“She won't talk,” Griffin answers for me, watching Lena as closely as I am.
“Do you want her followed?”
I shake my head. “She’ll notice, then she’ll shut me out completely. I need her to tell me what she knows willingly.”
“She won't.” Griffin folds his arms over his chest. “She doesn't trust us.”
Lena places her hand on the iron handle of the shop’s door and pauses. Turning her head to the side, she meets my gaze across the courtyard. Her amethyst eyes are unflinching as mine drill into hers, meeting my challenge with one of her own until she opens the door and vanishes inside.
“Then I'll have to find a way for her to trust me.”
Chapter 20Lena
Iroll the amethyst cluster in my hand, its jagged peaks digging into my palm and pricking my fingertips before I set it beside its jewel companions on the curved oak hutch, one of many skirting the circular room. A Gods Light lantern flares, drawing my gaze to the light reflecting off jeweled baubles and crystal figurines, and I follow its path up to the black tapestry hanging above. My eyes flit along the dark cloth as I admire the countless starlight jewels woven within, sparkling beneath the sparse light. The combination of the moody tapestry, the starlight jewels, and the drawn drapes gives the shop the illusion of a starry night. A stark contrast to the brightened sky outside Fortunes and Truths.
The shuffle of slippered feet sounds behind me and I turn to find a female gingerly placing a tray of tea on a circular table in the center of the room.
“It sounded like quite a commotion out there,” she says, seating herself at the table.
“When the Captain executes a traitor in the middle of the nobility district, it’s bound to cause a stir,” I reply, walking towards the table and seating myself in the chair opposite hers.
She bobs her head. “Yes, I believe it would, wouldn't it? And what did this traitor do to anger the Captain so?”
“Oh, you know,” I say with an absent flick of my hand. “A few threats to his mother’s rule, crazy rants about the Goddess of Death, something about fire and kingdoms burning. Nothing too concerning.”
“I doubt that's why he made such a spectacle with his execution.” She pours me a cup of tea. The floral aroma rises with the steam as she adds two spoonfuls of sugar, then she pours herself a cup as well.
“He may have mentioned a few other things,” I mumble reluctantly, my gaze drifting over her head.
“About you?”
I give her a dry look. “Do I really need to tell you that, Seer?”
Her silence is answer enough, not that I need one. She already knows what happened, already knows how difficult it was for me to stand by and do nothing as that traitorous guard prepared to spill all my secrets. My palms itched to end him then and there, but even though he was an admitted traitor, he was clearly a born Cascadonian. Darius wouldn't have reacted well to me murdering one of his citizens in broad daylight, and neither would the dozens of witnesses. So instead of forever silencing him with a slit of his throat, I had to stand by in agony, waiting for Darius to discover the truth. Knowing how important trust and honesty is to him, I knew he wouldn't have reacted well.
The Captain’s view of the world is a bit skewed and narrow minded. Everything to him is right and wrong, good or bad, black and white. There is no gray in between. No excuse to not make the decision he believes to be the correct one. He doesn’t understand that sometimes, for people like me, we never had a choice. Never will have a choice. With everything that traitor would have revealed about me, Darius would’ve seen the truth as a betrayal, branding me an enemy without allowing me a single word in defense. But I won’t rehash all that to her just to ease her boredom.
“No, but it brings comfort to others to believe I'm not all-knowing. My Gifts can be unnerving to some, even if they seek me out for those very same Gifts.”
“We both know I don't think that way.” I sip the tea, but instantly set it down with a wrinkle of my nose, revolted by the bitter taste even with the added sugar.
“No, you've never been one to shy away from the truth.” Eyes softening, her lips pull up into a fond smile. “Hello, little one.”
“Hello, Auntie.”
It’s been too long since the last time we’ve seen each other. A few years, in fact. I'm thankful to find her aura shining just as brightly as before our separation. It's a comfort to know nothing terrible has happened in my absence. If it had, the colors would be much duller than they are now. But even though her aura hasn’t changed, I'd have to be blind not to notice the other differences. With long, curly, black hair, light brown eyes, and tan skin, she’s a very beautiful female. Some would say gorgeous. Time and distance could never change that. Yet, her hair is too wild, her lips too narrow, eyes too dull, skin too dark, and that is most certainly not the face she was born with.
“I like this glamour,” I say, drawing a circle in the air around her face. “Who are you this time?”
Lifting her chin, she places a delicate hand to her chest, speaking in an airy voice. “I am Zenith, the Gods Blessed Water immortal. Seboia’s very own seer.”
“Ooh, I like that one,” I tease. “Very mysterious.”
She laughs and shakes her head. “Your father doesn’t think so. He thought these Cascadonians would think me a bumbling fool.” She nudges my tea towards me before adding, “He doesn't understand that I choose who sees which mask.”
At the mention of my father, a whole litany of emotions tumble into me. Longing, pain, sadness, regret, but most of all, guilt. Avoiding Zenith’s gaze, I toss back the entire cup of tea and try not to gag at the taste, giving myself a moment's reprieve before meeting her gaze with a pasted-on smile.
But that’s never worked on her before, and it appears it won’t now, either.
Placing her cup onto the round table between us, she folds her arms on the table and leans forward. “I visited them not too long ago.”
“How are they?”
She chuckles, resting her chin on her hand. “Your mother is still crazy, and your father is still crazy about her. Your brothers are still wild heathens and your sisters are either aiding them in their mischief, or plotting ways to kill them.”
A loud guffaw escapes me when I recall all the teasing and pranks my siblings and I pulled on each other. One epic dare pops to the forefront of my mind of the time my brother Jathro and I shaved our father’s head while he slept after a night of one too many pints. I was so sure he was finally going to set my ass on fire, but even after the fact, I was still my father’s little princess and thankfully weaseled out of punishment. Jathro, unfortunately, cannot say the same.
“Gods!” I shake my head. “I’m surprised Mother didn't drown us all at birth.”
“She's regretting it now, I assure you.” Zenith cocks her head to the side, watching me with a solemn expression. “They miss you.”
“I miss them, too,” I reply with a sigh, toying with the hem of the black tablecloth. “But I can't visit too often. It's not safe for them.”
She reaches for my hand and clasps it. “They’re not safe anywhere, little one. I understand why you're scared, Lena. After everything that happened to your brother…” I instantly stiffen and try to jerk my hand free, but she holds tight. “I know you’re trying to protect them, but you can’t. Everything you’re doing, everything that has already happened, all of it will be, whether or not you include them in your plans. You can't do this alone, no matter how much you believe you can. They are necessary to your success.” She finally releases me to arch a single stern brow. “You will report to them after you leave Seboia,” she orders, leaving no room for argument.
Nodding in reluctant assent, I pass my gaze over the room, taking note of all the baubles and knick-knacks scattered throughout. Items that seem to have accumulated over several years as opposed to a few months. I assumed she arrived here when I did, intending to watch over me as she has done many times before, but after seeing all this, it seems I may have been mistaken.
“When I was younger and you went on your travels, you refused to tell me where you were going. Were you coming here? To Seboia?”
