Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

"C'est de la folie! [This is lunacy'] Kas, no. You've gone insane," Delilah cries and stands up from her seat when I finish telling her and Marco my plan about three hours into our flight to Paris. She paces with her hands over her mouth. Her eyes are midnight blue when she finally stops and looks at me, "No. Ican't let you do this to your soul. I won't allow it."

"Delilah, I'm not asking your permission. I started this centuries ago and I have to finish it. I'm telling you because you and Marco are my best friends and I love you," I explain as calmly as possible, "I'm asking for your support and understanding. If the worst happens, I would like you two to take care of Cora until she finds Dante and is ready to leave the pack."

"We'll take care of your daughter...err... sister, Kas. Don't worry about that. But you're sure Bronx don't know nothin'?" Marco leans forward and puts his elbows on his knees, wringing his hands together.

"As far as I can tell, he knows something's wrong, and he's worried about me, but he doesn't know any of what I just told you. And it's going to stay that way. Do I make myself clear? I can't let him try to stop me. This needs to end. I need to see it through. Don't make me use my Luna voice to order you to keep this a secret and definitely don't make me use my goddess voice because for all I know, something bad could come of that," I cross my arms in front of myself and swipe them down in an X motion.

Delilah sits down across from me with her hands on her cheeks. Tears are threatening to spill from her eyes, "Oh Kas. Just like Bronx says to you, I-I can't lose you. Not like this."

"You haven't lost me, Delilah. Not yet anyway. But I have one more favor to ask," I take her hands in mine.

"Of course, Kas, anything," I watch her lip tremble as her voice jingles in the alr.

"If you think the influence of the Mavri Magea has corrupted me and I'm too far gone, don't try to save me. Just protect Cora. Whatever white magic it takes to keep her safe. Whatever realm you need to take her to, even if it is a matter of keeping her safe from me, do it. Okay?" I watch as she nods her head and puts her hand over her mouth again, stifling a sob before she makes her way to the bathroom for some privacy.

"Kas, I got you," Marco says plainly, "I get what you're tryin' to do. If people know they're gonna try an stop you or they're gonna get in the way. I got your back."

"I'm scared I could hurt someone, Marco. Sometimes I can already feel it. Like a storm cloud that gets stronger when my mood changes and the dark wants attention," I twist my mouth up trying to figure out how to describe it, but I can't, "Even now, I'm worried I can't always control it. It just feels, I don't know, right?"

"If you really go through with this, like, all the way to the end like you sayin. It's gonna start a war. There's gonna be consequences, Kas. People are gonna get hurt or worse," Marco's eyes look out the window as if he is remembering something from his past, "and you're right. Ain't no way Bronx would let you go through with it if he found out. But in my mind, you're doin the right thing. Like you said, you started it, you gotta finish it. They need to be stopped."

"Thank you, Marco," I put my hand on top of his and give him a grateful smile,

"I Knew I could count on you."

"I'm gonna fight alongside you until I can't fight no more. Just remember, I got pups on the way. And if Amari is right, and there's any chance my little girl could be a goddess like you, she's gonna need her daddy, Kas. Or if my little boy could be a Guardian like Bronx, I gotta be there to raise him right. Don't make me regret this. If I'm goin all in, you are too," his light brown eyes bore into me.

"I'm all in, Marco. Honestly, I don't have a choice," I lean back in my seat and let the conversation fall silent as we both let our minds absorb the situation. '

Delilah finally comes out of the bathroom and sits next to me. Her back is stiff, and she has trouble looking at me directly.

"Luna Regent, Goddess lokaste Mason, give me your hands," she says curtly and holds her hands out for me to take hold of.

"What?" I look at her, confused. We had not discussed her using magic on me. We talked about keeping Cora safe, but I'm not even pregnant yet.

"I may be a pacifist, but you are not. I will not let you go down without a fight. This is going to be the strongest protection spell I can on you before it's too late. It won't stop the inevitable, but it will at least give you more time," Delilah explains as she taps the tops of my hand to get me to put them into hers. Her voice still cracks, but she looks resolute in her decision, "Now give me your hands."

о

I put my hands in hers obediently, surprised by her strict tone.

"Okay, do your best. Just be careful, don't do anything to put Alexander at risk, okay?" I say to give her permission.

"Pshh, he strengthens me," she dismisses my concern. She takes a deep, ragged breath and closes her eyes. I do the same and feel her warm, comforting energy build in me.

It feels like a layer of pure white filament surrounding me, gently winding itself around and placing a layer of white light around the little storm cloud that has been tagging along with me everywhere I go. I can feel it fighting against the light, wanting to be set free. I know it's only a matter of time before it breaks free and comes back with a vengeance, but there

is relief from it for a little while at least. I feel the warmth dissipate and a sense of calm comes over me. I open my eyes and look at Delilah. When she opens her eyes, they are a light sky blue. She looks much calmer.

