Page 144 of The Cerulean Sister
Chapter
Thirty-Eight
Isay goodnight to the others when Calliape announces she is showing me to the room I will be staying in for the night. She dashes into her own to retrieve a spell book before joining me.
I light the candles in the room but leave some alone, not wanting to illuminate it too much and favoring the coziness of the dim light. The bed is small like ours on Viathan in our little apartment, and the only furniture is a small wooden dresser with a connecting mirror.
"This won’t take long," she whispers and flips the book’s pages to find her desired spot.
"Do I have to do anything?" I ask.
"No, I will place it, but you will have to maintain it, keep it from dissolving." She runs her finger down the page.
"How?"
"Intentions . . . Ready?"
"Yes." I close my eyes as she places her palm between my breasts as flat as she can press.
She whispers into the dark space, haunting hissing under her breath until I feel a minty sensation in my chest. When I breathe in, the cold chill turns prickly and then settles.
"That should hold for a while," Calliape says, nervously smiling.
"Thank you."
"Pleasure. I hope it helps the both of you." She hugs me tightly before ducking back into the kitchen, whispering one last goodnight so the others do not hear.
I shimmy out of the Estate clothes, until only the silky slip under it remains, and sit with my back rested on the headboard and wait.
For once, my mind doesn't feel like it's spinning with all the things I have to do and remember. The lord general has all the information we do, and soon the investigation will begin. Once Leema and I walk out of the Estate tomorrow, I can let myself bask in the warmth of just focusing on the present. My mission here will be done and she will be safe at last.
I can hear hushed male voices out in the kitchen, August and 99 keeping their conversation low. When the sound of his footsteps comes up to the door, I can't stop the panicky thrill that runs through me, knowing he is back and we can be alone together finally and under such better circumstances. I scoot to the edge of the bed and wait for him to enter, seeing the shadow of his feet on the threshold of the door.
To my surprise, he knocks lightly. When I don't answer from sheer confusion, he slowly opens the door.
"I'm awake," I whisper.
He comes into the room, stopping in the middle, his helmet running up and down my body in an obvious way. "I am glad I didn't wake you."
He removes his helmet and then his gloves, placing them on the dresser next to my veil.
"Was the message well received?" I ask.
He nods and sits on the edge of the bed with me. "He will sign an order of protection for Leema to seek refuge on a Viathan ship given the circumstances."
"What about the sanctuary law?"
"With the investigation of the temple, the lord general deemed it unnecessary. She can petition for one, but when the Estate receives the formal notice of our findings, they will not want to draw more attention to conflicts with the Temple of Divine Mothers."
"Like a woman not being permitted to leave."
"Yes." He pauses for a long time. "Leema will be safe on the ship, I promise you this."
I press my side against him and sigh. "Thank you."
I see him glance at my grey dress and then the slip I am wearing as a nightgown and wait for him to touch me or turn my face for a kiss like he normally does.
But it is silent as we sit next to each other, only the calming sound of his breath filling the air.
