Hell of a Roommate (Mayhem rewrite)

Chapter 3: Dreamer

When I was young I was enamored with the moon. My father would tell me tales of the goddesses that controlled the moon. I learned about Selene who would drive it across the sky every night, and Artemis, her predecessor who would drive the moon when Selene could not. My aunt would always tell me that we were descendants of Selene and because of that we always felt the pull of the moon. My father never agreed and always told me that Cassia made it up.

Although I think a small part of me always believed it. I always wanted it to be true.

As a girl, I used to have dreams where Selene would visit me. I'd wake up in a meadow and I'd always see her staring up at the moon. We'd watch Artemis move the moon across the sky and Selene would teach me about the constellations until dawn.

As I grew older the dreams became less frequent before they stopped altogether. On that night, however, I woke up in the same meadow.

Selene turned to me, "Mariana, it has been too long dear girl. Come and sit. We have much to discuss."

"Selene, what is going on? I mean what am I doing here?" She pulled me down so I sat next to her. The grass tickled my feet. When I looked down I finally noticed my nightgown had been replaced with a toga. I blamed my clothing on my avid dreaming. Selene was adorned in a silver, silk robe. A deep blue sash held it closed and her crescent moon crown sat atop her head.

"Always straight to the point. It is quite refreshing to speak with you again, although you must promise me one thing before I tell you what you wish to know."

"What am I to promise you?" Selene held my hand the way a mother would a scared child.

"Do not get upset. What I am telling you will change your life, but it is important so I need you to listen carefully." Her face held a seriousness that could only be rivaled by death. I nodded slowly, but felt my pulse quicken. I knew that the information she held would change everything.

"I promise I will not get upset."

"Many years ago, before your kingdom began a mother made a deal. She did it out of love. Her daughter was dying and the mother prayed for a miracle to save her. The mother was visited by someone who promised her daughter's salvation, but the mother had to pay a price for the life. She agreed and the daughter was saved.

"The price of this deal was high, but the daughter went on to become the first queen of this kingdom after leading them to victory in war. The mother was named Kalen, she was your great- great grandmother."

"Selene what is the price?"

"In exchange for her daughter's life Kalen agreed to give the stranger the life of her third female descendant." I did the math quickly in my head, my great-grandmother, Eve, had my grandfather, Richard, who had two children: my father and my aunt Kassia.

"I am the third descendant." Even as I spoke the words I felt their weight sink into my stomach. Selene put a hand on my shoulder though she couldn't take away the burden I now held. "How much time do I have?"

"One month I'm afraid. Your great-grandmother got sick shortly after her 20th birthday." I felt the truth hanging from my neck, a noose ready to be pulled taught if given the chance.

There was no hope. My future had vanished in a matter of seconds. I knew my family would fall apart and my mother would likely go back to her home kingdom. Without my mother or myself my father would likely give up on everything, sending the kingdom, my kingdom, into ruin. Selene seemed to sense my thoughts.

"Without a leader your kingdom will be absorbed by those surrounding it and your people will suffer greatly at their hands, but there is a way to stop all of this."

"How? I swear Selene I will do almost anything to keep these events from unfolding."

"I am telling you only because I know you will not rest until you know and I admire you too much to not give you a chance to fight this. To save your own life you must take someone else's.

I had to fulfill the deal, a life for a life. I had to do what my great-grandmother did so easily all those years ago. "If I refuse, my kingdom will be lost." Selene nodded. "Who must I kill to save my kingdom?"

"To save yourself you must take the life of the individual who Kalen made the deal with. I believe you two have already met. He goes by many names but the most infamous is-"

"Lucifer."

I woke up with a start. I was sweating profusely. I looked over to the couch where Lucifer had taken residence. He glanced over to me when he noticed I was awake before turning back to his book.

I had to find a way to introduce him to death. I had to kill the King of Hell or die trying.