Under the Moon (Goddesses Rising) - By Natalie J. Damschroder Page 0,123

of yourself.”

“You, too.”

Quinn went outside and hailed a cab, which promptly got caught in traffic. She closed her eyes and tried not to think, but that proved impossible.

She was on her way to end her life as she’d known it. In truth, it had ended the moment Nick showed up early and told her about the leech. Before that, even, when she and Sam stopped being lovers.

She had to let him go. Really, truly, completely go. Even if he’d resigned himself to not having her, she knew he couldn’t live his own life if he kept serving hers. It would kill her to fire him. She would if she had to, but she knew, deep down, that he wouldn’t make her.

Nick would leave, too. The power she held would always be there, strong enough to make her invulnerable. No matter what the new global reality was going to be, she would be one goddess who didn’t need a protector. And there were so many more Nick could help.

The cab rolled forward, but when Quinn opened her eyes she spotted a tiny park off to the right. A copse of trees called to her.

“Let me off here, please.”

When she entered the shade, everything else seemed to disappear. The traffic noise faded enough to sound like wind. A robin sang on a branch above her, and a real breeze caressed her face. She sank down on the plush grass, buried her face in her arms, and wept.

She sobbed for Jennifer and the goddess in South Carolina, for Tanda’s and Chloe’s losses and her inability to make things right, even if she’d brought them justice. She wept for Marley and the relationship that had been broken before they could even start building it. From there, it was easy to cry for her birth parents, who’d never wanted to know her, and her real parents, who’d died too young.

She sobbed for Sam and all he’d meant to her, and for Nick and everything he’d almost become.

When she was empty and could cry no more, the loneliness that had hovered over her for so long crept in, ready to fill the space. But she wasn’t going to let it. She’d wallowed in her longing for Nick, let things go too far with Sam, because it ruled her life after her parents died. It was long past time for her to grow up.

The sun had moved past its zenith when her phone rang. She stretched out on the grass and stared up through the trees, letting the rhythm of their sway soothe her rawness. On the fourth ring, right before it would have gone to voice mail, she answered.

It was Sam. Quinn’s eyes filled with tears again, and she cursed. She had to be stronger than this.

“We’re getting worried about you,” he said. “How did the hearing go?”

“Fine.” She told him about the board’s decision and Barbara’s request.

“Are you going to do it?”

“I don’t know yet.” She didn’t want to tell him about the power issue she had to deal with first. It wouldn’t be a clean break if he thought she still needed him, even if only for his research skills.

“It would give you a chance to work with Marley,” he pointed out.

“You talked to her, then.”

“Yeah, she called when they released her. She sounded okay. Sad. But strong.”

“She is strong.”

“It runs in the family.”

She listened to his breathing for a minute, taking every last drop of time she had with him.

“Are you coming back?”

“Soon.”

“I’ll meet you in the coffee shop. We need to talk.”

“Okay. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

She sighed and lay there for a while longer, not wanting to give up the minute peace of the trees and cool air. Resolve was a lot easier than action. But eventually, she struggled to her feet and trudged the few blocks to the hotel, finding Sam in the coffee shop, as he’d said.

He stood as she approached and enfolded her in his arms, resting his chin on top of her head. They stood like that for a while, and Quinn knew they were on the same page. It was a relief to know he was ready, that he wouldn’t argue, but it didn’t help repair the tear in her heart.

They sat, Sam not releasing her hand. “I think you know what I’m going to say.”

She drew a deep breath. “You’re resigning and moving to Boston. Marley needs an assistant, and you can’t work for me anymore.” Her voice broke at the end, belying