Page 28 of Elegy of Twilight
Lucia shrugged. “The High Priestess gave me a scroll with the research she’d done. But it didn’t reveal much. If anything, it left me with more questions.”
I recalled seeing the scroll in her hand. I knew what it was like to search for answers without finding them. “What did it say?”
“Like I told you, I was found on the doorstep of the abbey as a baby, and the High Priestess believes I was left because of my runes. They frightened the woman who birthed me.”
I noticed she didn’t say mother because being linked by blood was not enough. Lucia kept speaking quickly, but it was true that the abandonment still bothered it. I wondered if that was why she took up vows and became a priestess—because she felt she wasn’t enough, and serving and sacrifice made herfeel redeemed. I sat down on the floor, studying her. All this time, I’d been focused on the way she made me feel and what her magic did for me, but now I had a glimpse into her heart, into the way she felt about her life.
“Through her research, the High Priestess found that runes are often used with rituals, often arcane and pagan rituals. Most records of people with runes have them being sacrificed at one time or another, either as children or as adults. Sometimes, they were kidnapped and stolen away, but often, they gave themselves voluntarily because they believed their runes were given by some Divine power, and the sacrifice would activate them. It’s actually disturbing to think about, but the High Priestess believed that my being abandoned likely saved my life.”
“Do you believe that?” I asked, watching the shift in her expression as she stared at the flames.
She straightened her shoulders, chin up as she met my gaze. “I do.”
Now was not the time to tease her about her convictions, so I pointed at the stones on the fireplace. “I supposed that what you say makes sense. There’s a lot of fear and speculation when it comes to magic. You may have noticed the similarity between some of the runes on your skin and thosecarved into the fireplace. It’s because they are a language, and some runes are meant for protection against evil.”
“Are you talking about the original inhabitants of this land, the giants? Those who became aware of the vampires and used runes to protect themselves against them?”
“Then you know the old tales. It is thought that many sought to protect themselves when the vampires first came, so they practiced odd magic, sacrificed humans, and committed all kinds of despicable acts. They wanted to appease the gods, but in the end, their actions only cursed themselves. What remained, though, were the runes and, in the tunnels, crumbling remains of an ancient civilization. But there are old scrolls and drawings on the walls depicting their history. While the people fell into darkness, there were a few who remained blameless. They used runes to channel the light, reflect it, and protect themselves from the darkness. Unfortunately, they were hunted down by the vampires and slain, likely because their magic had the potential to do the most damage. That’s why your runes call to me. You are light and purity, your runes reflect the light of the moon, and when you shine, darkness doesn’t stand a chance. Nothing can touch you.”
Lucia drew her knees up, and the blanket fell off her bare shoulders. But she was lost in thought as she stared at me. “My runes never glowed until I met you.”
“Magic seeks magic. The song of my lute is magic, and I have darkness within me. When I’m with you, I feel it burning away. Your runes are working because you finally have a reason for magic to awaken within you. I’d guess that in the abbey, there isn’t any darkness or lurking evil, so unless you were exposed to it, you’d never know that you have magic.”
“In theory, I supposed it makes sense.”
“Think about it like this: why does the sun shine? Why does the moon come out at night?”
“Because of the dark.”
“Aye, without the night, there’d be no need for light. Same with your magic, but now that you know it’s there, I’ll show you how to access it.”
Lucia brushed at her eyes. “Thank you, Titus.”
My name on her lips was a treasure. I wanted to hear her say my name again. Instead, I went to her and kissed her gently. “Your runes have always been a priceless gift. Now it’s time for you to step into your power, my moon goddess. And I will protect you, with my music.”
13
LUCIA
Both body and soul were sore in the most delicious way as Titus guided me home. I let myself in through the garden gate, yet he lingered, unwilling to let me out of his sight. I’d felt the shift between us, a shared awakening and knowledge, and I’d begun to dream of a life that might differ from what I currently had. But how to achieve it was the problem, and as the shape of the abbey towered above me, the knowledge that I had broken my vows made my throat go dry.
Titus touched my arm. “May I come inside?”
“Yes,” I agreed without thinking and led him into the garden.
“This is your garden?” he asked, surprise lacing his tone.
“It is. I’ll have to weed it tomorrow. The plants will believe I’ve abandoned them.”
“You enjoy seeing life spring up from mere seeds, don’t you?”
“It’s more than that,” I explained. “It’s what this garden represents: food for the priestess and the garrison and enough to share with the villagers. The vineyard brings forth the barrels of wine for trade, and with my work here, I can bless others both near and far. Food is a source of life, and I’m proud to be part of that life-giving act.”
Titus let out a groan of admiration. “When you speak, your words pull me in deeper. I’m tempted to whisk you away with me.”
He stopped as we approached the inner door to the abbey, and my heart pounded with awareness of his proximity. Gently, he leaned forward and kissed me, long and deep, as though we’d be apart much longer than a few days.
“Goodnight,” I whispered, stroking his jaw.
