The Shadows That Dwell Within (The Warrior Queens book #1) (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 17 - Rosaline

Rosaline shifted from one foot to the other. She had been standing outside the temple for half an hour now. Her patience wore thin. She was not allowed to see the head priest until the Blessing was finished. The Blessing was a simple ritual. The family gathered round while a new-born baby was bathed in holy water by five Deacons. Once a baby was blessed, they could not become possessed. This was the temple Rosaline herself was blessed. She obviously didn't remember it but she had been in temple many times after it.

The head priest finally pushed the door open and told her she could come in. She recognised him as Sir Tarihan. His hair had whitened since the last time she had seen him and he had grown thinner.

"You may come in, young worshipper" Sir Tarihan said in S'ian.

"Thank you, but I am not here to worship. I would like to know more about ancient magic" Rosaline replied in S'ian.

She wasn't as fluent in S'ian as she was Concordian, but it was still her native tongue.

"This is because of your mission to kill Erebus, yes?" Sir Tarihan asked.

"Yes, I would like to know if there is some way to track Erebus?"

Sir Tarihan's eyebrows rose.

"That would involve magic with infernal alliances. The kind we frown upon in Concordia".

"Sir, we are desperate. If we do not find Erebus soon, I don't know what it will mean for Concordia, for all the Peaceland kingdoms" Rosaline said.

"Very well Rosaline, but you didn't hear it from me. There is an Enchantress who lives in the forest in Amiticia. She knows many spells, many ancient forgotten ones. But beware this woman is amoral. She's lived part from society for years, who knows what she's like now".

"What do you mean, she's amoral? Is she a Conjuror?" Rosaline asked.

Sir Tarihan just tapped his nose.

"You didn't hear it from me".

"Thank you, sir"

Rosaline sprinted to the landing deck where The Falcons were waiting for her. Most of them had already boarded the ship. Victoria stood at the bottom of the stairs with her arms crossed, tapping her foot.

"You're late. The airship is about to leave" Victoria said.

"It's fixed already?" Rosaline asked.

"We were top priority, given the mission we're on" Victoria said, making her way up the stairs onto the airship.

"Good news. I spoke to one of the Enchanters in the temple and he said that tracking magic exists" Rosaline beamed.

"Everyone knows it exists, Rosaline. Not many people know how to use it" Victoria said.

"But there is a Conjuror in the Amitician woods who knows how to use it" Rosaline replied.

"You remember what happened the last time we made a deal with a Conjuror" Victoria snapped.

"It paid off?" Rosaline said.

"Forget it. We're going to Concordia and that's it" Victoria said, as they took their seats and prepared for take-off.

Rosaline waited until Victoria left the seating area and bolted into the control room.

"Are we flying to Concordia? Didn't you hear about the change of plans?" Rosaline asked the Prince.

"Change of plans? No, I didn't hear about that" Casper said, raising his eyebrows.