Dark Illumination

Chapter Fifteen

Before this afternoon’s meeting, which she had every intension of attending, Serena needed time to decompress. She had been distracted since leaving the prince’s chambers. Dillan had finally arrived at Teare. Was once again here in the Onyx Palace after years of being away. And here he would forever stay after the union was complete.

She thought she had been prepared, but seeing him again brought a mix of emotions. Chief among them was worry. When they had carried him into the castle keep in a stretcher looking inches from rejoining The Light, she honestly thought all was lost. His breathing was so shallow when the healers got to him. They had said that any longer in that battlefield and he could have surely expired.

She didn’t know if she should thank Sebastian for getting there on time or reprimand Dillan’s men for allowing him to use such a dangerous fighting technique. She had half a mind to do both, but to do so would only spin discord among the Knights. Their pride would never stomach the Princess of The Dark scolding them. If she were High Queen that would be a different matter entirely as she would be Dillan’s wife, entitling her rule over his kingdom and people as he would have over hers.

Wife.

The word settled heavily in her stomach. She would be someone’s wife in a matter of weeks. That was essentially what the union signified. The balance was maintained through the coming together of partners, not just opposites. Which was why the impending stages in their coming together would help them rekindle the bond they had forged all those summers ago.

Then when the healers had told her that she was the only one with the power to bring him back from the brink, she had stayed by his divan. For the first hour, one of the healers and her high priestess guided her through the process of accessing The Dark from within her so that she could pull The Light from inside him back to the surface. It was called Infinite Joining. Katarina had said that she would have been taught this technique after the union since there might be moments during their rule that situations such as these would arise. Her friend and confidant hadn’t expected that she would need the technique this early.

This reality worried Serena even more. For The Void to force Dillan into using such a powerful technique, something must be severely wrong with the balance. It shouldn’t be this way so closely after the deaths of the reigning monarchs. Two moons. They were supposed to have two moons before everything began to crumble. Maybe because the king had died so suddenly in that accident and the queen had to follow soon after?

Rubbing for aching forehead, she pushed into what the palace staff called the room of oddities. The sorcerers called it the Chamber of Glass and Chains. Serena liked the stall name better. Less formal.

Every time she needed a place to clear her mind that didn’t involve prayer, she walked among the artifacts collected through the centuries by the many Dark and Light users of their land. It was like a museum of sorts with glass cases covering the smaller items while the bigger, more powerful objects were tied down by warded chains.

The power of the binding spells used in this space popped and crackled over her skin, calling up goose flesh. She enjoyed the sensation. It was enough to make her hair stand on end. She twirled a strand between her fingers as she walked passed glass cases and pedestal stands.

A soft yellow light illuminated each item. Spheres of power. Cubes of secrets. Weapons of every kind. Magical swords. An ancient staff said to have belonged to the first sorcerer in Teare’s history. According to the Scroll of the World, Gavin the Great had been responsible for pushing back The Void before the first balance could be maintained. He had aided the first High King and Queen in building their kingdoms. It was even whispered that he had written many of the powerful prayers used to heal and create. Her uncle looked up to the legend like he was a god. She understood the admiration considering the first sorcerer’s achievements.

Of all the items in the library of curiosities, her favorite was an item called the Sphere of Fractured Souls. She moved closer to its glass case and stared into the clear orb. It seemed so simple, almost like those crystal balls seers used for scrying. Anyone could miss it among what some believed were greater objects of power in this room. But it is in the orb’s simplicity where its power hid.

“Staring at your Sphere of Fractured Souls again?” Katarina said.

Serena didn’t even gasp in surprise at the sudden appearance of her high priestess. It had become a game between them. The goal was to catch her unawares. But she had gotten so used to Katarina’s energy signature that she could sense it right before she manifested.

“Not even a gasp,” she grumbled, tapping the bottom of her staff against the marble floor, causing that beautiful tinkling sound that Serena enjoyed. And as always when they were in this room the objects responded to the burst of power that came with the act.

“You’d have to do better than popping out of thin air to surprise me,” Serena said with a hint of satisfaction in her tone. The hours she practiced into the night to hone her senses were paying off. The only one she couldn’t detect was her uncle. He continued to be a wily opponent, telling her that she had years to go before she could catch him unawares. She accepted the challenge with relish.

“So?”

She could sense Katarina’s sidelong glance as she continued to peer into the glass case. “It is said that this item could send the soul of the wielder into a different time and place. Nothing else in this room can boast of that kind of ability.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Katarina pretended to glance around the other items then pointed toward the far side of the chamber. “There’s a coin in the back that is said to have the power to end the world.”

The eye roll came and went. “Half the things in this place profess to be able to end the world. That’s nothing to be proud of.”

The high priestess chuckled before she leveled those milky eyes on Serena. She could never hide anything from that seemingly unseeing gaze. Katarina saw right into her soul.

“You’re bothered,” she said.

