Page 15 of An Empress of Earth & Darkness

A little flash of annoyance ran up Emara’s spine. “Empress of Fire, in our circle of trust, there is nothing for me to lie about.” She swallowed the darkness rising from her throat to say otherwise. She may not have had an abundance of water magic, but the demon blood that ran through her veins sang for darkness—another element entirely. “I have already told you I have had nothing out of the ordinary happen. Have you?” she questioned.

A defeated flame lingered in Rya’s eyes. “Nothing new.”

Emara looked between all the women, wondering how long she would get away with lying about her powers rising. Someone was bound to sense it, especially if the ancestors started talking to Kerrix about her and her darkness. But that was a whole other situation to worry about another time. Right now, she just had to keep it at bay and keep her bloodline a secret.

“I guess that means we have another moon cycle to wait.” Kerrix Bellfield stood, her black dress swinging to her knees. Sybil stood and then Emara. Lillian followed, a little slower than normal.

Rya remained seated. “Remember, if anyone senses a difference, even if it is just a little, we must call a meeting between us all and inform the prime.” Everyone nodded, and a small snigger came from Kerrix, who seemed to already be halfway out the door with her maids.

Emara turned to leave. “Oh, Emara, I was hoping to have a word with you.”

Emara stilled, and Kaydence and Lorta hovered near the threshold of the door.

“Alone,” she said.

Emara nodded, and her girls exited the room, leaving the two of them alone.

Rya’s dark eyes raked over Emara. She rose from her chair. “I would be stupid not to think that you are my competition in regards to the supreme crown. I can see your power. I can feel it.” She raised her hand nonchalantly and brushed a few wiry dark hairs from her brow. “I can’t make up my mind if you either don’t know how strong your magic feels or if you are hiding something from me. From us.”

Emara’s spine straightened and her jaw locked.

“But I think it could be hairs that split us in our abilities for the crown. Lillian is lacking in fire and spirit, and Sybil seems to be vocal on not feeling the power of a supreme. Therefore, that leaves us, unless I have underestimated Kerrix. She does seem to keep a tight lid on things, which makes me wonder about House Spirit’s abilities.” Her gaze found Emara’s face again. “But I just wanted to let you know that I want it. I want the crown. And it seems like you are neither here nor there with it.”

Emara’s lips finally parted as she took a few steps in Rya’s direction, trying to keep her composure. “I am going to make one thing clear, Rya. This is not a competition for me. I am not going to compete with my sisters in any coven for a crown.” She stood still just shy of the Fire Empress. “If the Gods bless you with the crown, then I shall be ecstatic for you. And if the Gods see me fit enough to take the title, I expect the same respect from you.” Her eyes did not falter from her face, although she did see Rya shrink a little. “We know enough of our covens’ histories to know that unnecessary competition between one another can be fatal. After all, look what Deleine Orinmore did to my mother in her jealousy for a crown. And their paths are not distant from ours.”

Rya’s throat bobbed, and Emara took a few steps back.

“Why not support one another? Especially since we are seen in the community as weak and vulnerable, with neither husbands nor leaders, we should be sticking together. A sisterhood. An alliance. There is nothing more powerful than witches that stick together, right?”

Rya nodded once and then for the first time in the meeting, she looked towards her feet. “Right.”

“I will see you at the prime meeting, Empress.” Emara bowed in respect for the fire crown and left the cottage to find the portal where the others would be waiting for her.

When the summer sun had come up too eagerly the next day, Emara had rolled from her bedchambers and got dressed to train and blow off some steam. It was the only thing keeping her sane. Artem Stryker put her through the wringer all day with cardio, weights, combat, and weaponry. By the time he was finished, she was achy all over and dripping with sweat. And to be fair, so was Artem. Emara wondered to herself how much of the training was for him; she had witnessed how much this business with Torin had affected him too. Artem had been silent on the way back to the Tower that night, and it had been so unlike him.

“Hey, Em.” Sybil Lockhart slid her plate of food into the space on the table beside Emara’s in the dining room.

“Oh, hey, Sybil.” She smiled back at her. It was nice having a friend in the Tower who didn’t belong to the Tower. The growing party of witches living under the Blacksteel roof made her feel like where she was wasn’t…wrong. Between her maids, Lorta and Kaydence, and Sybil with hers, it felt like they had gathered a little community. Naya and Rhea also stayed within the Tower, and it was great to have them around, especially when their duties involved ancient magic and politics.

Sybil was still training in combat from time to time, but having such a gentle nature, she struggled, and most of the time she was just happy to sit back and watch on as Emara battled the hunters.

It was an easy friendship. From the minute Emara had put her hand in Sybil’s at the ascension ceremony, they had formed an unexplainable bond. A sisterhood as organic and as natural as the summer flowers that bloomed all over the Tower gardens in soft violets, bright oranges, and baby blues.

The summer solstice seemed to have everyone in a good mood, regardless of the impending army of demons that threatened the kingdom. But it did nothing for Emara. Summer wasn’t her thing. Was it wrong to long for gloomy nights and storms that both darkened and lit the sky with the magnificent power of lightning bolts? Was it weird to want to curl up in front of a fireplace with a book whilst the heavy winter rain hit the windowpane from outside and blurred her vision of the city below? Sybil thought it weird. She loved the summer solstice, which was just around the corner. But as Emara liked to remind her, seeds and roots needed rain to grow.

“You seem quiet today.” Sybil picked up her half-gnawed carrot and twirled it like a wand. “Distracted.”

Emara played with the meat on her plate. “I am. My mind is racing.”

It had been a heavy few days.

Sybil scrunched her nose.

“What?” Emara asked, knowing that the earth witch had something to say. She wasn’t good at hiding it on her face.

“I can tell you another time. It’s okay…it can wait.”

Emara dropped her fork. “No, it can’t. If you know me by now, Sybil Lockhart, I would rather know.”

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