They went upstairs and took a right, then crossed a simple rope bridge that joined the main trunk with a large gathering of branches in a more distant portion of the tree. She avoided glancing down until they reached the opposite end of the branch. Thick vines wound around the branches, creating a bird’s nest-like space. A collection of fluffy pillows lined the nestled area.
“Here is your bed.”
She climbed on top of the pillows and reclined. “This is surprisingly comfortable.”
“Surprisingly?” Farius asked.
She shrugged. “It looks rustic by temple standards. But it’s more comfortable than my bed. And the view…”
“Since it is never completely dark, you find it difficult to sleep. Your mother had some difficulty in adjusting, too. If that happens, let me know. I have an excellent tea that will help you adjust to the cycles of the grove.”
She stood and grabbed hold of the ropes on either side of the bridge. “Thank you.”
“I see you are already more at ease.”
“I am. I may feel differently when I meet other Druids.”
He chuckled. “You already have, Niv’leana. Most are currently in their animal forms. The birds singing, bees humming, and crickets chirping are welcoming you home.”
She inhaled deeply and looked around the grove, this time paying close attention to the animals. She had taken most of them for granted.
“A fox guided me here,” she said. “But I haven’t seen it in the grove.”
“A fox, eh? Interesting. Rest assured, your paths will cross again.”
She hugged her father. She had so sorely missed being in her father’s protective embrace. “I have missed you so much.”
“And I, you, Niv’leana.”
“There were so many times I desperately needed your advice,” she said. “I had no idea what I was doing in the temple. If not for the help of my friends…”
“You did well,” he replied. “Do not fret. All of that is on hold and will be as it was when you left.”
She looked up at him. “I will learn as much as I can from Lyndoni. I promise I won’t let you down.”
“My dear, I know you will do your best. You must know you could never disappoint me.”
Chapter 28
Shadow Grove
The sign on the fence leading to Kytis’s estate barely hung on by a thread. Its disheveled appearance bothered Shareis’s internal sense of order, so she carefully repositioned it on the available nails. She stood back and nodded in pride at her attempt to improve the property. She thought she heard the sign fall to the ground when she closed the gate, but she resisted the urge to check.
The mansion loomed from the top of the hill. It would’ve been even more intimidating had the exterior been in a better state of repair. The roof was intact and no windows were broken, but the old wood siding planks could easily soak up their weight in paint. Despite this neglect, the yard and porch were pristine.
She walked up to the door and knocked, then waited patiently for someone to answer. She raised her hand to knock again when an older woman opened it just a crack.
“Yes?”
“I’ve come to speak to the owner of the manor,” Shareis said. She knew he wasn’t home but felt it necessary to ask anyway.
“He’s not in at the moment.”
The voice sounded immensely familiar.
“May I come inside?” she asked.
“Our master does not like visitors while he is away.”
She gently pushed on the edge of the door. The woman resisted at first, then allowed it to open a bit more. She immediately recognized the features of her face—her warm, hazel-green eyes, and her long brown hair, now with streaks of gray.
“It’s you,” she said.
“Well of course. Who else would it be?”
She fully opened the door. There was no mistake.
“Mother!”
Mauria stood in silence. A small twitch of Mauria’s cheek was the only indication she had heard her.
She took a step forward, but Mauria took hold of the door’s edge and prepared to close it. “As I said, the master doesn’t like visitors while he’s away.”
She studied the woman’s face carefully. There were more lines around the eyes, but no doubt it was Mauria.
“Don’t…. don’t you recognize me?”
Mauria took a closer look. “You’re a Proctor.”
“Half-human, half-Proctor.”
“That’s good to know,” Mauria replied. “I will tell the master that a half-human, half-Proctor came to visit. Goodbye.”
And the door closed.
Shareis’s mouth hung open in astonishment. Was she losing her mind? Was that really Mauria? It had to be.
She took hold of the porch railing, bracing as she pondered Mauria’s reaction. Surely that was her mother. Granted, Lilly raised her, but she knew what Mauria looked like. There was no doubt in her mind. She spun on her heels and returned to the door and knocked, this time with far more force.
“Mom!”
She saw a figure move past the window.
“I know you’re there. Open up!”
Why was her own mother rejecting her? Surely she didn’t blame her for what Lilly had done?
She leaned her forehead against the door. “Mom, please. Open the door. I… I’ve missed you.”
The door slowly creaked.
“Please, say something.”
Her mother blinked slowly. “I am Mauria.”
“I knew it! I couldn’t forget my mother’s face.”
“I think Proctors forget whatever is convenient.”
“May I enter?” she asked.
Mauria looked behind her, then stepped outside and closed the door. “No. But I will speak to you out here.”
She started to protest, but saw it best to accept any progress, no matter how paltry it may be. Mauria sat on a rocker and pointed to another one a fair distance from hers. She picked up the opposite chair and placed it across from her mother. “What is going on?”
Mauria shook her head in disbelief. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that, Shareis?”
