like the Sacred Tree, where the family spent most of their free time. As light started emanating from the wall, starting from under his palms, they heard the sound of heavy footsteps and then loud thumping from the outside doors of the Legacy Residence, where they resided at the Verdant Palace. She felt a brief flash of panic.

“Jus, What’s happening? Where are your denblings?” She whisper-shouted as she heard a scream from outside her room and felt the suffocating coil of anxiety within the awareness. Layers upon layers of fear and anticipation laced together like a weight at her nape. Realization hit Miza: whoever was attacking was inside the residence.

The lights from the wall finished spreading out like vines and flashed, revealing a circular archway opening into the forest surrounding the Verdant Palace Compound. Justin pulled her through the opening quickly, and it sealed behind her. Before she could attempt to do anything

“Justin. What’s happening?” She said again, this time louder and with more of a demand.

“The coup we heard about is starting. They realized that we knew. The Nest is implementing the emergency protocol as planned for the den. All non-fighters are being relocated and under the protection of the designated warriors within the Faction. I just need to get you to the rendezvous point. The nest will convene before we set off.”

Her heart clenched. The coup was starting. She should have known that they wouldn’t be able to have the small farewell party the den was preparing for. She didn’t even know why she allowed Laura to plan it, but now she wanted nothing but that time together. She tried to argue but knew that if someone got into the residence there was no use fighting any of her chevaliers at this moment.

They continued running through the forest, doing their best to cover their tracks. The lake was coming into view. Justin made a sound similar to the owls that rousted in this area from his throat. He stopped at the edge of the clearing, where they still had cover. A few seconds later, a response was heard.

“Let’s go.” He whispered.

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He dragged Miza forward, using his element to allow them to cross the lake's surface quickly. As they approached the shore, she saw her chavaliers. Donte and Valon stood with several duffles across their backs. Peter, Akierda, Rayel, and Sarafen standing alert but sorrowful. Rayel was already crying.

“Say your goodbyes quickly,” Valon said gruffly as he kept a vigilant watch of the area.

“My lady-” Peter started, but she ran into his arms with a sob. “Miza, it will be fine. We will be fine. You will be free and safe while we take care of your people.” That didn’t make sense.

“I hate this” She sobbed out. Peter kissed her forehead and cheeks, whispering words of love. She felt a hand on her shoulder as Peter let go, leaving a final gentle kiss on her forehead.

She next found herself being squished in a group hug with Akierda and Rayel.

“I love you,” Akierda murmured as they released her from the hug. Akierda pulled her to him into a deep kiss.“Be safe, baby girl,” He said, staring down at her as his hazel eyes swirled with emotion before he let her go, stepping back in line. She didn’t have a chance to focus on why everything seemed off. Miza glanced over to Rayel and watched as she signed.

“I love you, my darling Lady. I will honor you in your absence.”

Miza signed back to her.

“Be safe and well, love.”

“We love you, Miza. Be safe and happy until we can return to you.” Sarafen hugged her before releasing her and kissing her hand gently.

“Baby, we need to go,” Justin said, touching her shoulders.

A loud sob wracked through her body. She felt like she was breaking as Justin pulled her away from her other mates.

She quickly began pulling the pieces together.

“The nest is never broken, no matter the distance. Stay strong. The changes that are coming without us here may be overwhelming, but our faction, our crew, this den, and this nest will always prevail. ‘Loyalty unto this circle. Fidelity to our cause.’” Valon said, giving each of his nest-mates a meaningful look before taking a stone pendant from his pocket and holding it facing away from them, opening a portal.

She knew at that moment that there was nothing she could do to stop this.

Donnie gruffly nodded and hummed before walking away from his nest mates and stepping through the portal. Miza's sobs shook her small frame as Justin pulled her through the portal. She helplessly reached back towards her mates. Alex wasn’t there. Why wasn’t Alex there? She looked back as Valon stepped through to see the rest of the nest staring after them. Suddenly, they were distracted as Peter yelled for them to scatter as lights could be seen coming towards the clearing.

And then the portal closed. Miza looked around her only to see trees she was not familiar with.

~