Esmeray shot a smirk over her shoulder before launching herself at the closest Keerian-illusion, black wings whipping around to impale the illusion’s throat with the sharp talon at the apex of her wing. Keerian subconsciously placed his hand to his own neck, but couldn’t stop a slow grin from spreading across his face.
Adara growled, whirling towards the Opal Palace in the background, bundling her skirts in her fisted hands as she stalked back to the entrance of the gardens alone.
Keerian stayed rooted to the spot, transfixed. Watching the warrior Princess as she fought against and easily took down the remaining five Keerian-illusions. As the last illusion disappeared, her eyes locked with his. They stood, silently watching each other, neither making a move to leave.
Chapter thirty-nine
Lenna
Lennablinkedfuriouslyasreality came back into focus. Crammed on the couch in Sparrow’s living room, knee-to-knee with Esmeray on one side of her, and Laurent on the other, the Prism’s iridescent glow faded, leaving the faceted stone grey and cool in her hand.
Laurent blew out a rough breath as he gently pulled out of Lenna’s clammy grip. Esmeray was the last to detach from Lenna, her fingers slowly relaxing from their position on Lenna’s forearm. She opened her eyes, a pained expression hollowing her features. “I may have chosen this particular thread of memory just to see Keerian again. That was the day I realized he could be my mate. We just…felt drawn to each other.”
They had decided together, an hour ago, that the first thread Lenna would dive into should be simple to find amongst the tangled web of the past. With both Laurent and Esmeray touching Lenna, it was easier to separate the strands of the past, helping her travel down into the Prism to the memory Esmeray chose. Since Esmeray and Laurent had memories of Keerian and Adara, they acted as anchors to direct Lenna’s mind, making the path infinitely clearer. Esmeray had added that an untroubled memory would make Lenna feel comfortable with the Prism, but Lenna wondered if it was because the Queen was afraid of seeing herparents’ murder, and needed a reminder of a happier time before digging into the agony once more.
The Prism and its workings were explained in detail before the memory had been chosen. As the Oracle, Lenna was the only one that could delve through the threads of the past and revisit memories. Anchoring herself to another being made the thread that being intertwined with glow brighter and stronger, like a beacon for her subconscious mind to follow.
A blessing and a curse, apparently.
Anchoring also allowed those other beings toseethe past. Laurent warned Lenna of the dark side of this. Past Oracles had been taken and imprisoned so their captors could travel through memories. Toseeenemy armies gathering on a battlefield, to find advantages in war, to revisit the life of a dead loved one. Both Oracles and anchors had apparently gone mad rifling around the past too much.
Lenna balked at that, but Esmeray and Laurent gently urged her on, the latter explaining breathing exercises and mental tricks to help Lenna relax enough to keep her mind clear and steady. The former adding that the last Oracle in recorded history that went mad was apparently still a lovely being with an even lovelier collection of taxidermized animals. They had just been a little extra…eccentric.
Once Lenna got the hang of it, she’d be able to revisit any memory–with or without an anchor. It would just take practice. Lenna could tell by the shifting postures and anxious looks that learning to utilize the Prism to its full extent was of utmost priority and she swore to herself that she wouldn’t fail her new friends.
They were her friends…right? Lenna absentmindedly chewed her lip as she stared at the sharp planes of the Prism. Her thoughts drifted to Marlo. Marlo had been her friend. Even Orla, after their conversation in the pantry, had been…friendly-ishconsidering the circumstance. Lenna wracked her brain.
Besides Diana, there were no lifelong friends that Lenna trusted. She snuck a peek from beneath her lashes at the beings around her and hoped she would not let them down.
Sparrow and Merrick had gone to the market to pick up ingredients for dinner, and were finishing up putting away their wares as the Prism dimmed. The mood in the living room was low, Esmeray and Laurent blankly staring at the stained glass window, lost in memories of their own, while Lenna fought to keep her nerves under control. The three startled when Sparrow breezed into the room and dropped two bulky parcels in Lenna’s lap. Lenna, still unsteady from the Prism, looked quizzically at the fae, who bounced on the balls of her feet, gesturing to the wrapped packages. “I figured, since we went to town, that you needed a few things. So, I took the liberty of doing a bit of shopping for you.” Sparrow beamed as Lenna blushed, suddenly feeling off-kilter for a very different reason.
The first parcel, the largest, contained a gorgeous, pale peach nightgown with a matching robe. Lenna gently ran her fingers over the luxuriously silky fabric, her throat tight with emotion. This gift…this gift, and the fae that gave it to her, soothed her wavering thoughts. She did have friends here. “Thank you, Sparrow, truly. This is beautiful.” Sparrow waved away her gratitude, her smile wide as she wriggled with anticipation.
“Open the next one.” The giddiness in her eyes drew a smile out of Lenna as she tore a little more enthusiastically into the second, smaller package.
Two bottles of hair products clinked together. Lenna peered into the sealed glass jar of the first, her eyes widening at the shiny cream inside. “It’s magically formulated for beings with thick curls like yours. Just a little glob, brushed through your hair in the morning, and each curl will be perfect. The shopkeep said the second bottle banishes flyaways and frizz. I’ve seen you glowering at your hair, so, I figured this would help.” A curved comb was nestled between the jars, with three small rubies decorating the handle. “And that is just because all females deserve a pretty comb.” Lenna threw her arms around Sparrow, who hugged her back fiercely.
“It’s only a little something to get you feeling more acquainted with our world.” Sparrow smiled, before clasping her hands together and standing, shooting Lenna a wink. “Okay. I’m going to get dinner started. I also bought eight more bottles of wine. I recommend anyone that wants a nap to go take one now. It’s going to be a late night.”
Esmeray rubbed her eyes and raised a hand. “I’ll definitely take advantage of a short nap. Being in the Prism was…draining.” Laurent, slumped next to Lenna, murmured in agreement through his half-lidded gaze.
The room emptied quickly. Sparrow headed back to Merrick in the kitchen, and Esmeray got up with a groan, reminding Sparrow to not let her nap for more than an hour. Laurent had his hands clasped against his chest, his head tipped against the back cushion of the couch. Lenna shot a glance towards the fae, keeping herself still until the sound of his deep breathing confirmed he was already asleep. Quietly, Lenna scooted from her seat, snatched up the Prism, and darted into her bedroom.
Chapter forty
Lenna
Lennablewoutashaky breath as she quietly shut the bedroom door behind her. The faint clinking of pots, and the muffled voices of Sparrow and Merrick in the kitchen, were the only sounds in the house that she could hear over her rapidly beating heart. Lenna couldn’t make out what they were saying, even as she pressed her ear to the door. But the curiosity over their conversation was short lived as an awkwardness washed over her, turning quickly to guilt for eavesdropping.
Forcing herself back to the situation at hand, a faint blush crept across her cheeks at the implication that she was being far too nosy. Lenna kicked off her shoes and readjusted the mound of pillows against the headboard, making a firm back rest for her to lean against.
She needed to learn to wield the Prism.
Quickly.
Lenna rolled the weight of the Prism between her palms, the cluster of grey quartz fracturing the light from her nightstand lamp. For so long, her desires had been pushed aside, her choices stifled, in favor of another’s goals and dreams. She’d been deemed unimportant, merely property of her husband, her wishes and wants judged harshly if they didn’t align with Doortan’s society.
But in this, in using the Prism to get justice for the slain King and Queen of Irridessen, she could do a lot of good for the world. Her power was truth, her sword an oddly shaped rock, and her spoils the potential for a life in these lands.
