Page 106 of Fate of the Sun King

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

ZERRA THE SUN QUEEN

THE EVANESCENCE

Zerra listened as every ruler in Ouranos recounted the horrors that had befallen their people. She heard the pain in their voices. The passion in their words. The ends they all went to trying to save their homes.

Still feeling self-conscious in nothing but her scant golden underwear, Zerra stood with her arms wrapped around her waist as she took her turn around the circle, describing the heat. The lack of rain. The thirst. The sluggish ennui that plagued Aphelion.

“What did you do?” Queen Amara of Heart asked. “How did you try to stop it and ease their suffering?”

The question was innocent enough, but it picked at a sore spot. Zerra recalled Cyrus’s face, the last one she’d seen before she’d found herself here, when he’d begged her to do something. The way she’d dismissed him with a wave of her hand, more concerned about fucking Eamon and clearing off the beach for her own private use.

“I… encouraged them to use the water,” she said, tucking a loose strand of golden hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture. Shame burned her cheeks as she stammered.

“And?” Astraia, the Star Queen, asked. “What else?”

“I gave them ice. Well… until we ran out.”

Zerra wasn’t sure if she imagined the judgment on their faces, but why were they questioning her when they hadn’t interrogated anyone else?

When Zerra had nothing else to add, they moved on to King Herric of The Aurora.

He’d been the last to arrive, and after they listened to him describe the withering of his jewel mines, their attention was pulled to a glowing flicker in the center of the circle.

A figure appeared, and Zerra attempted to make out its features, but it shifted. Transforming from a woman with silver hair and lined skin to a young man with a shaved head and a sprinkle of stubble on his cheeks. “Welcome,” the figure said with a hundred voices, all blending together like an untuned melody. Zerra blinked, trying to bring them into focus, but the effort made her dizzy, and she rubbed her eyes with the back of a hand.

“What is this?” King Terra demanded. “Who are you?”

The figure continued to change from being to being and then spoke in that same disorienting voice. “You are at the end of the First Age of Ouranos,” they said. “But when one door closes, another opens. The Second Age is about to begin.”

They all stared at one another across the circle.

“What does that mean?” Amara asked.

The figure turned to the Heart Queen, and as Zerra watched, she noticed it wasn’t an infinite number of people but the same handful of faces flipping over and over. She squinted, trying to count them. Twelve of them. Maybe. It was hard to be sure.

“We are the Empyrium,” they said. “You may consider us your gods. We are caretakers of this land and countless others since their first inception more years ago than you can comprehend. And while you were of little importance in the majestic cosmos of the universe, it seems your time for governance has arrived.”

“What are you talking about?” King Nerus of Alluvion demanded. “What do you mean we’re of little importance?”

The Empyrium turned to face him next.

“When your people first arrived, this was a fledgling land, devoid of magic, save for the first seedlings churning deep in the soil. Over time, it gave rise to the Fae.”

Magic, Zerra thought. She knew there was magic in Ouranos. Fae lived deep in the forests and mountains, where they made flowers bloom and birds sing. Magical creatures with wings, colorful skin, and glowing eyes. Weary travelers spoke of being rescued when they’d lost their way, and farmers recounted miraculous tales of their crops recovering from droughts. Some claimed they were nothing but stories and the ravings of lunatics, but Zerra had always believed they were real.

“But the magic continues to grow, and the Fae do not possess the strength to contain it any longer. The plagues and the illnesses besieging your homes are a result of this burgeoning power. It must now be harnessed, controlled, and channeled,” the Empyrium said. “And so we’ve brought you here.”

They waved their hand, and seven objects appeared, hovering around them in a circle. A golden mirror. A silver crown with a red stone. A black torch. A wooden staff. A shimmering rock. A pearlescent coral. And a white diadem inset with moonstones.

“These seven Artefacts are tied to the magic of your homelands. From this day on, each of you will be bound to them and, in turn, to the magic itself.”

The Empyrium waved their hand again, and the objects floated closer, each one choosing a benefactor, until the mirror hovered over Zerra’s head.

“With magic comes your ascension to High Fae, which includes gifts that elevate you above your mortal status. Long life. Increased physical strength. Sharper senses.”

Zerra watched the faces around the circle, wary but hopeful. This proposition sounded very promising, but there had to be a catch.