Evelina looked down at her little girl, at her perfect eyes as she stared up at her. She was so small, so fragile and innocent.
“Have you thought of a name?” Senna asked quietly when it was just the two of them.
Evelina smiled. “You know the tradition is to wait until after the ceremony.”
The morning sun was warm and cast soft hues of purple across the sky. Shadows briefly flew across the grass. Evelina looked up, seeing wyverns flying above. But their Riders were no longer with them. They were all flying south together, back to where they came from with the threat of Moros gone.
It felt like a part of Evelina left with them; as if a piece of her soul was carried away on their wings. She watched as her old life disappeared into the clouds. She wasn’t a healer in the war anymore, nor was she a princess who met her soldier beneath a waterfall for stolen kisses, making promises neither of them would keep.
Evelina smiled softly, her heart squeezing in her chest as happiness and sadness warred inside of her. Moros was dead. The war was officially over, and now her child was in the world, tucked within her father’s arms. She had never felt so much joy and so much agony at the same time.
She wished Daimon was here.
Every new beginning felt like losing him all over again. But this time, she wasn’t alone.
From the corner of her eye, she could see the council gather beside her and Senna. But she kept her eyes on her child and so did he.
She expected it—the council was always present when the Essence was blessed for a new heir. The Sacred came out of the temple, clothed in her usual robes. Still, Evelina glanced nervously at them, feeling exposed even as she lay in the grass fully covered.
“Hey,” Senna said gently. “It’s just you and me.”
She tore her gaze from the council to focus on him. A gentle breeze picked up around them and the Sacred drifted closer as Senna handed the child back to her.
As soon as the sun peeked over the horizon, Evelina felt a surge of Essence buzz around her. She gasped as a small light emerged from the baby’s chest. It hovered in the air between Senna and Evelina.
“Light for the Woodland mother and father,” the Sacred said from in front of them. “May it return to which it came.”
Slowly, the light separated into two. Evelina watched in fascination as one of the orbs floated toward her and the other to Senna. She felt the light wash over her as it passed through her chest, warming her body and making her whole. Senna shivered beside her and placed a hand over his chest.
The Sacred stepped closer and laid a single white rose at Evelina’s feet. “You have chosen to have your child on the sacred grounds of Eurydice’s temple,” she declared. “Your child will be blessed for it.”
A tear slipped down Evelina’s cheek and she smiled down at the baby. “What do you think about Leda?” she said softly to Senna.
He reached for the baby’s hand and watched as her tiny fingers curled around his finger. “Leda is perfect.”
Evelina laughed, holding Leda tighter. “She is perfect.”
“I believe I’ve deciphered the writing on the walls!” Ellerry sang as she skipped out of the temple. Her bright eyes widened, landing on the child. “Oh! A baby! We can wait until later to?—”
“No,” Evelina cut in. “What have you learned?”
Ellerry paused. Even the Sacred was waiting with wide eyes.
“Her mark is in her gift of light,
Her throne of wood and early morn’
Yet a savior she will never be?—
Lest she’s earned hercrown of thorns.”
The words settled heavily against Evelina’s chest. Something tapped against her memory.Her mark is in her gift of light.
She’d heard that before.
“What does it mean?” Iris asked.
Everyone looked at Ellerry, who smiled. “A prophecy, of course.”
