Page 125 of Keeper of the Word
But the stars gave me the words I spoke to him that night: ‘Your fortune may yet be filled with goodness.’
May yet.StarSeers were so careful in remembering those small details. But the Deogolian had distracted her.
Elanna put her fingers to her temples. “Cease, Joss. We have more important matters?—”
“What?” Joss asked. “How can you say that after what we’ve just learned?”
Elanna met her eyes. “We have more important matters to worry about at present.”
Joss’s chin lowered. “Aye, m’lady.”
Across the alley, Gethwin gave a sly half-smile. She knew. She had known the entire time, hadn’t she?
Focus, Elanna.
Footsteps sounded from within, and a moment later, Hux stepped through the doorway carrying the orb in both hands. ’Twas a perfect circle, glass in appearance, though Elanna knew otherwise. ’Twas cynth cristal, a mineral almost as rare as the fabled starstone. The difference was that starstone was the strongest mineral on the continent, and cynth cristal was exceedingly fragile. Gethwin’s eyes twinkled as Hux placed the orb in her outstretched hands. As soon as it touched her fingers, the orb transformed from translucent to opaque. The murky white shined opalescent before recasting transparent.
Gethwin met eyes with Elanna and Tara and nodded. “To the roof, then.”
Chapter
Forty-Seven
ELANNA
The rickety, wooden stairs that crisscrossed outside the witch’s apartment house creaked with each step. When the three of them stood on top of the roof, Tara waved down to Goodsell, who stood with the others on guard at the foot of the stairs.
Gethwin was studying the sky when Elanna turned back to her. “Hmph.Not much time. Not much moonlight left.”
“It shall be enough,” Tara said, kneeling beside Gethwin, who had gently placed the orb in front of her.
“A master of Shroud Magic, are you?” Gethwin laughed before wiping her lips.
Elanna withdrew the Edan Stone from her pocket. ’Twas placed at the center of the triangle formation they’d made.
Gethwin was quiet, studying the moonstone. “I see,” she finally uttered. “You have lofty schemes.”
Elanna was unsurprised that Gethwin already knew what they planned for the Edan Stone.
“’Twill work,” Elanna said. “We are enough.”
“I have midnight gloves for each of you. I do not need them,” Gethwin said, removing two velvet-looking pairs from her satchel. “But ’twould be better if my sister was here. I know not if I can hold both of you.”
Elanna and Tara exchanged a glance.
“Keep her,” Tara said, taking a pair and placing them on her hands.
“Tara, nay. You are the First,” Elanna said before turning to Gethwin. “Protect her first.”
“Elanna, nay,” Tara pleaded.
“Tara—”
“Stars’ shadow. We do not have all night to argue. I’ll aim to hold both of you, but she spoke first”—she inclined her head to Tara—“so you are who I shall concentrate on.”
Elanna burned inside. Tara had already righted her shoulders. There was so much unsaid between them.
“Are you prepared?” Gethwin snapped.
