With a befuddled wrinkling between her brow horns, Gilda allowed the curls to fall back down. “Whatever you wish, honored Guardian.”
Hannah adjusted the strapless bodice, wiggling it higher as she turned back to Esme. “Now. Please explain what this Fire of Immortality entails.”
With her claws still propped atop her belly, Esme peered closer at Hannah’s ears. “I enclose your body with the Fire of Immortality and increase the years of your life. What are car doors? Is this some sort of human imagery reference?”
Hannah turned and faced Esme. “What do you mean you breathe fire around me? You torched all those Waerins at Tiersa Deun. What if you choose the wrong heat setting?”
Esme’s shimmering eyes flared wide and her pupils flexed. “Iwouldnevermake such a simple mistake! Just because I am newly hatched, do not take me for an inexperienced male.”
Gilda dropped the brush, bowing her head, and trembling as it bounced across the floor. “Forgive me,” she whispered. “But take the greatest care. I made just such a mistake many eons ago. That is why I no longer possess the magic. They stripped my powers from me and many wished me ended. But the goddess saw it was truly a mistake and not malice. That is why she allows me to live under her protection and serve her here in her crystal caverns.”
“And you wondered why I was nervous?” Hannah shot Esme a smug look as she retrieved the brush.
“Iwill notmake the mistake Gilda was unfortunate enough to make.” Esme huffed two tendrils of smoke in short, impatient bursts.
Hannah rubbed the gooseflesh on her arms as she compared the two female Draecna. One self-assured and one self-effacing. She wondered how many times, in the history of Draecna, Gilda’s type of mistake had actually happened. Or did she really want to know? Her stomach tightened, threatening to reject the parsanna fruit she had enjoyed for breakfast. She pulled in deep breaths and blew them back out to settle her nerves.She could do this. Everything would be just fine. She hoped. “Don’t torch me, Esme. Think cooler settings, okay?”
The young Draecna’s eyes narrowed into insulted slits. “You still have not described a car door.”
She had never beenin this sector of the caverns before. The crystals imbedded in the walls and ceiling gleamed the purest white. Even the floor was a great slab of white crystal striated with silver and gold. Rows upon rows of shining black onyx pews marched down each side of the colossal chamber. The area appeared so massive that even though well-lit by countless chandeliers, she couldn’t make out where it ended.
Hannah rubbed her hands together, reminding herself not towipe her damp palms on her gown. Beads of sweat rolled down her back, trickled into her crack, and threatened to continue down her legs. She made a nervous clearing of her throat. No reason to worry about igniting if Esme did mess up. She had already sweated through the lining of her gown.
A raised platform stood several yards into the room. Around it was clustered additional pews carved from gleaming white stone instead of black. These pews held every Draecna she had ever met, all waiting for her to join Esme, Taggart, and the Goddess Isla on the center dais.
And then there was Taggart. The sight of him stole her breath. Made her heart pound. Threatened to throw her balance and take her to her knees. She pressed a hand to her chest, struggling for control. He wore a regal suitcoat of black. Tailored to show off his broad shoulders and cut inward to show off his taut waist. The length of it hit him mid calf of his polished black boots. Black shirt. Black breeches straining across his corded muscles. And he watched her with those eyes that said he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
“Come forth, Hannah, and receive Esme’s gift, so you might know many years of happiness as Taggart’s mate.” Isla motioned her forward with a wave of a claw, smiling as she nodded her great white head.
She had to remember to breathe. Fingering the locket at her throat, she made her way down the aisle. As she stepped up to the platform, she stole a glance at Taggart before turning to Esme.
“I love ye, my own,”he mouthed, then smiled.
A shiver stole across her.“And I love you,”she mouthed back. A warm glow filled her, making her yearn to both laugh and cry.
Esme cleared her throat. “Are you ready, Guardian?”
“I am.” Hannah took a deep breath and turned her full attention on the young female. Esme seemed so determined and sure of herself. She hoped she knew what she was doing.
“It will be fine, Guardian. You must trust me.”
“I do, Esme. Or I wouldn’t be here,” she said. “Please carry on.”
Esme whooshed in a tremendous breath. Her tiled chestexpanded and shimmered. Then she exhaled and engulfed Hannah in a cloud of silver-white flames. She kept the blast steady as Isla’s voice echoed throughout the room.
“Blessed by this blaze. Blessed by this flame. Death holds no power or any claim.”
Inside the circle of fire, Hannah squinted against its blinding brilliance, then reached and touched the flickering tongues of the whispering blaze. The flames licked through her fingers, but she sensed no heat. How odd to experience something that should be so painful, and yet it wasn’t. But something wasdifferent.She couldn’t quite place it; a strange energy coursed through her. She lifted her arms and embraced the light, losing herself in its brightness. A comforting warmth seeped through her, like a sip of brandy burning down her throat and coursing through her veins. She pressed a hand to her heart and frowned. No heartbeat. Had she died? With her fingers on her wrist, she concentrated but still couldn’t detect anything. She tested the jugular next while trying not to panic. Wait. She smiled. There it was. Finally, she detected it. Her heart had slowed to a rare beat now and then. She also noticed the skin on her hands had smoothed and taken on a lustrous glow.
The flames faded and everyone’s smiles came into view.
“You see, Guardian? I assured you I would not err.” Esme lifted her snout and gave a disgruntled sniff.
Hannah took hold of Esme’s claws and bowed her head. “Thank you, Esme, for this precious gift, and I am very sorry if I offended you.”
“Your gratitude and your apology are accepted.”
With a put upon cough, Septamus climbed the steps of the platform with a curved dagger hooked in one claw. “Allow me to present this gift to you, Guardian, from all your beloved Draecna. You now possess the lifespan and the sight to see through the Waerin’s glamour. Unfortunately, there is no way to arm you with the holiness of Draecna fire. But an ancient Draecna crafted this sacred dagger. It possesses the magic he controlled while he lived. Always keep it connected to your body. It will protect you when others cannot.”
