Page 7 of Between Soul and Vessel
“Good. You concentrate on getting those, and I’ll focus on my part.”
I nodded. “Alright.”
Her cane guided her as she walked back into the kitchen, her voice filling with false pleasantries as she said to Soren, “Now, about that cup of tea.”
Sage
Beams of light shot down from the heavens. They were like the blade of a mighty sword, piercing the fog, forcing it to fall to its knees, to surrender to the light’s mighty ruler—
The sun.
Moonbeam,a regal voice whispered in my ear, the word echoing through the blank expanse of my thoughts.
I was puzzled at that. Moonbeam? There was something familiar about the word, something I couldn’t quite—
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Capital,” Imari said, her hair dancing behind her, caught on the melody of the whistling wind as she flew.
The wind. Something twisted inside me. Something strange.
“Same,” Nemtuk responded, swallowing harshly.
I looked over his shoulder, marveling at themountainous female statues that began to emerge all around us. They were towering, glorious sculptures that stood in splendor, gilded in divine femininity, from their curvaceous frames to their long, flowing hair. They were so incredibly lifelike, it almost looked like the bottom of their gowns were waving in the wind. In one hand, they bore a sword, raising it in victory. In the other, they held a severed head—all of which were . . .male.
“It is a testament to the empress’s might,” Imari observed, conjuring a small nod from Nemtuk as he stared at the stone giants, his eyes impossibly wide.
Down below, extravagant streets framed by opulent temples stretched on for miles. The temples glistened in the sun’s caress, their glass-like exteriors varying in design and colors from one to the next. Some of the structures had fluted columns stretching from base to ceiling, and others had ornate spires that pierced the sky.
They were all so different.
But it was what they were made from that linked them all together—
Crystals. Some were citrine in color while others appeared to have been forged from rose quartz or amethyst. Some were darker, as if their walls had been filled with wisps of twirling smoke.
“What do you think the goddesses do in those temples all day?” Imari asked, her voice dropping just above a whisper.
Nemtuk pondered her question for a moment. “Probably boss their slaves around.” A small smile brimmedon his gray lips, showing off his sharp, pointed teeth. “Go get me another glass of wine,” he said, his voice shifting to a snobbish tone. “I’ve only six hundred cups today and I am in dire need of another. Hurry now.”
Imari chuckled then sighed. “Must be nice.”
“I imagine it is,” he said, the smile fading from his lips as he looked skyward.
“You have nothing to fear,” Imari reminded him.
“You’re right,” he breathed, giving a small, firm nod.
“Come on,” she directed as her wings clapped downward, the tips almost touching as she left the current she had been riding and began to fly higher.
Nemtuk followed behind her.
When the world faded below, a new one began to emerge.
Nestled in the embrace of the heavens was a floating mass of land, the bottom full of colossal formations that looked as if they were mountains flipped upside down. The mountains were imperfect, broken, and jagged—like they were missing parts of themselves. It was as if they had been rooted to the ground hundreds of feet below and brutally torn from it in a fit of rage.
Once we reached the other side, it was like seeing the other half of a coin. The craggy stone shot up into mountains in the middle of the island, a sea of cerulean surrounding it. The shimmering waters were calm and serene, gently brushing against the lip of the landmass but never tumbling over. Raised above the sea were dozens of pathways, all of them stretched from the edge of the island to the verymiddle—to celestial buildings that surrounded an unfathomably opulent palace, forged from opal stone. Light refracted off the glistening walls, the pastel colors dancing and shimmering as we flew closer. It was something out of a fairy tale, it’s grandeur beyond comprehension.
We landed at the foot of the grand palace’s crystal doors, and like the rest of the impressive structure, they towered before us. Above them, ancient symbols were carved into stone—a language, one I could not read, at least, not at first. But the longer I studied the strange markings, the less foreign they became.
The Celestial Opal Palace, home of the Great Empress Avena, Protector of all Femalekind.
