SWNOVELS Chapter Prologue
“Back out of Mother’s competition and just take the seat on the council.” The day was beautiful, perfectly sunny with the scent of a million different flowers dancing on their air. It would have been quite serene if not for the two women arguing in the heart of the garden maze.
The smaller of the two gorgeous women pushed against the arm trapping her to the foliage wall of the maze’s innermost hedge. “Why are you trying to pass your responsibility onto me, Sister? You are the eldest and it is your duty, not mine. Why Mother is even allowing this farce is beyond me. Was it not you that said I am not mature and spend far too much time dreaming? Let me enjoy watching my humans in the spring.”
“Perhaps leading the Council will force you to grow. You are a goddess, Lyra. Start acting like it. Besides, the elders wish you to lead and this may help unite the City even further. Take up your place.”
“Do not even pretend you want me to accept Mother’s offer for myself or even for the City,” the small, thin girl with the gauzy white dress snapped. “You only do this so that you do not have to relinquish control over your titans. Do you fear they will abandon you completely if you are not controlling them at all times?”
The older girl narrowed turquoise eyes. “My titans are more worthy to survive than your pathetic little beasts.”
“Have you no faith they can survive without you?”
“And what of you and your humans. Why do you want to neglect such a prestigious offer to watch them from a window? Can they not live without your supervision?”
The slender girl crossed her arms over her chest in a defiant manner, strawberry-blonde locks of hair spilling over the front of the strapless dress. “I have faith in them, but I will not have my life wasted away doing the job that is rightfully yours. Perhaps if you spent more time with other gods and less with your titans, the Council would not have chosen to have me succeed Mother.”
The taller girl drew herself up to her full height. The sisters looked similar with the same long hair, a lighter red than their Mother’s, and beauty inherited from being the daughters of Thesis. The goddess of the titans lacked the warmth that made Lyra so beloved. A hand twitched on her sword’s hilt in a way that should have frightened the younger girl, but she instead raised her chin in challenge. “Do not test me, little sister. You may not fear what I can do to you, but your guardian cares too deeply for you. I can get to you through him, and if that does not work, I know how to exploit his weaknesses. He is not as indestructible as you think, your precious Michael. Just do as I say or he will be the one to suffer.”
Lyra visibly paled as her sister walked away. She still looked worried a few minutes later when a tall, intimidating woman with deep red hair, high cheekbones and sharp almond-shaped eyes walked up. A small smile curved her full lips up, but it didn’t reach her cool lilac eyes. “Why all this silliness, Daughter? Accept your role as the child of the goddess of creation.”
“But it is not my role. Vega is the one meant to reign.”
“Perhaps that was the case once. You both have an independent spirit, but yours is compassionate. There is a darkness coming and the gods will need someone of your virtue to lead them.”
“But the humans-”
“Enough about the humans.” The ground rumbled and a fierce wind screamed, disturbing the smooth water if the spring. “Their fate is their own. They may have a few millennia, but eventually they will fall, either by your sister or the great evil that will come. Accept it. The darkness is coming.”
“Vega is stronger than I. She should lead if we are to survive this darkness you speak of.”
“We shall see. Whoever’s creation is worth saving will be excused from the Council. I do not have much faith in your humans.”
With her mother’s words, Lyra could see what would become of the world she’d created if her sister was to have free reign with her titans.