Chapter Eight

AVA-MARIE

Ilamanthe smelled like fresh linens and sunlight. I awoke slowly, enjoying the sound of the birds outside as the curtains blew in the wind. Charlie was asleep on my chest, an arm wrapped protectively around my waist.

Last night was great. We'd messed around in the Sanctuary before we'd moved to the bed. I didn't want to stop, but I'd been so worn out I'd fallen asleep after he'd blown my mind. Charlie really knew how to push me to my limits.

I let a hand fall back above my head as I thought about how amazing life had become. Sure, there was a supernatural war going on, but I'd nearly forgotten about it here in Ilamanthe. We were doing all we could to stop the Warden, looking for the vampire key and practicing our demigod powers, but in the meantime, there was always something new to explore in the city or the palace. We got to spend a lot of time together with our friends, without having to watch our backs, and the Elves took care of us here.

This place was awesome. I'd never been happier in my life. I didn't ever want to leave.

Charlie stirred. He squeezed me sleepily. "Hey, you."

"Hey you." I smiled as I trailed my fingers through his hair. "You slept well."

It was really nice, watching Charlie rest. He never had the best sleep— he was always tossing and turning, talking in his sleep to some kind of nightmare. I'd observed him during long nights at the Institute when my bipolar kept me awake, and it was really hard for him to rest. But since we'd gotten to Ilamanthe, his dreams were always undisturbed. It was the best thing watching him be at peace, sometimes even smile in his sleep. He'd really changed for the better since we'd gotten here.

"I'm hungry, and I want breakfast." Charlie lifted the blanket over his head and ducked under it. His fingers caressed my skin as he pushed up my nightgown, and I felt his lips press against my clit before his tongue dove inside of me.

"Charlie…"

"I was dreaming about you last night. They were good dreams."

I let out a giggle that turned into a moan as his tongue licked me up and down. "You said you wanted breakfast."

"Why should I get out of bed when I can just eat you?"

I wasn't going to object. Charlie pushed my legs open wider, and I sank into the pillows as his mouth kissed my thighs. Good morning to me!

Oberi landed on the open balcony, back from her morning flight. The phoenix turned a beady eye on us as my fists bunched in the blankets.

Wrap it up, you two. Oberi ruffled her feathers. I appreciate you're enjoying the moment, but there's a big day ahead… just like every day here, I suppose.

"Tell them we're busy." Charlie licked me again, and my back arched off the bed.

I would, but your grandfather is expecting you both. You wouldn't want to be late, now would you? Oberi asked.

This made Charlie pause. He kissed the inside of my thigh. "We'll have to pick this up later."

I wasn't disappointed. Charlie liked to edge me, and making me wait all day would give me a bigger thrill later.

Charlie helped me into that awkward wheelchair I'd been given after I'd broken my other one, and he rolled me into the living area. The servants had already dropped off a fresh pot of coffee with a rack of newly baked blueberry muffins. I heard Sprigs sing a song from his potted lemon tree in the corner of the room and decided he needed more plants to hide in. We'd have to ask the servants to pick some up.

I wheeled up to the serving cart, poured a cup of coffee, then dropped in two sugars and a spoonful of cream before handing it to Charlie with a bowed head.

"Thank you, my love." He took a sip. "I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" I asked cheerfully as I made my own coffee, then took a bite out of a muffin. "What is it?"

"Once we're dressed, I'll show you."

I practically choked down my muffin. I loved presents, and I wanted to see what Charlie had gotten me. I was so spoiled.

After we'd gotten ready for the day, Charlie took me back to the living room. I squealed when I saw Kallie was standing by a brand new wheelchair, though it wasn't like any I'd ever seen. It was really fancy, with a bucket seat and padded leg rests.

"It's pink!" I screeched.

"Of course. I wanted it to be your favorite color. I knew you were uncomfortable in that chair." Charlie put a gentle hand on my shoulder. "It has all the latest advancements. It's a hybrid manual and motorized wheelchair, so if you get tired of pushing yourself around, you can use the remote to go forward, backward, or turn."

