Chapter 25 #2
I selected a simple gold necklace with a small teardrop-shaped sapphire. It was dainty and understated, just how I liked it. Gabriel smiled at my selection, and I smiled back at him, playing my part as the appreciative lady.
He turned to the merchant. “I will choose another piece for her as well.”
Her eyes bulged. “Your Highness, it would be an honor. Themis is blessing me today with your patronage!”
This felt similar to what peacocks do to impress their potential mate. Become flashy and show off. Instead of pretty feathers, Gabriel was flashing me his wealth. How dull.
Gabriel quickly selected a large pearl with a pinkish sheen that hung from a velvet black choker. It wasn’t my style at all and, of course…pink. I held my tongue, Gabriel looking quite pleased with himself. A choker around my neck felt symbolic—a statement of chattel.
“Box these up for us, madame,” he ordered the merchant.
“Of course, Your Highness. Let me package them beautifully for you.” Her excitement was palpable.
Gabriel took out his purse, counting out his coins, and I took a few steps back as he paid and waited for the merchant to package the jewelry.
Delicate fingers snatched my wrist, and I turned to face an older daemonite woman, hunched over and studying my palm close to her face.
She wore a simple black dress, and her long, scraggly silver hair hung loosely down to her waist. I was stunned for a moment, but I didn’t pull my hand away.
There was no malice or aggression in her touch.
She traced her finger down my palm and looked up at me. Her eyes were a dazzling indigo color.
She spoke with a soft, melodic voice. “Clotha certainly has plans for you. A path of diverging and converging with that of deities long since faded from their divinity. You have collided two worlds together, bringing change.”
Whether this was the ramblings of a confused elderly woman or she could see something in the lines of my hands, I wasn’t sure.
The energy surrounding her was mystical and enigmatic.
I was sure she could see across the cosmos just by looking into her eyes.
I held my breath, waiting for her to continue, when Gabriel knocked the elder seraph’s hand away from mine.
He waved his hand dismissively at her. “Your words are blasphemy! Be gone, or I will send you to the atoner!”
“Gabriel, don’t!” I scolded.
The elder seraph showed no fear or anger. She tilted her head to the side and studied Gabriel like he was a creature she had never seen before.
Her indigo eyes met my hazel, and the corners of her mouth turned upward in a soft grin. She inclined her head to me and then slowly walked away, disappearing into the throngs of seraphs on the street.
“Are you alright?” Gabriel pulled me into an embrace, but I wiggled free.
“Your Highness, I am fine. She was harmless. There was no need to threaten her.”
A second snatching of my wrist. This time, firmly. Gabriel pivoted and led me quickly down the street. I messed up. Shit.
We veered off into a small vacant alleyway. “She spoke of things labeled sacrilegious and treasonous! You must not believe in her ramblings, Aurora.”
I looked around the alley, checking to make sure we were indeed alone.
“Gabriel,” I paused, unsure if it was safe to continue.
“Have the angheals maybe thought that the reason no younglings are being born to your people is that no devotions, altars, or temples are made to honor Danu, the Goddess of Life?”
Gabriel’s eyes widened, and he turned my back to the outside wall of a building, encasing me against it between his arms. “I must impress upon you that what you just said is grounds for the atoner. However, you are new to our ways and the supreme power of Themis. After this conversation, you are not to speak about any false deity again. Do you understand?”
I nodded. “Yes, but I would like to say my piece, and then I won’t mention it again.”
Gabriel’s face pulled stoic. “Fine. Say what you have to say.”
I placed my hand on his chest and leaned into him, pressing him upward so that I wasn’t caged.
“In Edenalee, the humans are experiencing upheavals. Crops are becoming less plentiful, livestock are dwindling, and we have a decreasing birth rate due to economic hardship and lack of resources. Not at a standstill, like angheals, but fewer babies are being born. There are uprisings, and humans are disappearing.” I searched his eyes for any sign of acknowledgement on the last part but was met with a blank face.
“We believe in all deities and have altars and temples dedicated to each one. Humans pray, devote, and sacrifice to all. Yet, our society is in turmoil. When previous devotions and worship had helped humans in the past, it is now failing.”
Gabriel crossed his arms in front of him and lifted his chin, but I continued.
“Now, I know that the power of deities is reliant upon worship and devotion from their creations. I also know that seraphs have more influence on deity power because they, themselves, have power given by divinity. You are products of human and deity births. Your devotions and worship, or lack thereof, would influence how much power a deity has and, hence, what both humans and seraphs are given by deities from their respective powers. It would stand to reason that if you only worship Themis, then all other deities would begin to fade. Their power and influence and gifts with it.”
Gabriel gave me a frosty stare. A look a parent might give a petulant child.
Seraphs chatted and laughed as they passed by the alley we were standing in. As Gabriel’s jaw ticked, I became aware of how I might have said too much.
“Everything you just said shall never be repeated. I don’t want anything to happen to you, and now that you got that out of your system, we will pretend you never said it.” He turned to walk back to the street.
The sudden confidence in my words vanished. “But…”
Gabriel sharply turned back to me. “Aurora!” he shouted, cutting me off.
“Please,” his voice softened. “I care too much about you and would hate that it got back to my brother that you spoke of such things. I see you have this innate need to help, but our scholars, researchers, and history prove against your hypothesis. Whoever taught you those things has outdated information. Our ancient texts and literature show Themis as the one true god and can provide all that we need. The false deities tried to take his divine throne from him, and he defeated them to protect and provide for us, both human and seraph alike. I can only hope that someday humans see the truth as we have. Maybe then the upheavals and uprisings you speak of will end.” The crease between his brows smoothed, and he stepped into me, caressing my face.
“It is also all the more reason for you and Cora to stay safely here. Edenalee doesn’t sound stable. ”
I can’t believe how much in denial they are.
“Gabriel,” I took his hand into mine. “I implore you to listen to reason. Beyond the uprisings, my people are going missing. Something odd is going on.”
“The humans’ suffering is from their callousness about Themis.
It is so unfortunate, and I thank Themis that you are safely here.
It is more proof that he sent you to me.
We both need to repent for how we are speaking, though.
We will go to the monolith of Themis in the courtyard tonight for an atonement. ”
I sucked in a breath.
He reached up and cupped the side of my face.
“No, no. You are not being punished,” he reassured.
“Just a small prick of the finger and a few drops of blood with a promise not to think or speak this way again. You are not being sent to the atoner. That is for bigger offenses. But we must not only repent but make good on our word to never speak of it again. The backlash would be severe.”
The insanity of what he wanted me to do was dumbfounding. Once again, my mouth had gotten me in trouble.
“Come on then. Let’s go to the blacksmith I was telling you about,” Gabriel said cheerily, like we didn’t just have an intense and serious conversation.
The fire that sat within me made its way past my throat and nestled on my tongue, waiting for me to stoke it so I may burn through my required silence.
But not now. It wasn’t safe to do so. For the rest of the day, I would try to keep my mouth drenched in honey so that it would stick shut, and any words that may slip past would remain sweet. Just like a good noblewoman should.