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Claire nods and shuffles restlessly from one foot to the other. It’s the first obvious sign of nervousness I’ve seen in her. So she’s not as impervious to these tests as she seems.
“Once again, it wasn’t easy to come by the items required for the test. But one family provided us with an item from their collection.” The man looks up at the tiered seating, and his sweeping gaze stops on the Fabricis. “Many thanks to the Fabricis.”
Mr. Fabrici patronizingly nods a few times at the assembled guests, but other than that, he doesn’t let on that he’s flattered by these words in any way. Knowing him, I bet he’s enjoying being in the spotlight and celebrated as a benefactor. Especially if his contribution results in Claire’s failure. Because I have no doubt that he’s still hoping for that.
Several men enter the room and shift the central lectern off to one side. Then they carry a long table through from a back room and set it down in front of Claire.
Claire takes a step back and watches the men leave again. For a brief moment, she wrings her hands, then quickly collects herself and lets her hands fall down at her sides again.
There’s a clinking sound as the men bring in boxes. They put them down and take out bottles, vials, goblets, and small crucibles, arranging everything on the table. Once their work is done, they leave the room.
Claire squares her shoulders, clenches her fists, and smiles at the examiner. She no longer shows any fear or doubt or nervousness. She looks like a puppet completely devoid of emotion.
“These receptacles contain various liquids,” the examiner explains, indicating the table with a sweeping gesture.
At that moment, the projector screen is lowered behind Claire, like last time. It displays close-ups of each container and its contents. I look at the bottles, vials, carafes, and bowls, all made of clear glass. Each liquid looks different. Red, blue, yellow, some almost brown, and those that appear to have some kind of sediment.
“When the Tempes and Noctu were still united and subordinate to the goddesses, we shared the palace,” Mr. Jameson begins. “We lived together with the goddesses of destiny and took part in their lives. But there was one place that was reserved exclusively for the goddesses.”
I’m reminded of the forest with the goddesses’ lake. Does the test have something to do with that?
“I’m sure you’ve all heard of the lake of the goddesses and the holy water it contains, which has healing qualities. One of these vessels contains water from that lake. As an emergent goddess, Miss Cunningham, it should be easy for you to identify it. You’ll drink it. But choose carefully because the other vessels all contain poison. A mistake could cost you your life. Only a true goddess is capable of seeing her own destiny in order to select correctly.”
Did Claire just turn a shade paler, or did I imagine it? I stare at her aghast. The tension in the room is palpable. How could they do this to her? The Council must be pretty certain she’s a goddess, or they wouldn’t risk putting her through this test. Then again, if she fails and it becomes clear that she was never a goddess, at least they won’t have to waste any more time on her. It’s inhumane to force Claire to make this kind of decision. Her life hangs in the balance. How’s she supposed to know which liquid is the right one?
I look up at the screen, which displays close-ups of each vessel, one at a time. Red fluid bubbling furiously. A green substance that looks thick and slimy. There are so many containers. If Claire doesn’t know the answer, then it’s basically impossible for her to guess correctly.
I think back to when Noah took me to the lake to cure me and prevent me from becoming one of the fallen. I distinctly remember the water. It shimmered in radiant colors, like a rainbow, and emitted a strange light that was unlike anything in this world. A mist hovered above the surface. But I also recall the pain I felt when I was in the lake. It was an agonizing process, and it took a long time before I was in the clear. But in the end, Noah succeeded in saving me.
Claire stands at the table and lets her eyes wander over the various liquids. She looks stiff as a board, motionless, and I detect fear in her hesitancy. She’s afraid that she’ll fail and die here. Her face is expressionless and pale, but her big eyes are full of apprehension. She can no longer disguise her emotions. She raises her head and scans the audience, probably looking for a familiar face. Maybe she’s searching for her parents or her grandfather. He’s not here. But her mother’s sitting in the back row, and when I turn around, I see that her lips are pursed. She seems to be imploring her daughter not to fail. When I turn to face forward again, Claire’s gaze meets mine, and I’m unsure how to interpret it. Is that fear? Anger? Desperation? Helplessness? Entreaty? Any of those would be understandable. It’s barbaric to put her in this situation. This is life and death – her life, her death. Everything depends on her selection.
I look at the containers again. Where’s the water from the lake? Those radiant colors are unmistakable. Will Claire be able to recognize it?
In a tall bottle, I spot a blue liquid with glittering particles floating in it. But that’s not the water from the lake. A purple substance in a small bowl puffs out little clouds that float up to the ceiling. And in a beautifully crafted vial, a pale blue liquid shines like mother of pearl. But it’s not until I look up at the screen again that I identify it – a small unremarkable bottle with a bulbous bottom. So the Fabricis really did have water from the goddesses’ lake in their possession, which they made available for this test.
That’s definitely the real water. The way it shimmers is unmistakable and breathtakingly beautiful. My eyes dart to Claire, who’s still standing rooted to the spot. She hasn’t moved and continues to stand there like a stone statue. A quiet murmur builds in the room. The Council members seem to have come to the same conclusion as me: Claire doesn’t know the answer.
Suddenly, she stirs and reaches out an arm. She knows she has no choice. She can’t back out of this test. She has to make a selection. I can see on the screen that her hand is shaking slightly as she reaches out, about to pick up one of the bottles – it’s the wrong one, I realize with horror. It contains a pale blue shimmering liquid. I hold my breath and watch her hand move on, pause, and then quickly move on again. Then her fingers close decisively around the small bulbous bottle. Claire seems to have banished her fears and now wants to quickly put all this behind her. She removes the cork and lifts the bottle to her lips. She quickly pours its contents into her mouth and swallows.
There’s not a sound to be heard in the room. The seconds pass. All eyes are on Claire, who’s still standing there with the bottle in her hand. She slowly turns her face up to the audience and places the empty bottle on the table.
Claire’s done it. In the end, she reached decisively for the correct vessel. There’s no doubt in my mind that she knew what she was doing. She recognized the water. It took her a while, but in the end, she was certain, and that’s the reason she’s still standing here in front of us alive and well.
The Council members seem to slowly come to the same realization. One after another, they stand up and begin to applaud Claire.
“Miss Cunningham,” says the examiner. “Congratulations. You’ve successfully passed the second test.”
A smile steals across Claire’s face. She looks proud and invincible. It’s only when I look closer that I notice that her hands are still shaking slightly.
Chapter 19
So, Claire passed the second test,” Kate says as she highlights a couple of sentences in her English reading text. We have a free period, and we decided to spend it doing homework in the library.
“At first, I thought she wouldn’t. I saw a very different Claire standing up there. She looked unsure of herself, scared even. But who wouldn’t be in a situation like that? And even though she chose the correct liquid in the end, she seemed to have a few last-minute doubts.”
“I hope the Fabricis didn’t take out their disappointment on you?”
“I’ve hardly seen Alfredo since he found out the truth. I mostly train with Cesar now. But that almost makes me more nervous. He’ll make his move sooner or later; I’m sure of it.”