"It also tilts and reclines," Kallie said, pressing a button. I watched as the seat of the chair moved forward, then tilted backward. "And guess what? The wheels light up."

A hot-pink light emitted from the spokes of the wheels, and I went giddy. "I can't believe it glows!"

Charlie stroked my hair. "Only the best for my pidge."

I yanked on his arms and he stumbled forward. I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Oh, Charlie! It's perfect!" I kissed him on the cheek.

"Plus it's got padded seating, so you'll be able to sit on your ass after Charlie spanks you too hard," Kallie cackled.

"I want to try it out right away!" I gushed. They helped me into the chair, and it was super comfortable. I already loved it. I began pressing buttons, doing circles around the room. Oberi's head went back and forth as she watched me whizz by.

"Let's see how fast it can go," I blurted. Kallie opened the door for me to the outside hall, and I pressed the accelerating button down on the wheelchair as hard as I could. I was thrown back as the wheelchair jolted forward, and servants jumped out of the way as I went racing down the hall. I headed directly toward a curved ramp, which led to a lower level of the palace.

"Wee!" I cried. "This is so much fun… oh no!"

The chair had picked up too much speed on the ramp, and I lost control. I tried to correct it, but the chair jerked to the side and I tumbled out of it.

"Ava!" Charlie and Kallie's hurried footsteps clattered on the stone floor as they raced to catch up with me. I groaned, pushing myself onto my back.

"Are you okay?" Charlie worried, stooping to the ground.

"I'm all right." I blew a lock of hair out of my eyes. "I need to try that again. I think if I slowed down on the turn, I could make it?—"

"No," Charlie scolded as he helped me back into the chair. "You went too fast."

"Why'd you put a motor on it if you didn't want me to race?"

"If you don't use it nicely, I'll take it away and get you something else," Charlie warned.

"No! My shiny toy!"

"Then behave."

Kallie put the chair back up, and Charlie deposited me into it. Kallie brushed off my dress as she said, "You need to get moving or you're both going to be late. You're supposed to have your spiritual initiation today."

My stomach sank. Right. That. Couldn't wait.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this," I said warily as we proceeded in the direction of the Elvish temple.

"You have to be," Kallie insisted. "You're the princess."

"But I don't know what they expect me to do." I'd been filled in on my responsibilities, but I didn't think I could pull them off.

"I'll be behind you," Charlie promised. "This is only the first day. If it goes bad, you always have the next time."

Sure, if the Elves don't kick me out. Their goddesses were sacred to them. It'd been stressed to me how important this was, and I was worried about messing it up.

Abigail met us outside the temple doors. My lady-in-waiting gave a kind smile. "Are you ready, princess?"

"Hardly." I had trouble meeting her eyes. I wasn't so certain my lady-in-waiting wasn't the spy we'd been looking for. She was such an obvious choice, and that's why I hesitated calling her out.

But at the same time, she was the only one I knew of who had a connection with the Warden. She was a Taurus, after all. I was almost certain she was feeding information back to her uncle about us. But if that were true, why didn't the Warden have the key already?

I wasn't sure, but I was keeping an eye on her.

"Can we go over what I'm supposed to do again?" I asked warily.

"The ceremony will begin, then once the opening rites are finished, your initiation will start," Abigail said. "You'll take your vows and allow the mystics to help you make the transition into a vision from the Elven goddesses."

"Great," I said. "Hopefully they're talkative today."

"Once your initiation is over, you'll be expected to participate in temple services at least once a week, helping the mystics hold ceremonies and getting messages from the goddesses," Abigail informed me. "But don't worry about all that right now. What's most important is this ceremony."

Awesome. If I didn't burn the temple down by accident during any of these ceremonies, I was golden.

A few guards opened the temple doors to us. We wandered inside, and I looked around in awe.

