Chapter 27
We walked back to the Celestium in silence, both very aware of what the day still had in store for us.
It had been easy to forget why we were here when we had been walking around the city today, but now I was reminded that we were not here for pleasure, but because a war was coming.
This was one of the last normal days we would experience for a while and the weight of that knowledge hung heavy across our heads.
When the Celestium came into sight, I sighed.
“It’s probably best if we don’t walk in together, or the Abbot might throw a fit.”
Theo nodded and we just stood there, looking at each other as if neither of us wanted to be the first to say goodbye.
Theo lifted his hand and reached down to my face.
He stopped just stretches away from it and I thought he was going to draw back again.
But he steadied his hand and lifted it to the side of my face, where a strand of hair had been pulled free and hung loosely down across my cheek.
When his fingertips brushed the side of my face and he tucked the strand back behind my ear, I felt everything at once in this one touch.
Like liquid sunlight on my skin, warm and soft and a little ticklish.
He didn’t pull his hand back right away but stayed where he was for a few seconds longer than necessary, searching my face for something that I wasn’t sure he was going to find.
As he pulled his hand back, tears were stinging behind my eyes, threatening to roll down my cheeks there and then, in the middle of the street under the lanterns that had come on earlier.
I gave him a weak smile and turned around, hiding my face from him as I walked back to the Celestium without another word. Because nothing I could have said in that moment would change a thing. He was a God and he had a prophecy to fulfill.
I quickly walked up to my room, trying not to break down and cry. Only when I had reached my room did I let go of all the emotions that had been building up inside me.
All the pent-up anger, the confusion, happiness, and uncertainty mixed together in one big ball of emotion, spilling out through my eyes and down my cheeks.
I didn’t know how long I cried, but I felt exhausted from it.
I prepared a bath and tried to calm down my breathing.
I had to have all my wits about me tonight for the conclave, the fate of the mortal realm depended on it.
I couldn’t allow my personal feelings to get in the way of fulfilling the prophecy and ruining my chance to ever see Theo free to live his life the way he wanted to.
Even if that meant never seeing him again, because the fact remained that I was just a mortal girl, wordsmith or not.
I had no place here in Aerethia. Pushing those thoughts away, I relaxed into the tub and buried my head under the water.
I just wished I could stay there and never come back up again.
* * *
10 years ago
The door to my room was nearly kicked open when Larna stormed into the room.
“Maelis, get up. Get up, quick now,” she shouted.
I sleepily opened my eyes.
“What in the Fates is going on?” I asked, my voice rough.
“Here, put this on. The King’s troops are on the way. They raided Tyskir, set the whole village on fire, killed all the immigrants.”
Dread washed over me. Total and utter dread.
Waves of ice followed by burning heat raced down my limbs, my vision going blurry.
The diplomat.
The night together at ‘The Nest.’
My conversation with Madame Celestine.
The immigrants.
The King.
My secret.
Death.
No choice.
My choice.
* * *
It was almost time to leave for the conclave.
I stood in my room, unable to decide which gown to choose.
This was an important night and probably not a decision I should make hastily.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
Red for the roses, white for the veil, one to remember, one to betray.
The purple dress.
I donned the stunning floor-length, A-line gown in deep purple hues.
The dress had a halter-style neckline, with a keyhole opening at the front, emphasizing my shoulders and neck.
The bodice was fitted with a soft draping that gathered at the waist, offering a defined silhouette.
Flowing from the waist down, the skirt was made from lightweight chiffon, swaying ever so slightly with every motion.
My favorite part was the high slit on the front, allowing for ease of movement and revealing a little glimpse of my legs underneath.
I had decided to curl my long hair and leave it open, save for a few pins that held the side bangs out of my face.
For the finishing touch I put on the earrings Theo had gotten me, the purple eyes of the owls matching the color of my dress.
I wasn’t ready to face the reality of what was going to happen tonight, but then again, nobody was ever ready to face such important events.
I gave myself a little pep talk and reminded myself that all I had to do was be Theo’s eyes and ears in the crowd.
I left my room and made my way to the grand ballroom that had been prepared for the conclave.
Theo was already there, I could see him standing on some sort of stage, talking to Lythandra and a few other Gods I didn’t recognize.
I spotted Lydia and gave her a little wave, which she answered with an encouraging smile. Someone dimmed the lights, and Theo took his place in the center of the stage.
“Thank you all for gathering here this evening, and for granting me the honor of your attention. I shall speak plainly. Though I am no poet, nor one for grand oration, the truth of what must be said outweighs the elegance of how it is said. Most of you are familiar with the prophecy, spoken more than five centuries past, from which my existence was shaped. A god born of arcane power, destined to rise when ancient evil stirs once more, threatening the fabric of our world. That time has come. The Fates, in their infinite design, foretold that I would not face this darkness alone. And so it is that one has arrived, an outsider, yet bound to us by purpose. A wordsmith, gifted and chosen, has crossed into our realm. Not merely to safeguard the mortal lands, but to stand with us all, to protect Aerethia itself.”
He swallowed and I could see how much he hated being the center of attention. But his voice was steady when he continued.