“I don’t understand.”
“I don’t want to have this conversation.”
She frowned. “I’m here, and we’re having it, mother. Why are you so angry with me?”
Mauria deeply inhaled, then bit her lip as she pondered her response. “I am not angry. I am well beyond any kind of emotion you could imagine. You and your mother rejected me long ago. Why should you fret over me now?”
“I didn’t reject you!” she yelled.
“You never visited—”
“There was a war! Proctors weren’t welcome in these parts back then. They’re not really welcome now. Your son threated me in the bar.”
Mauria scoffed. “You are mistaken.”
“Manis is filled with anger. He had no idea who I was, yet he hated my guts simply because I am a Proctor.”
“He has good cause.”
“Oh, is that what you tell yourself?”
“How old are you now, Shareis?”
“Thirty-three,”
Mauria glared. “I haven’t laid eyes on you in… twenty-four years.”
“That was not by choice.”
Maura slammed her clenched fist on the arm of the rocker. “Like hell it wasn’t! You were an adult for… what? At least fifteen of those years. What were you doing then?”
“Last year, I helped in saving the continent from a psychotic high priestess.”
“One down, fourteen to go.”
She sighed. “I trained with a group of Proctors until I was twenty-four.”
“Didn’t your mother teach you all you needed to know?”
“It wasn’t like that,” she replied. “It was an organization of sorts.”
“Whatever. So, the remaining eight years?”
“I had no goal in life during most of that time. I traveled extensively, trying to find my purpose.”
“And in all those travels, you couldn’t stop by and see your mother?” Mauria asked through clenched teeth.
“I stopped by your homestead about five years ago.”
“Why did you expect to find me there?”
“When I was eight, it was where you lived. I thought it a reasonable assumption—”
“That’s all Proctors seem to do—assume. Did you try asking around?”
“The thought occurred to me. Then I realized that in Masola, the center of the Proctor Wars, I might not be so warmly welcomed. And then I left.”
“You’re here now,” Mauria said. “What changed?”
“I’m conducting an investigation.”
“Ahh… an investigation. Work, then, right? Wait… you didn’t expect to find me here, did you?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Now things are making a bit more sense,” Mauria said. “Why are you investigating Kytis?”
“I cannot say at this time.”
“Typical. So, this is one big happy accident, right?” Mauria stood. “As I said, Master Kytis isn’t here.”
“He is no master,” she grumbled.
She scoffed. “He is my master. He’s the only one in this town willing to employ me in my condition.”
“In your condition?”
“I am an old woman now, Shareis.”
“You aren’t that old!” she exclaimed.
“Old enough. I cannot get around like I used to. Kytis… makes allowances for me.”
She frowned. “If he has even touched a hair on your head—”
“What do you think I am—some kind of Skilla?”
“I didn’t mean to imply—”
Mauria pointed away from the house. “Go. You aren’t welcome here.”
Mauria’s words hurt infinitely more than if she’d slapped her.
“Go!”
Shareis took a few steps and nearly stumbled. Her throat was dry, and her lips numb. She tried to speak, but nothing came out.
“Tell whoever sent you that Kytis is the only person in this world who has shown me a sliver of kindness in years.”
Her feet were made of lead. Each step brought more pain. She looked back as tears streamed down her face. “Mom… I…”
“Go!”
Mauria’s scream echoed across the fields and through her heart so loudly she feared it might stop then and there.
She did all she knew to do. She ran.
Chapter 29
Derik laid on his back and closed his eyes, panting from exhaustion. “You are phenomenal, Olivia. Simply phenomenal.”
She grinned. “Thank you.”
He leaned over and stared into her eyes. “I don’t think you realize how much pleasure you give me.”
She bit her lip, unsure of her reply.
His finger traced her navel, then her breasts. “The creator certainly broke the mold after making your figure.”
She blushed. “Thank you.”
“There is no need to say thank you. Does the sunset thank the eyes that drink in its beauty?”
Her face grew hotter. “I… I don’t know what to say. You flatter me.”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
She demurred. “I think you’re handsome.”
He smiled. “Have you given any thought to your dedication? Most Skilla accept the rites at eighteen.”
She sighed. “I know I need to go through with the ritual. I’m already a year late.”
“What is your reservation?” Derik asked.
She shrugged. “I’ve been busy.” She turned over and straddled him. “Mostly with you.”
He smiled. “A lovely thing, indeed. But this is your magical life, Olivia. It should not be neglected.”
“I know,” she replied. She took his hands and pulled them up to cup her breasts. “I will. Don’t worry.”
He pulled away. “This is important.”
She ran her fingers along his chest. “So is this.”
Despite her attempts to seduce him, he remained visibly annoyed.
“What’s wrong, Derik?”
He propped himself up on his elbows. The position became uncomfortable for her, so she sat between his legs.
“I don’t want to see you throw your life away.”
“I’m not. How could I be? It’s just one year.”
