Page 59 of Between Soul and Vessel
“Very well.” She sat down, looked at me, and then she started, “In the beginning, all realms were connected together and ruled over by Emperor Alaric, also known as the Creator. On his great anvil, he forged life, from mortals to immortals to the plants and everything else in existence. It was he who discovered that when he took a star from the sky and broke it in half, it created two souls, eternally bonded.”
My heart ached. I couldn’t help but think of Von and how much I missed him.
“For a long time, he ruled these lands alone, but one day, his gaze slipped from his anvil, and he found a pretty goddess with lilac eyes, a witty mind, and a sharp tongue—Avena, the Goddess of Women and protector of femalekind. It wasn’t long before he fell for her and made her his empress. At first, she had noble intentions; she saw the horrors happening to females—the lack of equality, the raping, the senseless murders. So, she took her concerns to the emperor. Together, they enacted new rules, protecting allfemales. The empress merely spoke her wishes, and the emperor would make it so. Eventually, nearly half of the realm began to praise Empress Avena’s name, thankful for all that she had done for our gender. Some would even visit her temple and hand over their power, their magic, in her honor.
“For a while, the emperor and empress were happy, so much so that he plucked a thread of his being and gifted it to her, allowing her the ability to create as well. But as the centuries passed, the mass amount of power she was given began to twist her mind and corrode the goodness within her.” Artemesia paused for a moment, picked up her horn, and drank. Then, “One day, a rift opened between the emperor and the empress. People speculated a great deal of things, but the rumor that became the most prevalent was that he had been unfaithful to her, although that was never confirmed. Something in her snapped, and unbeknownst to the rest of the realm, she began to plot and scheme. That’s when she showed up on our manor’s doorstep, looking for you.”
I glanced down at my cup, peering at the dark red liquid inside.
Something about the color, about all of this, shook a memory free.
Sage
Istood with my ear pressed against the red oak door of my family’s summer home, my fingers gently resting against it. Hushed footsteps sounded behind me, followed by a cupped hand placed softly to my cheek and the tickle of warm breath on my ear.
“What are they saying?” Artemesia whispered before she pulled back.
I gave her a stern look and pressed my finger over my mouth.
She stuck her tongue out at me and then tiptoed closer to the door, placing her ear against it, listening in.
My father’s voice was diplomatic as he said, “I do not mean any disrespect, Your Majesty, but Sagentia is the future chieftain of my people. If anything were to happen to her . . .”
“Herulf and I would not be able to live with ourselves,”my mother finished for him.
The conversation stalled, and the room filled with silence.
Then, Empress Avena asked, “What is your price? Surely, Mrs. Belmont, you must have one.”
“I beg your pardon?” Mother spoke with disdain.
“Luna,” Father cut in. I didn’t need to be on the other side of the door to know that he had probably placed his hand over hers, trying to calm her.
“It is fine,” Empress Avena said with a light chuckle. “To put matters plainly, change is upon us, but for it to happen, I will need your daughter by my side, and so, you see, I will not take no for an answer. So what is it you want? You mortals always hunger for something. Riches beyond compare? Health for everyone in your clan? Just say what you want and I—”
“Our daughter is not for sale,” Mother growled.
“Luna,” Father warned.
There came a pregnant pause, and then, Her Majesty said, “Do you ever get tired of the way he reprimands you?”
“What?” Mother asked, the word a hiss upon her breath.
“The way he covers your hand as if he can control you. The way he says your name in a bid to silence your tongue. I have devoted centuries to making the genders equal, and still, despite my best efforts, we are not there yet. Your husband is evidence of that.” She huffed a mocking laugh. “The only way us females will ever be able to live in peace is if the male gender were to cease to exist.”
Artemesia and I shot each other strange looks, both of us wondering what we had just heard. I could only imagine the look on Father’s face; I doubted he’d be able to mask his expression.
“Prior, you spoke of the future of your clan. As chieftain, your people must be of great importance to you. That is something I can understand,” Empress Avena started. “As I said before, change is coming, and it is coming in the shape of a great war. If you agree to send your daughter with me, in exchange, I will sign an agreement that will protect you and your people from the war. Your clan will be left untouched, unharmed by my forces.”
“And if we do not agree?” Mother asked.
“It’s quite simple, really. Your daughter is a vital part of my plan. If you don’t agree, I will take her regardless and leave your clan to suffer the consequences. So you see, the choice is yours.”
Unease filled my stomach.
This was my home, and becoming chieftain was my future. I had never aspired to leave these lands, but now, that all could change.Please tell her no, I silently beseeched my parents.
But instead, Mother said, “Will you ensure that same security will pass over to our daughter?”
