right. I
told Darian that he could have his son for two days, but at the end
of them, the child would have to be put to death.”
Gracielle was beginning to understand. “You
knew he'd take him, didn't you?”
Ultara nodded.
“But, that doesn't explain what happened to
your daughter.”
Ultara thought for a moment and then asked,
“Do you have the ability to alter, Gracielle?”
“No, of course not. There are only a handful
of Trystas with that power.”
Ultara smiled proudly.
“Yes, and I am
one of them.”
Gracielle raised her eyebrows in
surprise.
“I kept my daughter hidden until she was two
years old. Then I altered myself so I would appear to be going
through another pregnancy. When the time was right, I returned
myself to normal and altered my daughter into an infant again.”
“Nenia?” Gracielle breathed.
“Yes, Nenia. Now, Darian
has my son and I have my daughter. They look two years apart, but
they are twins,”
She smiled and added, “and there's nothing flawed about either of
them.”
Gracielle contemplated her words for a
moment. “So then I guess that means that your children . . . they
must be part of this Advantiere as well?”
“I guess so,” she sighed. Suddenly, Ultara’s
expression grew deathly serious. “Listen, Gracielle, Darian can't
know about this . . . nobody can . . . but especially not Darian.
He hates me passionately. He's already tried to get to Nenia—for
revenge, I suppose. He thinks that since I was willing to kill his
son I don't deserve to have a child of my own. If he knew that she
was his son's twin, he would hunt her like an animal. He would not
rest until she was dead.”
“I understand. I won’t tell a soul,”
Gracielle agreed.
Ultara pointed at the Advantiere and asked,
“So what do we do about this, then? Who do we tell?”
“I don't know,” Gracielle answered. “It
might be best if we just keep it to ourselves . . . at least until
we’ve had a chance to think it over. I imagine we’ll be busy with
other things for the next day or so.”
As her thoughts returned to her mother, she
recalled her last moments and how she’d given Ultara the little
silver box.
Ultara was still holding it in her hand.
“I guess you’re the vritesse now, Ultara.”
Gracielle’s voice quivered as she spoke.
Ultara looked at the box and sighed, “Yeah,
I guess I am.”
Gracielle glanced up at a large window that
had somehow remained intact and noticed the sun sinking below it.
“It's nearly time for me to meet Jonathan and his parents for
dinner. I need to let them know what’s happened. I expect they’ll
want to call a council meeting.”
“I should get back to Koria, too. I want to
inform the rest of my generals as soon as possible.” Ultara
responded.
They made their way out of the demolished
room and agreed to seal it so that no one could accidentally
stumble across the mess, or more importantly, the Advantiere. Once
outside, Gracielle lifted her hand and a small yellow spark
appeared in the bottom left hand corner of the door. It buzzed and
zipped upward and sped around the door frame. By the time it
reached the lower right side, the door had completely vanished.
“Thank you, Atoh,” Ultara mumbled.
“Good night, Vritesse.” Gracielle bowed and
they went their separate ways.
Gracielle slowly made her way to the Grand
Dining Hall where Jonathan was waiting for her outside the door. As
soon as he saw her he moved to meet her; as he got closer a look of
concern grew across his face. “Graci, what is it? What happened to
you?” She was pale and covered in dust and dirt.
The reality of the day’s events suddenly hit
her hard. All at once she felt dizzy and sick. She tried to steady
herself against a nearby wall but was still having difficulty
standing. “It . . . It's the vritesse, Jonathan,” she panted.
“Anika attacked her. They’re both . . .” Her knees buckled and she
slumped over. “dead.” Jonathan barely caught her before she
told Darian that he could have his son for two days, but at the end
of them, the child would have to be put to death.”
Gracielle was beginning to understand. “You
knew he'd take him, didn't you?”
Ultara nodded.
“But, that doesn't explain what happened to
your daughter.”
Ultara thought for a moment and then asked,
“Do you have the ability to alter, Gracielle?”
“No, of course not. There are only a handful
of Trystas with that power.”
Ultara smiled proudly.
“Yes, and I am
one of them.”
Gracielle raised her eyebrows in
surprise.
“I kept my daughter hidden until she was two
years old. Then I altered myself so I would appear to be going
through another pregnancy. When the time was right, I returned
myself to normal and altered my daughter into an infant again.”
“Nenia?” Gracielle breathed.
“Yes, Nenia. Now, Darian
has my son and I have my daughter. They look two years apart, but
they are twins,”
She smiled and added, “and there's nothing flawed about either of
them.”
Gracielle contemplated her words for a
moment. “So then I guess that means that your children . . . they
must be part of this Advantiere as well?”
“I guess so,” she sighed. Suddenly, Ultara’s
expression grew deathly serious. “Listen, Gracielle, Darian can't
know about this . . . nobody can . . . but especially not Darian.
He hates me passionately. He's already tried to get to Nenia—for
revenge, I suppose. He thinks that since I was willing to kill his
son I don't deserve to have a child of my own. If he knew that she
was his son's twin, he would hunt her like an animal. He would not
rest until she was dead.”
“I understand. I won’t tell a soul,”
Gracielle agreed.
Ultara pointed at the Advantiere and asked,
“So what do we do about this, then? Who do we tell?”
“I don't know,” Gracielle answered. “It
might be best if we just keep it to ourselves . . . at least until
we’ve had a chance to think it over. I imagine we’ll be busy with
other things for the next day or so.”
As her thoughts returned to her mother, she
recalled her last moments and how she’d given Ultara the little
silver box.
Ultara was still holding it in her hand.
“I guess you’re the vritesse now, Ultara.”
Gracielle’s voice quivered as she spoke.
Ultara looked at the box and sighed, “Yeah,
I guess I am.”
Gracielle glanced up at a large window that
had somehow remained intact and noticed the sun sinking below it.
“It's nearly time for me to meet Jonathan and his parents for
dinner. I need to let them know what’s happened. I expect they’ll
want to call a council meeting.”
“I should get back to Koria, too. I want to
inform the rest of my generals as soon as possible.” Ultara
responded.
They made their way out of the demolished
room and agreed to seal it so that no one could accidentally
stumble across the mess, or more importantly, the Advantiere. Once
outside, Gracielle lifted her hand and a small yellow spark
appeared in the bottom left hand corner of the door. It buzzed and
zipped upward and sped around the door frame. By the time it
reached the lower right side, the door had completely vanished.
“Thank you, Atoh,” Ultara mumbled.
“Good night, Vritesse.” Gracielle bowed and
they went their separate ways.
Gracielle slowly made her way to the Grand
Dining Hall where Jonathan was waiting for her outside the door. As
soon as he saw her he moved to meet her; as he got closer a look of
concern grew across his face. “Graci, what is it? What happened to
you?” She was pale and covered in dust and dirt.
The reality of the day’s events suddenly hit
her hard. All at once she felt dizzy and sick. She tried to steady
herself against a nearby wall but was still having difficulty
standing. “It . . . It's the vritesse, Jonathan,” she panted.
“Anika attacked her. They’re both . . .” Her knees buckled and she
slumped over. “dead.” Jonathan barely caught her before she
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