Ianira

Ianira’s head fell down onto the open book in front of her with a dull thunk, her waist-length mass of raven hair sprawling out over the polished wood table and the dusty tome she’d been poring over for the past several hours. “I am never going to get through this.” She sighed, her voice muffled in the yellow pages of the book. She hadn’t even gotten halfway through the twelve hundred pages she was supposed to be tested on in three days. Part of it was her own fault; she’d procrastinated on this dry, senseless reading to study up on the priestesses’ magic, even though she wasn’t allowed to do so or practice magic without having completed the required reading first. She had no idea why she needed to study the history of the temples and the varying rituals in all the major cities. Knowing about the nearby cities was understandable enough, but having to memorize the history of practically every temple in the kingdom was ridiculous.

Ianira lifted her face out of her book and propped her elbow up on the table to continue reading. While more relaxed in their priesthood training, Valeria has some of the strictest laws on when, where, and how its citizens are to pay their respects to the High Goddess. It is also prohibited to worship any other god or goddess except High Goddess Nerys like in most cities…

Ianira groaned and rubbed her temples. Why can’t we live in Valeria instead of here? It’s not like I’m not used to Mother micromanaging me constantly, especially in the ways of honoring Her Hallowedness. Mother is probably far stricter about worship than all the major cities combined. She tangled her hand in her hair, pulling at the silky locks in frustration. If she had a choice, she’d be reading about the actual gods and their histories, not how every single city viewed them. At least that would be semi-entertaining, and it’d be more entertaining if she were reading about some of the minor deities. However, those texts were rare, and her mother only kept books on Nerys and, of course, the histories of the temples and the cities and their laws.

She closed the tome, the weight of the pages causing dust to be expelled from the unread pages as they slammed closed. Ianira sneezed three times and then got up from her study table to put the book back in its proper place. She perused the shelves of the manor’s library, skimming over the titles that were at eye level. Her slender fingers brushed over the spines of the various books; most were about a couple hundred pages, but some were exceptionally thick while the rest were much slimmer. Not finding anything of much interest within her reach, she climbed the ladder attached to the far bookcase. Don’t look down… As quickly as she could, she picked out a slim volume and scampered back down the ladder, swiping away a few beads of sweat on her forehead that she hadn’t felt until her feet were back on solid ground. Her bare feet padded softly across the hardwood floor on her way back to her desk, and once she sat down in the creaky, old armchair and flipped open the book to someplace in the middle, all was silent again. Ianira’s sisters would have found it deafening, but to her it was comforting, like being surrounded with silk blankets and pillows in her own, little hidey-hole. The air was a little musty as the library was rarely used by anyone except her, but she was used to it by now, especially since she didn’t go out much and had nothing to compare it to.

She placed both her elbows back on the table and rested her chin in between her palms, trying to find where she’d left off yesterday in the text. She flipped through the pages a few times, finally settling on the middle paragraph of the seventy-sixth page, though she could barely read the faded number in the dim candlelight. This book was one of the oldest she’d found in the library, and it was particularly difficult to read in the dark room. Careful not to let her hair catch the candle’s flame, she leaned over the tome and picked up where she’d left off.

This legend is highly disputed among the scholars and priestesses, but most conclude that the myth is either, in fact, a myth or an exaggerated version of true events. Most priestesses and scholars today don’t even know the legend or the violence and hostility it caused between both enemies and friends. Considering how passionate and dangerous past confrontations have been, it might actually be better that it is forgotten, but for scholars such as myself, it is important that we record any and all history of Her Hallowedness, High Goddess Nerys. It is interesting to note this very “myth” is what gave the High Goddess some of her other titles, though most priestesses have alternate explanations for these names. Whether or not it is true, Her Benevolence has always been faithful to her followers and kept her promise to their ancestors that she would protect their descendants from the evils surrounding them as long as they pledged their allegiance to her to show their gratitude.

Ianira sighed, yawning and stretching her arms behind her. Even though this text was more interesting, her eyes were tired, and she had… Oh no! It’s almost time to go to the temple! Beautiful Orla, please grant mercy to my fate. She didn’t have time to scramble up the ladder to put the book back, so she closed it and took off running, leaving her chair out in the middle of the room. Oh well. Mother rarely comes in here anyway.

Fortunately her room wasn’t far from the library, and she reached it in almost record time. She could not be late today; it was going to be her first time performing the ritualistic sacrifice, and her mother would have her head if she caused them to be late. Hurriedly, she changed out of her comfy trousers and black tank top and slipped into a plain, black dress that had a white belt and just barely reached the floor. She tossed on gray robes with black fur lining and pinned the Moonshiver family crest above her left breast. Catching her reflection in the mirror of her vanity, she hastily snatched a hairbrush and tried to get rid of as many tangles as possible before she pinned her hair up in a bun on the crown of her head. Now for the final touches. Her feet slid into gray slippers, her fingers clasped a necklace bearing the crest of the city behind her neck, and she ducked under her veil hanging off the doorknob of her closet. She straightened the gauzy fabric and placed a white headband on top of it, which, like her white belt, signified her rank as an apprentice priestess. Her prayer beads were the last accessory she put on, and she stood in front of her full-length mirror to make sure nothing was amiss. Her makeup today wasn’t great, but she didn’t have time to apply any more, though she wasn’t sad about it. She’d much rather be able to go around with her face naked like her younger sister, Isolde.

Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to mentally prepare herself for the several hours of excitement and anticipation to come. Unlike some of her sisters (especially Catriona and Isolde), she’d been aching for the arrival of this day for a long time. Finally all those years of boring book learning are starting to pay off. She was almost done studying dry history and senseless ramblings. Her exams were so close, and once they were over with, the fun part would begin. When she passed the tests, she’d practically live in the temple for several months to be initiated and trained by one of the priestesses. She just hoped her mentor wouldn’t be Jagger Deathshadow’s sister. Odile, like most of the Deathshadows, did not have a particularly nice reputation, and the last thing Ianira wanted (besides being a victim of Odile’s cruelty) was to be any nearer to Jagger than she was already. Jagger tried to flirt with her or hit on her on a regular basis, and somehow he could predict exactly where she would be. Shivers ran down Ianira’s spine at the thought of seeing him at the temple today. The guy was a major creep, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t get him to leave her alone. It also didn’t help that her mother thought it was quite a smart match and took every chance to talk to the Deathshadow Matriarch. She’s probably just trying to build up a friendship, so she can secure some type of an alliance and then arrange a marriage between either me or one of my siblings and Jagger.

