Chapter 10
To Understand
The goddess' name sent a spasm of recognition through Hotaru, although at first, she could not grasp from where she knew the name.
"Selene?" she repeated. The goddess smiled peacefully.
"Yes, my child," said she. "We have met once before. Do you remember?" Hotaru blinked her deep violet eyes at the goddess, trying to figure out what it was that was so familiar about her. Her appearance, certainly, was familiar. The goddess looked like her mother. And she had most definitely heard the name before. But primarily, it seemed it was the goddess' voice that resonated most deeply within her memory. A frown creased her forehead as she mentally replayed Selene's last question, paying particular attention her voice. With the voice came images and feelings. The familiar silver ceiling above her head, the soft, cloth walls of her cradle, a painful iciness banished by warmth and comfort, then burning, and even more pain, suddenly eliminated by a desperate, loving cry. Suddenly, Hotaru's eyes went wide, her little jaw falling upon her breast.
"You were one of the voices! You were the warm one! The one the other voice said caused my mother to suffer in the life beyond!" A sorrowful shadow settled over Selene's immaculate face as she nodded slowly.
"Yes, Hotaru. I was one of the voices who spoke to you that night. The other was the voice of my sister, the dark goddess Metallia. I must warn you against believing the lies she tells you." Hotaru could not help but laugh at that.
"Oh, Selene, I already knew that the cold voice is a liar. After all, she told me that my mother was dead! That is clearly a lie!" Selene sighed, gazing mournfully upon the child.
"Metallia is a liar," she said sadly, "but not because she told you your mother is dead. That, I am afraid, was the truth. Hotaru felt her heart thumping with dread. True? It was true that her mother was dead? Had she died without Hotaru knowing? For one ghastly moment, Hotaru feared for her mother's life. Then, she relaxed. No. Her mother was not dead. Of that, she was certain. Drawing in a deep breath, she slowly released it before speaking.
"No," she said with confidence. "It cannot be true. It was a bold-faced lie to tell me that my mother was dead, because after the cold voice said so, my mother came to me, and held me in her arms. A free soul cannot hold a vessel in her arms. So clearly, my mother was alive. And even if she is dead now-which I know that she is not-it would still have been a lie to tell me that she was, because she was alive at the time." Selene smiled softly.
"You are wise beyond your years, little firefly. But there is still much that you do not know, much that has been kept hidden from you. You know that this is true, do you not? You have wondered what lies beyond this silver world of yours. You have wondered why your mother comes and goes, and never takes you with her. You have already realized that you are different from other children in this world of men, have you not?" A tendril of fear slowly coiled itself about Hotaru's heart and squeezed. Suddenly, she realized that she was in the presence of a goddess, and touched her forehead to the floor.
"Yes, my divine lady," she admitted in a whisper. "I have. I know that I am different, though I know not how."
"Rise, child," Selene commanded gently, and Hotaru obeyed, raising fearful eyes to the goddess' face. "By now you have guessed that I have come to tell you how you are different from other children."
Never taking her eyes off Selene, Hotaru nodded.
"You have also guessed that the woman you call Mother is not your mother at all." With tears in her eyes, Hotaru nodded again.
"But who is she, if not my mother?"
"Her name is Serenity," Selene replied. "Serenity V, High Queen of the White Moon Kingdom. She is my fifth descendant, and the supreme ruler of eight worlds."
"Eight worlds!" Hotaru gasped, awed. The goddess nodded.
"Yes. Eight worlds of the Sol System make up my child's Kingdom. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Terra's White Moon.she rules them all."
"She must be a very powerful woman," Hotaru remarked, not knowing what else to say. A wistful smile touched Selene's lips.
"Yes, she is. And so pure of heart." Her smile faded. "She rules a lovely Kingdom, but it is incomplete. Once, there were nine worlds united under her crown. But then, about one and one half Terran years ago, your home world, the world of Saturn, and its Queen, fell from the grace of the light gods. That is how you came to be in Serenity's care. When Saturn fell into darkness, and its people were lulled into a charmed slumber, she saved you from death."
"Why?" Hotaru wanted to know. "Why did she save me?"
"Because of who your mother was."
"Who was she, my divine lady?" Hotaru asked. "Who was my mother?" Selene shook her silver head.