The temple was beautifully elaborate. Pews carved from the interior of massive tree trunks were splayed out in a circle around a large elder tree, which was growing in the middle of the room. The trunk of the elder tree had been shaped with magic, to form the image of two Elvish women entwining their bodies within the bark— the Elvish goddesses, Idril and Caralyn. Beside the Elder tree was a wooden altar large enough for a person to lay, with ivy that wound up the base, and a stone basin that held shimmering silver water. A long aisle started at the double doors and led up to the center of the room, through the middle of the pews. The windows were stained glass, depicting the story of how Idril had found Caralyn and bestowed upon her the powers of a deity. Emerald banners hung from the stone walls beside the windows, displaying the sigil of the Elvish house of Majestica— a tree surrounded by seven keys. The ceiling had a huge skylight, and yellow sun poured in from above to ignite the entire space. Everything was bathed in lovely tones of red chestnut, gold, and green. The entire room smelled of incense and mint.

"Wow. It's pretty in here," Kallie said as she looked around. Oberi soared over the pews, describing what she saw to Charlie.

"It would be a beautiful place to hold a wedding," I said, looking around. "So much sun."

Opal was here as my lady, as well as my guard, Eldin. They curtsied to me, and Abigail introduced me to a very tall Elvish mystic standing before the elder tree, who wore robes that seemed to be spun from the wings of moths, if such a thing were possible. The robes were that beautiful, and were in metallic colors. From my studies, I'd learned that initiates wore copper, regular mystics wore silver, and the highest roles in the temple wore gold. Other Elvish mystics were gathered around her, but they had their hoods up to conceal their faces. The tall Elf was wearing a gold diadem with a white pearl dangling from the center, so I figured she had to be in charge.

Abigail gestured to the tall Elf before us. "Princess, this is Valindra Essiel. She is the Great Mystic of our temple, and has been for over five-hundred years."

She didn't look a day over twenty-five. Valindra inclined her head to me and said, "Welcome, princess. Let us proceed with the initiation."

"You'll do fine," Charlie whispered to me, and I swallowed. I wasn't so sure about that. I was eager to step into this role, but now that my time was here, I was afraid. What if I wasn't able to do this, and I let the Elves down? So much was riding on me to be a good princess, and if I failed, the entire nation would come crumbling down. It was almost more pressure than I could handle. What if the goddesses didn't accept me, because I wasn't an Elf? I couldn't serve Charlie's people properly if the Elvish goddesses didn't want anything to do with me.

I had a hard time making normal people accept me, and now I had to impress two deities, neither of which I shared a bloodline with. I didn't think this was going to go well.

The mystics took me to the back of the temple. Opal helped me into a white dress so I could bathe in a circular pool beneath a thin waterfall. The Elvish mystics threw diamond dust into the pool as I bathed, and Opal washed my hair in rosemary perfume. They put a golden robe upon my shoulders that shimmered whenever I moved, and dotted my face with makeup they'd made from powdered flowers. Oberi sat on a perch over the pool and hummed a low tune as the mystics intricately braided my hair beside the water.

When the mystics wandered away to prepare the needed elements for the ceremony, Opal leaned in to whisper, "Don't worry. The goddesses will accept you."

"What if the goddesses think I'm a bitch?" I whispered back.

"You are a bitch. That's probably what they like," Opal joked.

After I was finally ready, it was time for me to be presented to the public. When we came back to the worship hall of the temple, the patrons of the palace had gathered in the pews for the ceremony. I peeked out from behind the door to the back and almost choked. Shit, the room was already full of hundreds of people. Everyone was going to see it if I made a mistake.

My grandparents were sitting close to the door I was peeking behind. "Ooh, I've always wondered how Elvish religious ceremonies would be performed," Grandpa Elliot whispered in excitement to my grandmother. "Now we get to observe one in person!"

"Such a joy," Grandmother Eleanor said dryly. She saw me and gave a firm nod.

I knew what that meant. You can show them— don't screw it up. My grandmother didn't care if I was queen of the elephants as long as it put me in a position of power.

Opal asked if I was ready, then wheeled me out. Whispers went up around the room as people saw me. Everyone looked excited and happy, though I wasn't sure if they should be. There hadn't been a female Elvish monarch in such a long time, but I couldn't say for certain I was the one they'd been waiting for.

I spotted a couple of friends gathered in the middle of the hall. Opal's daughter sat in Ez's lap, and he held her up so she could wave at us as I rolled by.