Ianira had always wanted to be a priestess like her mother and aunts, and she was thrilled that it was finally her turn to join her family in practicing the sacred rituals, mediating between Her Hallowedness and Her People, and fulfilling the High Goddess’s will. She loved studying the gods and goddesses and couldn’t wait to be trained in the magic of Nerys, but there were other things that came in the package deal that she could do without, like having to be around Jagger more and having less free time. No, let’s be honest for a second. I’ve never had an ounce of free time since the day I was born, but Mother knows what she’s doing. She just wants the best for all her daughters, and since I have the most potential (according to her), she wants to do whatever she can to help me develop it. Ianira could hardly breathe as anticipation and giddiness mixed with anxiety and doubt and did somersaults in her stomach. She inhaled slowly and then exhaled softly, knowing she couldn’t stay in her room any longer now. She painted a pleasant expression on her face and walked quietly to the drawing room in the front portion of the house where they usually met before going to temple together. Asphodel had always insisted that the family leave and arrive all together, probably to communicate a united front to the other great houses and to the common folk, so fewer people would question their authority or try stupid stunts to gain power for themselves. Asphodel might be lenient with a few, select siblings, but she was no fool. There was a lot that went on behind the scenes in her mind, and she navigated the rivers of politics, economics, social circles, and religion with grace, charm, and ease. Ianira had to suppress a faint smile as she thought of Asphodel literally rowing a boat down a choppy river or guiding it through the rapids.

On her way down the hall, she stopped at the portrait of her mother. Thank you, Nerys, for blessing my journey to priesthood so far and seeing fit to give me an experienced teacher and role model. She prayed, lifting her eyes to the ceiling above to acknowledge the High Goddess.

In the portrait, Belladonna had dark brown hair to her shoulder blades and wide, caramel eyes framed by black, luscious eyelashes. Her complexion in the painting was paler than her natural, rosy cheeks, but Ianira was sure her mother had requested the painter to do that as she was always comparing her skin to Asphodel’s porcelain complexion when most of the family wasn’t around.

Ianira supposed that might be one nice thing about being the oldest; she got to be privy to her mother’s secrets. I am my mother’s favorite, so I’ve spent the most time with her and have built up a level of trust with her that the others can’t. Though, there are several things I’ve seen and heard that I wish I could un-see or un-hear… Like that time Aunt Asphodel and Mother forgot I was in the next room and started talking about their sexual habits. Yuck.

She leaned over in front of the oval mirror on the wall and stared back at her own eyes. They were deep blue with tiny little slivers of silver or gray all throughout her irises. If she was honest with herself, her eyes were really the only thing she liked about her appearance. Her skin was too ghostly pale, she didn’t have enough curves, she was too bony, and her hair could never hold a curl no matter what she did. However, certain members of her family had informed her that she had the eyes of a Nightwind.

The Nightwinds were a family barely out of poverty’s reach that illegally sold items from the world aboveground. Ianira doubted her mother knew how the family made their living, but she did know that her mother hated them with a passion because of their low social status. Ianira wasn’t fond of them either. There were plenty of legal things they could do to support themselves. In fact, if they got an actual, legitimate job, they could probably make more money than they were making now. Oh, well. She’d learned the past several decades that people rarely do what is in their best interest, especially males. Their predatory, territorial instincts interfered with their ability to be useful as they wasted time trying to “protect” their family when that job was best left to the matriarchs and the military.

I’ve really got to go in now. I’ve put it off long enough looking at Mother’s portrait. She sucked in a breath and entered the drawing room, exhaling softly as she headed straight for her mother in the middle of the room. On her way to Mother, she smiled at her uncle, Killian, and gave him a little wave. “Hey, Uncle.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she felt two muscular arms pull her into a tight hug. Killian’s grip was so tight that she thought she could feel her spine being crushed, and her windpipe was blocked off by his right arm hooked around her neck. “Can’t… breathe…” She whimpered, hoping he would hear her pitiful whisper above all the other noise in the room. Just as she was starting to see black dots peppered across her vision, Killian released her, and she felt the blood rush back into her head. “Thanks, Uncle.” She said, rubbing her throat.

“Sorry, ‘Nira.” Killian apologized, his cheeks turning rosy.

“It’s okay.” Ianira replied, trying not to let the awkwardness she felt show. Killian was the only one in the family who still called her by her childhood nickname, and it made her feel like a vulnerable, little girl again. In short, she hated it, but since she didn’t want to be rude to her uncle, she put up with it and tried to cover it up with a smile. She’d actually gotten pretty good at that, but her performance was subpar today for some reason. It must be that I’m anxious and ecstatic about temple later. She waved once more at Killian and calmly resumed her path straight to her mother. However, Velika, the sister born next after her, wanted a word with her first. “Sis, are you nervous about today?” Velika was about a fifty-fifty mix of their parents. She had Belladonna’s caramel eyes and hourglass figure, but she had Eoghan’s dirty-blonde hair and wide smile. 

Ianira shot Velika a wry grin. “I’m so nervous; I couldn’t even eat, so Mother practically forced breakfast down my throat.” She admitted, twirling a stray wisp of hair around her right index finger.

Velika gave her a knowing smile. “I thought you would be.” Her hands reached up to Ianira to untwist her necklace, and her elder sister gave her a small smile of gratitude.

Velika was kind of the mother hen of Belladonna’s children, even though she wasn’t the oldest, and besides being the most nurturing, she was also Ianira’s best friend.

“I meant to visit you this morning, but Mother had me getting our siblings all ready.” Velika bit her lip, offering Ianira an apologetic smile.

“Don’t worry about it. I know how high strung Mother can be when something important to her is happening.” Ianira shrugged off.

“Important to her?” Velika asked, raising an eyebrow. “Isn’t it important to you?”

“Of course it is!” Ianira replied. Then realizing that she’d sounded a little harsh, she added, “I mean, I’ve been waiting for this a long time, and I guess… well, I don’t know…” She sighed, playing with the beads on her necklace.

Velika smoothed back her hair. “I know it’s a lot of pressure, but you’ll do great, sis. You’ve worked hard for this, and I know you; you’ll love every second of it.”

“Thanks, sis.” Ianira said, blushing.

“Oh!” Velika exclaimed suddenly. “I have some snacks in my purse. I thought you’d be too nervous to eat, so I packed some stuff for later. That way you won’t starve, and you’ll have energy.”

