“She’ll attract unwanted attention,” Polaris called, jerking her head back toward the ballroom. The sweet melodies from within the manor continued through their verse.
“Mother, please, listen for a moment.” Tethys cupped her mother’s heated cheek. Her skin was flushed with unspent power rippling just under the surface.
“The key. The key. The key,” Phosphora cried again, her body now jerking and twitching mechanically.
“Mother. Look. Look what Eos gave me.” Without thought, Tethys retrieved the orb from her skirt’s interior pocket.
Her mother stilled. The flecks of silver in her crystalline turquoise eyes glinted in the orb’s refracted moonlight.
“Eos, she…she gave you her relic?” Phosphora cupped the orb in her palms and traced the carved runes with her thumb.
“Yes. She told me of Vorthal. She told me of the past, but not of what’s coming. Tell me what this means.” Tethys wiped a tear from her jaw. She hadn’t noticed she’d startedto cry.
“If you’ve learned of the truth, then we are already too late. Vorthal is coming. The heir holds the key,” Phosphora whispered.
“Tethys, Mother, let’s return to the ball,” Polaris called desperately. Tethys glanced over her shoulder, letting a loose curl fall across her lips. Obscuros, in his cloak of darkness, sped toward them. With Crucis beside him, they closed the distance rapidly.
“Polaris is right, there’s a chill in the night. Let’s go back to the celebration,” Tethys said, guiding her mother to her feet. She smoothed the unkempt locks back from Phosphora’s brow before tucking the orb away safely. Just before crossing the footbridge, she plucked two crocuses from the riverbank.
“Yes, it is quite cold out here. I should like a dance with your father.” Phosphora’s eyes faded into their usual milky white as Tethys guided her back to where Polaris now frantically paced.
“Phosphora, my light, what are you doing out here?” Obscuros asked as he reached them.
“We went for a stroll to see the midnight blooms, Father,” Polaris said, her voice as unmoving as a snow covered mountain top.
“Tethys, what are you up to?” Obscuros asked. His eyes bounced from one daughter to the next. Tethys fought the need to squirm against his scrutinizing expression as she smiled sweetly and held out the flowers. “I promised Mother I’d pick a few for her. They’re her favorite.”
“That is all?” He raised a thick brow.
“Yes, Father,” she said, but a frantic heartbeat leapt up her throat. Crucis hummed a low, threatening growl.I see through your lies, the wolf seemed to say as it glared toward Tethys with blazing yellow eyes.
“Alright. Well, let us go back inside. I’d like another drink. My light,” Obscuros offered a gentle hand to hiswife. She took it and allowed him to lead her up the garden trail.
With the crunch of footsteps in gravel, Polaris and Tethys fell in line behind them.
“Eos above was that?” Polaris seethed.
“There’s more at risk now, sister. I had to. I’m sorry,” Tethys whispered, keeping her eyes fixed on the dainty golden slippers she wore. They looked pale in the starlight above.
“Do not use me in your plots again, Tethys. I cannot help you if I’m left in the dark,” she said.
“Left in the dark? Sister, is it not I who am left in the dark? Might I remind you of our conversations in the archives?” Tethys’s lips curled around the words. Had Polaris simply forgotten how cold she’d been? How distant andstrange?
“Tethys…” Polaris trailed off.
“Before you offer some prophetic mystery or vague dismissal, you need to hear this. I know what truths our ancient copyists tried to conceal—what history theyrewrote,” Tethys whispered through gritted teeth. “I’m not a child anymore, sister, nor am I concerned with just my own well-being. Venia is at risk…the whole damned continent is, and to hide that information from me was wrong.”
Polaris glanced at her shoes, the midnight air brushing through her hair. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I should have told you, but I was scared, Tethys. These whispers of a prophecy terrify me and I can’t help but feel likeI’mcarrying your fate. Don’t ask me why, because I don’t know either, but…”
“Promise me, Polaris, you won’t withhold anything else from me,” Tethys said, her eyes softening slightly.
“So long as you promise to notify me before including me in any schemes against our parents.” Polaris brushedher pinky against her sister’s as they walked in step.
“I promise,” Tethys replied, offering a sly smile.
“I love you, sister. You are not alone in this, please don’t forget that.” Polaris laced her fingers through Tethys’s and they entered the candlelit ballroom once more.
Chapter 42
