After days of waiting, of longing to escape their prisons, of nearly giving up and following Daeva’s request, the twins chose their course.
Mara turned toward the underlord. “It is finished,” she said.
In that moment, Daeva disappeared in a column of fire.
Lightning flashed across the sky even as the very foundation of the earth shook.
Felicity cried out.
Trumble caught her as she fell back.
So packed was the inner prayer room, that he quickly rushed her to the vestibule, seeking to get her some space, some air.
When he arrived, he found Basha and Therese gathered with their cohorts, all looking upward. He approached.
“What is it?” Basha asked him. “Is she all right?”
Felicity opened her eyes. She looked up and pointed. Trumble, Lucy, Marshall, Jerrett, Chaya, Basha, then Therese, all followed her direction.
The three full moons now appeared as a single one, filling the center ceiling window, their collective light bursting down upon and into the vestibule in a rainbow of color.
And at precisely that moment, the earth shook.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Her eyes fluttered open.
“She awakens!” someone said, her voice openly joyful.
“Yes, this one too!”
Reigna, groggy with sleep, closed her eyes tightly. What is that? The voices, small and high pitched, intruded into her thoughts. What an unusual dream. Slowly, she opened one eye, then quickly closed it again.
“There she is! She made it. She’s awakening!”
Reigna groaned. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, it is all so exciting. They made it. They made it!”
Once again, Reigna opened one eye. “Great Ehyeh, it’s a bug,” she muttered, swatting the object before her with the back of her hand. “Surely, I’ve lost my mind. I’m talking to a . . . bug.” She closed her eye again, shook her head, and then after pulling up to rest on one elbow, chanced another peek.
“That hurt,” the creature said, rubbing her arm, “and I’m not a bug. I’m a flit.” The strange little being sprang back to her feet.
The movement shocked Reigna quickly, and fully, awake. She shot up and into a crouch. “Great Ehyeh,” she cried, “what are you?”
The creature, not taller than the length of Reigna’s thumb, bowed. Clearly female, and with hair that looked distinctly like blue feathers, her clothing fairly glistened in the sunlight. From her back, two dazzling wings sprang forth.
Reigna fell to her bottom. She closed her eyes hard, then shook her head. When she opened her eyes again, the creature still stood before her, this time with another one—a clearly male one—at her side.
“We’re flits,” the female said.
Though Reigna opened her mouth to speak, she found no words. She closed her mouth again—hard.
“I’m Ephemeral. And this is my beloved husband, Fleeting,” the flit added, smiling in his direction.
“Ephemeral?” Reigna repeated.
“That’s right. But you can call me Effie.”
“And you are . . . Fleeting?” Reigna asked the other flit.
“That’s me. But my friends call me Fleet.”
She dropped her head into her hands and groaned. “Relax,” she told herself. “You must have hit your head on a rock. You spent too long seeking to find your way out of The Tearless, so this is all just—”
Her head shot up. She looked at the lush green moss surrounding her, then at the tree branches hanging overhead. She sprang to her feet. “Where am I? How did I get here? Where’s Eden? What—”
“Everything is all right,” Effie said, holding her hand up. “You’ve passed the test.”
“The test?”
“Yes.”
“What test?”
The flit pointed. “Look,” she said.
Reigna’s gaze followed her directions. “It’s Eden . . . and Mara!”
“That’s right. Go to your sister.”
The young woman approached her sister, one flit flying near each of her shoulders.
She dropped to her knees and then suddenly, inhaled deeply. “What is that?”
Once again, Effie smiled. “Lean in closer. Smell again.”
Reigna did. “It’s . . . intoxicating.”
“What does it smell like?”
“I guess a bit like . . . bergamot and . . . jasmine?”
“Yes. What else?”
Reigna sniffed. “Sweet orange and warm musk.” She cocked her head. “Is it her scent of the Select?”
“That’s right,” Fleet said. “You probably can’t smell your own.”