"You need not call me 'divine lady,' Firefly," the goddess said gently. "You may call me 'elder.' For you see, your mother was none other than my sister, Lady Saturn, the goddess of the Silent Star. She was the Queen of your home world. You, dear little Firefly, are Hotaru of Saturn, princess of the Silent Star." Hotaru drew in her breath sharply.
"I.I am a princess? And my mother-my real mother-was a Queen? A goddess?" Selene nodded.
"That is so. Would you like to hear more? I can tell you everything if you are prepared to hear it." Hotaru considered this for a moment. At last, she nodded.
"Yes, my elder. Tell me everything." Selene smiled.
"Good child. Since the beginning of time, the dark gods have been responsible for all the pain and suffering that humanity endures. I am the eldest of all the gods, and for that, I was raised to the level of Queen among them. I sought to end the dark gods' reign of terror. I could hardly do away with them completely, and though I could separate them from my light kin, I could not keep them out of the Realm of Gods. I could, however, exile those who dwelled within this world of men, and that I did. Since then, all my dark kin have sought to destroy me-either by terminating my existence, or by taking something dear to me, my youngest descendant, or this Kingdom for example. If the dark gods conquer my kingdom, it would mean agony and torment for all my subjects until the time of the god's Passing. And then, who knows whose hands the Kingdom would have fallen into. It could mean another thousand years of torment for my poor subjects." Until this moment, Selene had been the picture of tranquility and regality. No emotion had seemed beyond her control though. Now, though, there were tears misting her silver eyes as she pressed her fingertips to soft, coral lips, struggling to regain her composure. Drawing in a shuddering breath, she plunged forward in her story.
"The threat of the dark gods was a very real one. So when, during my time in the world of men, I united the home worlds of eight of my planetary sisters-your mother's included-into one Kingdom, it was only natural that I should desire some security. That security came in the form of my daughter, Serenity I, born of a mortal man. She possessed great power, and I knew that she could keep the Kingdom safe from my dark kin. My sisters had also borne daughters to mortal lovers, and left them to me as protectors for my daughter. They became known as the Sailor Soldiers, and since then, there has been a Sailor Soldier for every planet. All except for one."
"Saturn," Hotaru said with certainty. "There has been no Sailor Soldier for Saturn. But why?" Selene released a heavy sigh.
"It has been six generations since the time of my Passing, and you have only been free of your mother's womb for seven months. You see, Firefly, your mother had no daughter to protect this Kingdom, no heir to leave for Saturn at the time of her Passing." Another sigh from the goddess. "My sister had an insatiable love for this world of men, yet she was a virtual misanthrope when it came to its people. She was a proud creature, your mother was, too proud to wed a mother, even if only to conceive a child to protect Saturn's people from the dark gods when the time of her Passing arrived. So, instead of coming to me with a child, she came to me with a proposal. She wished for me to use my power to ensure that she would never Return to the Realm of Gods." Selene shook her head sadly. "I knew that I would regret ever granting her wish."
"Why?" Hotaru pressed when the goddess lapsed into a mournful silence.
"Because, dear child, asking such a favor of me is no picayune matter. I am a goddess of order and balance. To maintain balance, there must be give and take. The very nature of my power demands that if I grant a wish such as your mother's, I must ask for something in return, usually a promise of some sort. When I granted Danu's wish for a god's child, and later her son's wish for a child for his barren wife, I asked that our descendants would never meet. When your mother asked to remain in this world of men, I knew I should have to ask something of her as well.
"The trouble comes when the promise made to me is broken-which it too often is. When that happens, I must call upon Order, the light gods' champion, to restore balance. What she chooses to do is beyond my control.
"Meaning no disrespect, elder," Hotaru said softly, "but why, if you knew the danger, did you still grant my mother's wish?" Selene sighed.
"Because Saturn needed protection from the dark gods. Because I loved my sister, and could not bear to see her unhappy. Because I believed she loved me enough not to betray me. There are many reasons why I gave in. Besides, I asked your mother for a pledge of virginity. Given her pride, and prejudice against mortals, I never imagined such a vow would be a problem. Unfortunately, when a divine being dwells to long in the world of men, she begins to acquire mortal character flaws."
"And for my mother, that meant feeling lust for a mortal, am I right?" Hotaru asked. Selene dipped her chin affirmatively.
"Indeed. And of all mortals she chose Lord Hades, the King of Pluto. Did you know, little one, that you have a half-sister by your father?" Hotaru's large violet eyes grew even larger, glowing with excitement.