"I can't believe you guys dragged me out of bed so I could go to church. Last place I wanna be," Chancey complained. He actually looked nervous as he glanced around— like he thought an Elvish mystic was going to jump out from behind a pew and start beating him over the head with a holy book.

"This isn't church, dumbass," Alistair told him.

Ivy wiggled their manicured fingers at me, and I managed to grimace back.

My parents sat in one of the front rows. Mama gave me an encouraging smile, though I still must've looked worried, because my father reached out as I passed.

"You can do this, peanut," Daddy hushed, giving me a little pat on the back.

I was the daughter of a chieftain, and I had helped my dad with all kinds of ceremonies back in Kinpago. After all, as the firstborn of a chief, I could summon my ancestors, so I was used to being put on the spot.

But this was so different from Elementai lore. After all, who was I to initiate myself into this? I was trying to learn an entirely new religion on top of the one I'd been raised in. This was my specialty, and I was good at understanding other cultures as an anthropologist, but learning something and actually putting it into practice were two very different things.

My eyes scanned the room for anyone else. Marcus wasn't here, and my heart dropped. I knew he was taking time to himself right now, but this was important. I really wished he'd shown up to give some support. I guess he really had been serious about needing space.

Charlie was in the pew closest to the elder tree, sitting beside his grandfather. Elvish men didn't typically participate in spiritual ceremonies, as the Elves considered temple rites a consecrated act, where only women were sanctified enough to communicate with the goddesses.

I wanted his ass to be up here. If I had to do it, he should, too.

Cameron was here with his wife, though I'd noticed they'd chosen a pew opposite Charlie's. Hopefully they could keep the family drama to a minimum. This was a sacred place, and it didn't need to be ruined by arguments.

Opal pushed me to the center of the circle, in front of the elder tree, before she went to sit down. Oberi nestled in the branches of the elder tree above my head. Before the ceremony began, I took one last look around the sanctuary.

Coyote Spirit wasn't here. I really wished he was. I could've used his guidance right now.

I expected the Great Mystic to say something to start the ceremony, but instead, someone began singing in Elvish.

It was Eddie. Wow, he had a lovely tenor voice. I turned my gaze upward to see him on a balcony above the pews, standing beside a group of musicians who held drums, flutes, harps, and violins. He sang out the first hymn, and his voice vibrated around the sanctuary.

The Elves began to beat the drums with their hands, and other voices joined in. A choir of Elves standing on the balcony stepped forward to sing the song alongside Eddie. It didn't sound like the heavenly chorus of angels, but rather, a robust folk song that was bright and vibrant. As the song continued, the rest of the musicians joined in, their instruments weaving together in an intricate harmony.

Ancestors, the Elves were so talented with music. I'd rarely heard such a gorgeous song. The influences of the song were Celtic, or perhaps, Welsh… until it occurred to me that the Elves were so old that their culture had probably influenced those societies, not the other way around.

Elvish was very new to me, so I didn't comprehend most of what was sung. At least I was kind of getting the message. Poor Charlie looked completely lost. He hadn't been as quick to pick up Elvish terminology in our lessons, so I tried to interpret what I could for him.

The song is telling the story of your people, I explained to him across our connection. It explains how the Elves left Edinmyre and came to Earth to worship your goddesses here.

He didn't respond, but still, I could tell he was appreciating the song just as much as I was, because it was so beautiful.

I was just starting to relax when the music faded away. The Great Mystic held up her hands, and everyone looked at her.

"It has been many years since a new princess has risen to be our messenger, one who may speak to the goddesses on our behalf," she announced. "Our mystics have tried and failed to contact Idril and Caralyn, most sacred of all goddesses within the Blessed Haven. Today, we pray that we may be enlightened through the eyes of she who has been sent to us."

The Great Mystic gestured to me. "Dear child, what is your name?"

"Ava-Marie Wahkin, Princess of Ilamanthe, wife, fated mate and soul partner of Prince Charles Majestica, Grand Duke of Ilamanthe," I stated. Abigail had gone over what I'd needed to say a million times, but I nearly stumbled on the lines.

"Why are you here?"

"To become the messenger of the goddesses, and guide my people into their light."