“I have a scent?”
“You do, indeed.”
“What’s it like?”
“I’d say it’s like . . . violet, iris, orange and jasmine—like your sister’s scent. And,” he inhaled deeply, “let me think. Pine?”
“No, Fleet, don’t be ridiculous,” Effie said. “That’s cedar.”
“Ahhh, yes, cedar.”
“And also,” Effie added, “sandalwood and oakmoss.”
“Truly?” Reigna asked.
“Truly. And look,” the flit added as she pulled hair away from Eden’s face.
Reigna’s mouth dropped open as she saw before her, a mark just below Eden’s ear. “We have our signs and scents back?”
“You do, indeed,” Fleet said. “You have both found Ehyeh’s favor.”
“Help me to awaken her,” Reigna said, “and then Mara. I can’t wait to hear what she’s been up to all this time.”
Mara, sitting with the twins, listened to everything Effie and Fleet had to share. Though prophecy had told of the flits coming, it wasn’t until Mara found the oracle in the form of a book, back when the twins were infants, that Ehyeh released them. She knew exactly when it had happened. She’d been searching a cave with Jules. When she’d first opened the book, she thought she saw something fly past her. Jules had teased her about believing in fairies. In any case, although released, the flits were unable to communicate with anyone until the twins found Ehyeh’s favor. In the meantime, they helped the Good One from time to time, to set up events. Now they’d be able to communicate with any Select who’d found favor with Ehyeh, and with any Oathtaker who currently had, or who’d ever had, a charge.
Her mind racing, she’d listened as Effie and Fleet, the king and queen of the flits, explained that when the twins refused Daeva, the underlord returned to Sinespe—though not for all time. He would be back.
Now, they stood before a number of their fold.
Effie walked down the long line of her kind, introducing them one at a time. Each of them glistened, much as the next, in a rainbow of colors.
“This is Gossamer, and Luminescent, and Glitter, and— Glaze,” she huffed, “your wings are dusty. Clean them up.” She moved on. “And here is Sparkle, and Shimmer. Oh, Prismatic,” she said upon approaching the next in line, “I hadn’t expected you back so soon.” She kissed her on each cheek. “Also, I’d like you to meet Evanescent, Scintillation, Diaphanous . . .”
After the first few names, the Oathtaker thought they all sounded alike.
“Glimmer, Ethereal, Glint, Gleam,” Fleet added.
Effie jumped forward. “And here’s Glisten . . .”
“Stop!” Mara cried, dropping her head into her hands.
Effie turned her way. “I’m sorry, we thought you’d . . .”
“Look . . . Effie, I don’t mean to be short. It’s just that I’m . . . concerned. I can’t think straight. I’m not likely to remember all these names just now anyway.”
Tears sprang to the flit’s eyes.
“I had to leave someone to get here, and I’m concerned. I don’t know what happened to him.”
“Dixon?” Reigna asked.
“Yes.”
“Dixon can take care of himself,” Eden said. “I mean, Mara, we’ve just missed you so.”
“You don’t understand. Whe
n I left, I was in a hurry to find you.” Quickly, Mara explained how she’d lost her memory.
“Yes, Mara, we knew,” Reigna said. “We overheard Basha and Therese saying that you didn’t know who we were. But when you came to visit us in our times of need, we assumed you’d already recalled everything.”
She shook her head. “No, I had no idea. But when I found my blade, everything rushed back to my memory. I knew I had to come to you right away. I knew that I belonged with you, but . . .”
“There’s something you’re not telling us.”
Mara told the twins the rest of the story. “So you see, I think Dixon was in great danger when I left him and I don’t know if he’s even . . .” She choked back a sob. “I don’t know if he’s all right.”
“You should go to him,” Eden said.
“No!” Fleet cried. “You all have to get to the City of Light.”
“Why?” Mara asked. “The two of us had just left there.”