"A sister?" the girl exclaimed eagerly. "Where? What is her name?"
"Her name is Setsuna. She once was the crown princess and Sailor Soldier of Pluto. Now, though, she is stationed at the Gates of Time, training to become the Keeper of Time. Once her training is complete, she will lay down her mortality and become the Time Goddess."
"My sister is a goddess, too?" Hotaru gasped. Selene chuckled.
"She will be. Your paternal grandfather is also a god. His name is Chronos, and he is the god of time. He is the one training your sister as the Time Goddess. And you may very well have another sister or brother soon. Your father and the Queen of Pluto have been trying to conceive another child to take the Queen's place on the throne." Hotaru's smile faded, giving way to longing as she thought of the family she had never known. Her mother, she inferred, she never could know. But what about the others?
"Could I meet them?" she asked softly. Selene drew in a long breath, and blew it out slowly.
"I would not advise it," she said at last. The gravity in her tone cut through Hotaru like a knife.
"Why not?" she asked, bracing herself for whatever heartache lie within the goddess' response. Selene looked away, focusing her gaze on a silvery wall.
"As I know you have guessed, Order punished your mother's betrayal with mortality. Chronos was determined to protect your sister from the pain that knowledge of Lord Hades' affair would have caused her. He loves her so. With such a purpose in mind, he convinced Serenity to banish all memories of your mother from your father's head. Saturn's people, meanwhile, were placed into a thousand-year slumber. They, too, shall awaken with no memories of their Queen."
"Then, my father does not even know I exist?" Hotaru whispered, wounded by the thought. "What of my sister? And my grandfather knows of me. What of him?" "Setsuna knows that you exist, but she does not know that you are her sister. And it would not be safe for you to visit her. She has had her head turned against you by your grandsire." Selene lowered her gaze. "It was against his advice that Serenity saved you from your mother's fate. Were it up to Chronos, you would have died right along with her. Oh, child, please weep not." Hotaru pressed her trembling lips together, willing the tears to stop flowing. Until now, she had contentedly accepted that Serenity was the only person she had in all the cosmos. She had never known that it could be otherwise. But now, to learn that she had a family--a father, a grandfather, a sister--that did not know or want her was almost more than she could bear.
"Why does my grandfather hate me so?" she whimpered. It was the Time God's hate that hurt the most. Her father did not know that she existed. Her sister did not realize that they shared a father. But Chronos knew everything. He knew Hotaru existed. He was fully aware that she was his son's daughter. Yet, he had rejected her, urged Serenity to leave her to die with Lady Saturn. And why? All to protect Setsuna. The favorite sister.
"Do not be foolish, child," Selene scolded. "Chronos does not hate you. He loves you as much as he does your sister."
"Then why leave me to die?" Hotaru demanded, momentarily forgetting whom she was speaking to. Selene fixed her with a fierce stare.
"Because he does not trust your power." That took Hotaru by surprise.
"My power?" she asked. "But I have no power."
"Of course you do!" Selene exclaimed. "You are the daughter of a priest and a goddess! You have great power that can be used for great things! Unfortunately, because you were conceived in sin, your power can also be used to do great harm. Silence and death are two forces that are easily corrupted." Hotaru nodded slowly. She could easily see how that was so.
"Silence and death walk hand in hand," she mused aloud. "They can be natural and peaceful, or they can bring the greatest of pains."
"This is true," Selene agreed with a slow nod. "That is why my dark sister spoke with you. She is intent on using your power to avenge the dark gods' exile by destroying Serenity and my Kingdom." Hotaru drew in her breath sharply, frightened by the thought. That was the cold voice's purpose? To harness Hotaru's power and use it to destroy Serenity? Hotaru thought of the Queen--the kind and gentle Queen--who had played the role of Mother to Hotaru. Serenity had saved Hotaru from a slow, lonely death, and given her a second chance and life, despite warnings from the god of time. The whole world, even her own family, had rejected Hotaru long before she had been born. But Serenity--dear, sweet Serenity--had accepted her, protected her, even though she had been warned not to--even though doing so meant risking her own life. And the cold voice planned to use Hotaru's power to destroy this woman? Never! Hotaru shook her head fiercely.
"You need not worry, my elder," she declared. "I shall never let any dark god use my power." Selene smiled, but her silver eyes were grim.
"I fear, child," she said softly, "that it may not be as simple as that."
