Page 7 of The Divine Shallows
“The Moon Goddess withheld her blessing from me for a reason. And speaking of which, you need to devote moretime to your sight scrying. I sensed your spell instantly. Have you been practicing at all?” Elyria scolded.
“Was it really that obvious? I thought I was improving.” Elowyn shrugged.
“Watch,” Elyria instructed as she lifted one of the cups from the tray and poured tea into it. The liquid was still hot, wisps of steam rising from the porcelain. With a graceful motion of her hand, Elyria dispersed the steam billowing from the tea, cooling the liquid to a lukewarm temperature.
Turning the cup towards herself, Elyria peered into the reflective surface of the tea. Her gaze became distant as she focused, and soon a vision materialized on the liquid’s surface. It was slightly blurry, reminiscent of the visions Elowyn had conjured on her stone earlier. On the tea’s surface, Elowyn made out the back of her own head and her body suddenly tensed as it detected an unnatural magical presence scrutinizing her from behind.
“Now, observe this,” Elyria continued, shifting her gaze once more. The tea’s surface now displayed a mirrored image of the current scene in the royal library, viewed from a bird’s-eye perspective. With each movement of Elyria’s eyes, the image in the cup adjusted accordingly, presenting a clear, vivid depiction of the scene below. Every detail was sharp and unmistakable, from their own figures, down to the motes of dust drifting lazily in the sunlight filtering through the stained-glass ceiling.
This time, as Elowyn observed herself through the tea’s reflection, produced by her sister’s magic, she felt no sense of danger or foreboding.
“If you aim to scry someone’s whereabouts, caution is key. It demands time and dedication, but when executed successfully, your target remains oblivious. Eventually, you’ll forego the need for a scrying stone; any reflective surface will serve, much like this tea,” her sister lectured.
“Easy for you to say. You’ve had years of practice over me, not tomention your natural talent. No one your age can scry with such precision without a stone or mirror,” Elowyn countered. “And are you ever going to explain why you’ve started warding your door?”
Elyria chuckled in response. “Because of you and your lack of boundaries. You’ve been barging in freely for nineteen years, and that’s long enough. But if you bothered to learn the basics of warding, you could still enter. I’ve set up an intermediate spell just to see if you’d attempt it.”
Elowyn understood that her sister’s remarks stemmed from a place of concern and care. The reality was, Elowyn didn’t possess the innate prowess that her sister seemed to effortlessly command in all things.
The magic within Elowyn burned fiercely, but harnessing it was a relentless struggle. Despite the challenges she faced in mastering her native power, Elowyn dedicated herself to it tirelessly, sparing no effort to gain control over the magical energy pulsing within her. Some days, she felt progress, sensing the gap between herself and her native magic narrowing. Yet, on mornings like this one, she felt as though she couldn’t be further from achieving it.
“I’m working on it,” Elowyn reassured her sister. “Don’t worry, my Trial is nearly seven years away. I have plenty of time to earn your pride.” Shifting the conversation, she added, “But enough about me. You’re the one with the Trial coming up. Look at the bright side—you might even bond with ananimus. Just imagine the pair you two would make... I can’t even begin to fathom it.”
Elyria’s smile widened at the prospect.
Elowyn knew her sister looked forward to the day she would claim her ownanimus. The Goddess chose only the most deserving to forge this sacred soul-bond during her divine Trial. This permanent attachment must be agreed upon by both parties, and once accepted, it bound them to each other into the afterlife and all the realms beyond. Soul-bonding with ananimussignified one’s tremendous rank as a warlock or sorceress.
“That’s true. I wonder what mine will be. Perhaps he or she will be similar in nature as I am,” Elyria said wistfully.
“If youranimusresembles you in any way, I’ll be terrified,” Elowyn chuckled. “But you know what’ll lift your spirits? Let’s wander to the mountains and find Bane and Stryx.”
Elyria’s eyes sparkled with excitement, her fanged smile mirroring Elowyn’s own.
3
Fang and Fire
Elowyn and Elyriaemerged from the library; their arms intertwined as laughter escaped from their lips. They strolled down the corridors, engrossed in gossip and conversation, deliberately avoiding any mention of the impending divine Trial. Navigating through staircases and corridors, they reached the cherry-stained door of Elyria’s chambers. With a flicker of her power, Elyria dispelled the ward cloaking the door, giving Elowyn a playful wink before entering. Elowyn responded with a crude gesture of her own before following her sister inside.
Elowyn entered Elyria’s room, greeted by the soothing aroma of lilac and honey that embraced her like a warm hug. The antechamber’s walls formed a perfect square, leading her toward a recessed area with marble steps. Elowyn’s feet descended the marble steps into the spacious, immaculate room—a reflection of her sister’s refined taste.
Sunbeams streamed through a skylight, casting patterns on the marble floor where a tablestood, decorated with a glass vase filled with lilacs blooming in bouquets of violet and magenta. Bookshelves lined the walls, overflowing with volumes, novels, and storybooks. A study table bore the weight of numerous spine-bound texts the walls couldn’t hold. Nearby, a crimson velvet couch, its cushions sunken, bore the marks of years of reading.
Three arched doorways led to different chambers: Elyria’s bedchambers straight ahead, her washroom to the right, and her common lounge to the left. Elowyn followed her sister through the doorway leading to the sleeping quarters.
Elyria’s bedchamber was another reflection of refinement. The vaulted ceilings stood fifteen feet tall with a splendid chandelier that centered the room. Stone arches adorned the walls, spaced between elegant pillars. To the left, stood a marble fireplace with the remnants of the morning’s fire still crackling with activity. At the center of the room was a cherry-stained four-poster bed, its wooden posts with draping organza.
The plush white mattress looked incredibly inviting and Elowyn debated on launching herself into the luxurious bed. However, she hesitated, knowing her sister’s nature would not tolerate even a crumb in her linens.
“I have a surprise to show you. You’re going to love it,” Elyria hinted.
“A surprise?” Elowyn tilted her head with curiosity.
Moving to another doorway lined with intricate gold trimming, Elyria opened the door to reveal a vast closet. Wardrobes lined the walls, their doors flung open to reveal gowns crafted from swatches of every color under the sun. Elowyn couldn’t suppress a gasp as she hurried along the racks, trailing her fingers over silk, chiffon, lace, and satin. Catching Elyria’s eye, she received a warning glance, a stern reminder not to soil the pristine garments with her enthusiasm.
The wardrobes supported gold beams from which delicate gowns and dresses hung. Elowyn caught a glimpse of periwinkleblue out of the corner of her vision and approached the dress, pulling it gently from the wardrobe to admire the craftsmanship.
The floor-length gown featured a small train with a daringly open-backed bodice. The skirt, slightly more relaxed, hugged the body in blending layers of soft blues, light purples, and pastel violets. Patterns of lilacs were embroidered along its skirt, while silver beads cascaded down to the train, resembling a stream of starlight.