“All—or at least most—of the remaining Select and Oathtakers are meeting there. You must be there.”
“But what about Dixon?” Eden asked, tears springing to her eyes. “Mara should go to him.”
“We’ll send someone for him.”
“You can do that?”
His eyes narrowed. “Haven’t you listened to anything we’ve told you? Yes, of course, we can. We’re messengers. Just tell us where Dixon was, and we’ll get someone started.”
Mara explained as best she could where the two of them had been traveling. Then, “Quickly,” she said, “send someone to him. If he’s . . .” Tears streamed down her face. “If . . .”
“Don’t worry,” Effie said. “Flutter!” she called out.
One of the flits jumped forward.
“You know who you’re looking for. Go, now. If he’s all ri—” Effie paused. “I mean, when you find him, tell him to meet Mara and the twins at sanctuary in the City of Light.”
Without further word, Flutter departed.
“Now, as to the rest of you,” the queen of the flits said, “you’d best be on your way.”
Chapter Fifty
“I’m sorry,” Flutter said.
Mara sat at the table in the Council’s meeting room. Though beauty surrounded her, she felt nothing for it. She sought to harden her heart, like the white marble walls and floors that surrounded her, in an effort to avoid feeling anything. The thought of coming to know the truth about herself and Dixon, only to lose him before she could even tell him how she felt, sent her head reeling, her heart tripping.
She choked back a sob. “What do you mean you couldn’t find him?”
Flutter bowed. As her wings settled, their glisten subsided. “I’m sorry, he wasn’t where you said.”
“Did you— Were there signs that—”
“I saw nothing but a travel bag, its contents strewn about on the ground.”
The Oathtaker stood, nodding. “Very well, then.” She looked at the twins. “I suggest we get things started.”
Reigna, tears in her eyes, stood at her Oathtaker’s side. She embraced her. “I’m so— I don’t know what to—”
“Shhhh,” Mara said, her finger to her lips. “We’ve no time to lose. We’ve work to do.”
Eden approached. She wrapped her arms around her Oathtaker. “It’s all right to cry,” she said. “We’re all devastated.”
Mara held her head high. “No. Like I said, we’ve work to do. You know what Marshall said when we met with him yesterday. So, are you ready?”
“Yes,” the twins responded, in unison.
“All right, then. I sent word ahead earlier. You go wait there,” Mara said, pointing to a back room, “and I’ll call you when it’s time. The others should be here any minute.”
No sooner had the twins departed, than a secret entrance to the room opened. In walked three of the Council members: the scholar, Skylar Hadwin; the legal expert, Harper Larkspur; and the health expert, Mildred Crane.
Mara greeted them each, in turn. As they took their seats, the door opened again.
A gray haired man made his way to the Oathtaker’s side. “Piers Hamilton, at your service,” he said, bowing. The businessman’s gray hair glistened in the light. His features, always appearing as though they’d been chiseled from stone, were even sharper than in days past.
“Piers,” she greeted him, “it’s good to see you.”
He took his seat. “The others will be here momentarily,” he said.
The door opened and in walked the science expert, Eben Taft, as frazzled as ever. As he sat, Lucy Haven entered. She approached Mara.
“We have a lot to cover today,” she said, her voice laced with accusation.
“Indeed we do, Lucy. It’s good to see you again.”
The woman’s eye twitched. “May I have a word with you? In private?”
Mara shrugged. “Certainly. Now?”
“Yes, now.”
“Very well.”
They went to a corner of the room.
“Do you know who I am?”
Mara bit her lip. Clearly, the woman knew what had transpired. “I do. You are Lucy.”
“And they are?”
Mara identified each of the Council members.
“So, your memory has returned.”
“It has.”
“Very well. We’ll discuss this more fully, later.” The woman’s ordinarily cherubic appearance seemed hardened somehow. She made her way to her seat.
Mara watched on, her eyes narrowed. At times, Lucy was incredibly difficult.