“You think of everything.” Ianira replied. “Tonight do you want to study in my room for our upcoming exams?”

Velika nodded eagerly. “Yes, please! I really need help remembering… well, everything.” She smiled sheepishly at Ianira, and her older sister flashed her a bright smile in return.

“I’d love to help you, and studying is more fun with a partner.” Ianira finally looked a bit more relaxed, especially at the opportunity to spend a quiet evening studying with only her best friend. “Just think; we’ll be training in the temple together so soon.”

Velika grinned. “I know. I can hardly keep myself together because it’s all so fantastic! Imagine us as priestesses!”

“No, high priestesses.” Ianira corrected her teasingly.

Velika shook her head. “You’ll definitely be a high priestess, but I don’t think I could ever achieve that. You’re more naturally inclined for that.”

Ianira scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. You have one of the best work ethics I’ve ever seen, and in this family, that’s saying something. You can do it if you put your mind to it.” She insisted.

“Maybe.” Velika replied thoughtfully.

“Mother is probably getting impatient wanting to talk to me.” Ianira said, making eye contact with her mother out of the corner of her eye.

“Yes, of course.” Velika nodded. “Good luck, sis!”

“Won’t need it.” Ianira replied, being more than a little cocky. She could hear Velika chuckling to herself as she walked away.

“There you are!” Belladonna pulled Ianira into the circle as soon as she was within reach.

“So, are you excited for today?” Asphodel asked. “Well, that’s actually a stupid question. Of course you’re excited!” She added, embracing Ianira in a much more relaxed hug than Killian’s had been.

Ianira wasn’t a hugger, but since she respected her aunt, she hugged her back gently. When Asphodel released her, she blushed slightly. “I’ve been so thrilled for this all week.” She admitted. “It’s been so challenging to study because I’ve been daydreaming about this moment and can’t focus on the books.”

Asphodel and Belladonna both grinned at her. “I remember how nervous I was.” Asphodel sighed, indulging a little nostalgia. “Remember that was the day some of the rooms in the house were supposed to be painted?”

Belladonna nodded, taking Ianira’s hand in hers. “I do remember that.” She replied, a contented smile forming on her face. “I also remember Killian thinking it would be a fun idea to dip his hand in black paint and press it against the walls in several rooms like he was marking his territory.”

Asphodel chuckled. “And all the while he was dripping paint on the floor wherever he went.”

Ianira smirked, glancing at Killian out of the corner of her eye. This definitely sounded like something he would have done when he was younger. It actually might be something he’d repeat in the near future, but he would probably be smart enough to not leave a trail of paint behind him.

“What I remember the most vividly was how we found him.” Belladonna added.

Asphodel nodded, flashing her pearly white teeth in a huge smile. “Oh, yes. We followed that trail he left all through the house, and you and Kairos and Silvan thought there was going to be treasure at the end of it.”

“To be fair we were little and didn’t know who was making the trail until we found him in Mother’s room trying to use one of her makeup brushes to apply black paint around his eyes and in stripes across his cheeks, so he would look like a Morwen warrior.” Belladonna replied, an underlying, defensive note in her voice. If Asphodel picked up on it, she didn’t let it show, bringing the conversation back to what they had originally been discussing. “I remember being so scared that I’d mess up the ritual that I was almost shaking all the way there.” She reminisced, her smile becoming more wistful.

“Don’t worry, Ianira, my love.” Belladonna said, attempting to soothe her daughter’s anxiety. “You have the blood of a hundred great priestesses in your veins. You are my eldest, and you were born for this.” The remark didn’t really help Ianira very much. It only put more pressure on her shoulders. If I couldn’t mess up before, now I really can’t mess up. I’m the oldest, and if I fail, I will shame my entire family.

Asphodel must have sensed that her niece was now even more distraught, for she took Ianira’s left hand and squeezed it gently. “Once you start, the butterflies in your stomach will go away, and you’ll do just fine. Besides, you won’t be alone; Aunt Kairos will be helping you.”

Ianira nodded, forcing a smile. “Okay.” The single word was all she could say at the moment. Asphodel had helped some of her fears, but she could still feel butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

Just then, Ianira’s youngest sister, Isolde, finally showed up, but instead of talking to their uncles or siblings, she sat down by herself. That’s odd. Usually Isolde is the life of the party. However, she didn’t get to think about her sister for long. “Remember we have to go the temple again tonight because it’s my turn to listen for the High Goddess’s voice.” Belladonna said, turning Ianira’s attention away from Isolde.

“I know you want me to go, but I really need to study tonight. It’s not like I can enter the inner sanctum with you anyway.” Ianira replied.

“One day you’ll be doing the same thing I am. Even if you can’t follow me all the way, you can still learn and pray.” Belladonna answered firmly.

Asphodel laid one hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Bella, let her study. She can’t be a priestess if she doesn’t pass all the tests, and I’m sure she hasn’t been able to focus much with all the anticipation and excitement.”

Belladonna turned her head to look at Asphodel’s hand on her shoulder, but she quickly looked away after just a glance. “She’ll have plenty of time to study between both the trips and when we get home from the last one, and there are still a couple more days before the written testing is held.”

“We’ve always been especially close, but you’re her mother. Do whatever you think is best, little sister.” Asphodel said, taking her hand off her sister to show that she was deferring the matter to her.

Ianira just watched the interaction in silence. She knew her mother strongly disliked �"maybe even, hated �" being called by anything but her full first name, but she couldn’t say anything about it to Asphodel. It would be disrespectful to call the Matriarch out on something in public �" or even, in private. Correcting the Matriarch meant that the one doing the correcting would basically be saying that they knew better than her and even that they deserved the title of Matriarch themselves. Belladonna could do nothing about it. While she and Asphodel shared differing views between themselves in private, Belladonna knew how to pick her battles. Her nickname wasn’t worth it, no matter how much she detested it.

After a moment, Belladonna nodded and smoothed back Ianira’s raven locks of hair. “Your Aunt Asphodel has a point.” She finally conceded. “Spending time in the temple will do you no good if you don’t pass the tests.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Ianira replied, bending at the waist very slightly to show her respect and gratitude to both her mother and Aunt Asphodel. She was going to say more, but her overly dramatic sister, Catriona, chose that particular moment to make an entrance. “Is everyone here now?” She asked, turning to the nearest person, which happened to be her youngest uncle, Silvan. Silvan shook his head of unruly, black hair at her in response.