“Over the past thirty years, we have observed a troubling rise in attacks, both upon the mortal realm and our own. The signs are no longer subtle. The threat grows bolder. Recently, we succeeded in capturing one of her Heralds. Under questioning, he revealed what many of us had feared: the Heralds of the Forsaken have not only endured these past five centuries, they have multiplied. In secret, they have strengthened their numbers and forged alliances with certain gods, seduced by the promise of power. Their aim is clear: to reclaim dominion over the mortal realm and in doing so, to upset the balance of all things.”
The murmuring started instantly, some guests were clapping, others looked shocked and some of them simply shook their heads in disbelief.
Theo gestured for them to calm down. “It is not my place to pass judgment on those among you who may feel a measure of sympathy for their cause. Of all beings, I perhaps understand best the weight of a life bound by duty, a life shaped by limits, by questions of purpose, and by longings left unanswered. And yet, I must remind you why we chose, long ago, to part ways with the mortal world. The strife between men and Fae, between Gods and Goddesses, had grown beyond reconciliation. The mortals sought their freedom from our dominion, and rightly so. For in truth, it is not we, but the Fates alone, who should wield the power to shape the course of our lives.”
I heard some more claps again and scanned the crowd for anyone who looked to be displeased by what Theo had said.
“We chose, together, to part from the mortal realm and to forge a life of our own. A realm shaped not by conquest, but by intention. Tonight, I ask you to remember that we are the architects of our world, the authors of our purpose. To enslave the mortals now, and invite another bloody war, is not the path of wisdom, nor of honor. If you share this belief, then I urge you: stand with us. Join in the effort to stop the Heralds before their darkness spreads beyond our reach.” Applause erupted, but not all of the Gods looked as enthusiastic as I had hoped.
A Goddess came forward, tall and beautiful with red hair and silvery skin.
“Thank you for your invitation, Auretheos. It is good to see you. Though I share your concern about preventing a war, there is one question that seems to trouble many and which I feel compelled to raise. We don’t know the wordsmith you have brought here tonight, none of us has ever heard of her before your invitation came in the mail.
I mean no disrespect, but why should we trust her?
Wordsmiths have their way of manipulating realities, they never strive to do good other than to suit themselves.
I understand that you and her share a connection through the prophecy, but we outsiders do not.
” A lot of the Gods applauded and some shouted “She’s right” or “We can’t trust her. ”
And there it was, out in the open. The one thing I had feared all this time and had never been able to address with Theo.
He cleared his throat and signaled to the Gods to let him speak. “Thank you, Seraphae, for your candor and your courage in speaking. You raise a question of great importance—one that I, too, have wrestled with for some time.
“At my court, we have known of Maelis for some years now. The Fates themselves marked her birth, and we were alerted to her arrival. Yet for two decades, we could not find her, for she never once drew upon her heka for herself. Even then, without ever meeting her, I saw in that restraint a rare strength of character, and a mind untouched by corruption.”
I winced at that as unbidden pictures of what we’d done the night before flooded my mind. Not exactly a pure mind. Oblivious to my inner turmoil, Theo continued.
“Maelis has resided at my temple for several months now, during which my circle and I have had ample opportunity to observe her, both her character and her intentions.
And I tell you this with certainty: her heart lies in the right place.
She carries within her a deep and genuine care for both the mortal realm and our own.
That said, I cannot peer into her mind. What I offer you is my judgment, measured and sincere, but, in the end, still just a subjective judgment.” My heart sank at that statement, and tears pricked my eyes.
Because he was right, we never truly knew who we were dealing with and some people were better at keeping their secrets than others, I had my secrets too. And still it hurt to hear him speak so plainly about his mistrust in me. He carried on over the murmur of voices.
“It is true, we cannot know with absolute certainty that she will not betray us. But consider this: she has stepped willingly into the unknown, into a chamber filled with beings who could end her life with a flick of the hand, before she could even draw breath to speak. She is mortal. And yet, she stands here. That alone speaks of courage. So while I understand your doubts, I urge you to remember: her coming was foretold by the Oracle, and it is the Fates themselves who sent her, to aid me in fulfilling the prophecy. If you cannot place your trust in her, or even in me, then at the very least, trust in the Fates. They do not choose lightly.”
Cheers erupted and it seemed like Auretheos had managed to sway most of them to give me the benefit of the doubt.
The conversation shifted then, with the Gods and Goddesses starting to talk strategy and logistics.
It was decided that there would be groups tasked with different aspects of preparation for the war.
There would be a military division, coordinating troops and strategies, there would be a group to share intel and information from their spies and a group to prepare the defense on home territory.
This was not their first war and likely not their last. They had moved to the new continent in hopes of being left out of further conflict, but the conflict had followed them.
I felt his eyes on my back before I saw him.
Veridus came to stand next to me, watching out over the crowd ahead, deep into conversation with each other.
“He has a good heart, Auretheos. I hope he knows what he’s getting himself into.”
I looked at him, but he stared right ahead.
“You called me?” He asked and turned towards me.
I frowned, “I don’t think I did,” I said.
“Maybe not with words, but you were going to approach me about something. So let’s have it, what do you need?”
I was feeling a little nauseous but took a breath and said, “I need to make use of your talents as a storyteller.”