6. Luna
CHAPTER SIX
LUNA
Morning light streamed through tall windows, making the long-mirrored room a dazzle of light. I inhaled the warm air, catching the scent of fresh wax on the floor and Sofia’s delicate rose perfume.
Fan in hand, I drifted around Sofia, who held a knife at the ready. She’d volunteered to act as my sparring partner today, since Vala had sent word she would be busy this morning.
Rose, wearing a gown light and colorful enough to rival the flowers in the garden, sat by the door in a cushioned chair, focused on her embroidery. Her work basket sat next to her, trailing bright floss and ribbons. The gown I planned to change into after practice lay folded neatly at her feet,
Sofia moved forward, swinging the knife. I shifted a step, my steel fan slicing through the air in a flash to block it. Sofia was much faster than she appeared, but clumsier than me, telegraphing her attacks long before she made them.
On the other hand, as far as I knew, she had no weapons training.
It had taken me daily practice for years to hone my skills with the fan. The key was to make your movements fluid and unpredictable, like water. To beguile your opponent before you cut them to ribbons.
Sofia dropped back a few paces, her body coiled. She’d strike to the right next.
I glanced over at Rose, absorbed in her stitching. Her delicate features were a picture of serene concentration.
I must keep them both safe .
No matter the cost to me. Rose was too gentle for this world, and Sofia… Sofia was an enigma in many ways. Kind, yes, and protective, yet she held secrets like a deep still lake. And she would protect Rose if I couldn’t.
Our father had avoided us in the aftermath of the beating. I wasn’t entirely sure what had happened, but Vala and her husband had visited him, and then he’d been taken ill for some weeks. Hastily hushed gossip had it that there’d been a physical reprisal, but no one would talk about it around me.
Still, he was a threat to Rose, even chastised and living in the provinces.
I turned my attention back to Sofia as she made her attack. Once again, I skipped out of the way.
"You're really fast, Sofia," I said with a teasing smile. "But you're making it too obvious. I could dodge you in my sleep."
Sofia huffed a laugh, swiping at me again. "Maybe I want you to see me coming."
I spun away from her strike. "Ah, but where's the fun in that? Surprises are half the battle."
We continued our dance, my fan and her knife flashing in the sunlight. In the mirrors lining the walls, I caught glimpses of our reflection. Me, tall and athletic, dressed in a short tunic, arms and legs bare, my red hair up in a tight knot. Sofia, of average height and plump, in a sober brown dress and matching bodice.
Where I moved with practiced grace, Sofia stomped through the world with a determined solidity.
Did that determination come from being a ‘failed’ apprentice, or because of it? I knew that her position wasn’t a punishment, more of a break from her studies at Soulrider’s tower. Sofia didn’t seem to mind.
As if sensing my thoughts, Sofia grinned at me, panting. "You may be all fancy footwork, but I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
"Oh?" I paused and raised an eyebrow. "Do tell."
Sofia winked. "You'll see. When you least expect it. And now we are going to unexpectedly take a break."
I shook my head and turned to Rose, who was watching us with a bemused expression from her cushioned chair by the wall. "You should join us, Rose. You're terrible at fighting."
Rose’s delicate features didn’t change in the slightest as her hand moved from under her embroidery, the flash of a small throwing knife piercing my eyes as she threw it expertly. It whistled past my ear, embedding itself in the wooden panel between two mirrors with a satisfying thunk.
I laughed. "Point taken."
Rose smiled sweetly, her pale brown eyes twinkling with mischief. "Never underestimate a potential opponent, dear sister."
May you never have to kill, little sister .
Rose's quiet strength never ceased to amaze me. While I fought and wrestled with rage, Rose wielded kindness like a shield. Most everyone who knew her loved her.
“Since we have a clear floor, here, Rose, draw me the diagram I showed you yesterday,” Sofia said, pulling the knife from the wall.