“Then who are we waiting on?” She asked, directing her question to the whole room since Silvan was extremely shy and probably would answer her in a voice too quiet to hear.

“Only Uncle Athanasius.” Belladonna answered, turning back around to face Asphodel and Ianira.

Ianira saw Catriona join their younger sisters, Melantha and Badriyah, out of the corner of her eye, but she was soon distracted by her mother and aunt.

“We’re going to be late.” Belladonna sighed. “Doesn’t Athanasius know how important today is?”

Asphodel gave her sister a reassuring smile. “We won’t be late. I’ll drag him by his hair if he doesn’t show up soon.”

Belladonna nodded sharply and kept a close watch on the door from her peripheral vision.

The conversation reached a lull with Belladonna staring down the doorway, Asphodel glancing at her husband, Ozul, and Ianira enjoying the moment of rest. She loved her mother and aunt �" and all her family, for that matter �" but she enjoyed solitude and silence as well whenever she could get it. As the eldest of her generation, the expectations she had to meet were higher for her than for her siblings and cousins, and living up to them just about exhausted her by the time the day was over, which was disappointing since she was a night owl by nature. When she was younger, she could stay up reading or wandering through the silent house or sneaking out to meet Nikolae beyond the iron gates protecting the manor and grounds from trespassers. Now she only had the energy to read a little each night, and sometimes she could only get past a page or two before falling asleep with her face in the book no matter how intriguing it was.

“Sorry, everyone.” A sudden voice from the doorway caught Ianira’s attention. She turned her head to catch a glimpse of the missing family member: Athanasius. She didn’t pay much attention to what he and Asphodel were saying and instead looked for Velika, who was rounding up their younger siblings as usual. As Ozul took his place at Asphodel’s side, the rest of the family fell into their normal places behind the Matriarch. Finn and Wolfram were right behind Asphodel and her husband, and Belladonna and Eoghan were just after them. Next came Kairos by herself as she was the only unmarried sister, and the males, Athanasius, Lucien, Killian, and Silvan, were behind her in that order. Then it was Asphodel’s daughters, Eirlys and Ennata, and then Ianira, Velika, Catriona, Melantha, Badriyah, Isolde, Lycidas, Arawn, and Melchior bringing up the rear.

As Ianira stepped outside, she sucked in a huge breath of air. High Goddess, guide me; show me and my path to priesthood mercy; bless me with wisdom and knowledge and help me carry out your divine will today by allowing me to successfully complete the ritual. Normally she would pray to the goddess of luck, but since she was on her way to Nerys’s temple, she thought praying to another deity wouldn’t very appropriate. Plus, she didn’t want to upset the High Goddess in case Nerys decided to cause her to fail the ritual because she gave another goddess preference over her. From some of the tales and myths she’d read, the goddesses could be offended easily, and their retribution was always swift and savage and, sometimes, ironic in a way that would only amuse the goddesses and gods. In short, she didn’t want to take any chances today.

Trying to shove away the anxious thoughts crowding her mind, she forced her feet to carry her to her usual carriage with Velika, Eirlys, and Ennata, but when the footman opened the door and she was about to step in, Asphodel took her aside by the arm. She must have looked very confused because Asphodel gave her an amused smile. “Today you’re riding with us.” Her aunt said, guiding her into the first carriage. Despite her nervousness, she could barely contain the excitement of getting to ride with her aunts and her mother. She slid down the seat all the way to the end, and Asphodel sat down next to her. Her mother sat directly across from her, and Kolfinna took her place beside Belladonna. “What about Aunt Kairos?” Ianira inquired.

As the fourth sister of Kolfinna, Asphodel, and Belladonna, Kairos normally rode with her older sisters, but today there was no room for her with Ianira in the carriage. “I’m sure she won’t mind sitting with your sisters and my daughters for today.” Asphodel replied. Ianira knew that what she really meant to say was “Since you’re doing the ritual sacrifice this afternoon, Aunt Kairos is riding with her nieces, and that’s that.” However, she also knew that Kairos loved being with her, her sisters, and her cousins. Her childish, immature aunt just about fit right in with her and all the other girls.

As the carriages began moving, Ianira heard her mother and aunts starting to talk about something or other, but she didn’t really feel like talking much. So she smiled and nodded along to appear interested, but really her mind was far outside the confines of the carriage. I wonder what the ritual room is like… From what I’ve heard it’s right outside the inner sanctum where the priestesses receive Nerys’s will and advice, so it should be fairly nice. Mother tells me that it’s separated from the inner sanctum by a great curtain of the finest blue silk with gold and silver tassels. Thinking about the inner sanctum excited her, even though she wouldn’t get to see the inside of it, but it also multiplied the number of butterflies in her stomach. There’s so much riding on this; this one moment could decide the rest of my entire life. The realization made her a little short of breath, and it made her pale skin even whiter and pastier than normal. Hopefully no one would notice it behind the traditional veil all the women and girls wore to temple. She was filled with a sudden desperate need to get out of the carriage, to walk around, to do something other than just sit here. Her feet tapped softly on the carriage floor, and her fingers did the same in her lap. She’d hoped no one had noticed, but apparently at least one person had because Asphodel took one of her hands in her own. “It’s okay to be nervous.” She said softly.

Ianira nodded slightly, watching her mother and Aunt Kolfinna chat between themselves to see if they’d heard Asphodel’s words. If they did, they hid it flawlessly, giving absolutely no indication of having heard anything. “It’s just a simple ritual, and Aunt Kairos will handle the main portion. And even if you mess up, it won’t matter much.” Asphodel reassured her, squeezing her hand gently. “You won’t be alone.”

“Thank you.” Ianira replied. She still felt terribly anxious, but at least her aunt’s words had soothed and calmed some of the butterflies in her stomach.

“I wonder how Kairos is getting along with Eirlys and your sisters.” Asphodel mused, mostly to herself.

“Aunt Kairos is probably having a smaller version of her parties.” Ianira answered wryly.

Asphodel grinned and laughed softly. “Mostly likely you’re right. Kairos tends to make everything into a party.”

