Page 25 of A Clash of Stars

I responded too hastily for her to believe me, “Yes, Mother, I’m fine.” Her eyes daggered into my soul, and I knew she didn’t honestly believe my words.

“I’m just…nervous, that’s all. It is the unexpected that I am concerned about.”

She breathed out a light sigh and grabbed my hand. Her hand was soft and dainty, and the gesture calmed me immediately.

“Will you come with me to the powder room momentarily?” She casually asked, and I obliged and followed her from our seats and down the hall to the ladies’ room.

My mother walked past the black suede couch to the counter, framed with a ceiling-to-waist mirror illuminated by soft lights.

“It is completely normal for you to be nervous.”

As she begins, she pulls out a round case of setting powder from her clutch and applies it across the bridge of her nose.

“As for the unexpected portions of the Variance. I can’t tell you everything. Everyone in that room knows that your father and I have challenged the Aster rule, and the last Variance didn’t go too well. I’m sure you have figured that out.”

I nodded with understanding, I already knew this from Luna, but I wouldn’t let my mother know that my advisor has given meextraguidance. I half expectedmy mother to tell me more because I could see her struggling with some meaningful information at the tip of her tongue. But she appeared to subdue her urge with a soft smile and a kiss on the cheek, then led me back to the dining room.

We finished our dinner and moved into the ballroom. Following tradition, it was customary for each royal to dance with their mother or father. Luckily, my father was the best dancer, and I always enjoyed his company.

As we took our spots on the floor, the music from the string quartet floated freely around us as my father twirled me and didnotfollow the dance we were instructed to complete. Although, I didn’t mind his spontaneous movements as they seemed to bring usually stuffy classical Carondelet music to a brand new light.

After my eleventh twirl around the dance floor, I noticed a change in my father’s eyes. An almost serious expression settled over his face. He pulled me in closer and began to whisper something that I was not prepared to hear.

“Clara, there is something you should know. Your mother and I have waited as long as possible to tell you, but I can’t withhold it any longer, anddon’tblame your mother for not telling you. She knew I wanted to be the one to tell you instead.” He paused and looked at me before pulling me back into his chest.

“It is not a secret that your mother and I struggled with being able to have children before you. Once your mother was pregnant with you, she became very ill, and we were worried she wouldn’t make it, and neither would you.

“There was a particular evening when we were visited by Athiana. She placed her hand on your mother’s growing womb and produced significant power that surrounded your mother with abundant bright colors. She healed your mother and protected you. She knelt in front of us, still holding your mother’s stomach, and warned us of the future.

“‘This child is the one true descendent of the six that have been waiting for her. There will come a day when the rule of the land will need to be challenged for Clara to grow into her power and overthrow the corrupt Aster’s bloodline. If sheis unsuccessful, they will kill her and absorb her power. If she falls, they will come after Artesia and the rest of the Kingdoms that stand in solidarity with you.’

“Once she explained this, we knew that we needed to train you, prepare you, and now it’s time.”

I am a thousand percent positive that my jaw was open to the floor at this moment. My mind was running faster than my body could react, and I felt the blood flush from my face. My father gently cupped my chin and said, “Clara,youare that victor. You are the true descendent of the six. Once you retrieve the relic, they will hunt you down. Your mother and I have a plan of our own, so do not concern yourself about us. We want to help you, Clara, but we can’t step into your fate. Stay strong, fight hard, and always remember that we love you.”

At the end of his final statement, my father hugged me as if he’d never see me again, and I felt the tears I had been fighting back stream down my face.

“Wait, how do you know this, Father? I don’t understand how I could be the true descendent?”

Before he turned to leave me on the dance floor, he hugged me once again, “That information will come with time. For now, get that relic, sweetie. I love you.”

I blotted my eyes and attempted to gain composure as I faced the crowds entangled within their revelry and blissful ignorance of the impending trouble ahead.

The night continued, and I was overwhelmingly tired, knowing I would get up early in the morning to begin the Variance. I said my goodbyes and started the walk to my room. When I approached the doors, there was a bouquet of white roses with a handwritten note tucked into the back.

When the star aligns with the moon, that’s where I’ll be. The stone in the ground staring at thee. One star and a key. The purest of blood must seek revenge. Hand in hand is where it shall begin.

I stood,glancing around me to see if I could catch a glimpse of who had left them. I brought them through the door and placed them on my bedside.

I slowly started unwinding for the evening, thinking of the note. I feel like I have seen some part of the card before, but who the abyss left that here? I couldn’t let it get to me as I continued to get comfortable for the evening. I put on my favorite pair of pajamas and snuggled into the bed. I opened the side table drawer and pulled out the book I had started to read the night before to try and connect it to the card that was left.

The Story of the Witch

In all fairytales, there are good and evil. Luckily for us, this isn’t a fairytale. The line between good and evil is blurred in this world, leaving a very dark and an unusual gray area.

What is a witch, you may ask? You probably have assumptions about this witch, and you’re mistaken. As I said before, the line between good and evil is not defined.

A species is made up of many great beings and many, many terrible ones. So what distinguishes them from one another?

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