Page 51 of Shattered Veil
Icy fingers run up my spine.“How?”
“Think about it,” Eira says.“If they could control the vessel—the person meant to bring back the Morrigan—they could potentially harness the Morrigan and her power for themselves. Can you imagine having the power of a god?”
My mouth goes dry. I think of Fiona, of her betrayal, of the Council’s interest in me. Fuck.
“That’s... terrifying,” I manage to say.
Eira nods absentmindedly, reaching for another book.
I open my mouth, then close it. The words stick in my throat. I want to tell her everything—about my file in Dean Charling’s office, about Fiona and how she was watching me before I even came to the academy, about the Council tossing me in a dungeon and Rory being sucked into a rift in reality that Marius and I opened, about the paintings in the ritual chamber of the Morrigan and the Raven King, and the others—about all of it.
But I don’t.
“What else does it say about this vessel?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.
Eira flips through a few more pages.“Not much that’s concrete. It mentions the vessel will be‘marked by fate.’Pretty vague, honestly.”
I take a deep breath.
“Oh, there is one more interesting bit,” Eira says, her eyes lighting up.“It talks about the vessel having multiple fated mates.”
My heart skips a beat.“Multiple?”
“Mm-hmm. Five, to be exact.” She looks up at me, a small smile playing on her lips.“Can you imagine? One mate is complicated enough. But five?”
I force a laugh, hoping it doesn’t sound as hollow as it feels.“How do they come into play?”
Eira’s brow furrows as she scans the text.“It’s not entirely clear. The prophecy speaks of the mates as both protectors and catalysts. They’re meant to shield the vessel, but also to help awaken her full power.” She looks up at me, her eyes bright with curiosity.“Fascinating, isn’t it? Also—”
I nod, masking my apprehension. My mind races, thinking of Callen, Lochan, Rory, Tiernan... and Marius. Five fated mates. Protectors and catalysts.
Her expression is unreadable.“They’re also meant to keep her power in check. To prevent her from being consumed by the Morrigan’s essence, I think.”
I swallow hard.“That’s... intense,” I manage to say.
Eira nods, closing the book with a soft thud.
Needing to change the subject I decide to bring up the guy Eira was dancing with at the masquerade ball. It feels like it was so long ago now. I’ve seen the two of them together a few times since, and Eira seems smitten with the lanky, shy boy.“So,” I say, forcing a playful tone,“how are things going with Finn?”
Eira’s cheeks flush instantly.“What?”
I grin."You two seem to be spending a lot of time together, lately."
She ducks her head, a curtain of light brown hair falling to hide her face.“He’s nice.” she mumbles. Eira peeks up at me, her blush deepening.“We’re... meeting tonight,” she admits softly.
“Really? That’s great!” I’m genuinely happy for her, despite my own messy situation.“Where are you going?”
Eira tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.“Just for a walk around the grounds. Nothing fancy.”
“Sometimes simple is best,” I say, giving her a reassuring smile.“I’m sure it’ll be nice.”
She nods, then glances at the clock on her nightstand.“Oh! I should start getting ready.” Eira hops off the bed, suddenly a flurry of nervous energy.“Do you think I should wear my hair up or down?”
I laugh softly, grateful for the distraction from my own troubles.“Down. Definitely down.”
As I help Eira get ready for her date, chatting about inconsequential things, I push thoughts of prophecies and fated mates to the back of my mind. The Harrowing is my biggest concern right now. I can think about the rest if I actually survive.
I step into the hallway, the heavy wooden door creaking shut behind me.“Good luck, Eira. For tonight. And for the Harrowing.”