To Understand
The goddess' name sent a spasm of recognition through Hotaru, although at first, she could not grasp from where she knew the name.
"Selene?" she repeated. The goddess smiled peacefully.
"Yes, my child," said she. "We have met once before. Do you remember?" Hotaru blinked her deep violet eyes at the goddess, trying to figure out what it was that was so familiar about her. Her appearance, certainly, was familiar. The goddess looked like her mother. And she had most definitely heard the name before. But primarily, it seemed it was the goddess' voice that resonated most deeply within her memory. A frown creased her forehead as she mentally replayed Selene's last question, paying particular attention her voice. With the voice came images and feelings. The familiar silver ceiling above her head, the soft, cloth walls of her cradle, a painful iciness banished by warmth and comfort, then burning, and even more pain, suddenly eliminated by a desperate, loving cry. Suddenly, Hotaru's eyes went wide, her little jaw falling upon her breast.
"You were one of the voices! You were the warm one! The one the other voice said caused my mother to suffer in the life beyond!" A sorrowful shadow settled over Selene's immaculate face as she nodded slowly.
"Yes, Hotaru. I was one of the voices who spoke to you that night. The other was the voice of my sister, the dark goddess Metallia. I must warn you against believing the lies she tells you." Hotaru could not help but laugh at that.
"Oh, Selene, I already knew that the cold voice is a liar. After all, she told me that my mother was dead! That is clearly a lie!" Selene sighed, gazing mournfully upon the child.
"Metallia is a liar," she said sadly, "but not because she told you your mother is dead. That, I am afraid, was the truth. Hotaru felt her heart thumping with dread. True? It was true that her mother was dead? Had she died without Hotaru knowing? For one ghastly moment, Hotaru feared for her mother's life. Then, she relaxed. No. Her mother was not dead. Of that, she was certain. Drawing in a deep breath, she slowly released it before speaking.
"No," she said with confidence. "It cannot be true. It was a bold-faced lie to tell me that my mother was dead, because after the cold voice said so, my mother came to me, and held me in her arms. A free soul cannot hold a vessel in her arms. So clearly, my mother was alive. And even if she is dead now-which I know that she is not-it would still have been a lie to tell me that she was, because she was alive at the time." Selene smiled softly.
"You are wise beyond your years, little firefly. But there is still much that you do not know, much that has been kept hidden from you. You know that this is true, do you not? You have wondered what lies beyond this silver world of yours. You have wondered why your mother comes and goes, and never takes you with her. You have already realized that you are different from other children in this world of men, have you not?" A tendril of fear slowly coiled itself about Hotaru's heart and squeezed. Suddenly, she realized that she was in the presence of a goddess, and touched her forehead to the floor.
"Yes, my divine lady," she admitted in a whisper. "I have. I know that I am different, though I know not how."
"Rise, child," Selene commanded gently, and Hotaru obeyed, raising fearful eyes to the goddess' face. "By now you have guessed that I have come to tell you how you are different from other children."
Never taking her eyes off Selene, Hotaru nodded.
"You have also guessed that the woman you call Mother is not your mother at all." With tears in her eyes, Hotaru nodded again.
"But who is she, if not my mother?"
"Her name is Serenity," Selene replied. "Serenity V, High Queen of the White Moon Kingdom. She is my fifth descendant, and the supreme ruler of eight worlds."
"Eight worlds!" Hotaru gasped, awed. The goddess nodded.
"Yes. Eight worlds of the Sol System make up my child's Kingdom. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Terra's White Moon.she rules them all."
"She must be a very powerful woman," Hotaru remarked, not knowing what else to say. A wistful smile touched Selene's lips.
"Yes, she is. And so pure of heart." Her smile faded. "She rules a lovely Kingdom, but it is incomplete. Once, there were nine worlds united under her crown. But then, about one and one half Terran years ago, your home world, the world of Saturn, and its Queen, fell from the grace of the light gods. That is how you came to be in Serenity's care. When Saturn fell into darkness, and its people were lulled into a charmed slumber, she saved you from death."
"Why?" Hotaru wanted to know. "Why did she save me?"
"Because of who your mother was."
"Who was she, my divine lady?" Hotaru asked. "Who was my mother?" Selene shook her silver head.
