Page 291 of The Daughters of Avalon
Tears brimmed in Seren’s eyes, but she steeled her heart and wiped her face. Now was no time to weep.
If she did not choose this now, it could be that no more children would be born to the realms of men.
If she did not choose this now, her sisters might die, as well…
So, too, would Wilhelm—the man she loved more than life itself.
If she didn’t choose this, her mother’s shadow would descend over the realm, extinguishing the light of this world, and the hearts of men would lie stillborn in a cradle of night.
With a defiant scream, Seren lifted the Sword of Ages and turned the blade—but not within her hand.
Understanding what was required of her now, she turned the blade so that its point was poised to enter her breast, and then with a sob, she fell upon it with all her might.
The sword pierced her flesh, filling her body with excruciating pain. It found her heart, and she screamed, sobbing over the death of her body, and suddenly, as the wind died, the clouds dissipated, all faces vanished…
She lay very still upon her bed… in the morning’s first rays.
The black bird flew away.
For a long, long moment, she lay prone on the bed, confused, wondering how in the name of the Goddess she’d come to lie face down on the Sword of Ages.
“Seren!” said Rose as a flash of light illuminated the room and they saw her lying so still on the bed. “Seren!”
“Sweet loving Mother!” said Elspeth.
Seren heard the rush of feet to her bedside, felt her sisters shove her over, and lift her gently off the sword. She felt hands sweeping over her body, her breasts, her limbs…
The sword went clattering to the floor as someone hurled it from the bed, and the voices that surrounded her now sounded a bit less frantic.
“Was it another dream?” pressed Elspeth.
“I-I don’t know! I heard her scream and thought it must be one of our babes.”
A warm hand slapped Seren upon the cheek. “Seren?”
“Is she ill?”
“I don’t know,” said Rose.
“Wounds?”
“I see naught. Seren, wake up! Seren!”
“Look at her hair,” said Elspeth, expelling the words with a gasp, as Seren opened her eyes.
Chapter
Twenty
Sleep eluded Rhiannon.
For the love of the Goddess, Cael hadn’t freed her; he’d put her in the hands of a fellow executioner.
Didn’t he know?
But, of course, he did.
We are not aligned,he’d said.
