Twenty Five
The cleansing, as it turned out, was for the Vessel’s body and soul. After Chiara was made to change into one of those long robes that fell to the floor, she was taken into a building full of the other women of the Order. There, she was made to sit in the middle of a small pool of water made out of colorful stones that refracted the light coming in from the high glass ceiling. Surrounded by thirty to forty women all watching her, Gaea gave her a chalice with a dark purple liquid inside and made her drink it. The liquid tasted like sweet nectar, and the taste lingered on her tongue as she was made to lie on her back in the tub. The water covered only up to her ears as she lied there—her clothes and hair wet, her eyes closed as instructed. Chiara had no idea what was happening as all the wo
- Writer
