Page 3 of The Obsidian Curse

“Those Ember Faedemons have much to answer for,” Amal growled. “Setting this monstrosity upon us during our Holy Week.” His hands tightened into fists and he glared at the creature in question, which sat motionless in the water cage near the entrance to the cavern.

“So you believe this to have been perpetrated by the Fae?” Valya asked, her elaborate headdress tinkling. The Day One Ceremony had been completed, albeit more rushed than I’d ever seen it. Afterward, the three Archons gathered in conference to discuss what to do. As was custom, the rest of us, all the priests, priestesses, wardens, curators, and me, sat around the pool as witnesses to their deliberation.

“Who else could be behind this?” Amal responded. “Nothing like this has ever happened at the Oculus before. The Fae guards stopped all our people as they entered the cavern. Perhaps their true purpose was to plant some kindof summoning device or work some other infernal mischief upon us in order to attack in this way.”

“That would spit in the face of the Accords,” High Curator Danir said, mouth contorted in outrage. “It would be tantamount to a declaration of war.”

“Do you put it past them?” Amal spat. “It is only through Morros’s blessing that we have a fighting chance against them at all.”

The enmity between the Water Mages and Ember Fae was many hundreds of solars old, starting when they invaded this land that our ancestors had called home for generations. The peace accords, struck before any of us were born, were still considered new, and many deeply mistrusted them.

Valya stroked the smooth surface of her seaglass pendant the way she always did when pondering a big decision. “The question remains, what do we do with it?

“It’s clear this creature is very powerful. We do not know how many wardens would be needed to subdue it. My magic is keeping it in place, but only because I’m channeling Morros’s power constantly in order to do so. It is a strain that cannot be kept up indefinitely.” She did not sound strained at all, but that was why she was High Priestess.

“The strength of this beast is immense,” she continued. “We cannot simply keep it caged forever.”

“Quite true, quite true,” Danir responded, stroking his long beard. “After the Holy Convergence, we can scour the archives to determine if such a creature has been encountered before.”

Amal shook his head. “With all due respect, High Curator, more research will not protect us. This thing is anabomination. It could have killed all of us today. A dozen of the best wardens we have could barely scratch it. I believe that we should take it along with us to the royal wedding in Solmane and bring it to the Convergence Games, where the strongest warriors on all of Lunaterra will be gathered to compete. The combined might and magic of those gathered would certainly be enough to destroy this terror. Will you be able to maintain the cage while completing the rest of the Holy Week rituals?”

Valya looked thoughtful and nodded. “Yes, I believe so. That is a novel idea, High Warden. I think we should bring this to the assembly.” She waved her hand to those of us seated around the pool, listening in.

“Accusing the Ember Fae of setting this creature upon us would definitely breach the peace, something that we are certainly not ready to do,” she said. “So our options are to cage the beast until more research into its origins can be completed or transport it to Solmane’s tournament, where it can be destroyed. What say you? Priestess Larai, I should like your thoughts.”

One by one, High Priestess Valya went around the circle, asking those gathered their opinions. Many agreed with High Warden Amal that the best idea would be to take the monster to the tournament to be defeated in the games. The curators all agreed with their leader. Then again, more research and study tended to be their answer for everything.

Once everyone had been asked, I expected Valya to take it back to the Archons for the final vote. However, instead she turned to me.

“And you, Niara, what do you think?”

My skin tingled uncomfortably as all eyes were cast my way. “M-me?” I stammered.

“Yes, dear. In conference, all opinions are heard.”

Valya’s kindness warmed me, so I girded myself to answer. “Well... I... I’m not entirely sure why we can’t just put it back where it came from.”

Snickers sounded around the circle. Ylena stared at me like I’d suggested eating babies for dinner. Amal’s lips curved into a smile.

“Your tender heart does you credit, Niara,” he said. “But we cannot allow thisthingto exist and potentially threaten others at this sacred site.”

He turned back to the Archons. “The majority of those assembled are in agreement with the tournament plan. What say you?”

High Curator Danir tugged on his beard and nodded. Valya hummed for a moment before also giving her assent.

“All right,” Amal said. “Then what we must do is distract those two Ember Fae guards out front. If they did somehow plant this beast, we do not want them to know our plans. We must move the creature to the flotilla in secret and start our journey before nightfall.”

The ancient rules of the Holy Convergence meant that we could neither travel on land nor sleep on water during this ceremonial week. The Order’s flotilla was already prepared to take us west toward the nation of Solmane so that the three Archons might pay their respects at their royal wedding celebration in two weeks’ time. Their tournament was just before the wedding, and the fact that both aligned with the Holy Convergence was fortuitous. As the First Tidemaiden, I had been excited for weeks to take this journey,my first outside of Emberglade. But now, with a captive in tow? I wasn’t so certain.

I glanced again at the creature, currently subdued in its water cage. It sat in a disturbingly human position, knees up, arms around them, head bowed. The glowing embers beneath its thick hide of lava were dim. It looked like it was asleep.

Still, an impossible thought clung inside my mind. Something deep within me was certain that the beast’s attention was even then focused on me.

4

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The Holy Convergenceflotilla was made up of thirteen vessels, one for each moon of Lunaterra. The High Priestess’s ship,Morros’s Tear, a yacht named after our patron moon, sailed in the center of the others. Surrounding her were the other Archons’ vessels: High Curator Danir’s schooner with its graceful bridges connecting the library, art gallery, and infirmary on board, and High Warden Amal’s galleon, with its hull of reinforced steelcrystal, six feet thick and impenetrable. Surrounding them were the barges belonging to the Order, skiffs for the lower curators, and the maneuverable, highly armed cutters for the wardens.

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