Kairos was one of the few free spirits of Moonshiver Manor. Like Isolde, she was the life of the party wherever she went, and she loved to party any chance she got. She was also extremely popular in the elite social circles of Halona, got invited to almost everything, and went to at least four parties or social events a week. Ianira didn’t know how she could be a priestess and keep up with her sophisticated social life, but somehow she did it. Aunt Finn had remarked once that socializing and partying were what gave Kairos the ability to function in so many capacities, but to Ianira, that was impossible. Social events completely drained her; they didn’t energize her the way they seemed to do with Kairos and her mother and Isolde. Do they really like to have such complicated social lives, or are they just really good at pretending? That was a question she’d never been able to answer, at least not in a way that satisfied her. She wrestled with it often, but to no avail.

A chorus of laughter drew her out of her own mind, and she realized that Asphodel had joined in Belladonna and Kolfinna’s conversation while she was absorbed in her own mind. “I’d actually forgotten about that incident.” Asphodel admitted. Ianira had no idea what they were talking about, so she stayed quiet but tried to look like she was paying attention.

“I can’t believe you forgot about that.” Kolfinna remarked. “That story was the highlight of every social event for the rest of the year.”

“I know; I don’t know how it slipped out of my mind.” Asphodel replied. She shrugged her shoulders and glanced at Ianira out of the corner of her eye to see how her niece was doing. Ianira shot her a half smile in return and then redirected her attention back to her mother and Aunt Kolfinna. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Aunt Finn talk so much before… She thought, watching Kolfinna when she thought her aunt wasn’t looking. Usually she only speaks this much around Uncle Wolfram. Although she was studying her aunt, she still had no idea what her mother and aunts were discussing. It was kind of like how she could read every word of a book and still not know what it said. That usually happened because she was daydreaming or focused on something else instead, like how she was watching the amount Kolfinna talked but not listening to what she was actually saying.

Aside from her mother and Aunt Asphodel, Kolfinna was one of her main role models. Finn didn’t have as complex a social life as her sisters, but she was still a respected priestess and had found a very rare but seemingly happy relationship with her husband. Ianira had always admired how graceful and poised she was just like all the older females in the family, but there was something else Finn had that she couldn’t put her finger on. Was it that she was more sincere? Or just a more brilliant actress than people gave her credit before? Whatever it was, it was the reason why she looked up to her so much. Like always, thinking about it gave Ianira a headache, so she let her mind wander the rest of the ride to the temple, smiling and nodding absentmindedly every now and then to appear like she was engaged in the conversation. She’d become excellent at looking attentive when she was really just daydreaming or listening to the background noises or other people’s conversations instead. She could even remember the key points of the conversations she was in by tuning in and out at regular intervals in case someone asked her a question or signaled that it was her turn to say something. Most of the time it worked pretty well, but there had been a few times when her methods backfired on her. Now, however, experience had given her a list of several excuses to make or ways to change the topic when she didn’t know how to reply to someone because she had no clue as to what they were talking about. But as I get older and older, I learn that there are only certain times to use this strategy. I wish I could use it all the time, especially when Mother and Aunt Asphodel have all their friends from the temple and the elite, social circles over to the manor. She pushed down a sigh and listened intently to the sounds of the city as the carriage entered the main street on which the temple was located.

The aromas of food and flowers and perfumes seeped into the carriage, making Ianira’s empty stomach growl softly. She glared down at it to quiet it, feeling relieved when no one appeared to have heard it. The footman opened the door, and she exited last after Kolfinna. It was nice to get a breath of fresh air out in the wide street. Most streets were narrower than this, except the marketplace, which felt a lot smaller because of all the stands and carts, and all around her were people arriving to the imposing temple, waving to each other, and entering the grand double doors together. However, she and her siblings had to pass her mother’s inspection first. As she did every day, she stood near the steps leading up to temple entrance, and her siblings fell in line next to her. Velika put a hand on her shoulder and flashed her an encouraging smile. “You’ll do fantastic, sis!” She exclaimed in a low voice.

Ianira nodded, letting out a deep breath. “Thanks. I hope so too.”

Neither sibling spoke anything more as their mother approached them for the routine check-over. Out of the corner of her eye, Ianira could see the Deathshadow matriarch doing the same to her children, including Jagger and Odile. Jagger caught her watching him and gave her his sauciest wink. She had to force herself not to gag and sent him a small wave back before she turned her back to him. I don’t think there’s anyone I hate the guts of more than him. Disgusted with the brief interaction, she was glad her mother had started checking her and her siblings. Anything to take her mind off that flirtatious jerk.

Belladonna nodded approvingly at her and fixed Velika’s eyeliner with her thumb nail. When her mother had moved on past her, Velika, and Catriona, Velika pulled a small leather pouch out of her purse and handed it to her. “There’s plenty of snacks in there for you before you have to do the ritual sacrifice.” She explained.

A grin broke out on Ianira’s face. “You’re the best.” During the ride to the temple she’d mostly been too nervous to eat anything, but now that she was in the middle of the street smelling the baked goods and meats a little farther down the street, she found herself starving. If she could, she would eat all the snacks her sister had prepared for her, but her mother would have her head if she stood in the middle of the street devouring this food right before the sacrifice. So instead, she slipped the pouch into her purse, silently promising her stomach that she would feed it once she was in the preparation room with Kairos.

Once her mother was done with her inspection, Ianira walked behind all her aunts with Velika by her side holding her hand to reassure her. They took the stairs up at a leisurely pace, Ianira’s heart pounding in her chest so hard that she was certain her sister and aunts must hear it. Her grip on Velika’s hand tightened when she entered the building, her legs becoming dead weights as she dragged her feet in the direction of a second hallway used only by the priestesses. “Sis, I can’t come with you.” Velika protested, trying to loosen Ianira’s grip on her hand.

“Why not? You’re almost a priestess in training too.” Ianira answered, grimacing when her voice cracked.

“This is a special favor Mother arranged for you.” Velika said, finally wrenching her hand free from Ianira’s grip. “I can’t follow you this time, but I’ll be cheering you on.”

“Instead of praying?” Ianira asked, tilting her head to one side. “Today is really about thanking the High Goddess, not praying about personal issues.”

“This is why you’ll make an excellent priestess.” Velika grinned, giving her sister one last hug before they had to part ways. “I’ll thank her for giving you this opportunity, but I’ll ask that she guides you too, okay?”

Ianira nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Velika released her from the hug and waved at her as she joined the rest of their siblings. Ianira waved back, but she was suddenly grabbed by the arm and pulled down the carpeted hallway before Velika could give her one last wish of good luck. “C’mon!” Kairos exclaimed, hurrying down the corridor with Ianira in tow.

