I freeze, dropping Jarek’s hand, when out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a spirit.
“My queen?” He reaches for me again, but I’m already moving toward the apparition.
The spirit smiles, mouthing my name over and over again, though with the portal closed I cannot hear her. I reach out for her, flicking my wrists up but as soon as the portal opens, she’s gone.
“Are you okay, Sam?” Jarek’s voice draws my attention.
“Yes.” I sigh and take his hand, following him into the meeting room.
Enchantresses, both living and in the spirit realm, all watch as we take a seat around the black, marbled table. Their eyes are hopeful. Angry. Thirsty for a revenge I’m not sure I can promise.
“I…” I bite my tongue. Where do I start?
Hello, I’m Samaria. Another person who sat by and did nothing to help you?—
“You have nothing to fear here, Enchantress,” a woman says, seated across from me. She’s older, her fiery hair pulled tightly in a bun, accentuating the sharpness of her cheekbones.
“How did you?—”
“She’s an Empath,” another woman says. Her glowing, glacial eyes give her away as an Enchantress immediately. She glances at Jarek for a moment, her eyes widening. “Sailor?”
Jarek laughs and extends his hand across the table to meet hers. “Sera,” he says. “I can’t believe it.” She smiles, her hand still locked with Jareks.
“I’m missing something,” I whisper. “You know each other?” Finally, they drop hands and Sera pours me a glass of water and slides it across the table.
“Many years ago,” Jarek says, “Sera saved my life.”
I glance at her again, her dark hair is cut blunt to her chin, her eyes beaming over her glass.
“Where are Calix and my mother?” I change the subject.
“Here,” Calix says as he enters the room. He glances around before his eyes land on me. “Elora? Is she here?”
My heart races, my chest much too tight. He doesn’t know she’s gone. How will I tell him this daughter he has barely just met has died. “She?—”
“There’s been a slight delay,” Jarek says, taking my hand. “We will continue on without them for now.” Calix nods before taking his seat at the end of the table.
I glance over my shoulder, relaxing a bit as Evren, Tallulah, and Thaddeus join us next.
Clutching my glass of water, I scan the room that’s filled to the brim with Loxlians, people of the Jade Guild, and the Onyx Guild. There are two empty spots at the head of the table and the sight of them sends a whirl of doubt through me.
Sorin should be here.
A heavy silence settles over the space, not even Calix offers any words until the doors swing open and the final two guests arrive.
The first woman is dressed in head-to-toe sapphire. Her blonde hair is swept over her shoulder, her eyes wide andgleeful. Tiny seashell earrings dangle and sway as she takes her seat next to Calix at the table. She crosses her hands and whispers something in his ear. Rings of every shade of blue adorn her fingers made of shells and sea glass and pearls.
Must be Lady Oletta of the Cerulean Guild. I glance again to the seashells on her ears, wondering if she fished them from the Holden Sea herself.
A throat clears behind me as Lady Mordona of the Bloodstone Guild passes by. The spirits tense around the room. Each of them narrowing their gaze as she sits on Calix’s opposite side, with Thaddeus on her other. Her dark skin is radiant against her deep, crimson gown. Thick, teardrop bloodstones hang from her ears and when she catches my eye she gives me a sly grin.
“Now that we’re all here,” Thaddeus says, “let’s get started.”
“Wait a moment, please.” Lady Mordona holds up an elegant hand, even her nails are painted the color of blood. “Correct me if I’m wrong, Calix, but I don’t see the guest of honor.” She turns so her gaze is only on me. Her eyes narrow, and as I begin to shrink against her scrutiny a cold, a feather-light hand dusts my shoulder.
Then the other.
Under the table, I raise my hands, opening the line of communication with the spirits. Elwyn whispers in my ear, “Don’t be afraid of her, Samaria.”I have become accustomed to her voice; she has hardly left my side since Elora…