"Thank you, Delilah," I give her a strong hug and rub her back. I feel her nod against my shoulder. When I'm sure she will not start crying again, I let her go. "Well, I guess there's one thing left to do," I say, slapping my hands on my knees with an exaggerated sigh.

"Go unfreeze Tyree and Freddie?" Marco says with a smirk.

"Go unfreeze Tyree and Freddie," I nod and head to the galley where Tyree went to talk to the steward, Freddie, to get us drinks an hour ago.

kkE

"Okay, tell her now. Tell her now!" Lex urges in my mind, "I can't wait to see her reaction. This is going to be epic!"

"Alright Lex, calm down. Calm down," I try to settle her. Her excitement is making me more excited as I tiptoe down the hall. I stand in front of the door and take a breath to control my emotions.

"I have a surprise for you!" I step into Delilah's room and flump onto the bed next to her, letting myself fall back.

"Does it involve croissants? I could really go for food that is not so healthy for me for a change. Growing a baby is hard work, but I could use a break from the heavy foods James insists on," she groans as she rolls over and removes her eye mask to look at me with a pout.

"It doesn't involve croissants, unfortunately, but we can go out and find ones with ham and cheese baked into them later," I look at her slyly.

"You have a deal," she smiles gratefully, "So, what is this surprise that has you waking me so early?"

"Well, you know Carly got me the appointment, so Matthew Williams from Givenchy can style me for the charity event?" I bat my eyelashes at her while I mimic her French accent. "Yes? What about it? You woke me early to remind me of that? We are on vacation, mon ami. Please let me sleep," she puts her eye mask back on and rolls over.

"No, silly," I throw my arms around the duvet and trap her in a hug through the blanket, "I pulled a favor and also got you an appointment to get styled for the event as well, but not with Givenchy." "Carly confirmed it right before we took off yesterday," I pull the eye mask off of her face and give a sly grin, "She got you an appointment with Maria at Christian Dior. Today. Three p.m."

Delilah looks at me blankly for a moment, but her eyes changing from ocean blue to baby blue in a single blink betray her calm outer shell, "Dior? Maria? As in Maria Grazia Chiuri? I'm going to get to meet her? In person? When? Today?"

"Uh huh. And afterwards, they are closing the storefront downstairs for two hours so we can shop in private.

Bronx arranged it for us," I let my eyes go big and open my mouth wide with exaggerated excitement, hoping she will be excited too. I know it's her favorite designer. Delilah has the Dior logo as the background on her phone.

She also has a handbag and matching pair of heels that she saved up for months to buy.

She continues to blink at me for another few seconds before the happiest, most excited scream i have ever heard erupts from her. It sounds like church bells ringing at noon ona

Sunday. She hugs me back through the blanket and kicks her legs in excitement, "Thank you, Kas. Thank you so much"

"Are you ladies alright in there?" Tyree calls from the hallway

"Better than okay!" Delilah screams, "We're going to rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré!"

kkk

I have never seen Delilah's face light up so quickly as when Maria greets her by name. I watch her squint her eyes, trying to control them from changing color. Once I make sure she is okay, I sit back in a chair off to the side to give my best friend her moment in the spotlight.

While I watch the assistants help Delilah decide on a style, I feel my phone buzz in my pocket.

Bronx: Hi Baby. U @ Delilahs appointment?

Kas: yeah. She's in heaven!

Bronx: good to hear. No price tags today. For either of you.

Kas: Bronx knock it off.

Bronx: Too late. Already gave my instructions. Have fun.

Kas: Thank you Sweetheart <3

Bronx: Love you. See you in 2 days.

I look up at Delilah standing in front of a mirrored wall in a beautiful trapeze style dress. It hides her growing belly and makes her look like a model ina magazine at the same time. The grin on her face looks like it might be permanent as Maria and her assistants fawn over Delilah's beautiful features.

Once they decide on what she will wear, they put everything in bags and boxes with instructions on how to return them. Tyree takes it to the sedan while Marco escorts us down a back staircase to the retail store.

"Kas," Delilah says under her breath as we look at a satchel style bag, "There's no price tag on any of these things.”

"Yeah. Bronx sent me a message. 'No price tags today.' His treat," I look at her, trying not to feel guilty. She rolls her eyes at the notion. She sees him do it to me all the time but he has never done it to her. I think she understands how uncomfortable it is now..

The lights flicker slightly, causing us to look around. A sales girl comes up behind us to make sure we are okay. "Is everything satisfactory, Madames?" the familiar voice asks.

I turn around and see Leticia standing behind us with a big smile and a name tag that says 'Michelle'.