Ianira tried to free her hand but to no avail. Kairos had an iron grip on her wrist and basically galloped all the way down the hall. When they reached the end, there was another hall perpendicular to the first with closed, wood doors all the way down both ends. Kairos turned right and pushed open the second door they reached.

The room they entered was moderately sized, not very spacious but not cramped either. Mirrors aligned the left wall and were lit up by lanterns and glowing korrae leaves, and a counter ran along the wall just under the mirrors with stools for priestesses to perch on while they fixed their hair or makeup. Kairos immediately pulled out a stool and began touching up her face. Ianira did the same since she hadn’t had much time earlier to fix her makeup. She hadn’t brought any of her supplies with her, but luckily Kairos didn’t mind sharing cosmetics. “Hey, try this shade of lipstick.” Kairos said, handing Ianira a gold tube.

Ianira untwisted the cap and stared at the flamboyant, red color. Wow… That is really, really red.

“That color will look so gorgeous on you in contrast to that pasty, pale skin you have.” Kairos remarked, reapplying a pink gloss over her rose lipstick.

“It’s not really my style…” Ianira murmured back. She didn’t want to be rude to her aunt, but she really did not want to wear that lipstick. “I think I’ll just put another coat on of what I’m wearing now.”

“You sure?” Kairos asked, tilting her head to one side. “It really would look just fabulous on you.”

“Maybe for a more formal event.” Ianira answered. “It just feels like a little much for a ritual.”

Kairos shrugged. “Okay. Suit yourself.”

Ianira heaved a small sigh of relief. Kairos was normally laid back, but she could be pushy when it came to clothing, hair, and cosmetics.

While her aunt was still touching up her makeup, Ianira slipped out of her gray robes and pulled a pair of black robes with red trim on a hanger off the rack of robes on the right wall of the room. She fastened the new robes around her waist with her white belt and pinned back her veil on top of her head, not looking forward to having to let it cover her face again when it was time for the ritual. She pulled out the snack pouch Velika had made for her and started on the berries first. In a little cloth bag was an assortment of fruits: moonberries, darkberries, and bloomberries. She tossed several into her mouth, enjoying the symphony of all the different flavors coming together in her mouth. The sweet darkberries perfectly complemented the tangy bloomberries, and the moonberries just about melted in her mouth in an explosion of sour and sweet. Once she finished those off, she ate half a fished sandwich and a slice of light sava bread.

By the time she was done, Kairos was almost ready. Her aunt changed into the appropriate robes for the sacrifice ritual and tied a blue sash around her waist to signify her rank as an upper tier priestess. “Ready?” Kairos asked, checking her appearance in the mirror one more time before she left.

“Of course.” Ianira replied, her stomach twisting anxiously.

“Have you been eating?” Kairos asked.

“Um, yes.” Ianira answered. “Why?”

“Your lipstick is fading.” Kairos explained. She pulled a tube of lip gloss out of her bag and expertly painted Ianira’s lips in a few, swift strokes. “There we go!” She said, grabbing Ianira’s hand before her niece could look at her lips in the mirror.

Once they were outside the preparation room, Ianira followed Kairos further down the hallway to one of the last doors on the right. Her aunt motioned for her to wait outside the door, and she nodded, waiting with her hands clasped behind her back. Kairos left the door cracked open behind her, and Ianira couldn’t resist her curiosity to peek inside. When her aunt’s footsteps had faded, she poked her head into the doorway and wrinkled her nose at the foul smell. There were tables and racks all throughout the room, and a couple dead animals were on a few of the tables. Ianira could only guess that was what was in some of the bags hanging from the racks. I guess this is where they store the animal sacrifices. There were also several cabinets on the walls and a counter near the back. Little mixing bowls were scattered around, some empty and some filled with herbal poultices. Ianira assumed they were what the priestesses used to clean and purify the sacrifices.

Suddenly she heard her aunt’s footsteps getting louder, so she stepped away from the door and stood still as if she’d been there the whole time. Kairos returned with a small animal in her arms. It was about the size of a fat cat with long, silky blue fur and lifeless, amber eyes. It had six legs with talon-like claws, a pair of pointy ears on top of its head, and sharp canines protruding from its mouth. Ianira had never seen a lesser rasha before, but she had seen sketches of it in her schooling. The greater rashas were even more awe-inspiring, but they were deadly. Hardly anyone who came across one survived.

“This way.” Kairos said, motioning at the door across from them in the hallway. Ianira opened the door for her aunt and closed it softly behind her.

The carpet ended in the ritual room, and the floor was instead made of stone. A single, stone altar stood in the center, and just as she’d been told, a thick curtain separated the ritual room from the inner sanctum.

Kairos placed the rasha in the middle of a dip on top of the altar and ran her finger over the different colored stones around the rim of the altar. She picked up the small blade fastened to the edge of the altar and gave Ianira an encouraging smile, offering her the knife. Ianira gulped and took the blade, hoping her hand wouldn’t shake when it came time to do what she had to do. Kairos placed both her hands on the colored stones and closed her eyes. Ianira copied her and waited on her aunt to begin. After a brief moment of silence, Kairos began chanting in grim speech, and Ianira joined her, the short words coming to memory exactly when she needed them. “Ra uru dac ker kamate sha rin taga min roha abul sha nam preya min toku.” Now for the most important part. Ianira bit her lip and brought the knife shakily to her palm. She sucked in one huge breath and sliced the blade into her palm, blood trickling from the cut immediately. Kairos held out her hand, and Ianira did the same thing to her. Her aunt put both her hands on the rim stones, the ones nearest her starting to glow and hum softly. Ianira held the rasha in place with her free hand and with the blade, slit the animal’s throat. Blood filled the basin and Ianira put her bleeding palm on the glowing stones, the soft hum getting louder and louder as the stones glowed brighter and brighter. Blood trickled over the side of the altar, and Ianira watched as her hands were bathed in it. Even as a child she’d never been fazed by blood, and she wasn’t daunted by it now. Judging by the look on her aunt’s face, Kairos was trying not to be sick. And now I know why Aunt Kairos never wants to perform the ritual sacrifices. She thought, watching the blood pool around the base of the altar on the floor.

