Page 102 of A Fate Unwoven
“Maia,” Lenora warned, her gaze fixed on Dimas, as if even now she expected him to berate the girl for speaking what his religion considered blasphemy.
And perhaps the Dimas of yesterday, the Dimas who hadn’t been betrayed by almost everyone he trusted, would have.
But the Dimas of today simply looked at Lenora and said, “Then tell me. Tell me your people’s version of the story.”
A heavy silence fell over the group. No one spoke. No one moved. Even the air itself seemed to hold its breath.
And then Lena said, “Are you sure you want to hear it? It … doesn’t exactly paint your family in the best light.”
“They haven’t exactly done themselves any favors,” Dimas muttered, pain lancing through his chest as he thought of his uncle’s words.I’m afraid you’ll end up just like your mother.“I just … I want the truth.”
Something almost like guilt passed over Lenora’s expression, but it was quickly replaced with a steely resolve as she told the tale of how the first emperor, Armas Ehmar, and the firstZværnapriests asked the Sisters of Fate for help in ending the war between the clans and uniting the lands into one empire. Of how they’d turned the High Priest’s daughter, Venysa, into the very first Fateweaver. It was a story Dimas knew well, one he’d had drilled into him during his childhood history lessons, and so far, he couldn’t see how Lenora’s tale differed from his people’s own.
When he said as much, Lena nodded. “Yes, that’s because, up until this part of history, the tales of our people are mostly the same. But this is where the stories differ.
“For the empire claims the priest’s daughter was a willing vessel and humbly accepted a divine honor. Whereas our stories say otherwise: Venysa wasn’t given a choice. When she awoke with the Sisters’ power inside her, Emperor Armas coerced her into using that power to bring the other clans to heel; if she didn’t, she would watch her half-brother die.”
“So, you’re saying that the first emperorthreatenedLady Venysa into submission?” Dimas managed to ask around the pounding in his head. “No, that isn’t … thatcan’tbe true.” Because if it was, the foundation of the empire’s legacy, of hisfamily’slegacy, was a lie.
Lena sighed. “But it is. That’s where the tale ends, with Venysa dying a prisoner, and her predecessor becoming the Furybringer, but … that isn’t the full story. Venysa’s spirit is connected to mine, somehow. She’s the one who told me about the ritual that she and aZværnaacolyte had created to try to break her bond to Armas, after …” She paused, her eyes flashing silver for the briefest of moments before returning to their usual gray.
“After what?” Maia asked.
“She tried to run,” Lena continued. “Broke out her brother and fled. But … Armas found them, and Venysa’s father, he … took her brother’s life as punishment for her disobedience, and then locked her away. I saw the memory myself.”
“Your affinity,” Yana breathed. “It’s for the past?”
Lena nodded. “Apparently.”
At this point, it didn’t come as a surprise to Dimas that Lenora had known, or at least suspected, what her affinity was all this time and had kept it a secret. Everything she’d said or done since the moment she’d met him had been laced with deceit.
Still, Dimas found himself wishing she were wrong.
“The memory could have been planted by the cult …,” said Dimas. “My uncle, he said he’d corrupted mine and my mother’s minds somehow. Maybe they’ve done the same to you—planted false memories to manipulate your feelings toward Venysa?”
Lena frowned. “I saw the memory before I even came to the palace. This entire time, she’s been trying to control me. The same way I think she corrupted the Furybringer, Lady Aalys.”
“… What do you mean?” asked Dimas, his brow furrowed.
“When the bond broke, the Fateweaver’s power became stronger, and so did my connection to Venysa. She showed me her past,” said Lena. “Næbya came to her after she was imprisoned. Said that She never wanted the Fateweaver’s power to be under the empire’s control. That She wanted the Fateweaver to be Her vessel on the mortal plane, and that She wanted Venysa’s power to be limitless.”
“That’s heretical nonsense,” Ioseph said. “It was Næbya’s Sisters who wished to sever the bond. Næbya sealed them away to stop them.”
Casimir let out a small scoff, his mouth opening to utter what was likely a scathing remark, but a single glare from Lena had him closing it again.
“That’s the story the church tells,” the Fateweaver said, “because that’s what theybelieve.It’s what Næbya made them believe.”
“But … why?” Yana’s brow furrowed.
“From what I can gather, it was because She needed time to find a way to sever the bond Her Sisters had created. If Her true plans were revealed, the church would turn against Her, and without people to worship Her, She would grow weak. This way, She could stay in power whilst Venysa carried out Her work. They made a deal.” Lena sighed, suddenly looking weary. “When Venysa was taken back to the palace after her brother’s murder, Næbya came to her and told her that if she could find a way to break the bond Her Sisters and the High Priest had created, then Næbya would grant her limitless power. Power that Venysa could use against the emperor and her father to get revenge for all they’d taken from her.
“Venysa agreed, and asked an acolyte who had fallen in love with her to help. But by the time he’d created a ritual that would work, his and Venysa’s plans were discovered. The acolyte was fatally wounded,but he managed to stay alive long enough to flee to the tunnels beneath the palace, where he sealed the ritual in a chamber.”
The crease between Yana’s brow had only deepened. “I don’t understand what this has to do with the Furybringer.”
Lena let out an impatient sigh. “After Venysa’s plans were discovered, her father sealed her in the palace dungeons and took her mother as a hostage to keep her compliant. She couldn’t retaliate without risking her mother’s life. And so she and Næbya made a new bargain; Næbya would bind Venysa’s spirit to the Fateweaver’s essence, so that Venysa could return with every reincarnation of the Fateweaver and attempt to claim her revenge. It was Venysa’s influence that turned Lady Aalys into the Furybringer,” Lena said. “And now she wants to do the same to me.”
“No.” Dimas interrupted, his mind whirring. “Lady Aalys was driven to madness and became the Furybringer because she couldn’t control her powers. Venysa and Næbya had nothing to do with it.”
