Page 8 of Ties of Deception

I frowned. “What do you mean they bring death like I bring life? As in, people drop dead or get sick around them? Yet they’re allowed at royal functions?”

Pris blinked, taken aback. “Well…I’m sure they control their powers better than that. Maybe they have to touch you or similar? I don’t think it’s worth the risk to find out if you see one.”

I looked down at the mist-swathed continent, brimming with curiosity, though I was increasingly certain that Pris was not a reliable source of information. “Why would I need to beware their charm and beauty? If their powers are under control, what would they be trying to do? I’m a goddess of life. Surely they can’t harm me?”

“Your right, Graces are immune to their powers.” Pris looked around the room as if worried about being overheard, then leaned in close to me. “The gods of death can’t reproduce without a Grace. They need a goddess of life to bear their children. Humans can’t survive their union or even be close to them for very long. And the Unseen Lands have no priests to create more gods. Therefore their royal family has to reproduce naturally.” She lowered her voice. “Though I have heard that some of their gods have taken mortal wives in the past, even though it kills them!”

My eyebrows rose. “You mean they kidnap brides from Atos?”

She nodded, her eyes widening with horror and excitement. “Members of their royal family visit Atos with a party of Aida to seduce a Grace and take her back to the Unseen Lands. The goddesses never return. So stay away from them, Purity. There’s a group at the royal court now. Led by a prince, if I’m correct. I believe he’s been here several years waiting for a Grace to fall into his trap like a spider. And I’m sure his friends will want one too if they can get one. As I said, I hope you’ll never meet him.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Shouldn’t somebody stop them? Why are they allowed here if they’re essentially kidnapping Graces?”

Pris grimaced. “Well, we’re not meant to use that term. There’s some sort of agreement or something between the rulers. But still, who would go willingly to the Unseen Lands? They must trick their brides.”

A sharp voice behind us made me jump. “Pris is quite right. Stay away from the Aida and their prince. They are dangerous. Never make eye contact with one.” We turned around to see Drusella entering the room. She gave Pris a hard look, and I wondered if her daughter had been more open with me than Drusella would have. She was probably worried that I’d become scared of being kidnapped, and that would affect the quality of my Blessings.

Drusella folded her hands in her skirts, a cream square of paper held between them, and smiled at me. “But you don’t need to worry about them. In fact, there’s nothing you need to worry about at all.” She looked down at the paper, then held it up to me. “The empress has invited you to the royal summer party.” I took it while focused on her tight smile, wondering what was behind it this time. She was clearly worried about something more than the Aida and the stories Pris was telling, but then, she always seemed to be worrying about me.

I took the invitation and looked at the beautiful golden script. It was addressed to me alone and had an intricate, illegible signature at the bottom. I allowed a trickle of excitement at what this might entail.

I looked back up at Drusella. “I didn’t know I’d be invited to any of the empress’s parties.”

She sighed before giving me a gentler smile. “She likes to be surrounded by Graces. Go and have fun, my dear. But keep your wits about you. We, the family, have not been invited, so we can’t guide you in Fierro. There will be many other goddesses there and also members of the royal court—some who may…think to take advantage of your youth. By all means dance and converse, but keep yourself distant. Your home is here, remember, and your happiness is worth more than anything else. Stay away from gossip and drama. Don’t let any man try to court you. If you wish to take a husband, I’d recommend you wait until you're fully settled here and can control your emotions well.”

I half laughed, half scoffed. “A husband? I don’t think I’m ready for anything half so exciting.”

The connotation of what Drusella was saying suddenly hit me. There were no male Graces. “You mean that Graces normally marry human men? Mortals?”

Drusella nodded. “They do. Though some decide to remain purely faithful to their family. Having a husband can bring many…challenges to ones such as yourself, not to mention the fact you will outlive them and often your children too. Though any offspring will live longer than normal mortals.”

Her words stirred an unexpected sorrow deep inside me that I hadn’t known I carried. There were so many things that I hadn’t yet considered. I’d barely contemplated the fact I was immortal.

Pris straightened with an excited smile, squeezing her hands together. “Graces don’t marry just any old man. They’re normally important people from the royal court. Men on the council or royals. It is the most exciting gossip of the province every time it happens.”

Drusella frowned at her daughter. “Indeed. It is very fashionable for the higher ranks of nobility to marry goddesses, since it not only brings them Blessings, but produces offspring who live longer lives and are immune from illness. Many of them already have goddess blood in their veins themselves. It strengthens the council, but…” She straightened. “These are things to think about when you’re much older, Purity.”

My mind was still reeling with questions. “Why are there only goddesses? What about gods? Why are gods only in the Unseen Lands? Why can’t a Grace be a man?”

Drusella looked at me in surprise as if I was losing my mind. “It’s just always been that way since the beginning of time. That sounds like a philosophical question to bother a priest with.”

I sighed internally and hid the question away to ask somebody else later. At least I would meet people outside of the family at the palace.

Drusella clapped her hands. “Now, let’s arrange an outfit for the summer party. I’ll summon the tailor.”

Chapter

Four

On the morning of the party, a mix of excitement and nerves made it hard for me to eat. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I would find out far more about this world today than I ever knew before, and maybe about myself too. I just needed to keep my emotions in check. But if there were going to be lots of other Graces there, surely everyone around would be getting Blessed, and nobody would know whether I was happy or not, as long as I stayed levelheaded enough to not break anything. It would be nice to have that pressure gone.

An hour before I was due to change into my formal dress, Pris hurried into the room without announcing herself. She had a book under one arm and was grinning conspiratorially.

“Purity, I smuggled this from the library for you. It might make you feel more confident about tonight. It’s got pictures inside!”

I beckoned for her to join me on the couch and looked over her shoulder as she opened the thick, heavily embossed leather cover, revealing only a few pages inside.

“These are examples of the two different types of goddesses as well as the gods of death so you can recognize them and tell them apart.” She flicked through a few pages of text to a full-page illustration that was painstakingly inked by hand and included some goldleaf. None of the drawings were labeled, but the woman was beautiful. “So here is a Grace. Typically pale skin, light eyes, blonde or brown hair. Basically, they will look like you and wear long dresses.” The goddess in the picture looked strong, confident, unknowable, and powerful. The complete opposite of how I felt. There was something strangely foreign about her. I was meant to be one of them, yet I still didn’t really understand what that meant.

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