a statue on a tall base set within an enclosure. The enclosure was concave, like the inside of a clam shell.
Kaitlyn entered the enclosure and hesitated when she saw the woman waiting for her.
The woman had the deepest blue eyes, and her smile filled Kaitlyn with a warmth that was equal parts love and pride. The woman stepped toward the front of the statue and disappeared behind the base.
As the saltwater breeze intensified, it carried a different scent with it this time. The strong scent of roses.
Kaitlyn followed in the woman’s steps, but when she rounded the corner of the statue’s base, the woman was gone.
The flowerless rose bushes had seemed dormant, but now they bore the most gorgeous roses Kaitlyn had ever seen. Perfectly formed, the deepest red, enormous—at least the size of her head—and fragrant beyond any flower she’d smelled before.
Kaitlyn glanced up at the statue and gaped.
Though the figure in the statue wore different clothes, and had brown hair instead of red, there was no mistaking the face.
It was the face of the woman who had led her here.
The nameplate on the statue read “The Goddess Shealynd”.
She glanced down at a stray rose at the base of the statue and bent to pick it up. It must have blown off of the shrub.
Footsteps on the path told her she wasn’t alone.
A man with long dark hair smiled at her. He wore a midnight blue robe. He raised his left hand, touched his thumb to his chin, and extended his little finger. As he pulled his hand away from his face, something materialized next to him.
But what she was seeing made no sense. Standing before her was a giant, walking fish. It had enormous eyes that turned independently of each other, and they focused on her, examining her from head to toe.
There was something non-threatening about both of them, though. The man, though he didn’t seem familiar like the woman, exuded an aura of care and protection.
“Hello,” Kaitlyn said. She took a few steps to get closer to the man, but she stopped and jumped back.
The decapitated head from her dreams appeared between her and the man. It was the head of a woman with auburn hair, and she wore a scowl.
In her dreams, the head stayed still, and it didn’t appear angry. But this time, she glided toward Kaitlyn quickly, like a predator swooping in to attack.
Pain erupted at her temples as the dizziness took her.
She fell next to the roses, and her vision went black.
Nicolas stood before the massive double doors that opened into the Council Chamber. His nerves were getting the better of him.
Tithian was by his side, going over details of the installation ceremony with several other council magi. Nicolas wished Kaitlyn could be here, but the rules were strict. No non-council personnel allowed. He hoped she was enjoying her walk. Tithian had assured him that she would be safe on the Pinnacle grounds. These were different times than when he had left.
Still…how was he supposed to calm his nerves by embracing his cet if his cet was off strolling through the tulips on a nature hike?
And where the hell was Mujahid? He’d hoped to introduce Kaitlyn this morning. But as usual, the man was off on some mysterious chore. He wouldn’t be surprised to learn Mujahid kept secrets from himself .
Nicolas took a deep breath and peeked into the Council chamber.
It was every bit as impressive as he expected it to be. The room was like a miniature colosseum, oblong with stadium seats. A marble banister, split in places to allow people to enter the stadium, separated the seats from the large open area in the middle. It was as if the room and everything in it, except the banister, were carved from sandstone.
In the center of the chamber, a series of steps led up to a raised platform on the far end of the room. Nicolas’s eyes followed the steps, up past a wooden podium, to the blackest of black objects. The Obsidian Throne. It wasn’t much more than a black chair. Sure, it was a big black chair,
Kaitlyn entered the enclosure and hesitated when she saw the woman waiting for her.
The woman had the deepest blue eyes, and her smile filled Kaitlyn with a warmth that was equal parts love and pride. The woman stepped toward the front of the statue and disappeared behind the base.
As the saltwater breeze intensified, it carried a different scent with it this time. The strong scent of roses.
Kaitlyn followed in the woman’s steps, but when she rounded the corner of the statue’s base, the woman was gone.
The flowerless rose bushes had seemed dormant, but now they bore the most gorgeous roses Kaitlyn had ever seen. Perfectly formed, the deepest red, enormous—at least the size of her head—and fragrant beyond any flower she’d smelled before.
Kaitlyn glanced up at the statue and gaped.
Though the figure in the statue wore different clothes, and had brown hair instead of red, there was no mistaking the face.
It was the face of the woman who had led her here.
The nameplate on the statue read “The Goddess Shealynd”.
She glanced down at a stray rose at the base of the statue and bent to pick it up. It must have blown off of the shrub.
Footsteps on the path told her she wasn’t alone.
A man with long dark hair smiled at her. He wore a midnight blue robe. He raised his left hand, touched his thumb to his chin, and extended his little finger. As he pulled his hand away from his face, something materialized next to him.
But what she was seeing made no sense. Standing before her was a giant, walking fish. It had enormous eyes that turned independently of each other, and they focused on her, examining her from head to toe.
There was something non-threatening about both of them, though. The man, though he didn’t seem familiar like the woman, exuded an aura of care and protection.
“Hello,” Kaitlyn said. She took a few steps to get closer to the man, but she stopped and jumped back.
The decapitated head from her dreams appeared between her and the man. It was the head of a woman with auburn hair, and she wore a scowl.
In her dreams, the head stayed still, and it didn’t appear angry. But this time, she glided toward Kaitlyn quickly, like a predator swooping in to attack.
Pain erupted at her temples as the dizziness took her.
She fell next to the roses, and her vision went black.
Nicolas stood before the massive double doors that opened into the Council Chamber. His nerves were getting the better of him.
Tithian was by his side, going over details of the installation ceremony with several other council magi. Nicolas wished Kaitlyn could be here, but the rules were strict. No non-council personnel allowed. He hoped she was enjoying her walk. Tithian had assured him that she would be safe on the Pinnacle grounds. These were different times than when he had left.
Still…how was he supposed to calm his nerves by embracing his cet if his cet was off strolling through the tulips on a nature hike?
And where the hell was Mujahid? He’d hoped to introduce Kaitlyn this morning. But as usual, the man was off on some mysterious chore. He wouldn’t be surprised to learn Mujahid kept secrets from himself .
Nicolas took a deep breath and peeked into the Council chamber.
It was every bit as impressive as he expected it to be. The room was like a miniature colosseum, oblong with stadium seats. A marble banister, split in places to allow people to enter the stadium, separated the seats from the large open area in the middle. It was as if the room and everything in it, except the banister, were carved from sandstone.
In the center of the chamber, a series of steps led up to a raised platform on the far end of the room. Nicolas’s eyes followed the steps, up past a wooden podium, to the blackest of black objects. The Obsidian Throne. It wasn’t much more than a black chair. Sure, it was a big black chair,
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