"What tree do you choose to mark your path?" the Great Mystic asked.

Trees were generally important to most supernatural societies, but Elves especially revered them. "I choose the poplar tree, the tree that has no secrets— a tree that whispers, that can be cut down, yet will always grow back. A tree of Water."

Sounded like me when I'd looked it up in the royal library. Can't shut it up, can't kill it either.

"And who do you choose to be your guide?" the Great Mystic asked coolly.

"The phoenix, the spirit of transformation," I replied.

Like the trees, the Elves had animals that were sacred to them that they chose to follow in their life paths. I'd decided on the phoenix, because the concept of rebirth was important to me. I had left yet another life behind at the Institute and was stepping into another role, and so, I had to become something new once again. I had chosen a tree that symbolized the energy of Water, so I felt my guiding animal had to be something of Fire, to suit two of my elements.

"Then let it be so," the Great Mystic responded. "Let us prepare you to meet our goddesses and receive the message they shall send."

The Great Mystic dipped her fingers in the basin of water, then ran it across my forehead. The other mystics began stirring small pots of paint with brushes. They drew Elvish runes on my skin in golden paint, humming a chant. I swallowed a lump in my throat as they fixed a crown that was similar to the rays of the sun to the top of my head. The eager eyes of every Elf in the room fixated on me.

I was the symbol of their goddesses on this Earth. In the palace, I was the princess, but from this moment forward whenever I stepped into the temple, I would be the living incarnation of Idril and Caralyn, and would be treated as such. The goddesses would speak through me, and I would voice what they wanted to the Elves, whether I agreed with it or not. It was such a heavy responsibility that I nearly collapsed under the weight of it, but the Elves were depending on me, so I kept it together.

I didn't feel like a goddess, and didn't believe I could step into the role of one, but I'd been chosen for this one way or another. I had to transform into what my people needed me to be.

Once the preparations were done, the mystics lifted me out of my chair and carried me to the wooden altar. I gritted my teeth as I endured the sensation of their hands all over my limbs, and didn't breathe a sigh of relief until they'd deposited me on the altar, though it didn't last long.

This part was what I was most worried about. The trance. If I didn't receive a vision, it would be proof the goddesses had rejected me, and what would happen then? No one had actually told me— when I'd asked, Abigail made a face and said, Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

I didn't think I could make something up, or fake it. From what I'd read about Elvish religious ceremonies, this part was actually a huge show for the audience.

The mystics began chanting an ancient song. I felt my body tremble as a feeling like shivers raced up and down my skin. My eyes closed, and my head tilted back as a comfortable weight fell down onto my chest from above…

My footsteps were soft upon the sand. I was walking on a beach… the sky was red around me, casting forlorn shadows onto the bloody waves.

Oberi was flying above me. She came down to land upon my shoulder. We looked at each other, then forward, casting our gazes forward to seek Idril and Caralyn.

As I kept venturing forward, I heard noises. Magic clashing, thunder raging— the sounds of battle. We climbed a dune, and the sight below paralyzed my chest with fear.

Gods— thousands of them— were scattered along the shores below, and it was their blood staining the sea red. They warred with dark gods who were riding monsters, and the monsters were climbing out of the sea. They came from a black portal swirling within the water. There were so many of them I couldn't count them all.

The many animal gods of the Hawkei pantheon were here, their bodies tumbling with the anthropomorphic forms of evil beings. Whale Spirit was in the water, using her large frame to crush a long worm with thousands of spinning teeth.

Alongside the Hawkei gods were other deities— giants who wore robes and capes, who were throwing massive spears and shooting arrows that were longer than my body at the monsters. I suspected these were the Titan gods of the merfolk. Alongside them were massive deer— the Seven Gods of the Fae— spearing monsters through with their antlers.

A woman in a black cloak tossed battle orbs over her shoulder that exploded on impact and shook the very fabric of time. By the magic she cast, I knew she was a witch, and had to be Mother Miriam. A tall monster with the body of a man and the head of a ram hurtled toward her, and I cried out a warning, but the dark entity stooped down and helped Mother Miriam to her feet before pushing her behind him, giving her time to flee. I knew it had to be Santos, Miriam's husband and protector.