A flicker of movement caught her eye, but when she looked up, there was nothing there. Huh… That’s odd. All of a sudden the blood retracted back into the altar. The blood in the basin disappeared underneath the rasha, and the blood on the floor crawled back up the altar and disappeared with the rest of the blood. Even the blood soaking Ianira’s hands had retreated underneath the rasha. “Well, that’s-“ Kairos’s remark was interrupted by a tremor in the ground. Oh no, I’ve messed up the ritual! Ianira thought, grabbing onto the altar to steady herself. The walls and ceiling began to shake, and the dead rasha flopped around on top of the altar every time the ground trembled. Ianira stood still, horrified, and couldn’t move a muscle.

“C’mon!” Kairos shouted over the clamor. “We’ve got to get out of here!”

Ianira barely heard her aunt. Everything sounded distant and far away… She was jolted back into reality when her aunt shoved her in the direction of the door. She stumbled, trying to catch her balance on the shaking ground, and sprinted for the exit. Making sure her aunt was right behind her, she raced down the hallways as fast as she could on the moving ground and held Kairos’s hand when she climbed down the stairs outside the temple. She let go of her aunt and frantically looked for her sisters, Velika in particular. Crowds were emerging from the temple and the nearby businesses and stands and houses down the street, which only added to all the chaos. She thought she spotted Melantha with her chin-length brown hair, but she couldn’t even be half way certain. She stood still in the midst of all the people shouting over each other, searching for her mother and sisters and the rest of her family. Maybe they’re still in the temple. She turned around to watch the temple doors and caught sight of her cousin Eirlys dragging both Isolde and Catriona down the steps. At least they’re safe. She was going to make her way over to them, but someone else blocked her view. She didn’t have to look up to see his face. She knew who it was immediately. “Jagger.” She spoke, trying to sound pleasant. She utterly failed, but she didn’t exactly care at the moment.

“Wow, I can really tell you’re happy to see me.” Jagger replied, in a bit of a cocky, sarcastic tone.

“I’m sorry.” Ianira apologized. “I’m just trying to find my sister.”

Jagger studied her for a moment, and Ianira tried to hide how desperately uncomfortable his staring was making her. Finally, he spoke again. “I can’t find my sister either, so you’ll have to do.”

Before Ianira could ask him what was going on, he took her smaller hand in his larger one and pulled her behind him. He weaved quickly through the crowd, glancing back at her a few times to make sure she was keeping up alright. He banked hard to the left, and Ianira nearly face planted after tripping over someone’s boot when she was trying to keep up with him.

After several more times of almost falling and being trampled by the panicked crowd, Jagger released her hand and motioned for her to follow him down an alley. Ianira just stood there. I’m not going into a dark alley where he can murder me with no witnesses. Jagger eventually turned around and saw her standing at the entrance to the alley with her arms crossed. He jogged back over to her and reached out for her hand. Ianira was quick to swat away his hand this time. “Jagger Deathshadow, I am not following you into some shady alley alone.”

“Wow, you’re using both my names. Wanna guess what my middle name is?” He asked, sneering at her.

“Not really.” Ianira shot back.

“Will you just come on?” He asked, clearly exasperated.

“No.” Ianira answered, just as frustrated. “I have to find my sister.”

“Velika, right?”

“Yes. How did you-“

“I’m a little more observant than most people give me credit for. Contrary to popular belief, I do not spend all my time in front of a mirror.” He said, rather defensively.

“Well, then…” Ianira’s cheeks turned rosy, and she was so flustered she couldn’t think of anything intelligent to say. “Then… I apologize.”

Jagger shrugged. “Cool. Now, c’mon. Please?”

Ianira shook her head. “I’m not following you down a dark alley alone.”

“You won’t be alone.” Jagger countered. “You’ll be with me. Now what could happen to you with a butch stud like me to protect you?”

“It’s not other people I’m afraid of.” Ianira retorted dryly.

Jagger clutched his heart. “Ouch. I can’t believe you think I’d try to pull something like that.”

“You haven’t exactly proved yourself to be a very trustworthy person.” Ianira replied.

“You might have a bit of a point there.” Jagger grimaced. “But I would never put a lady from such high breeding in danger.”

Ianira chuckled. “You think of me as a lady?”

“Yes.” Jagger answered. “Why? Should I think of you as an old maid instead? Or a maybe petulant child?”

Ianira rolled her eyes. “I can’t really control how you perceive me, so what’s the use trying?”

“No, but you can influence my perception of you.” Jagger answered.

“If I tell you what I want you to think of me as, you’ll think of me as the opposite just to mess with me and try my patience.” Ianira shrugged. “There’s no point.”

“You don’t know that.” Jagger replied, sounding a little defensive again.

“No, but I do know that’s what’s always happened in the past.”

“I will think of you however you want if you help me.”

“And when I’m done helping you, you’ll go back to thinking whatever it is you really think I am.”

“Maybe.” Jagger shrugged.

“Well, at least you’re honest…” Ianira bit the inside of her cheek, and Jagger let her think in peace. What could I possibly help him with that’s down that alley? He’s from one of the great families like I am. What kind of trouble has he gotten himself into? Knowing him, it could be anything.

“It’ll be an adventure.” Jagger spoke again.

“Then you’ve got the wrong girl.” Ianira replied. “You should have taken my other sister Isolde. She’s the adventurous one.”

“If I’d wanted Isolde, I’d have brought her here, but I didn’t. I wanted you.”

Ianira looked very confused. “Why?”

“Just come.” Jagger said, holding his hand out to her. “I’ll show you.”

Reluctantly, Ianira took his hand and allowed him to lead her down the alley. For the first time, she noticed the ground had quit trembling, but many of the nearby buildings had collapsed or looked like they were on their last limbs. A foul stench trapped between the alley walls made breathing nauseating, and all kinds of unknown liquids were in puddles all through the alley. Ianira’s thin slippers squished and squelched in the puddles she couldn’t avoid, but she was able to see and hop over most of them. Jagger was wearing a pair of leather boots, but he didn’t seem to care about keeping them in good shape as he stepped right in the middle of almost every puddle in his path. The whole walk down the alley was silent, but suddenly Jagger stopped and motioned for Ianira to wait for a moment. He walked down a little further and disappeared behind a pile of old crates and a stack of rotting, wood beams. Ianira waited for him for a few minutes before deciding to follow him. She noiselessly made her way down the alley, avoiding every puddle and the occasional dead rat, but stopped when she heard voices. Unfortunately, before she could listen, a fat rat with an inch-long tail ran across her foot, and her hand flew to her mouth to unsuccessfully muffle her shriek.

Jagger popped up behind the pile of crates and threw his hands up in the air. “I told you to wait down there.”