Rose pulled chalk from her basket and started drawing. The diagram, large and intricate, grew in chalk and I moved to the wall to allow her to draw more easily. As she drew each symbol, Sofia had her pause and explain its significance.
Rose’s sunny curls bobbed as she worked.
“What ritual is this?” I asked.
"This ritual transports the person who drew it to the godplane. It’s used by powerful mages when they're ready to call a sigil and take up a Name. If the person does it successfully, they are a Sorcerer," Sofia said.
Rose’s nose wrinkled as she studied the complex patterns. I knew that wrinkle. My sister had no desire to be a Sorcerer, even if she had the natural talent and power.
As Rose continued to work, I asked, "Isn't that dangerous to practice? Could Rose accidentally take herself there by drawing it?"
Sofia chuckled. "No, it requires a tremendous amount of magic to energize. There's no way to cast it accidentally. And the diagram must be perfect. I still practice it regularly. I've only reached the godplane a few times myself. My diagrams were flawed in the beginning, and these days, I often simply lack the power to activate it. And I’ve never managed to summon a Name.”
She looked at my sister fondly. “But Rose will have the capacity to energize the diagram before too long, I believe. Calling a name isn’t on the horizon for many more years."
“It’s dangerous, isn’t it.” Rose looked up from her work.
“It can be, if the Name that comes to you is too powerful for you to control. That’s why you wait until you’ve achieved the fullness of your power and then call your Name.”
“So, you call, but the Name picks you?” I asked. “Moonshifter and Soulrider are Names, right?”
“Yes and yes. The simpler the Name, the greater the power it carries.”
“So someone whose Name is Creator would be really powerful? Are all names a description?”
Sofia shook her head. "Creator is a Name that you’d need the power of a god to contain.”
“What happens if you can’t contain it?” I asked.
“It destroys you,” Sofia answered simply.
“Why would I want to call a name then? If I don’t know if it will kill me?” asked Rose.
Sofia spread her hands. “A Name makes you powerful and then you can protect others and yourself. Think what life is like if you can’t protect those you love.”
Rose winced and a flicker of anger shot through me even as I had to admit the truth of her statement. Learning weapons and deception was my non magic way of taking a Name.
“And there’s no guarantee that if you call a Name will come. I’ve called a dozen times, and the ritual has always unraveled. That’s why people call me a ‘failed apprentice’.” Sofia’s eyes twinkled. “And how I ended here, doing a job I like.”
Rose, diagram finished, came over and hugged her.
“Do all Sorcerers source their magic from starlight, like you and Rose?’
To be honest, I didn’t like the idea of Rose as a Sorcerer, since as I understood it almost all of them became terrible people because of their power and how people treated them trying to curry their favor. But that was a problem for years from now, not today.
Sofia shook her head. “Starlight magic is an advantage, yes, because most people with it begin training early and learn to use their magic better. But any of the other sources– moon, sun, dark moon– can become a Sorcerer. The only qualifications are calling a sigil and a name.”
I lowered my voice, because what I was about to ask was in the worst of poor taste. “Could someone who sources from the Void?”
The Void was forbidden as a source. People were born to the other four, but sourcing from the Void meant that they forsook their original power and sought out the energies from the blackness and emptiness. I’d been told that one and all, learning to source from the Void drove the person insane.
Unshocked. Sofia regarded me with raised brows. “Of course. Having power and talent doesn’t guarantee that you’re sane. Sometimes madness helps with focus. Where a sane person might hesitate, a madman won’t.”
She left me a little shocked by her answer. Seeing it, she chuckled.
Just then, a young servant entered the room, bowing respectfully. "Lady Luna, the Lady Vala requests your presence in her study."
My heart skipped a beat.
What could she want? Vala's summons were rarely a casual matter. "Thank you," I said to the servant, keeping my voice steady. "Please inform Lady Vala that I will be there shortly."
As the servant left, I turned to Rose and Sofia, trying to hide the unease churning in my stomach. "Duty calls, it seems."