There were other gods amongst them, but I couldn't recognize the others, because the battle was so chaotic. There was so much carnage all around me, and I was caught in the middle of it.

Ava, love, run! Coyote Spirit's voice echoed over the sounds of the fight. I saw him in his animal form as he crouched beneath a monster, his back pressed against a boulder. Leave this place!

I turned to flee. Just as I did, the entire firmament quaked beneath my feet, and the spiritual plane I was on went dark. I tripped, falling onto the sand, though I didn't feel it beneath me— it was as if it wasn't even there. Oberi was hurtled off my shoulder and sent flying several feet away.

Screams from gods and monsters both filled the air, until light suddenly reignited the beach. I looked up and saw that cracks— like those that would fill broken glass— were scattered across the sky. The colors around me bled together, turning into a mess of shapes. I attempted to reach out and touch a seashell, but my hand went right through it, and the shell dissolved into a streaming mess that resembled paint.

Everything started melting, then. The spiritual realm, the gods, and the fight, until the only things that appeared stable were Oberi and myself…

Oberi said my name, though I couldn't hear her. She put her beak to my third eye, and I felt myself tumbling out of the vision, returning back to where I came…

The stone altar beneath me seemed incredibly stable. I couldn't believe I could feel something solid beneath me, because in the vision, it'd felt like I was falling since I'd tripped on the beach.

Oberi lay on my chest. She must've passed out and fallen onto me once I'd received the vision. She hopped onto the altar, and the mystics helped me to sit up. The expectant faces of the Elves shone back from me all around the temple.

I trembled. The vision had felt so real, more real than this Earth was. Being there in the spiritual realm was true living. Existing here was like watching someone else's life through a television screen.

It couldn't compare— I'd forgotten since I'd come back, but now, I remembered.

"Did you see our goddesses?" the Great Mystic pressed. The other mystics leaned in to hear my answer.

How could I tell them? What I'd seen was horrible. I nearly wanted to make up a lie, because the truth was so heavy. But the goddesses had entrusted me with this information, and I was obligated to share it, my opinion be damned. In any other circumstance I'd do as I pleased, but this was different. This was my duty, so I would follow what the goddesses had asked of me.

I was able to interpret the vision instantly, without having to consider what any of it meant. "I didn't see the Elven goddesses, but the spiritual plane was on fire with the blood of the gods. Every god I knew, and many I didn't, were battling with dark gods and monsters. A portal has been made that connects hell to the Blessed Haven, and the dark gods are trying to take over. The fight is making the spiritual realm weak and breaking it apart. It can't handle the disharmony between the gods. The entire plane is unstable. The gods are officially at war, and if it keeps happening, there won't be a Blessed Haven anymore to sustain them."

The terrified voices of the Elves filled the temple at my words. Emperor Cassiel rose to his feet to calm them. "Silence," he ordered. "We must hear the rest of this vision."

"Did you witness Idril and Caralyn in the fight?" the Great Mystic asked.

"I searched the battle, but the Elven goddesses weren't there," I replied. "Wherever they are, they're not near the Blessed Haven, but somewhere else. Perhaps they're hiding from the dark gods— and if they are, it makes sense you haven't been able to contact them. Ophio Taurus has helped the dark gods create this portal to the Blessed Haven, and as the gods continue fighting, we're going to see the effects here on Earth. This could damage more than our magic. It could end the whole world. I'm not sure if we could exist without the Blessed Haven, but I am sure that it's in danger. We have to do all that we can to help the gods here on our plane, and that means doing whatever we can to stop Taurus and his followers from gaining more power… because the stronger they get, the less chance we have of the spiritual plane surviving this."

An undertone of panic suffocated the room, but Emperor Cassiel turned to his people and said, "This vision foretells dark things, but it is still a blessing, for it gives us a warning. We have time to prepare and mount our attack. The gods need our help. Every Elf in Ilamanthe must be willing to lend themselves to the cause, so we can defeat Ophio Taurus."

There was a murmur of agreement. Cassiel swept his cloak behind him as he faced the Great Mystic. "Valindra, what is your decision on consecrating the Princess of Ilamanthe into your temple?"

