Page 84 of Sanctuary of the Shadow
“Like a Seer?” Harrow asked. Surely there wasn’t another…?
“She’s not a Seer.” There went that sudden hope.
With that, Ouro knocked, and the door swung open.
A male Traveler stood on the other side, one of the rare and mysterious Ether Elementals, giving Harrow her first clue as to what this Oracle might be. Harrow had never met a Traveler before in her life. Not even Salizar’s circus employed one.
Travelers generally lived in secret communities deep in the Ethereal Forest and rarely interacted with the rest of society. Their inherent Ether magic gave them the ability to teleport as easily as another might walk to move around. They were known to flit about from place to place, jumping instantaneously for even short distances, and it could be extremely disconcerting for those unused to it.
This male was willowy and graceful, with long, silver hair and tattooed skin. Bowing, he spoke with an elegant voice. “Welcome. She will see you now.”
He disappeared and reappeared instantly several feet away from where he had been, gesturing for them to enter. Mal and Harrow exchanged wide-eyed looks and stepped into another sitting room behind Ouro. It was similar to the room Harrow had visited in Darya’s castle, but instead of fountains, it was all towering windows.
Beyond the considerable book collection, a gilded harp with a stool beside it was positioned by one of the windows. Violins and other stringed instruments hung on another wall. Traces of Ether magic lingered so strongly in the air, it made the hairs rise on the back of Harrow’s neck.
The Traveler reappeared beside two sofas at the far end of the room, positioned around floor-to-ceiling windows, and motioned for them to sit with another bow. They followed Ouro’s confident stride across the room, Harrow trying hard not to stare at the beautiful Traveler.
She peeked out the window instead, and her mouth fell open. Outside was…sky. Nothing but blue sky and clouds.
Either this was home to a very powerful Enchantress indeed, or they had, in fact, passed through a portal. Into the sky.
“Good evening.”
Harrow spun around at the sound of another strange voice.
A woman stood there. Like the Traveler, her hair was silvery white, hanging straight to her waist. Her skin was a rich, earthy brown, and her stunning, pale-blue eyes seemed too large for her slender face.
She wore a long, gauzy dress with a scooped neckline. Dozens of silver bangles covered both wrists, and her ears were lined with rings to their pointed tips. Black tattoos of geometric designs covered every inch of her up to her chin.
In her hands, she held a crystal ball. The inside was full of smoke.
Harrow had never seen her before, but, as with Darya, she knew instantly who she was. This was no Traveler, nor even an Elemental.
Ouro’s introduction was unnecessary, but he gave one anyway. “Harrow, Malaikah, this is Queen Nashira of the Ether, otherwise known as the Oracle.”
The most elusive and mysterious of the five immortal Queens was right in front of them. Harrow could scarcely believe her eyes.
“We met yesterday,” Nashira said, which made no sense.
Ouro shrugged as if this was normal behavior for the Ether Queen.
“Or at least I thought we did.” Nashira cocked her head to the side. “Yesterday you were supposed to visit in the day, but you aren’t here until tomorrow night, and I’ve gotten it all mixed up now.”
“I found the Seer where you thought she’d be,” Ouro said, “but I don’t know where the wraith is. I thought we could ask her once we got her here. I didn’t want her to sneak away again.”
“Yesterday, we had more company. Tomorrow, he won’t be able to make it. It’s too late now.” Nashira looked at Harrow and Malaikah again as if just noticing them. Her eyes lit up. “Welcome, daughters of the Elements. Please, sit.” She looked at the Traveler male who had greeted them at the door. “You may be excused, Remiel. Thank you.”
“Your Majesty.” Remiel bowed low and then disappeared into thin air.
Utterly overwhelmed by everything, Harrow and Mal obediently sat on one of the sofas, and Nashira and Ouro took the one across from them.
Nashira carefully set the smoky crystal ball in her lap and studied Harrow with a sorrowful gaze. “Where is the other half of your soul, child?”
Harrow suddenly couldn’t speak around the lump in her throat.
“You had it, but you let it slip away, and it’s too late to get it back. A shame. You can’t enjoy the light without first embracing the darkness.”
“I d-don’t understand.”