“More like unsettled.” Serena faced her friend, who always seemed to be drowning in her robes. “You should really have the tailor take in your clothes. Aren’t you afraid of tripping?”

“Nice try.” A smirk stretched Katarina’s lips, which she had painted a bright shade of purple today. “But we’re not here to talk about me. The prince is finally in the palace. Preparations for the union are underway. Don’t tell me you’re still hesitating.”

She hated the concern coloring her companion’s expression. “I don’t need the High Priestess of Teare right now.”

Katarina spread her arms wide and looked around. “Just friends here. Anyway, I hear that high priestess is a complete bitch.”

Laughter bubbled out of Serena’s throat before she could swallow it down. “Don’t let her hear you say that. She could be vindictive as well.”

“Hey!”

“What?” Her eyebrows arched. “It’s okay for you to insult yourself but not for others? That’s a weird double standard.”

Katarina’s eyes widened before she pointed. “You’re deflecting again.”

The tip of Serena’s tongue stuck out from between her lips. Then she sighed, taking her shoulders down as she exhaled. “I know what is expected of me. There isn’t any hesitation.”

“But?”

“I guess I just need time to get used to him being here. Last night was pretty intense.”

“Ah.” Katarina nodded in understanding. “The Infinite Joining.”

She dropped her gaze and shifted. It was only in private that she would allow herself to show any form of vulnerability and only to those closest to her. No one else was allowed to gaze upon anything that might be considered a weakness in the Princess of The Dark. To anyone else she would always be self-assured and fierce.

“I know I was the only one who could have helped him,” she continued.

“But to reach into his power center is such an intimate act.”

She loved that Katarina knew what she had meant even before she spoke it. Having someone finish her sentences was a rare luxury. Would she find that in Dillan as well? She certainly hoped so.

“In some ways he is still that same boy who braided my hair under the wisteria tree and yet in many ways he’s different.” She frowned, recalling what she had seen of his memories as she was healing him. “He has seen many battles in his young life and many of his scars are emotional. Some of them haven’t even healed yet. Using the Infinite Joining did save him, but it felt like I was intruding in his privacy. I saw things that I’m sure he wouldn’t have been comfortable sharing with me.”

Katarina took Serena’s hand in hers and squeezed. “It’s not a betrayal of his trust if you were doing it to save his life. I’m sure he would understand.”

It would have been alright if that was the only thing bothering her. But too much had happened already. She had to try and make sense of her inner turmoil. “I know we’re not expected to fall in love for this union to work…”

“Serena, I know this is tough. I wouldn’t wish this kind of union on anyone else. But you and Dillan were chosen for a reason. The Light and Dark know you two can whether this. At least you two already have a connection. Maybe you’ll grow to love one another in time.”

“Have you ever been in love?” The immediate redness staining her cheeks became Serena’s answer even before Katarina could respond. “Who?”

This time it was the high priestess’ turn to drop her gaze. “It’s stupid. He’s obviously too old for me.” Then she sighed in such a way that betrayed her true age. In many ways Katarina was still just a girl. She and Serena had become close because they were a year apart. “But you should see him when he’s taking charge. It has to be the most glorious sight in this world.”

“Oh, Katarina.” Her heart melted for her friend. “Why don’t you tell him? Age doesn’t matter in this day and age. If you love him then doesn’t he deserve to know? Maybe he feels the same way.”

The small woman shook her head so hard Serena was afraid her elaborate headdress would fall off. “He’s too committed to his work. I’m sure he barely has any time…hey!” She let go of Serena’s had to poke her in the side. “You’re deflecting again!”

This time when the laughter came, Serena didn’t bother stifling it. She threw her head back and allowed the peals to leave her. It was so nice not to think about herself and her worries for a change. And messing with Katarina was always an enjoyable past time.

The high priestess scowled. An aura of seething surrounded her tiny body. If Serena didn’t put barriers up the curling tendrils of energy would begin to pinch at her. But before that could happen, Katarina’s expression sobered. She closed her eyes and titled her chin up. Then she said, “They’re here.”

Serena knew exactly who she had meant. The fast becoming familiar sputtering in her heart at the thought of him happened. She wished it wasn’t so. She wished she felt this way for someone else. But it was still too early to tell. Anything could happened between now and the night of the union. She and Dillan just needed to spend more time together.

“Have them sent to the—”

“Already done,” Katarina said, eyes still closed.

She didn’t mind the interruption. It wasn’t meant as an insult. Her high priestess was just being efficient. She marveled at her friend’s ability to multitask. Sending several telepathic messages all at once was a testament to her skill. She thanks The Dark she had someone like her in her inner council because going against someone as powerful as Katarina was an exercise in foolishness.

“I’ve also asked someone to inform Dillan. I’m assuming you want him there.”

“He had asked. Have the healers cleared him?”

Upon opening her eyes, Katarina nodded. Then she reached out for Serena’s hand. The second their fingers intertwined they vanished from the Chamber of Glass and Chains.