"You need not call me 'divine lady,' Firefly," the goddess said gently. "You may call me 'elder.' For you see, your mother was none other than my sister, Lady Saturn, the goddess of the Silent Star. She was the Queen of your home world. You, dear little Firefly, are Hotaru of Saturn, princess of the Silent Star." Hotaru drew in her breath sharply.
"I.I am a princess? And my mother-my real mother-was a Queen? A goddess?" Selene nodded.
"That is so. Would you like to hear more? I can tell you everything if you are prepared to hear it." Hotaru considered this for a moment. At last, she nodded.
"Yes, my elder. Tell me everything." Selene smiled.
"Good child. Since the beginning of time, the dark gods have been responsible for all the pain and suffering that humanity endures. I am the eldest of all the gods, and for that, I was raised to the level of Queen among them. I sought to end the dark gods' reign of terror. I could hardly do away with them completely, and though I could separate them from my light kin, I could not keep them out of the Realm of Gods. I could, however, exile those who dwelled within this world of men, and that I did. Since then, all my dark kin have sought to destroy me-either by terminating my existence, or by taking something dear to me, my youngest descendant, or this Kingdom for example. If the dark gods conquer my kingdom, it would mean agony and torment for all my subjects until the time of the god's Passing. And then, who knows whose hands the Kingdom would have fallen into. It could mean another thousand years of torment for my poor subjects." Until this moment, Selene had been the picture of tranquility and regality. No emotion had seemed beyond her control though. Now, though, there were tears misting her silver eyes as she pressed her fingertips to soft, coral lips, struggling to regain her composure. Drawing in a shuddering breath, she plunged forward in her story.
"The threat of the dark gods was a very real one. So when, during my time in the world of men, I united the home worlds of eight of my planetary sisters-your mother's included-into one Kingdom, it was only natural that I should desire some security. That security came in the form of my daughter, Serenity I, born of a mortal man. She possessed great power, and I knew that she could keep the Kingdom safe from my dark kin. My sisters had also borne daughters to mortal lovers, and left them to me as protectors for my daughter. They became known as the Sailor Soldiers, and since then, there has been a Sailor Soldier for every planet. All except for one."
"Saturn," Hotaru said with certainty. "There has been no Sailor Soldier for Saturn. But why?" Selene released a heavy sigh.
"It has been six generations since the time of my Passing, and you have only been free of your mother's womb for seven months. You see, Firefly, your mother had no daughter to protect this Kingdom, no heir to leave for Saturn at the time of her Passing." Another sigh from the goddess. "My sister had an insatiable love for this world of men, yet she was a virtual misanthrope when it came to its people. She was a proud creature, your mother was, too proud to wed a mother, even if only to conceive a child to protect Saturn's people from the dark gods when the time of her Passing arrived. So, instead of coming to me with a child, she came to me with a proposal. She wished for me to use my power to ensure that she would never Return to the Realm of Gods." Selene shook her head sadly. "I knew that I would regret ever granting her wish."
"Why?" Hotaru pressed when the goddess lapsed into a mournful silence.
"Because, dear child, asking such a favor of me is no picayune matter. I am a goddess of order and balance. To maintain balance, there must be give and take. The very nature of my power demands that if I grant a wish such as your mother's, I must ask for something in return, usually a promise of some sort. When I granted Danu's wish for a god's child, and later her son's wish for a child for his barren wife, I asked that our descendants would never meet. When your mother asked to remain in this world of men, I knew I should have to ask something of her as well.
"The trouble comes when the promise made to me is broken-which it too often is. When that happens, I must call upon Order, the light gods' champion, to restore balance. What she chooses to do is beyond my control.
"Meaning no disrespect, elder," Hotaru said softly, "but why, if you knew the danger, did you still grant my mother's wish?" Selene sighed.
"Because Saturn needed protection from the dark gods. Because I loved my sister, and could not bear to see her unhappy. Because I believed she loved me enough not to betray me. There are many reasons why I gave in. Besides, I asked your mother for a pledge of virginity. Given her pride, and prejudice against mortals, I never imagined such a vow would be a problem. Unfortunately, when a divine being dwells to long in the world of men, she begins to acquire mortal character flaws."
"And for my mother, that meant feeling lust for a mortal, am I right?" Hotaru asked. Selene dipped her chin affirmatively.
"Indeed. And of all mortals she chose Lord Hades, the King of Pluto. Did you know, little one, that you have a half-sister by your father?" Hotaru's large violet eyes grew even larger, glowing with excitement.
