Page 23 of A Vow of Embers

“Then I heard the voice again, repeating the exact same words. ‘Her name is supposed to be Euthalia.’ I was afraid to tell your father. He doesn’t believe. I was scared he might accuse me of being struck mad or committing blasphemy. Instead I told him that I had picked a new name, and fortunately, he loved it as well. Your name was chosen for you by the goddess before you ever came into this world. I knew you would do great things.”

My bedroom door flew open. My father ran into the room. “They’re alive! They’re both alive!”

“What?” My mother didn’t know how to respond. She clutched the doll to her chest.

“Quynh and Lia. I have received news that they’re both alive!”

My mother tried to stand but collapsed to the floor, sobbing with relief, and my father sank down next to her, holding her in his arms, and they clung desperately to each other.

“Thank the goddess,” my mother repeated over and over again. “Thank the goddess.”

I wished more than anything that they could hear and see me. I wanted to join their circle and tell them how much I loved them, how much I missed them.

“Lia is to be married to the Ilionian prince,” my father added.

My mother just shook her head. She didn’t seem to care. “They’re alive. That’s all that matters. It’s a miracle.”

“Or just an exorbitant amount of luck, along with some assistance from me.” Prince Alexandros’s sardonic voice broke through my mother’s cries of happiness.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded. My tears dried instantly, my sorrow dissipating as my anger roared to life.

“I’m assuming those are your parents? I didn’t get the chance to meet them the last time I was in Locris. I only saw your father from a distance.”

He had no right to be in this room, infringing on this moment. It was wrong that he was here because he didn’t deserve to witness it. Without thinking, I went to shove his shoulders, to push him out of my bedroom.

When I realized what I was doing, I assumed my hands would pass through him, the way they had with my mother, but he grabbed both of my arms and held them in place.

Apparently he and I could still touch each other. Of course that would be how things worked. I couldn’t hug the people I wanted to touch but the man I most wanted to stab could prevent me from wrapping my hands around his throat.

“I am faster than you. Stronger. Bigger. Better. You will never catch me off guard. Stop trying. It’s a waste of time and energy.” He sounded bored.

“Get out. Right now! You’re not welcome here!” I struggled, but much as he’d said, he was stronger than me. The only way I would get loose would be when he let me go.

And he seemed in no hurry to do so. “Do you think I want to be here? That this is my choice? This is the very last place I want to be.”

“You are the one doing this!” I protested, still pulling in vain.

“I am not!” He sounded shocked, and my accusation made him let go of my arms.

My only thought was to get him away from my parents, and so I went out into the hallway. Sure enough, he followed me. I barreled straight ahead, not having a destination in mind.

He grabbed my arm and whirled me back around to face him. “You are the one responsible for the dreams.”

“No, I’m not.” I jerked my arm away and he let me. “Why would you think that?”

“Because you’re the acolyte at the temple. I don’t know what kind of access you might have to magic.”

“We don’t have any magic! You’re the one who has life mages in your palace. The only people who can actually use magic.”

“Life mages couldn’t possibly do something like this,” he said as he waved his arms around. “You have seen what they can do. They can make flowers open and close. And that’s it.”

“I’ve seen what you’ve allowed us to see.”

He let out a breath of exasperation. “This isn’t me.”

I didn’t believe him and it didn’t seem he believed me, either. “You’re the only one who has motive.”

“What possible motive could I have for connecting our dreams?”

---