Sage

Sage

The war room was nearly empty when Sage and Kade entered. Only Gabriela sat at the table, fidgeting with her long braid. She paused when Sage approached, bowing her head low to hide her eyes.

She was afraid, which Sage found understandable.

Instead of going to her normal seat, Sage stood next to her, waiting until Gabriela lifted her eyes just enough to see her over her spectacles.

“Stick with me, and everything will be alright,” Sage said quietly. “We’re only going to cause damage to structures the Hands use- no one will get hurt.”

Gabriela went back to fidgeting with her braid. “I’ve only used my gift a few times. Mostly to put away books, or clean out the dust in less popular areas. I’ve never tried to push past that- I don’t know if I can.”

Sage couldn’t help how her lips quirked. “I know. I have a hard time trusting myself, too.” She looked over at Kade, who was leaning against the wall behind her normal chair. He wasn’t looking at them, trying to give them some semblance of privacy.

“But I have people who trust me. They believe in me, and more than that, they need me.”

Gabriela’s shoulder slumped. “I have no one. I only ever had my mother.”

Sage placed a hand on her shoulder. “You have us now.”

Gabriela sat up, her face slack with surprise. “Even after this?”

“Especially after this,” Minx said as she passed by them. “I think we will all need some therapy.”

“What?” Gabriela questioned.

“She means we might all be a little crazy in the end,” Sage explained.

“Too late,” Rhea sighed as she and Wraza entered the room.

“I have no idea what we will do after all this- but you are welcome to join us if you want, Gabriela.” Minx offered.

She glanced from Minx to Naru, who strode into the room with Alec and Elinar. A blush crept up her neck. She noticed Sage watching her and quickly adjusted her braid to cover her neck.

Naru stood on the other side of Gabriela instead of behind Sage’s chair.

Sage’s heart thrummed at the sight. “See? You have more people in your corner than you know.” She gave Gabriela a wink before moving to her chair. Naru didn’t meet her gaze while she sat down, and the sour feeling of guilt ate at her heart again.

She would speak with him when they returned. She made herself promise.

“Alright,” Rhea clapped her hands together, getting everyone’s attention. “Sage, Minx, and Gabriela will travel to Veer today. You will have until sundown to cause as much havoc as possible, as publicly, as possible. Most importantly, make sure the Hands see you.”

“Minx and I have only heard and read about the old Veer- before the ninth Halifax Maiden relocated to the Twin Cities. Are there any specific places we should focus on?” Sage inquired.

Rhea shrugged, but before responding, Wraza held up a hand, stopping her.

“Te’ka.” Wraza said, her tone even.

Gabriela gasped, then slapped a hand over her mouth. Naru’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Rhea spun in her chair, her mouth popping open with shock.

Sage raised a brow, exchanging a look with Minx. “Is that even still standing?” Sage asked. “I’ve only read about it- and even those tomes were ancient and outdated.”

“That’s your ancestor’s home.” Minx said quickly, “The birthplace of the first Halifax Maiden. It’s sacred ground.”

“You don’t have to lecture me about my family’s history,” Wraza said haughtily. Her cognac eyes blazed as she met their shocked faces.

“My love, are you sure?” Rhea asked, her hand fluttering to capture Wraza’s. “I thought-”

Wraza squeezed her hand, but let go quickly. She leaned forward, resting her chin over clasped hands, looking like she was bracing herself for something.

Sage waited while the fiery Maiden took a few shallow breaths- the last was a puff of visible embers.

“It’s true my family regarded the palace as a holy place, even after moving to the Twin Cities. The move was strategic- we wanted a piece of the port trade, and it was easier to oversee the business here than in the middle of the desert.” She paused, dropping her head into her hands. Rhea conjured an orb of water, gliding it over to her.

“Take a drink, my love.” She insisted.

“Take your time,” Minx said softly before cutting Sage a knowing look. They both understood the pained expression Wraza was fighting to hide behind her hands.

Wraza snatched the orb from the air- it sizzled and boiled against her heated fingertips, but it didn’t stop her from sipping the liquid. The rest evaporated beneath her touch.

“We used Te’ka for ceremonial purposes after that. Mostly for the exchange of Maidens when we turned seventeen. But it also had a Goddess Spring- one of the few springs in the desert. It fed and nourished my people year-round, and Veer flourished.