The Great Mystic hesitated as she pondered her answer, and for an awful moment, I thought for sure she was going to kick my ass out and say that I'd failed. "It is unknown to us why Idril and Caralyn did not make an appearance to our princess. Yet, she did receive a message from them, so I proclaim her to have passed their test. She is now inducted into our temple, and will be known as our messenger, the Holy Mother to our kind."

"Hail to our Holy Mother, and blessed be her name," the other mystics chanted.

The Elves in the congregation repeated their words, and Cassiel tilted his head to me. "Consider this ceremony complete. Well done, princess. You've made us all proud."

Didn't seem like it. I felt like a harbinger of doom.

The temple emptied out. Many Elves came up to congratulate and bow to me, though the mood was definitely dampened.

"Good job, pidge." Charlie gave me a hug. "I knew you'd pass."

"Thanks," I said glumly. "I just wish I'd delivered better news."

"The ceremony was beautiful. Elvish is interesting. It's very close to Malovian," Kallie said. "I couldn't interpret everything, but I could understand most of what was said."

"Makes sense, since the fae and Elves were neighboring nations in Edinmyre." I waved to Opal, who rushed up to me.

"Ava, that was amazing!" she gushed. "I can't wait to see it again!"

"What happened when I was in my vision?" I asked.

"Once you fell into the trance, your body writhed on the altar," Kallie explained. "Oberi passed out and fell from the tree onto your chest, then you began to glow."

"Yes. Your skin sparkled and turned golden. You shone like the sun! Then your body and Oberi's levitated off the altar," Opal said in excitement. "You appeared so beautiful, like a celestial being. It really was something to see."

"I was going to get up and wake you, but my grandfather grabbed my arm and told me to wait," Charlie noted. "It didn't seem like you were in pain, so I did."

His grandpa had to have some major pull on Charlie. He never hesitated when I was potentially in danger. But I wasn't the one in trouble— the gods were.

"Are you okay, Ava? You're really pale," Opal said with worry.

"Well, declaring that the spiritual realm is in chaos made me really hungry," I said. Though the vision had only lasted minutes, I felt so tired, and the preparation had taken all morning.

"Some food will help," Opal said. She escorted me to the back of the temple and washed the golden paint from my skin before removing the golden robe and helping me back into my dress.

Charlie pushed me across the palace to the outside dining area. The servants had already set out plates of lobster linguine with lemon orzo salad. I sipped at tea and tried to keep my churning stomach steady in-between bites of seafood.

Beside me, Kallie scowled. She'd been scanning the dining area for Marcus all hour, and now that the meal was basically over, it was obvious he wasn't going to show. "Okay, so he skips your ceremony, and now he's not showing up for lunch?"

"Marcus hasn't been around a lot, anyway," I reminded her.

"That's the point! Something's up," Kallie spat. "I bet he's the spy."

The idea was so silly I laughed out loud. "That's stupid, Kallie."

"No it's not! Who knew about our plan?" Kallie asked.

"Sure, but Marcus?" I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "He's been through a lot to get us here, just like we all have."

"He's changing, Ava. He isn't the same, not since we broke out of the Institute. I'm not officially mated to him yet, and maybe there's a reason why, because if I was, I'd be able to get into his head. What if there's a reason he doesn't want me in there? What if he's been hiding something from us all along?"

"Kallie, you're being paranoid. I understand if you can't trust all our friends, because someone has to be betraying us. But us four? We need to trust each other completely; otherwise, this isn't going to work," I insisted. "We can't turn our backs on each other like this. We're family."

"We're not family. If we were, he'd let me in, and he isn't," Kallie stated bluntly. "He's hiding something, and I'm going to find out what."

She was hurt because of how Marcus was acting, so I wasn't going to convince her otherwise. She skulked off with her food half-eaten, and Charlie said, "She's just being dramatic because Marcus didn't show up."

"We don't need any more drama around here," I grumbled. At this point, these two were being obnoxious.

Abigail approached me. "Your day is free, on account of your ascension to the status of Holy Mother this morning. I suggest that you spend it resting. The spiritual process to access the goddesses is exhausting."

