Empress of the Gods

Atarah

August’s grandparents were kind to invite them to dinner. She barely ate with William at the tavern after the conversation they had. They sat around the table that was almost covered with food. Her nose filled with the scent of spices that came from the vegetables that were accompanied by a small portion of fish that was perfectly cooked. She took a loaf of bread and put it on her plate.

“Your guardian attracts too much attention,” Wylan said with a serious voice, looking at Galad, who sat behind her.

“But we have seen guardians on the street, why her guardian is different?” asked Elysia with her arms folded.

Robbie was paying attention to every word while he ate, and William was next to her with his hand near hers.

“Because the blessed ones most of the time stay in the castle,” August answered before his grandfather did. “They are only seen on public events.”

“You make it sound as if they are prisoners,” Elysia said before she took a sip from her tea.

“They are not, but they are dedicated to their people,” answered Wylan.

“Which means?” Elysia asked.

“Which means they have been educated inside the castle and training day and night for the Tsaraaths trials so we can have a new king and queen fit to rule our kingdom.”

“The trials must be brutal if you put it that way,” Myrah said.

Wylan’s gaze got lost at an empty space for a moment. “They are,” he replied, lost in his own thoughts.

“How are those trials?” Atarah asked.

“After the spring equinox, it takes thirty suns and twenty-nine nights in the wild. Some of the nymphs come from the Asteria castle to bless and observe the trials. Before it starts, guardians of the blessed ones block their power, forcing them to start a journey without their gifts and without weapons. They need to survive in the wild, trying to get to the sacred arena where they fight a nymph without using their gifts in a hand-to-hand combat.”

“That doesn’t seem like much trouble,” Myrah said.

Wylan smirked. “You still have a lot to learn, lass. Have you ever fought with a deity?” he replied when he served himself tea.

“Something else happens on that journey to the sacred arena, doesn’t it?” Robbie asked.

“Yes, you don’t only fight to survive with your body, but also with your mind. The journey is rough, and they usually find who they really are in there. They face their worst nightmares. Some of them don’t come the same as they started. Some of them don’t even come back at all.” August’s grandmother put a hand on his husband’s shoulder and his husband put a hand on top of hers while he looked at the table.

“In each driadae kingdom, the trials can change, but its essence remains. You need to prove you are fit to rule. To protect your kind for every threat it presents. The blessed ones belong to their people, and that is the reason why they are born with great power,” he said as he put food on his plate.

“Do you really believe that?” she asked, facing Wylan.

“I do.”

“Then why haven’t you alerted the castle about my arrival?” she said to him. “I know my sister can sometimes be talkative,” she leaned forward. “You know who I am.”

Driadaes were born at least with one gift. It was rare to find one without a gift and the women used to have more than one. She suspected Wylan’s gift had something to do with feeling other’s powers because she had seen the same look everyone gave her when they saw Galad, only that Wylan instead of seeing her like a gold mine saw her with a hint of fear and hope.

“Anyone who has knowledge of what is happening in Drykahria, the prophecies, and can feel your power knows who you are, lass.”

William tensed by her side; Elysia was calm, but she knew she was prepared for everything; Robbie was still eating; Myrah started looking uncomfortable; and August and his grandmother looked confused, but Wylan faced her.

“I know how brutal the trials can be. I know what those damn trials are. It’s a slaughter arena where only the strongest of all survive,” he replied. “I was there when my brother died. I saw it with my own eyes.” He clenched his fist on the table.

“So, you are?” Myrah didn’t finish her question, but she knew she was wondering the same she did. Wylan might be one of the blessed ones.

“No, as twins, I should have inherited that kind of power too, but sometimes it’s not the case. I can feel other driadae powers as if it were mine. My brother had power, and it felt like yours. They took him from us when we were barely boys. We didn’t see him much until one day he stopped coming. They told him we were a mere distraction for him. So, we didn’t see him until he was twenty-five winters old, and he was ready to face the trials. From the time we didn’t see him, he changed too much, as if he found out something he shouldn’t have.”

“I’m sorry,” Atarah apologized in a low tone of voice.

“Yeah,” added Robbie.

“Those trials prove the ones who win can lead us. However, I despise the idea of separating families, how deadly the trials can be, and the ridiculous rules and punishments around them.” He glanced at her. “It’s an abomination what they let happen in there,” he added. “You don’t know how much that messed my brother up. Some things need to be changed, and if there is a possibility that you are what our people had been waiting for a long time, then I will help you as much as I can.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“There is a prophecy of an heir with fire in their soul that will ride a night wyvern, leading our kind to a new era. There are rumors amongst our kind that say it’s a powerful heir that the driadae kingdoms have not seen in a long time and seeing you with the tiger makes me remember some of the old stories that I once heard.” She waited for him to continue, but he only added. “Hope. That’s what those stories were. Hope.” He stood up from his chair and looked at them. “If you’ll excuse me, I still have work to do. Enjoy the meal,” he said before he and his wife left them in there with their grandson.

“I’m sorry, but my grandfather doesn’t like to talk about his brother and every time he does, he acts that way,” August apologized, and Myrah rested a hand on his arm.

“We should get to the inn,” Elysia said when she followed Atarah’s gaze.

“Please, feel free to stay here,” August quickly stood up.

“Thank you, but we don’t want to abuse your hospitality. Also, we already paid for the rooms at the inn,” Atarah replied.

“If you need anything, you can find us in the mermaid’s tale,” William said to her sister. Myrah only nodded with her head.

When she was at the threshold of the house, she turned around to see her sister. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Myr.” Atarah had a hand on the door and Myrah nodded. “It’s good to see you again.”

Myrah had to know that she was glad to see her again. She needed to know her sister would do anything for her. Her life was never going to be normal just for being her sister, and it was not fair to her.

***

“You don’t have to do those trials. We can figure something out,” Elysia said as she walked next to her. Atarah turned around to see William and Robbie walking at a reasonable distance. Elysia followed her gaze before she continued. “We can adjust the plans.”

“It doesn’t matter if we adjust the plans. They will never stop looking for me if I decide to be on the trials or not, so if I do them, it better benefit us instead of them. Also, I’m tired of hiding,” she firmly said.

“Then we better get you a pretty good mentor before we move forward with our plans.”

“Which are?”

“With the coven gone, Lharastsha sent a new general to protect Khrysaor. Shayde might not be lifting a finger to play with the other realms, but he is moving to sit on the stone throne. The witches’ realms don’t care right now about the warning in the wind. So, I need to make some noise in there,” she informed while she watched around them as if she could feel someone following them.

“What do you want me to do?”

“The Dimneas dagger is still incomplete. We need to find the missing pieces before someone else does. And be prepared because as soon as the word comes out about the dagger and who has it, they are going to send all the muscle that they have to get it back.”

“So, I practically became the dagger’s keeper.”

“It seems so.”

“What else do you want me to do?” Atarah’s gaze got lost in the shadows of the night.

“I might be the new Silverclaw leader, but I’m not Rhiannon. We are in this together.” Elysia knew her that well. “We can’t stay much time in here.”

“Well, tell that to Myrah.” She let out a deep sigh.

“It’s not your fault, you know.”

“Which part?” she asked without looking at her.

“Any of it. You couldn’t have known those men were not bounty-hunters from Drykahria. You didn’t kill the coven and Myrah’s being involved in this awful situation is not your fault either.” Atarah stopped walking and looked at her friend. “Let’s wait till the lantern festival passes before you head to Euthoria. Also, try to enjoy while you are here. What could happen if you do?”

How could she enjoy being in there when she was on the run? Atarah felt tired, but Elysia was right about waiting till the lantern festival passed so they could leave.