“Sure. First, it’s one year, then the next. Soon, you’ll sleep your days away in a brothel and never dedicate yourself to our higher calling.”
“I’m nineteen,” she replied. “I don’t have to have life figured out yet.”
He frowned. “When will you?”
“What does it matter to you?”
He sat upright across from her in the bed. “It matters a great deal. I can not only be your witness. I can guide you in the art of Skilla magic.”
“Just because I’m sleeping with a High Priest doesn’t mean I’m entitled to favors.”
“You’re wrong,” he said. “I see such potential in you.”
“You mainly compliment my body.”
He smiled. “You are a sight to see, Olivia. No doubt about that. But there is something else about you… something incredible. You are destined to do great things.”
“Maybe,” she replied, then leaned in for a kiss. He returned a quick, patronizing peck. “But right now, Derik, I want to…”
“Yes, yes, Olivia, I know what you want.”
She pulled back. “You weren’t complaining a few minutes ago.”
“We can’t stay in bed all day.”
She giggled. “Yes, we can.”
He held her chin. “Come on, Olivia. Let’s be serious, now, shall we? When shall we hold your dedication ceremony?”
Her fingers danced across his chest with every word. “If you keep pestering me about it, the answer will be never.”
His face turned red and he gnashed his teeth. “You will not talk to me in that manner, Olivia!”
“I will talk however I want.”
He slapped her so hard she nearly fell off the bed. “No. You won’t.”
She struggled to regain her balance. His eyes were so full of rage she dared not gaze into them. She kept her head down and her voice low. “I’m sorry. I…”
He grabbed her shoulder and forced her to look at him. “You will not trifle with me, Olivia.”
She was certain his tight grip would crush her shoulder blade. “I told you I’m sorry.”
He sneered. “I can have any woman I want in my bed. I chose you, Olivia. Don’t be an idiot and waste this opportunity.”
He pushed her away and left the bedroom. Her shoulder ached and her face stung. She laid back on the bed, closed her eyes, and tried not to cry.
Olivia’s eyes fluttered open with fresh terror and she sprung upright. Her heart was nearly beating out of her chest. She panted, desperately trying to catch her breath. She threw off her hot, sweat-soaked covers and looked around to catch her bearings. She was back in her bedroom at the Temple of the Ael’Shanar.
It took her a few moments to realize it was all a dream. And yet, every sight, every word, every sensation had really occurred. She put her hand on her face, recalling the biting pain Derik had so frequently inflicted in his fits of rage. The subtle twinge in her shoulder was a persistent reminder of his frequent cruelty.
She pulled her knees up to her chest and held them as she gently rocked. It provided the slightest comfort, a necessity she now so horribly lacked.
Chapter 30
A strong, yet pleasant odor of old manuscripts hit Shareis as soon as she entered the Masola library. The old bookshelf wood, leather bindings, and dim candlelight reminded her of late nights spent in the archives in the Temple of the Ael’Shanar.
After a quick inquiry at the desk, she proceeded to a back room and knocked on the door labeled Librarian. A voice inside told her to enter. A man in his early forties slouched over the desk, pen furiously transcribing an old tome.
He didn’t look up to greet
her. “Yes?”
“Are you free?”
He grunted. “I’m never free.” He put down his pen, folded his hands, and looked her in the eye. “But that is by choice. How can I…” He stood. “Wait… you’re a Proctor.”
She nodded. “I am.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know where Lilly is, would you?” Before she had a chance to answer, he added, “I am sorry. I suppose I shouldn’t have assumed that you would know her.”
“I do, actually.”
He lit up in an instant. “Where is she?”
“I am unaware of her current location.”
His smile slowly faded. “Oh.” He sat back down, defeated. “How do you know her?”
“She is my mother.”
“Then you’re…”
“Shareis.”
His smile returned. “I thought you looked familiar, but I didn’t want to presume.”
“It would have been fine, Adrious.”
He stood and approached her. “It’s been so long. How have you been?”
“I’ve been well, thank you. And you?”
He looked back at his desk. “Busy. I heard about what you and Niv’leana did at Lahara. You are a true hero, Shareis.”
“Thank you, but I only played a small role. Niv is the hero.”
He nodded. “Just the reply I would expect from a hero. From my sister. May I hug you?”
She smiled. “Thank you for asking. Nobody asks Proctors, they just pull us in for hugs. We’re not fond of them, generally.”
“That’s why I asked.”
She hugged him. “But I’m half-human. And you’re family, Adrious.”
He chuckled. “So, half of you is stoic and half emotional?”
“Pretty much. It is an… interesting balance.”
He pointed to a chair across from him. “Please, have a seat. Would you like some tea?”
“I’d love some, thanks.”
He poured her a cup of Elvemon. “My favorite.”
“You would get along well with Niv,” she said.
“Of course. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine.”
“Well… we are more than friends. She is my partner.”
“Oh, really? Well, it seems my family has members in high places.”
“Town librarian,” she said. “That’s not exactly a low position.”
Olivia Page 10
