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“Good.” She came to a stop at the altar, where she picked up one incense and gently blew on it, sending eddies of smoke out in a wave. The glass statue of Freyja sucked in the opaque essence, which sent glowing, blue veins down the altar, stretching out and branching in various directions along the marble flooring.
“It’s an antechamber?” My question was answered as the room began to hum and then expanded as the hallway had done. It expanded into a slow-moving waterway, with a pool of water leading into a large, white mosaic building. They had cut wide doors into the face of the temple, and above each side sat a fiery, blue phoenix. “Wow,” I whispered over the sound of rushing water, which fell within the temple.
Above the temple, there was a soaring statue with what looked to be billowing smoke encased inside it. The statue was of a woman, who I assumed was Freyja, all things considered. Her hands were open, palms facing the sky, and unlike the smaller version, this one was painted. Silverish curls brushed her narrow hips and lower back. A pewter, circular necklace held up the white goddess gown she wore. Chrome armlets adorned both biceps and there were several more bracelets at her wrists. The sheer dress she wore hugged her full breasts, slid to the center of her abdomen and swept out at her hips. It exposed both legs at the thigh, as if to allow easier movement. Its beauty took my breath away, revealing the origin of Scylla’s hair and turquoise eyes.
“Where was I?” Scylla asked as we drifted toward the temple.
“You didn’t feed me to the wolf, and altered facts?”
She awarded me a pointed look.
“So, you were listening? I’m impressed. Few would heed the word of a deceased grandmother. Most would assume they’d gone insane.”
“I never claimed to be sane, did I? Honestly, on a scale from one to ten? This isn’t a five for me in the what-the-fuck-chuck basket I’m crafting. I mean, did you notice the Foxtyre and Catteris? I’d consider that a little higher in the bucket. Well, all things considered.”
“I’m going to hold you to that in a few moments.” Pausing in front of the large temple, I swallowed past the fear tightening in my throat. I could feel the thrumming of the land inside the structure. “You’ll be going through the center of this door. It’s the first step of you reaching for your birthright.” When I didn’t immediately step forward, worry etched into the lines around her eyes. “I’ll explain more once you’ve entered Freyja’s Temple, Aria.”
Straightening my spine, I inhaled a calming breath before walking beneath the waterfall of mana. The sheer force of it as it hit me, seemed to rip me apart as it passed through my flesh, dissecting me and discovering all my secrets. In return, it offered knowledge and taught me things no amount of studying could ever teach me. By the time I felt a tug on my hand, I was struggling for air.
“Welcome to the heart of the Nine Realms, Aria Primrose Prometheus, Heir to the Kingdom of Fire. Since you didn’t die, I’m guessing the land approves of you. Of course, why wouldn’t it? You’re my granddaughter.” Scylla blinked with feigned innocence, as if she hadn’t just had me walk through hellfire.
“That fucking hurt,” I snapped.
“Did you think rebirth would be painless? Or maybe you thought I’d give you a massage?” Her face twitched, as if she were suppressing laughter.
My lips parted, then closed as I considered my reply. “I don’t know what I expected, actually. There’re no books or classes to prepare you for a day out with your dead grandmother.” It was direct and truthful. My attention diverted to the pool before me, which had steam rolling up from the water.
“I guess there wouldn’t be,” Scylla agreed, then pointed toward the pool. “They filled this pool with the water from my mother’s homeland. The spring for the fjords is the purest within any land. It also holds the very essence of the Vanir people. Those wishing to be claimed by the land, or blessed to ascend to the throne, must bathe here first. We can save time by performing a single blessing for both undertakings.”
“Did Griffon bathe here?” What I preferred to know was if Griffon realized I’d be dethroning him.
“No,” she admitted. “Griffon is king by proxy, but only in this false land. The true Kingdom of Fire wouldn’t recognize him or his brother, Hagen. Tirsynth even bred an army of bastard born princes to seek the approval of my land. Then Hecate laid waste to it, and Griffon crafted this false realm. You felt the weakness of this realm when you entered it, didn’t you?” When I nodded in reply, she chuckled. “I know you’ve felt the call of the true Kingdom of Fire as well.”
“I have felt the call to both Norvalla and the Kingdom of Fire. I wasn’t sure why I didn’t feel this place,” I admitted as I considered what she’d disclosed. “Does that mean this land will continually devolve until it ceases to exist?” I’d known something wasn’t right the moment we’d entered. This place held no attraction other than wonder for me, yet I felt a strong connection to the Kingdom of Fire.
“Indeed, but my son was aware of what you’d become. Of course, I only meant Griffon to hold the crown until you discovered your truths. Then he created this realm with the help of others, and concealed our people so that they could recover from what Hecate had done to them.”
“And what are my truths?” I questioned cautiously, savoring the repartee we participated in.
“There was never a son in the prophecy. The heir of the land inherits the Sunfire, which is what we need to drive Hecate back into her tomb.” Scylla systematically began lighting the torches around the pool of water. “My mother ensured no man could take from us, Aria. Freyja lived in a time where women held no worth other than their inheritance, which only a man could spend, or her womb.”
“Yet, she forced me to be made in order to remove Hecate?”
“She did nothing of the sort, child.” I wasn’t enjoying being called a child, but seeing as Scylla was older than dirt, I was letting it slide. “How magnanimous of you, truly.” My jaw dropped as she read my thoughts. “Of course, I can read them. You could as well if you’d ever cared to try. Both my mother and I see and alter the future as needed, influencing change when and where it is necessary. How do you think I predicted what you’d become? I’ve spent half my lifetime running scenarios inside my mind’s eye to find one in which Hecate was overthrown. One out of a million, one successfully sent her back into her tomb, which isn’t the death you wish for her, but it’s the best we can do.”
“Fire is a weakness of Hecate’s, and I’ve trapped her inside her true form. If I can wield enough fire, she’ll die.”
“And so would you, Aria. She isn’t worth your life. It’s difficult to kill a phoenix, but if someone extinguishes its fire, it dies forever.” Her statement had my shoulders dropping as the realization struck me hard. “You cannot kill her. No one can. Not with her magic now a part of the Nine Realms. Without her, there is no land. You weakened her greatly, but your path wasn’t ever to kill her. It’s sending her to her tomb, which for her is worse than death.”
“I don’t like this anymore,” I pouted with defeat, crushing me.
“You knew it was impossible to kill her. Wanting her dead is normal after what she’s done to you. As well as those you care about. It isn’t wrong to wish her dead, but it is unrealistic. We cannot kill Hecate without disastrous repercussions.”
“You’re saying that if we kill her, it will alter the land?”
“Who would be the ‘we’ you speak of, Aria?”
“King Karnavious, along with the rest of those she’s continually tortured throughout the time your people have been here hiding. Outside of this realm, there’s a fight going on and we’re losing,” I informed with emotion heavy in my tone.