“And I told you I didn’t want to be in an alley alone.” Ianira snapped.

“Fine, fine. Just come over here.” Jagger sighed, disappearing behind the crates again.

Ianira stepped over another puddle and crouched down next to Jagger. Her hand flew to her mouth yet again when her eyes took in the child in front of her. A little boy bleeding from his temples was sitting on the filthy ground with a short beam of wood impaling his thigh.

“This is Brendan.” Jagger said. “Brendan, say hi to my friend Ianira.”

Normally Ianira would have quickly refuted his claim to be her friend, but she didn’t really care about that right now. “Hi.” She said softly, giving the boy a small wave. “What happened?” She asked Jagger.

Jagger shook his head. “I don’t know; I just found him this way.”

Ianira wondered what he was doing out in a random alley but said nothing. The boy took precedence. “What should we do?” She asked, directing the question to Jagger.

“That’s what I brought you here for.” He answered.

“But-“

“Let me finish.” He said, covering her mouth with his hand.

Ianira spit on his hand, and he withdrew it quickly, wiping it off on his trousers. “Don’t touch my face.”

“Fine, don’t interrupt me.” He sighed.

“Fine.” Ianira replied, crossing her arms.

“I know you’re not a real priestess, but you did the ritual in the temple. Do you think you can help him?”

“What?” She asked.

“You heard me.”

“But…”

“But?”

I messed up the ritual. How can I fix this? Clearly I have no sort of control over magic, but I can’t just leave this kid. “But… I’ll try my best.” She answered.

Jagger nodded and scooted closer to Brendan. Ianira started inspecting his leg, trying to touch it as little as possible. Blood was dried on the end of the rotting bream, but it looked like it hadn’t reached the bone, just the muscle. She gently touched the side of Brendan’s leg, and he flinched, crying out in pain. Her hand recoiled, but she knew she’d have to touch him again if she was to help. “Try to relax if you can.” She instructed the boy. “I have to touch you again.”

Brendan whimpered, but to his credit he tried to stay as still as possible. Jagger held his hand firmly and murmured gently to him, but Ianira didn’t know what words were coming out of his mouth. She was too focused on the injury to listen to what he was saying to the kid. Her right hand drew near to his leg, and she barely brushed her palm against the broken skin. Brendan cried at first, but after a moment, he became still. Ianira pushed a little harder on the wound, but still the boy gave no indication of feeling any pain. Calm rushed through her and cleared out her muddled thinking. She even almost felt… connected? Like she was attuned to the boy or something. Somehow, she knew what she had to do. Glancing down at the healing skin, a faint smile formed on her face. “Jagger, I need you to remove this beam.”

“What? But-“

“Will you just do as I say?” She asked, trying not to get irritated with him. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Okay.” Jagger consented. He let go of Brendan’s hand, and the boy whimpered. Ianira grabbed the boy’s hand and placed her other one on his knee. “On three.” She said, letting the calm overtake her.

Jagger nodded and gripped the board with both hands. “One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

Jagger lifted the board as smoothly and quickly as possible, and Brendan only cried for but a moment before he was silent. Ianira put pressure on the open wound and covered it as best she could with both her hands. The skin and muscle moved under her hands, repairing themselves. Jagger covered the boy’s eyes but watched in awe when Ianira finally lifted her hands. The boy’s leg looked as it hadn’t ever been impaled by a wood beam. There wasn’t even a scar.

Jagger helped Brendan up and then shoved him towards the end of the alley. “Go home, kid.” He said, watching as the little boy sprinted down the alley and then disappeared. “How the hell did you do that?” He asked, astonished.

“I do come from a powerful line of priestesses, you know.” Ianira shrugged, trying not to let on that she was just as surprised as he was.

“But that was more than a little trick.” He insisted.

“I’ve been training practically since I was born.” Ianira explained.

“Okay.” He seemed to accept her answer for now. “C’mon, let’s get you back. Your family will be worried about you, especially your sister.” He held out a hand to pull her up, and she accepted. He pulled her up and steadied her when she almost lost her balance.

The strange clarity she’d had while healing the boy was now gone, and she felt incredibly dizzy and unsteady on her own feet. Jagger guided her down the alley and carried her over the biggest puddles of foul liquid. When they reached the end of the alley, he set her back down but didn’t let go of her right away. “Can you walk on your own?” He asked.

Ianira nodded and took a few, wobbly steps without his help.

Jagger watched her pick her way over the cobblestones back to the temple, tripping several times. After the third time she’d barely avoided falling, he ran after her and took her hand, holding her by the waist with his free hand. “C’mon, I’ll help you find your sister.” He said, looking to the left while she looked to the right.

“There she is.” Ianira said, pointing in Velika’s direction. She started to walk without Jagger, but he quickly caught up with her, saving her from another fall barely in time. “I’m fine.” She protested, trying to remove herself from his hold. She really didn’t want him escorting her over to her sister.

“You can barely walk, you idiot.” Jagger retorted. “I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I handed you over to the ground, which is where you’ll be if you try to walk without me.”

“You almost never act like a gentleman around me.” Ianira shot back.

“Well today I am.” He answered. “Whether you like it or not. Besides, it wouldn’t do to mistreat the lady who’s going to be my future wife.”

“Ugh.” Ianira groaned.

“What?” Jagger asked, mischief twinkling in his obsidian eyes.

“I’m not a lady, and I’m never marrying you.”

“What are you then?”

“A dangerously curious girl.”

“I’ll keep that in mind then.”

“Sis!” Velika shouted when she caught sight of Ianira.

Ianira waved back. “I can walk now.” She said, trying to free herself from his hold again.

“I’ll let go of you when your sister can help you get home.” He said, tightening his grip on her. “Now stop twisting and squirming; it’s annoying.”

That just made Ianira squirm and struggle even more. She heard Jagger sigh in exasperation, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to be away from him.

When Velika finally reached her, Jagger let her go, and she collapsed on her sister. “Where have you been?!” Velika was practically screeching. “We’ve looked everywhere for you!”

“I don’t mean to interrupt this joyful reunion, but you really should get her home as soon as possible.” Jagger said. “And don’t let her walk anywhere by herself.” He added, walking back to his own, worried family.

Velika gave Ianira a strange look. “What were you doing with him?”

“It’s a long story. Can we just go home now?” Ianira asked weakly.

“Okay.” Velika consented. “Let’s go home.”