Chapter Forty – Scarlett #2
Despite the unpleasant memories associated with the Inner Sanctum, I found myself drawn to it. Seeking the peace I had felt in Selussa’s presence.
Today, I deliberately timed my visit to coincide with Odessa’s.
It was strange to realise that she truly worshipped the Sorceress: she was every bit as devout as the priestesses who hadn’t known the truth about Velanthe.
I supposed there was a comfort in feeling part of something greater than yourself.
A comfort that she would have needed, after watching her parents executed.
Odessa was kneeling before the Sorceress’s altar, near where the massive statue still lay in pieces. I watched her for a moment, wondering what she prayed for.
‘You know that Mira needs to reach out to Roran,’ I said, shattering the silence. ‘To use his son to convince him to come to the Wilds, where we will have the advantage.’
Odessa glanced up at the sound of my voice, instantly wary. I took her silence as an invitation to continue.
‘The message should come from me. Roran will be more likely to believe Aurelius’s life is in danger that way.
He won’t expect the same level of ruthlessness from Mira – or from Cassius, considering how closely their fates are intertwined.
Cassius’s future power is dependent on ingratiating himself with her. ’
‘I know,’ Odessa said tightly.
‘Then perhaps you can tell your queen to hurry things up. If she’s concerned about what I might say, she can watch me write the message herself.’ I smiled at Odessa, ignoring the suspicion in her face.
‘You came all this way to tell me that?’
‘Would you believe me if I told you I came for absolution?’ At Odessa’s faint snort, my smile widened. ‘As it happens, I did have an alternative agenda.’ I handed over a piece of parchment.
Odessa took it with hard eyes. ‘Where did you get this? And why are you giving it to me?’
‘Read it.’
I waited expectantly for Odessa to recognise the Sorceress’s handwriting. To understand the significance of what she was holding.
‘But this is . . .’ She trailed off, and I took some satisfaction in watching her struggle for words.
‘It’s one of the missing excerpts from the Sorceress’s grimoire,’ I finished. ‘Information Velanthe deliberately removed.’
‘I’ve searched the Temple top to bottom since becoming the high priestess, and I never came across anything like this. How did you find it?’
‘I didn’t find it. I wrote it.’
Odessa stared at me as though she had never seen me before. ‘But this handwriting – it’s the Sorceress’s. And the Sorceress has been gone for years.’
‘Powerful beings have a way of returning.’
‘Returning?’ Odessa’s fingers tightened around the parchment.
‘Well,’ I said, smiling, ‘she couldn’t stay gone forever.’
I left Odessa standing there, staring down at words that shouldn’t exist. As far as demonstrations went, it was a slightly theatrical one.
But it was only right that the Temple should know of Selussa’s existence. In time, and in a way that suited my purposes.
I made my way to the dungeons next, making full use of my illusions.
The guard in front of Velanthe’s cell barely even flinched when I brushed a finger along his cheek, and when he collapsed, I borrowed the key from his belt.
I hadn’t used enough power to kill him, which meant that I needed to act quickly.
I slipped inside Velanthe’s cell.
The ex-high priestess was sitting in the far corner, her knees drawn up to her chest, her face blank and her eyes unblinking. A platter of food lay untouched in front of her.
Given the way Velanthe had influenced the other priestesses, Mira hadn’t questioned her control over Aric. And though Velanthe had been stripped of her weapons, I was pleased to discover that my suspicions had been right – Aric’s blood ruby was still there, concealed in a hidden part of her robes.
I rolled it in the palm of my hand. With Aric’s blood ruby in my possession, I could make him love me like he loved Mira.
Or I could make him seduce and kill her – perhaps during her sleep, when she was unsuspecting and defenceless.
Not even Cassius could protect her if she chose to let Aric into her chambers.
But Mira had saved my life. Repaying that kindness with murder seemed like something my mother would do.
And I was trying to be different to Zandri. Different to Velanthe and Roran and my father.
When I returned to my chambers, I held the blood ruby out over the balcony. If I dropped it, no one would be able to control Aric again. Not even me.
It was a risk. I hadn’t seen Aric, not once, since regaining consciousness. Lillian had assured me that he would come around, but Lillian was optimistic to the point of foolishness. It was far more likely that he wanted me dead.
But Severin and Aella had chosen to die rather than be controlled. Thanks to Velanthe, I now knew what it felt like to have my autonomy ripped away from me – to realise that my life was no longer truly my own.
Trust over fear , I told myself–
And let the blood ruby fall.