“The Fall came at the same time my ancestors were exchanging Maidens. Legend says the mother passed the mantle to her only daughter and told her to flee into the desert until it was safe. She stayed behind, but when it became apparent she wouldn’t leave Te’ka alive, she used the last of her power to burn the spring away.”

Gabriela’s eyes widened. “So that’s what happened.” She gasped when everyone looked towards her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” She looked mortified.

Wraza looked up, her burning eyes molten as she asked, “What do you mean?”

Gabriela swallowed, her small hands shaking. “The records in the library were unclear about what happened there. However, many speculated the disappearance of the Spring was due to the eradication of the Halifax Maidens. It was the last known living Goddess Spring.”

Sage nodded to herself. She’d read as much back home- as far as her family had known, it was the last Goddess Spring. She’d learned since coming to this world that there were two others hidden from the world.

“In a sense, it was. My ancestor didn’t want the Hands to have control of the spring. It was sacrilegious, though, what she did. That final act turned the city against my family, and the remaining Halifax Maiden stayed in hiding for fear of what her people would do to her.

“Since then, Veer has fallen into darkness. Without the life-giving spring, the people had to resort to stealing to survive. It’s a city of thieves and thugs now. The mine is the only reason it’s still standing. The Hands use prisoners to man the mine- and Veer is full of criminals for them to use.”

Sage puffed out her cheeks, shaking her head as she recalled the mine. The Iron Mountains were just that- hard iron that couldn’t easily be mined. Veer had been a huge producer of stone for the Twin Cities in the past. Most of the structures there were composed of stone hewed from the mine.

“Right now, Te’ka serves as the headquarters for the Hands and the mine.” Wraza shot Sage a heated look that took her breath away. Sage could recognize the rage and pain there and understood instantly why Wraza wanted them to attack the ancient palace.

“It’s soiled,” Sage said bluntly.

Wraza dipped her chin, the only acknowledgment she would give.

“You don’t want to reclaim it?” Gabriela inquired. “It is your ancestral home, after all.”

Wraza shot her a withering look. “No. If I could, I would burn it to ash and throw the ashes into the ocean.” Sparks flew from her clenched fists. Rhea tossed an orb of water over the table, dousing the rising flames. Wraza pulled her hands into her lap, hunching over herself to quiet the sparks.

Silence rolled over the table as they all waited for her to calm down. Sage couldn’t help but feel there was more to the story than what Wraza had told them. According to her, she should still be in the desert, hiding like Kami had been. Instead, she was here in the Twin Cities. So what had happened? How did she end up here?

Sage saved her questions. Whatever connection Wraza had with Te’ka was bad enough that it sent her into a fiery fit.

Minx seemed to feel the same way. Sage could see the questions on her lips, just waiting to be asked, but she kept her mouth shut.

There would be time for that later. Sage knew they all had a past. They all had messed up families and secrets they kept deep within themselves. But there was still a part of her, a strange part that ached to be closer to them all.

Perhaps it was remnants of her childhood with Minx when they dreamt of a life where their families never left Neaviah. Where they were close friends with all the Maidens. It was a strange sensation- to feel like they should be closer because of who they were, but to also understand they were all strangers.

Besides, hadn’t Vinciei proved that just being a Maiden didn’t mean they could be trusted automatically?

Sage watched Wraza regain her composure and hoped beyond all hope that Wraza’s request wasn’t born of some alternative motive. Vinciei had gone along with their plans- having her own the entire time.

Though she didn’t want to provoke Wraza by asking too many questions, she didn’t want to blindly do what she asked.

“Is this personal?” Sage asked. Minx shot her a look, but she ignored her. Wraza didn’t answer, keeping her head bowed as she breathed. It was Rhea who piped up.

“It is.” She said softly. “But even so, she is right. Attacking Te’ka will accomplish our goal. It will get Supreme Capricorn’s attention and ensure he will act swiftly.”

“I agree,” Gabriela said.

Sage chewed her lip, trying to see any possible motive Wraza would have outside of some personal vendetta. But no matter the reason, she couldn’t possibly see an avenue Wraza would use to betray them. Te’ka held no real power outside of being the headquarters for the Hands.

“Alright. How much damage are we talking about?” Sage asked, grinning.

Wraza glanced up, a feral smile stretching across her face. “Raze it to the ground.”