She didn't need to explain that, because I was dead tired. I barely stayed awake through lunch, and Charlie noticed I was nodding off. He ducked his head to whisper lowly to me. "You okay, pidge?"

"I don't feel good." It was a crappy day as far as my body was concerned. The spiritual ceremony had drained me. I'd pushed myself too hard, but I didn't regret it. We needed that message if we were going to take action.

That was all I had the energy to say, and he knew it. Charlie lifted me out of the chair and onto his lap. I curled up against him and laid my head on his shoulder. We were in the middle of the dining area and surrounded by people, but Charlie's countenance dared anyone to come up and say something.

Eddie fetched a blanket, and Charlie laid it over me before he wrapped me up in his arms. It felt nice to be held like this, and I felt myself slipping off.

Here. This will help. Oberi landed on the back of Charlie's chair, and her beak began to preen my hair. Her healing magic washed over me, and I found, try as I might, I couldn't stay awake any longer.

I woke up a few hours later, still sore. Oberi was perched on the bedpost, cocking her head as I sat up.

I assumed my husband had carried me off to bed. "Where's Charlie?"

He went to train with his grandfather, Oberi noted. Would you like me to fetch him?

"Please." I missed him and wanted him around. When I checked in, I noted Charlie was so immersed in the conversation with his grandfather he didn't notice me brush up against his mind.

I'll go get him, Oberi offered. Be back in a jiffy.

She flew out of the room through the open balcony. I let out a small breath. As a princess, I never got time alone these days, so it was nice to have a moment to myself for once. I got myself into my wheelchair, then rolled to the vanity. I began brushing my hair, contemplating how I wanted to spend the rest of my evening.

"You look very lovely, my dear. Being a princess suits you. I suppose both of us crave power," a familiar voice said.

My fingers tightened on the hairbrush. I was never truly alone. He was always here.

I set my mouth in a thin line and turned my chair to face him. "What do you want?"

An image of the Warden peered back at me, his face set in that disgusting gloat I knew so well. The hallucination appeared so real, as if he was standing only a few feet away from me.

But I knew he wasn't, and so, I'd chosen to give him another name; The Beast. Because that's what the Warden truly was, deep inside. A vicious animal that needed to be put down.

"I'm merely here to keep you company," The Beast replied, sounding smug.

I gritted my teeth. At some point during my stay in Ilamanthe, the voices in my head had somehow morphed into The Beast. He was always lurking around, standing in the corner of every room I inhabited.

He didn't always speak. Most of the time, he remained silent. But when I had a spare second to contemplate my thoughts, there he was, ever creeping at the back of my mind.

I knew he wasn't real. This was just a part of my psychosis. If anyone walked in, they'd witness me talking to nothing.

But he was in my head, and he was real to me. Some demons stayed with you. The Beast was an infestation inside of me that had been planted there sometime during my time at the Institute, and for as much as I wanted to get rid of him, I'd be terrified if he didn't stay. Because I wouldn't know who I was anymore if that hatred for him was gone.

I scoffed. "You're a very unwelcome guest."

"It does you no good to lie to yourself," The Beast soothed, and my skin crawled. "If you didn't want me here, I'd leave."

"I don't. Go away."

"Come now. I think we could have an interesting conversation."

"I'm going to beat you," I said. "I get stronger every day."

The Beast narrowed his eyes. "You don't have to defeat me, because no matter what you do, I've already won. You only have to live long enough to become what you fear the most."

I tossed the hairbrush at him. It sailed through his wispy form before he vanished.

I sighed and dropped my gaze. Ilamanthe had isolated me from the reality of the war, but some scars didn't heal. The Beast was still in my head, and he wasn't going anywhere. As much as I hated to admit it, the Warden was a part of me now, just as I was a part of him, and he damn well made sure to haunt me every day. I was afraid if we got rid of him, it still wouldn't do any good, because he still lived in me.

And I didn't trust what that part of me wanted to do. Because anything was on the table, and if I lost any self-control… if the Warden was able to take over and do what he wanted…

There wouldn't be anything left of our world. Let alone me.