stood. “Now let me take you by the hand, and walk you to the kitchens. I know that you’ve not eaten since morning. If I let you go, you will simply tell me that you don’t care enough to eat before tomorrow.”
Galia smiled and allowed herself to be led away from the books. Sometimes it felt as if Rhea was truly the one who made the palace run smoothly. She was of an age with the Oracle. In the same way that the Oracle had made herself the spine of the city, Rhea had made herself the busy heart of the palace. Galia had learned that Rhea’s Wiccan gift was astral projection. With it, she monitored virtually everything.
“Are you prepared for the Longest Day?” Rhea asked as they walked. “It will be coming soon.”
“Prepared enough, I think.” Galia was hedging, and from the look on Rhea’s face, she knew it. “Honestly, I’m a little afraid. I don’t know what’s going to happen, and the Oracle won’t tell me, either.”
Rhea’s smile was warm, as she squeezed Galia’s hand. “Well, it is nothing less than the Oracle went through herself after all. She survived it, and so will you.”
“The Oracle has ice water in her veins, but I will try to take comfort in your words. I only hate not knowing.”
The Oracle had decided that the time had come for Galia to take on some of the duties of the priestess. She needed to rise up in the eyes of the Goddess, and the time for doing so would be the Longest Day. It would begin a season of revelry in the city, and it would only end with the Firefly Festival a month later. Galia didn’t know what it would mean to become the inviolate priestess that the Oracle was. A great part of her feared it, though she knew it was a step she had to take. If the Oracle said she was ready, then she was ready.
Over the years, her gift had snapped into focus, as she had become more fully herself. Though Tenebris was powerful and beautiful, there was something terrifying about it and its Goddess. When Galia could feel that Goddess searching for her, something at the bottom of her soul quaked. She did not know if she would be the priestess that the Oracle had been. She didn’t know if she could live up to the woman’s legacy. All she knew was that she had to try.
When they reached the common hall, Rhea went to the kitchen to retrieve two plates for them. The comforting smell of warm brown stew made Galia realize how hungry she was.
“Thank you,” she said to Rhea. “I swear I would have starved a thousand times over if it had not been for you.”
Rhea’s smile was a little wistful.
“I’ve always felt like I had to look after you. My sisters were taken from me when they were so young. I can only hope that someone is taking care of them too.”
Technically, they were both slaves, property of the palace and the city of Tenebris. Of all of the servants of the Goddess, only the Oracle was truly free. After her initiation, Galia would enjoy much more freedom. However, it was only after she truly stepped up that she would earn the freedoms of a true priestess, and successor to the Oracle.
Galia ate her stew gratefully, feeling the meat and vegetables nourish her body. She was just beginning to recover when a shout was raised up from the courtyard. Galia frowned.
“Is there a delegation from the city coming?” she asked Rhea. “Or some group from foreign lands?”
Rhea, who kept her fingers firmly on the pulse of the palace, looked similarly baffled.
“I have no clue. Stay here, I’m going to go look.”
Galia had no intention of being left behind and followed Rhea closely. They came to the enormous gate that lead to the courtyard. It was chaos, with soldiers, dogs and horses everywhere. At the center of it was a man who wore a leather, wolf mask. He sat astride an enormous horse, as calm and quiet as a statue. He looked around as if surveying a land he intended to conquer. The marks on his armor were plentiful. He was no lordling come to strut. Instead, it was easy
Galia smiled and allowed herself to be led away from the books. Sometimes it felt as if Rhea was truly the one who made the palace run smoothly. She was of an age with the Oracle. In the same way that the Oracle had made herself the spine of the city, Rhea had made herself the busy heart of the palace. Galia had learned that Rhea’s Wiccan gift was astral projection. With it, she monitored virtually everything.
“Are you prepared for the Longest Day?” Rhea asked as they walked. “It will be coming soon.”
“Prepared enough, I think.” Galia was hedging, and from the look on Rhea’s face, she knew it. “Honestly, I’m a little afraid. I don’t know what’s going to happen, and the Oracle won’t tell me, either.”
Rhea’s smile was warm, as she squeezed Galia’s hand. “Well, it is nothing less than the Oracle went through herself after all. She survived it, and so will you.”
“The Oracle has ice water in her veins, but I will try to take comfort in your words. I only hate not knowing.”
The Oracle had decided that the time had come for Galia to take on some of the duties of the priestess. She needed to rise up in the eyes of the Goddess, and the time for doing so would be the Longest Day. It would begin a season of revelry in the city, and it would only end with the Firefly Festival a month later. Galia didn’t know what it would mean to become the inviolate priestess that the Oracle was. A great part of her feared it, though she knew it was a step she had to take. If the Oracle said she was ready, then she was ready.
Over the years, her gift had snapped into focus, as she had become more fully herself. Though Tenebris was powerful and beautiful, there was something terrifying about it and its Goddess. When Galia could feel that Goddess searching for her, something at the bottom of her soul quaked. She did not know if she would be the priestess that the Oracle had been. She didn’t know if she could live up to the woman’s legacy. All she knew was that she had to try.
When they reached the common hall, Rhea went to the kitchen to retrieve two plates for them. The comforting smell of warm brown stew made Galia realize how hungry she was.
“Thank you,” she said to Rhea. “I swear I would have starved a thousand times over if it had not been for you.”
Rhea’s smile was a little wistful.
“I’ve always felt like I had to look after you. My sisters were taken from me when they were so young. I can only hope that someone is taking care of them too.”
Technically, they were both slaves, property of the palace and the city of Tenebris. Of all of the servants of the Goddess, only the Oracle was truly free. After her initiation, Galia would enjoy much more freedom. However, it was only after she truly stepped up that she would earn the freedoms of a true priestess, and successor to the Oracle.
Galia ate her stew gratefully, feeling the meat and vegetables nourish her body. She was just beginning to recover when a shout was raised up from the courtyard. Galia frowned.
“Is there a delegation from the city coming?” she asked Rhea. “Or some group from foreign lands?”
Rhea, who kept her fingers firmly on the pulse of the palace, looked similarly baffled.
“I have no clue. Stay here, I’m going to go look.”
Galia had no intention of being left behind and followed Rhea closely. They came to the enormous gate that lead to the courtyard. It was chaos, with soldiers, dogs and horses everywhere. At the center of it was a man who wore a leather, wolf mask. He sat astride an enormous horse, as calm and quiet as a statue. He looked around as if surveying a land he intended to conquer. The marks on his armor were plentiful. He was no lordling come to strut. Instead, it was easy
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