"A sister?" the girl exclaimed eagerly. "Where? What is her name?"
"Her name is Setsuna. She once was the crown princess and Sailor Soldier of Pluto. Now, though, she is stationed at the Gates of Time, training to become the Keeper of Time. Once her training is complete, she will lay down her mortality and become the Time Goddess."
"My sister is a goddess, too?" Hotaru gasped. Selene chuckled.
"She will be. Your paternal grandfather is also a god. His name is Chronos, and he is the god of time. He is the one training your sister as the Time Goddess. And you may very well have another sister or brother soon. Your father and the Queen of Pluto have been trying to conceive another child to take the Queen's place on the throne." Hotaru's smile faded, giving way to longing as she thought of the family she had never known. Her mother, she inferred, she never could know. But what about the others?
"Could I meet them?" she asked softly. Selene drew in a long breath, and blew it out slowly.
"I would not advise it," she said at last. The gravity in her tone cut through Hotaru like a knife.
"Why not?" she asked, bracing herself for whatever heartache lie within the goddess' response. Selene looked away, focusing her gaze on a silvery wall.
"As I know you have guessed, Order punished your mother's betrayal with mortality. Chronos was determined to protect your sister from the pain that knowledge of Lord Hades' affair would have caused her. He loves her so. With such a purpose in mind, he convinced Serenity to banish all memories of your mother from your father's head. Saturn's people, meanwhile, were placed into a thousand-year slumber. They, too, shall awaken with no memories of their Queen."
"Then, my father does not even know I exist?" Hotaru whispered, wounded by the thought. "What of my sister? And my grandfather knows of me. What of him?" "Setsuna knows that you exist, but she does not know that you are her sister. And it would not be safe for you to visit her. She has had her head turned against you by your grandsire." Selene lowered her gaze. "It was against his advice that Serenity saved you from your mother's fate. Were it up to Chronos, you would have died right along with her. Oh, child, please weep not." Hotaru pressed her trembling lips together, willing the tears to stop flowing. Until now, she had contentedly accepted that Serenity was the only person she had in all the cosmos. She had never known that it could be otherwise. But now, to learn that she had a family--a father, a grandfather, a sister--that did not know or want her was almost more than she could bear.
"Why does my grandfather hate me so?" she whimpered. It was the Time God's hate that hurt the most. Her father did not know that she existed. Her sister did not realize that they shared a father. But Chronos knew everything. He knew Hotaru existed. He was fully aware that she was his son's daughter. Yet, he had rejected her, urged Serenity to leave her to die with Lady Saturn. And why? All to protect Setsuna. The favorite sister.
"Do not be foolish, child," Selene scolded. "Chronos does not hate you. He loves you as much as he does your sister."
"Then why leave me to die?" Hotaru demanded, momentarily forgetting whom she was speaking to. Selene fixed her with a fierce stare.
"Because he does not trust your power." That took Hotaru by surprise.
"My power?" she asked. "But I have no power."
"Of course you do!" Selene exclaimed. "You are the daughter of a priest and a goddess! You have great power that can be used for great things! Unfortunately, because you were conceived in sin, your power can also be used to do great harm. Silence and death are two forces that are easily corrupted." Hotaru nodded slowly. She could easily see how that was so.
"Silence and death walk hand in hand," she mused aloud. "They can be natural and peaceful, or they can bring the greatest of pains."
"This is true," Selene agreed with a slow nod. "That is why my dark sister spoke with you. She is intent on using your power to avenge the dark gods' exile by destroying Serenity and my Kingdom." Hotaru drew in her breath sharply, frightened by the thought. That was the cold voice's purpose? To harness Hotaru's power and use it to destroy Serenity? Hotaru thought of the Queen--the kind and gentle Queen--who had played the role of Mother to Hotaru. Serenity had saved Hotaru from a slow, lonely death, and given her a second chance and life, despite warnings from the god of time. The whole world, even her own family, had rejected Hotaru long before she had been born. But Serenity--dear, sweet Serenity--had accepted her, protected her, even though she had been warned not to--even though doing so meant risking her own life. And the cold voice planned to use Hotaru's power to destroy this woman? Never! Hotaru shook her head fiercely.
"You need not worry, my elder," she declared. "I shall never let any dark god use my power." Selene smiled, but her silver eyes were grim.
"I fear, child," she said softly, "that it may not be as simple as that."