Chapter 48 The Rose at Hand and The Bloom of Doubt #2
“There are many of us, Ethereal Leader,” she replies, her voice light as a song.
“How many?”
“Too many to count. Maybe hundreds?”
“Hundreds?” I repeat, turning to the nymphá in surprise.
They giggle at my reaction, their laughter harmonious, like a symphony of voices layered atop one another.
I could listen to it forever. Despite their thin bodies, they never eat, yet still radiate life and energy.
As ethereal beings, they’re sustained by their crystals and serve me as the Lidé?en of the prophecy they believe in.
“You summoned blue roses with your tears, Ethereal Leader,” a nymphá perched on the edge of the cabinets says, swinging her legs lazily. “Have you tried doing it with your will instead?”
“Can I do that?” I ask as the nymphá behind me starts braiding my hair, humming a soft tune.
The nymphá on my thigh lifts her head and gently takes my hand with a smile. “Focus your energy here.”
With her hands holding mine, I close my eyes. If Theron could do it, maybe I can too.
“Trust that you already have one in your palm,” she says. “When we truly believe we already possess what we desire, it comes to us.”
I imagine a blue rose in my hand, but nothing happens. “I can’t,”
“You can.” She giggles. “You have the idea, but it’s not clear. Focus on the petals—their texture, their scent, their color. Picture the beauty of this rare flower. Think of the ones you’ve seen before, perhaps with your mother or éva, the Mother of All.”
A blue rose. Deep, beautiful blue. Its petals are velvety and delicate, their fragrance sweet and calming. Like the ones my mother and I used to water together. Or the roses glowing by the grave. Or even those I summoned near the ancient stone.
Beautiful, blue, and luminous, responding to my wish. Come to me, pretty flower, appear in my hand.
It does.
A light, airy sensation forms in my palm. When I open my eyes, I see a soft, glowing ball of pale blue. It begins to grow, forming the shape of a blue rose.
“Oh,” I breathe.
The nymphá leans in, inhaling its fragrance. With a warm smile, she reaches out and caresses the petals.
We run back to ávera together. Since my awakening began, combined with Theron’s nightly healing sessions, my body feels stronger every day.
Not just stronger, but more keen. My vision is clearer, my sense of smell more acute.
Not like a vólkin’s, but certainly no longer like a human’s either.
I can only imagine what my abilities will be like when I fully awaken.
It’s incredible to think that thousands of years ago, women didn’t need bonding rituals to achieve this.
Back then, they were so connected to their spirituality that they bonded souls with their mates naturally.
What men have done to disrupt that balance is unforgivable, but soon, that will change.
Soon, I will destroy every creation of men, and ávera will stretch until it reaches the oceans surrounding the land.
Spirits and humans will live in nature, free of chains, as it was always intended.
Mother Nature never meant for us to stress or suffer. We were always meant to live as free spirits. And this is my plan to restore balance.
When we reach ávera, the scent of cooked meat fills the air. Tonight, they’ve prepared meals for two humans—Gregor and me. Gregor’s arrival has unsettled everyone, and I can only hope this feast will ease the tension that hangs heavy over the village.
Theron promised we’d question Gregor together. The fact that he isn’t here yet, and that Gregor seems more at ease than before, is a good sign.
“Her Majesty has arrived!” Mina announces, her voice carrying across the gathering.
Every vólkin turns to face us, bowing low. My gaze shifts to Gregor, and he bows as well. This is good. It makes him seem more relatable.
“You will sit with me,” Or?on snarls at Gregor.
Gregor flinches, nodding quickly. Even from this distance, I hear their exchange clearly. It is amazing how my senses have sharpened.
“Or?on,” I call.
He stiffens and snaps to attention. “Yes?”
I approach them, noting Gregor’s forced smile as he greets me. “I would ask you to be nicer to our guest,” I say, holding Or?on’s gaze.
He grunts in response, and the sound grates on my nerves.
My tone is cold when I say, “I didn’t hear your answer.”
His jaw tightens as he forces the word out, each syllable dripping with reluctance. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
I’ve dealt with men like him before—soldiers who had a hard time taking orders from a woman.
The difference is, Or?on’s resistance isn’t about my femininity.
It’s about waiting. Or more specifically, being stuck in ávera when he clearly wants to be anywhere else.
But Theron already taught him that lesson, so I won’t push.
Elder A?na, Mina, Na?a, and Essin arrive as I take my seat, the same spot I sat during the welcoming feast the vólkins held for me when I arrived. I know Theron is with his patrol, but he promised he’d return when three stars appear in the sky. So far, only two have shown.
Tonight we’ll question Gregor. I need to know everything, every detail he remembers about what happened. If Gregor feels welcomed and safe, he’s far more likely to share valuable information, more than what he’s already told us.
“How’s our little guest?” Elder A?na asks, settling beside me.
“Scared of Or?on,” I reply. “But he looks better than before. The girls took care of him.”
Elder A?na hums thoughtfully as I speak.
“He’s in shock, but honestly, he seems to be handling everything better than I expected, better than I would in his position, considering how new all this is for him.”
“Perhaps it isn’t as new to him as you think.”
Her words make me tighten my grip on the goblet in my hand. That possibility hadn’t even crossed my mind. “Do you think . . .”
“You know what I think, Your Majesty.”
Of course. How had I not seen it? Gregor was terrified, anyone would be after nearly being killed. But now that I think about it, he’s been adapting to all this far too easily. I should ask Mina how he behaved during his healing.
Interesting, Gregor. Very interesting.
As the third star appears in the sky, my heart pounds loudly in my chest. I do not see Theron, but for some reason, my body reacts. What is this? Why am I getting wet?
Goddesses, why now?
I take a deep breath to steady myself and rise to my feet.
The vólkins are already seated. Gregor sits near Or?on, while the children gather together at a separate table. As I stand, silence falls over the crowd, and all eyes turn to me.
Elder A?na places a reassuring paw on my knee.
“Tonight,” I begin, “we mark the first and last day of the trials. Our warriors have done well. Most teams found all three artifacts, demonstrating teamwork, strategic thinking, and strength. The forest was unkind, challenging them every step of the way. Yet, they prevailed, proving they are who they claim to be.”
I raise my goblet without thinking, a habit from my human life. Though vólkins don’t drink from goblets, no one seems to mind the gesture.
“The trials will not continue. As we all know, these are alarming times. From today forward, ávera will be heavily guarded. I ask each and every one of you to remain on guard. If anything unusual occurs, report it immediately.” I pause, swiping my gaze over everyone.
Gregor included. “Tonight, we feast in honor of our warriors. In two days, we will celebrate the bonding. For now, enjoy the feast and offer prayers for our strong males patrolling to keep us safe.” I lift the goblet higher. “Let the feast begin.”
“Very noble, Your Majesty.” Theron’s voice cuts through the air as he takes a seat beside me. I’d almost forgotten how deep his voice is.
“Thank you,” I reply, setting the goblet on the table.
“I missed you.” His tone is low as he places strawberries in my bowl.
Heat rushes to my cheeks at his words. I clear my throat and pick a strawberry. “We need to talk about Gregor,” I whisper.