Page 69 of Sanctuary of the Shadow
As if whoever lived here wouldn’t dare touch the fireplace…
Beside the empty hearth were tall bookshelves packed with colorful volumes. Fountains adorned every available space, their pleasant trickling filling the air. Normally, Harrow would have loved to investigate, but other things caught her eye now. Particularly, the view through the large windows to her left. She crossed the room to peer outside, bare feet padding noiselessly on the hardwood. When she reached the glass, she sucked in a breath.
The ocean stretched to the horizon and beyond, farther than the eye could see. For eternity, it seemed. It was gray and stormy, the powerful water tossing and turning in frightful whitecaps that would overturn even the most stalwart of ships. The sky brooded, flickering with lightning that didn’t yet reach the surface, unloading a steady stream of rain on the vast seascape.
“You look just like her,” a soft voice said, and Harrow spun around with a gasp.
A woman sat in an armchair in the far corner. Another empty chair was angled beside it, an oil lamp atop the small table in between.
She was beautiful, her every feature flawless. Her skin was brown, like Harrow’s but lighter. Wavy black hair fell in glossy waves past her breasts. Her bone structure was delicate, her lips contrastingly full. Also just like Harrow, her eyes were sparkling silver, and behind the bewitching color, they were full of old pain.
Though she’d never seen her before, Harrow knew instantly who she was looking at.
“Queen Darya.”
The Queen of the Water inclined her head and gestured to the empty chair. “Please sit.”
Numbly, Harrow crossed the room and lowered herself into the armchair. “Y-your Majesty.” She had no idea how to greet a queen, let alone an immortal, Elemental one.
Darya waved away the formal greeting with a flick of the wrist. “The similarity is striking. You truly look just like her.”
“Like whom?”
“Your mother, Mellora. She was a great beauty, and you take after her.”
“You knew my mother?”
“Of course, child. I knew every one of my precious Seers like my own children, for that was what I considered them.” Her silver eyes flickered with emotions—ones Harrow was very familiar with. Grief. Loneliness. Loss. “You’re the only one left.”
“You know me?”
“Of course I know you. You’re my last remaining Seer. I have followed your life closely.”
“But Salizar—”
“Was under orders from Audra to protect you. Audra and I keep in contact. She’s the only one of my sisters I still consider an ally, and I owe her much. She has worked with me every step of the way to keep you safe and protected.”
Harrow struggled to keep up. “So you knew— When Salizar took me in—”
“Salizar is Audra’s emissary on a mission of great importance to protect the dwindling Elemental populations. His circus is a way for him to do that while remaining in the public eye. It’s for safety, you see. With his famous troupe of Elementals beloved by the human populace, they are protected. Salizar is powerful and well-known. No one would dare strike at him or those in his care. He has done his duty well.”
“But why protect Hybrids? If they’re Tierra’s, and you don’t consider her an ally…”
“I don’t consider Tierra or my other sisters as allies, but Audra has long worked at bridging the conflicts between us. Though I consider it a fruitless endeavor, I admire her perseverance.”
“Why not try to make amends? You could end the centuries of fighting and win back the love of your queendom. You could bring the world back to how it used to be.”
But Darya waved a hand. “Some feuds are so ancient, they have lost all chance at redemption. And some wrongs that have been done are simply too great to ever earn forgiveness.”
Harrow frowned, not sure she agreed with that.
“In any case, I didn’t bring you here to speak about the past. Or at least not the distant past.”
Suddenly, Harrow remembered where she was. Or rather, where she wasn’t—asleep in her bed. “How did I get here? Where am I?”
“You’re currently resting somewhere in the belly of Allegra. You were dreaming, and I stepped in and whisked you away to Castle Vari so we could have this conversation.”
“I— How?”