“Are we ready then?” Piers asked over the rising din of the members greeting one another.
“Yes, Piers, thank you,” Mara said, taking her seat. She looked about the room. “I’ve brought the twins to meet you. They are here in fulfillment of prophecy.”
Lucy smiled. “Prophecy?”
“Yes. It’s one I first heard when Reigna and Eden were just newborns. It says: ‘pray that it shall come to pass, for a seventh seventh, and she who is but is not, may rise after a time of misery and fear.’ And so they have.”
“You think that prophecy applies to today?”
“I do. You see, they experienced a time of misery and fear. Ehyeh tested them and they found His favor.”
“You’re certain of that?” Piers asked.
“I am, and I’ll show you if you’re ready.”
When the Council members all nodded or voiced agreement, Mara walked to the back room. Then she ushered the twins forward.
“Please show them your signs,” she said.
Reigna, pulled her hair away and turned to the side, revealing her birth sign, to exclamations around the table.
Eden followed suit.
Piers stood, his mouth agape. “Goodness, we’ve not seen you since you were just—”
“Babes, yes,” Eden said.
“And I trust you’ve all made out their scents?” Mara asked.
“They are simply marvelous!” Skylar exclaimed, his eyes peeking out from beneath his frosty, unruly eyebrows.
“So, as you can see, I need no longer act as their regent. They may act on their own behalf—unless anyone has any questions or concerns?”
“No,” Skylar said.
“None,” Piers added.
“Very well. Then I’ll turn the meeting over to them.” Mara faced her charges. “Have you business for this Council?”
“We do,” Reigna said. She looked each of the members in the eyes, in turn, then proceeded to tell them of the past weeks.
“Wait a minute,” Harper interrupted, her legal mind working overtime, “where were you all this time, Mara? Why weren’t you with them?”
The Oathtaker opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Lucy interrupted. “That’s a subject we’ll address, in due course. I’ve already mentioned to Mara that we’d do so. At this time, however, I suggest we resolve other matters before us.”
Harper patted the bun at the crown of her head, then sat up, in he
r typical style, ramrod straight. “Fine by me.”
“May we continue?” Reigna asked.
“Certainly,” Lucy said.
“Good. As we were saying, Ehyeh tested us. In the end, we found His favor. But there’s much more we need to tell you all. For starters, the flits have been released.”
“The flits!” Skylar exclaimed. “But they’re not real creatures. They’re . . . fictitious, the stuff of myth.”
Eden grinned. “They are most certainly real, Professor Hadwin. We’ll introduce you to a couple of them—their leaders—Ephemeral and Fleeting, or Effie and Fleet, as they prefer to be called.”
“Well, I’ll be!”
“What are flits?” Mildred asked. “I hope they don’t represent any health dangers.”
The twins chuckled.
“They do not,” Eden said. “They are messengers. Ehyeh has provided them to us to assist in the events to come.”
Reigna held her hand up, signaling her request for silence. “More about the flits, later. For now, to continue, we note that our return couldn’t have been more . . . timely. But rather than tell you the details ourselves, we’ll allow our witnesses to fill you in.”
“Witnesses?” Piers asked.
“Yes. We found Basha and Therese upon our return here, to the city. Some interesting people accompanied them. We also met with Marshall and Jerrett who recently spent some time in Chiran.”
“Chiran? What were they doing there?” Mildred asked.
“Lucy, would you like to tell them?” Eden asked.
“Certainly.” Lucy explained how she’d sent the men there for information.
“Yes, and while there, they discovered Broden with Zarek,” Mara said.
“Broden?” Skylar asked.
“Lilith’s son . . . and Zarek’s,” Lucy said.
A collective gasp rose into the air.
Lucy explained to the others that Broden was the child Lilith had born after her return to Oosa those many years ago.
“Remember when Nina testified about Lilith’s pregnancy, back when the twins were infants?” she asked.
Select Page 48
