Page 1 of Of Blood & Stone

Part One

Chapter 1

The Rite

The price for life would always be pain. Sylzenya breathed in deeply as she reminded herself of this truth—the first she’d been taught as a child. Yet it proved difficult to keep the scream in the back of her throat while the cut on her back burned from her goddess’ power.

“Come on, Syl, don’t be a baby,” Her friend Nyla seethed as they pushed their palms into the earth.

Sylzenya huffed a strained laugh. “You’re the one sweating, not me.”

Their goddess’ golden power encircled them, swirls of light wrapping around their arms and torsos, diving deep into the open flesh of their backs. Sylzenya let out a triumphant shout as a sprout poked from the ground, green and vibrant. She pushed harder into the soil—listening.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

The earth’s heartbeat thrummed against her palms—hergoddess’heartbeat. Pain mingling with excitement, Sylzenya beckoned the sprout to rise. It obeyed, a trail of golden light pushing it up until it was high above her head. Before it couldreach the tops of the willow trees, Sylzenya curled her fingers into the dirt. The sprout bloomed, yellow petals unfurling, a rain of pollen floating through the air.

“Finished,” Sylzenya said with a smirk, releasing her hands from the ground. The golden light retreated into the earth. Warm blood trailed down her back, soaking into the white fabric of her robe and dripping into the soil.

Nyla grunted, following her lead, a green sprout poking its head through the dirt right before she released her hands.

“You know, I really hate you sometimes,” Nyla mumbled.

Sylzenya raised a brow. “You said to not hold back, so I don’t.”

“Doesn’t make it any less infuriating.”

“If you want, I can go easy?—”

“Nevergo easy on me.”

Sylzenya leaned forward, a playful joke sitting on her tongue, but then the glimmer in her friend’s eyes faded.

“Nyla,” Sylzenya said, “you’re going to do just fine.”

“Easier said than done,” she replied, staring at Sylzenya’s flower stalk, “Tell me again why you, of all people, still need to participate in the rite?”

Sylzenya touched the stem of her flower, the stalk soft as a bird’s feather. “Because unlike you, of all people, I actually enjoy our traditions.”

Her friend smirked. “You just want the attention.”

“Me? Attention?”

They stared at one another, grins peeking through feigned seriousness. Sylzenya broke first, her laughter bubbling up like a fresh spring as Nyla joined her.

“You’re not completely wrong,” Sylzenya admitted. “The High One wants me to debut my power so word can spread.”

“The High One certainly likes his displays, doesn’t he?”

“He does,” Sylzenya agreed.

She dug at the base of her newly created flower, dirt gathering under her fingernails until she found what she was searching for. The orodyte stone she’d buried and used with her goddess’ power glowed a bright yellow. Gently, she took it in her hand and then placed it in her pocket. Nyla dug out her orodyte, the stone still clear as crystal.

“Nothing like an empty piece of orodyte to bolster my spirit.” Nyla scoffed with an irritated smile.

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