Page 32 of The Divine Shallows
“You’ve always been rather reckless, my love. Please be more careful next time,” the queen cautioned, her flawless porcelain hand brushing across his cheek. “For your mother’s sake.”
“I’m well, mother,” Theo assured.
“Good,” Queen Irena said tenderly. “I cannot express the pride that overwhelms me at the thought of you soon joining your brother in receiving the final Mark.”
Elowyn felt a lingering gaze as the Iron Queen glanced at her before smiling and addressing them both.
“This might be presumptuous, but if I may impart a piece of wisdom: the bonds you form with your peers will determine your success in the Trial of Caena,” Queen Irena said, marked with nostalgia. “Even to this day, I cherish and honor the companions who shared the burden of those seven years with me.”
Elowyn could only nod in agreement, unsure how to respond.
“Now, I must return to the Iron King before he worries about my absence,” the queen said, turning to Elowyn with a chilling gaze. “Once again, welcome to the Iron Kingdom, Princess Elowyn.”
With that, Queen Irena gracefully navigated through the crowd, the courtiers parting to allow her passage.
Elowyn released a tensed breath and slackened her shoulders. She turned to speak to Theo, but he had already vanished, leaving her alone in his foreign kingdom.
11
A Fate Set in Stone
As Elowyn steppedinto the Great Hall of the Bloodweaver castle, she immediately spotted Elyria’s flowing braid amidst the crowd. Her legs instinctively moved toward her sister, but she froze as she witnessed Elyria covering her mouth and sharing a cheerful laugh with Sylas. It was a rare sight to see her sister genuinely happy in the presence of someone else. Elowyn wished she could freeze this moment in time forever, cradling it close to her heart.
Finally noticing Elowyn’s arrival, Elyria’s smile widened as she waved and beckoned her over. Elowyn navigated through the crowd at her sister’s urging, taking a stemmed glass of crimson-red wine from a passing servant’s tray, offering a grateful nod.
“You’re finally here!” Elyria greeted her with a relieved sigh, pulling her into an embrace. “I was beginning to worry.”
“There were a few complications on my way over here,” Elowyn replied with a serene smile. “But I made it nonetheless.”
Sylas shifted subtly at her words, his expression betraying a hint ofunderstanding. Before he could respond, however, the crowd parted as a figure strode through. All three of their gazes landed on the Iron King.
With a few powerful strides, King Wilden made his way to the dais of the Great Hall. Upon the raised platform, melded to it, sat two formidable iron thrones. To the throne on the left sat Queen Irena Bloodweaver. A sleek emerald basilisk coiled around the armrest. It was a wicked, beautiful creature. The serpent was gleaming, its emerald reptilian scales like overlapping jewels. The upper half of the serpent was entwined around the right arm of the queen with its sheeny head resting near the nape of her neck and its tail dangled from the armrest.
Elowyn observed the queen’s basilisk with a hint of skepticism. For a divineanimus, it didn’t appear all that intimidating to her. She had seen harmless garden adders larger than it back in the castle grounds of Eriden.
Her thoughts were quickly abandoned as King Wilden claimed his iron throne. She sucked in a breath when she first noticed the creature. From behind the dais, a monstrous russet colored basilisk began slithering towards the king, its massive form stretching at least three meters in length and nearly the circumference of her thigh at its widest point. The face of the basilisk was more draconic than reptilian, horns sprouted from its head in vicious rods and whetted fangs protruded from its closed jaw. With smooth, twisting motions, the colossal basilisk coiled around the throne of the Iron King, its imposing head resting at the base.
“Welcome to the Iron Hollows,” King Wilden’s voice echoed through the Great Hall. “On this Second Day, we prepare to witness a sacred rite, the Favor of the Seven.” He remained seated, his gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd. “In this hallowed ritual, we ask the Moon Goddess to bestow her divine favor upon the next candidates who will face judgment in her Trial. This long-standing custom has infallibly curried grace from the Goddess and sanctioned the safe passage of our candidates to her realm.
“Following tradition, our newly divine fey will seek the favor of the Goddess for the candidates of this season,” the Iron King announced with a smile. “It has been many moons since the duty of the Second Day has fallen upon the shoulders of our kingdom. We invite you to assemble in the Den ofLunarisat sunset to witness this sacred rite.”
King Wilden’s gaze shifted to his right, where his two sons stood upon the dais. Thomys and Theo Bloodweaver resembled near-perfect mirror images of each other. Both clad in onyx-shaded finery, theiraureumclasped on their shoulders, hanging in golden layers. With hair as dark as obsidian, skin fair as porcelain, and eyes resembling opulent rubies, the brothers were mesmerizing. The only notable contrast between them was the faint, concentric, reptilian moon-inked scales that adorned Thomys’ skin, along with the sleek basilisk draped across his shoulders, coiling at his arm. Standing proudly before their father and king, the brothers presented a dangerously captivating sight.
“It is a blessing from Caena herself that Queen Irena and I were graced with two children,” King Wilden’s powerful hand tenderly grazed Queen Irena’s forearm. “It brings me great joy that my firstborn son, Thomys Bloodweaver, will seek divine favor for our Bloodweaver candidate this season, Sylas Fenhart. Undoubtedly, Sylas will prove indispensable in this season’s Trial of Caena.”
The Iron King gestured towards Sylas in the crowd, drawing the attention of hundreds of eyes. Elowyn shrank under the scrutiny and as she dared to glance up, she found Theo’s odious maroon eyes boring into her own. Attempting to meet his gaze with her own hardened silver eyes, she was abruptly pulled away by the voice of the king.
“And it is my hope that in seven years, Sylas will seek the divine favor of the Moon Goddess for my second born son, Theoden Bloodweaver, in his Trial of Caena. Although his name has not yet been spoken for candidacy by the High Priestess, I shall await her verdict with bated breath.”
King Wilden rose from his seat and approached the frontof the dais with a smile. “Fey of Neramyr, welcome to the Kingdom of the Iron Hollows! Let the Second Day of the Ceremony commence!”
The Great Hall erupted into applause at King Wilden’s declaration, with Elowyn and Elyria joining in along with the courtiers. Conversations resumed and music filled the air in a symphony of strings.
Elowyn and Elyria exchanged a weary glance, both releasing heavy sighs.
“Here we go again,” Elyria muttered to her sister.
They shared a knowing look, bracing themselves for the remainder of the night.