Sofia had already picked up my gown and shaken it out. A quick gesture, and a tiny whirlwind of chalk dust rose from the floor and solidified into a stick.
Rose stood, setting aside her embroidery and picking up my bodice. “Let’s get you into this quickly.
It only took a few minutes for me to be dressed so that if I needed to leave the house, I was ready.
Sofia stepped forward, placing a warm hand on my shoulder. "Good luck, Luna.”
I nodded. Trust your instincts. It was advice Sofia often gave me and Rose, and it had never led me astray. I’d keep it in mind.
With a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders and headed for the door, my footsteps echoing on the polished wooden floors. As I headed for the study, my mind wandered to Sofia's reaction to Vala's summons. The way her posture stiffened, her expression becoming even more unreadable... it was a change I had noticed before, whenever Vala was mentioned.
The rich scent of jasmine wafted over me as I stepped into Vala's study, the warm breeze from the open windows rustling the gauzy curtains. Sunlight streamed in, casting a golden glow over the polished mahogany desk where Vala sat, her posture regal and poised.
She rose gracefully as I entered, her dress falling in precise elegant folds. A smile played on her lips. "Luna. Please, be seated."
I settled into the indicated chair, the soft velvet cushion enveloping me. "Thank you, Domina."
Vala's gaze swept over me, assessing. "You've done well, Luna. Your progress in your weapons training and in managing the estate affairs has been excellent. You've proven yourself a worthy member of the d’Alvarez family in many ways."
I inclined my head, a mix of pride and wariness swirling within me. "Thank you, Domina. I've had an able teacher."
Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, but that was normal. "Thank you. And now, I have another task for you. One that will require all of your skills and charm."
I leaned forward slightly. "What is it, Domina?"
Vala's fingers drummed lightly on the desk, her nails gleaming in the sunlight. "It's a delicate matter, Luna. One that requires discretion and finesse. I trust you understand the importance of keeping this between us?"
I nodded, a knot forming in my stomach. "Of course, Domina. You can rely on my discretion."
What could she possibly want from me? I tried to quell the unease that crept up my spine. Why did I feel like I was about to step into a tangled web that concealed sharp knives?
Vala leaned back in her chair, her fingers steepled beneath her chin. "Benedetto is in Legnali," she said, watching me for the slightest flicker of reaction. "He's staying in a local merchant's home."
My breath caught in my throat. Benedetto. The name hung in the air between us, heavy with unspoken implications. I hadn't seen him in years, not since he walked out after consummating our marriage. I shuddered internally at the painful, humiliating memory.
"With Francesco gone and my husband Marco's health failing," Vala said, her tone cold and businesslike, "it's imperative that we secure an heir for the family. There are no others; Francesco preferred men and left no children."
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. An heir. The pieces clicked into place, and a wave of dread washed over me.
Vala fixed me with a stern look. "How comes to your bed is your affair," she said bluntly. "But the paternity must be clear. If you can manage to persuade him to return home and end this ridiculous quest of his to avenge his brother, even better. He's past thirty, and his father is ill. It’s time for him to take up his family duty."
I felt a sharp pang of resentment. Even if it was the agreement, all my achievements were nothing against the need for me to seduce my husband and bear his child.
But it would be unwise to let my true feelings show. Vala, while frighteningly competent, was not the warm and kind person she projected the persona of. I forced a smile, inclining my head in acquiescence. "Of course, Domina. I’ll start immediately."
Vala's lips curved in a satisfied smile, while no emotions shown in her features. "See that you do, Luna. The future of our family depends on it. And remember to plan for all contingencies before you act. A proper plan ensures success."
I rose from my seat, my legs trembling slightly beneath me. As I made my way out of Vala's study, my mind and my heart raced.
Benedetto . After all these years, I’d never thought our paths would cross again. Certainly not like this.
I squared my shoulders. I had my task. And I would complete it, no matter the cost to my dignity or my heart.
