My eyes flew open in a panic, but everything remained dark. It was still the middle of the night. The menacing words spoken in my nightmare pressed upon me, stealing my breath away. No, that wasn’t it. Fear alone wouldn’t shorten my breath so drastically…didn’t explain why the air leaving my mouth came out in short, shallow puffs.
Pressure.
Something pressed against my face, stifling my ability to breathe.
In an instant, I threw myself fully awake.I’m being smothered!
Desperately, I clawed at my face, searching for my attacker’s hands before it was too late.
I touched something…soft and pliant?
A loud yowl cut through the silence. “Wake up! There’s someone coming up the path!”
I pushed Nix off my face and spat out a mouthful of black fur.
“And you thought the best way to wake me up was tosmotherme?”
My heart rate slowly returned to normal as I realized there was no attacker—just one very annoying cat.
“Quickly! You must dress and attend the ceremonial basin.”
“The ceremonial… You mean that bowl on the pedestal stand? How do you—”
“Hurry!” He jumped down off the bed, running out of the room.
It took me a moment to shake off the haze of my nightmare. To rid my body of the dread it so strongly evoked. It was like the man’s cruel eyes were fixed upon me still—his hatred seeping ominously into my very bones. Was the dream some kind of warning? The woman in my dream, Moira, had shown no fear in the face of his threats. But he certainly frightenedme.Had his harsh words come to pass?You will regret this.A dream…or a memory?
Someone is at the door!Any further contemplation regarding my nightmare would just have to wait. I stumbled out of bed, grabbing for my clothes. Hopping around the room, I pulled up my pants in a rush. His methods aside, I was grateful to Nix for waking me. If someone needed my help, I intended to answer.
I burst into the foyer to find Nix sitting in the shadows, watching the front door.
The ceremonial basin was a deep silver bowl, its circular shape supported by three scrolled feet which held it slightly aloft. It bore a slight resemblance to a cauldron. Perched upon a pedestal stand, itself crafted from dark wood, the basin was a central fixture of the foyer. The cycles of the moon were carved into each object, a recurring motif in the metalwork of the basin and the woodwork of the pedestal stand, both ornately decorated. I stood next to them, mirroring Nix, my eyes locked upon the cottage door.
The anticipation was torture—too much time to second-guess myself. I was suddenly acutely aware of my body and posture. What stance should I take? Should I lean against the basin? Cross my arms? Clasp my hands in front of my body? Smile or look aloof? I was floundering to decide, caught halfway between two different poses, when the cottage door swung open.
A woman walked confidently into my foyer.
The first thing I noticed about her was her sword. Then, the artwork on her muscular left bicep. You couldn’t miss it—the likeness of a phoenix wound all the way up her arm, its red feathers practically glowing against her ivory skin. If my books could be trusted, the tattoo ink used to draw it was even laced with the fiery bird’s ash.
Did this mean she was a sworn phoenix warrior? From Sivell? If so, that was impressive—historically, very few women had been allowed to join their ranks. I looked at her sword again, frowning. Had she come to confront me about my recent visit into Sivell? My face went pale.Is it too much to ask to meet someone who doesn’t want to kill me?
“What brings you here?” I questioned, cringing at the hesitancy in my voice.
“Are you the Midnight Sovereign?” the woman asked.
She looked to be in her mid-thirties. She had long blond hair pulled into a high ponytail at the top of her head. Itried to imagine what I must look like in her eyes. Young and inexperienced. Not the sort of person to pin your hopes upon.
I wanted my presence to inspire confidence, so I crossed my arms and squared my shoulders before answering. Despite my confident pose, my voice betrayed me, ending on an upward inflection that sounded questioning even to my own ears. “Yes…?” Embarrassed by the impression I must be making, I repeated myself, this time with conviction. “Yes. I am the Midnight Sovereign.”
“Then I’ve found the right place. My name’s Terani. I live over in Grence. Not too far from your island, actually. I’ve come here to make a deal.” She held up a milky-white moonstone. “Fiere was right, it did help guide me here. Even protected me. While I was traveling, I think. Very hard to find though. Fiere says they’ve been depleted in the realm. Did you know? I wouldn’t have found this one without him.”
Fiere? The phoenix sent her to me? Not another assassination attempt, then.
“Thank you for telling me. Fiere mentioned that to me as well. How can I help you, Terani?”
Her stare was intense. “So, it’s true then? You’re helping people again? Like in the stories?”
“It’s true,” I said, curious about which stories she was referencing. If there were stories, why didn’t the cottage study possess a single book transcribing them? I would have asked her to elaborate, but I wanted to gain her trust, not reveal to her the extent of my own ignorance.
