My chest felt too tight, like hope was something physical pressing against my ribs.
Hope.
A dangerous thing.
It sustains, yes, but it also erodes.
Still, if there was any chance, however small, I owed it to her. And to myself.
Peace would never come if I didn’t at least try.
I exhaled slowly, releasing some of the tension knotted across my shoulders. When I stepped back into the library, Veridus was already lying down on the blankets the priestess had arranged at the center of the room.
Incense curled in the air, mingling with the sharp, earthy scent of burning branches.
“Would it be possible to dim the lights?” Syllaca asked, her voice calm and steady.
With a flick of my wrist, the lights dimmed and cast the library almost in complete darkness.
“I will start the chants soon and we need absolute quiet for it to work. Once Veridus is in trance, we can start talking again and bring the lights back on,” she explained.
Veridus looked up at me, “Do you have your message for Maelis?” he asked and I nodded, handing him a note I had written late last night.
Veridus smiled at me encouragingly and unsaid words passed between us. He leaned back on the covers and closed his eyes, my note between his fingers.
Syllaca guided Veridus through a series of breathing exercises and after a good 30 minutes started chanting.
I could feel the air changing, a soft hum appearing in myears.
Maybe it was finally going to lull me to sleep too.
But the moment passed and I remained completely silent, watching and hoping that Veridus would be able to get to her.
* * *
Maelis
The Fates had left me to “confer” about the conundrum that was my life, or my death, once more. At this point I was ready to just be dead and be done with it all.
I missed my mother, my friends, but I tried not to think of Theo.
Every time his face flashed in front of my eyes, my heart was breaking inside my chest all over again. Surely this was hell. Being awake and conscious, but not being able to leave.
I had walked around all day, only to end up right next to the mirrors again.
I was like a hamster stuck in a wheel, going round and round without ever getting anywhere. I collapsed to the floor and closed my eyes.
A soft humming sound filled the air, so faint it was almost impossible to notice. I tried to focus on it, thankful for any kind of noise in this Fates forsaken place.
The gentle hum called to me, pulling at something deep inside my chest and I could feel my eyes closing of their own accord.
I opened my eyes. I was standing near the crumbled up temple on the field where Theo and I had fought againstIgnara. There was no sign of the battle, nor was there any other indication that somebody had been here. There was no town in sight and the light seemed off, unnatural and somehow surreal.
A shiver raced over my neck and back. I started walking around, unsure of what I was supposed to do here. There was movement at the far end of the field, a man walking towards me.
I gasped.
“Veridus???” I screamed and he looked up in stunned surprise.