If I failed in this task, Rose and I could all find ourselves cast out, at the mercy of a world that had little love for women without wealth or status.
A few minutes of discomfort. That was all it would be. And in return, as the mother of the heir, we'd have security. A future.
But even as I tried to convince myself, I could feel the weight of my last memory of my mother bearing down on me. I’d asked Canta once, and she said that I would have been almost four when it happened. And she’d awkwardly hugged me.
The frost in the air, the smell of the oils poured on the wood. My mother’s bloody face, the cords binding her to the stake.
The shaking of my nurse’s hands as she held my body against hers as I struggled to run to my mother.
The sparks trailing from the torch in my father’s hand as he lowered it to the wood.
Her screams echoing in my nightmares. Like me, her magic sourced from the dark moon, and people had claimed she cursed them. She’d been sentenced to burn.
And she still did in my dreams.
I would buy safety. Finding Benedetto would be the difficult part.
In my room, the stack of invitations on my desk caught my eye, and I moved toward them, my fingers trailing over the thick, embossed paper.
Parties, balls, and social gatherings. He would probably attend at least one while he was in Legnali. I’d also ask for the address of the merchant he was staying with.
Social gatherings were the bread and butter of the clans who administered Dimare for the emperor. That was where a person had to go to get any real information.
Of the stack, one invitation in particular stood out, the seal of the Tulliano family gleaming in the sunlight. They were new money, desperate for acceptance among the established families of Dimare.
And what better way to gain that acceptance than by throwing the most lavish parties in the city? Of all of these, this was the function Benedetto was most likely to attend.
I’d broken the seal on the invitation when a soft knock at the door startled me. I turned to see Rose enter, her brow furrowed with concern.
"What did Vala want?" she asked, perching on the edge of my bed.
I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat. But even if she was young, she was my sister, my confidante. If I couldn't trust her, who could I trust?
"Benedetto is here," I said finally. "Vala wants me to... secure an heir…as quickly as I can."
Rose's eyes widened, her mouth forming a silent 'oh'. Then, slowly, she nodded. "Do you think you can do it?"
I gave her a wry smile. "I'll have to, yes?"
Rose reached out, her hand finding mine and squeezing gently. "You can do this," she said, her voice filled with a conviction I wished I felt. "I’ll help."
I nodded, swallowing past the lump in my throat. I glanced back to the invitations on my desk.
This was possible. When I squeezed Rose's hand back, a genuine smile spread across my face since I spoke to Vala. "I think I know where to start."
I held up the Tulliano invitation, the embossed gold lettering glinting in the sunlight streaming through the window. “This ball is in a few days. But before I go, let’s visit friends. Make a few social calls."
My smile turned mischievous. "Gather gossip and perhaps... inquire about this notorious rogue’s movements."
Rose's eyes lit up, her own smile mirroring mine. "Oh, Luna," she clapped her hands together in delight. "That's brilliant! And it’ll be fun, too."
"I am indeed," I stood and moved to my wardrobe. "And you, dear sister, are the perfect companion for such an outing. I’ll bathe, change and then we will all go and visit some of your friends."
As I rifled through my gowns, selecting a deep green silk that would complement Rose's outfit, my mind raced with possibilities.
Benedetto was a mystery to me. A puzzle to be solved. What better way to solve a puzzle than to gather all the pieces?
I turned back to Rose, holding up the gown for her approval. "What do you think? Will this do for an afternoon of gossip and intrigue?"
Rose examined it, lips pursed, then nodded. "It's perfect. You'll look like a great lady, Luna. And while they're all busy admiring you, and talking about you behind your back, I'll be busy listening."
I grinned in response to the impish expression on her face. "And that, my dear Rose, is why I know not to underestimate quiet women like you."
She sighed. “Sofia should probably stay here, though. People will speak more freely in front of just me.”
I nodded. She was right. Nor would it take much persuading to get Sofia to stay here; she hated social events.